Activity

A jockey wheel or trailer jockey is an easy-to-use, self-contained device primarily created for lowering and raising the coupling end of a trailer and for stablekeeping the trunk of the trailer while towing it to and from another vehicle. It really is used to reduce the strain on the trailer’s tow-line. A wheel jack is the device that raises and lowers the trailer, utilizing a hydraulic system. A jockey wheel acts because the "punch" arm by raising and lowering the trailer using its crankshaft. The trailer is then moved combined with the crankshaft of the trailer by the towing arm. Jockey wheels could be either directly or indirectly driven; the latter type of wheel is more regularly used.

There are various types of jockey wheels, each suited to particular circumstances. There are basically two types: straight shafts and counter-rotating shafts. They differ in terms of design, size, type of material used and the way they are fitted. The most frequent forms of trailer jockey wheels will be the straight shafts and the counter-rotating ones. The straight shafts include a single large counter-rotating arm that’s placed in the biggest market of the wheel, that includes a cross bar attached at the other end.

These arms are connected by way of a large numbers of smaller arms that are fitted at the ends of the primary body. All of the arms have a cross bar attached so that the upper surface of the wheel can be lifted by it easily. However, the counter-rotating ones feature an arched design with a series of vertically mounted clamp brackets round the outside of the arm. They are fitted on the trailer jockey wheels and engage the wheels at their ends. Clamp brackets may also be found in tandem with the jockey wheels to lock the trailer securely set up.

Mounting brackets, subsequently, are created out of different materials. A number of them are made out of steel, while others are made out of aluminum or plastic. The former is more preferable since it is more durable and is light-weight; as the latter can be cast, but is comparatively expensive. You should choose the mounting bracket that may work best with the trailer. However, ratchet jockey wheel and mounting brackets are not too difficult to install on trailers of any sort, irrespective of the type of vehicle they are destined to be utilized on.

The next step entails mounting the wheel on the trailer, where it will engage the trailer’s winch system and the cable ties. At this point, installation of windshield or roof shingles should come into the picture. Next, the cable will run from the winch to a cable trimmer to the wind shield and lastly to a cable cutter to perform the work.

Once installed, it is advisable to practice driving the vehicle without the load on it for a couple days to ensure that the device is in perfect working condition. Alternatively, when exceeding heavy duty jockey wheel and uneven surfaces, it’s important that you use pneumatic tires because they offer better traction on soft and muddy ground. Apart from utilizing the appropriate jockey wheel on the trailer, additionally it is important to make use of a jack to raise the automobile to a working level. Be certain that the vehicle is raised utilizing the right method – usually using an extension ladder – and is maintained properly so as not to damage the vehicle or its components when raising it. Finally, make sure you drive the vehicle slowly and cautiously on the rough surface, taking care not to step on the gas or the brake pedals.