Jockey Wheels

[cobber]

One day, when it was raining, I thought it would
be exciting to start a thread on the different designs
of Jockey wheels that have been available over the years.
No attempt has been made to determine when each
design first became available.


Royal Axle Works. From the Plans For Caravans book ( no date but pre 4th edition I think).

It is similar (if not the same) as that fitted to Humpty2's Janorma..... (later restored)


Dymwood …. From the 1951 Caravan & Touring
Manual.


A variation on the one above... said to have been
made by the "Royal Axle works"


Henderson …. From the 1954 Caravan & Touring Manual.

Similar (if not the same) as that later fitted to Cobber's Ol' 36.

The virtue of this design is that it folds up out of the
way when traveling


Royal & Co..... from the 1954 Caravan & Touring Manual

Similar to the Jockey wheel originally fitted to Driftwood.

Just one of the features of this design was that if
Mum & Dad stood on opposite sides of the tow bar
you could pull together or... if you stood on the same
side you could push and pull together . Apart from
that it didn't have much going for it.

A “Globe” Jockey wheel.


This one fitted to what might be an “Adventurer” caravan.


Kustombruce posted this one out of another “How to build trailers” book


Don R's 1949 Don 140 Jockey wheel.


And that fitted to a 1936 Don Caravan


And that fitted to Surftragic's Don 100


Then......... in 1957 S.J. Brown advertised the “Lift Up Jockey
Wheel” which was to become the “Belly Button” of
Jockey Wheels. So endeth the beautiful variations
of the "Screw Type" Jockey Wheels

Cobber.

[humpty2]

You coulda showed the restored one ........... and the coupling looks the same too.

[cobber]

Yeah......... I could have
But I started the thread so I did it my way

Are there any brand names on that Jockey wheel old mate ?

A worrying coincidence occurred today regarding this thread.......... just have a
look at the "Somewhere Else" Blog site ......... there was no
collusion, it just happened

Cobber

[Don Ricardo]

Dec 4, 2010 18:50:30 GMT 10 cobber said:

... just have a look at the "Somewhere Else" Blog site ......... there was no collusion, it just happened

Sure, Cobber, sure... there was no collusion, eh?

Then compare these vans - Van Vino from the Somewhere Else website:



Cobber's Newcastle:



And just who has an FJ Holden? Uh huh...

No collusion...sure - and Qatar won the 2022 World Cup fair and square!

Don Ricardo
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

By the way folks, some great V V stories on www.somewhereelse.com.au over the last few days.

PS Sorry Cobber, this was supposed to be a thread about jockey wheels - a most worthy and interesting V V subject - but you started the diversion... ;D ;D ;D

[Surf Tragic]

Very impressive Cobber.

The Globe setup is very neat and tidy, Humpty2's is unique as is the one on your van. The Jockey wheel on the Don 100 & 120 is difficult to use , it didn't have much thought put into it & not kind to your back , the 140's works well being the screw type.

Thanks for collecting the information.

ST

[cobber]

PAPA!!!.... HELP !!!!!

Don R has made a convincing case to suggest we are
together in some sort of commercial enterprise to sell VanVino wines
via the Vintage Caravan forum and this Jockey wheel thread................ not
a bad idea actually

I see that since the news broke here on the forum
yesterday they have sold out of the “Anti-Sway Shiraz”
AND the “Tow Bar Rosé ”.

Still available are the “Jockey Wheel Cabernet” AND
the “Leaf Spring Chardonnay ” together with the
“Camp Fire Port”......... (this mob sound like they should
be making a fortune out of this mob here )

Where was I .... Papa !!! ... I need an affidavit from
you to support my claim there was no collusion in the
setting up of this Jockey Wheel thread and the appearance
of your Jockey Wheel Blog yesterday .

Cobber.

[atouchofglass]

Don't worry Cobber
No one here thinks that
We all know you blokes would be too busy drinking the stock
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Though a nice bottle of antisway sounds pretty good


Up here we just use jungle juice.

Cheers
Atog

[paparazzi]

Hi All,

Yes, Atog got it right - no collusion here, I was too busy using that bottle of jockey wheel cab.

I think every well-equipped VV should had a few spare jockey wheels. Maybe I will get a few to have at home as well.

Cheers, Papa

[Deleted]

;D ;D

I see that since the news broke here on the forum
yesterday they have sold out of the “Anti-Sway Shiraz”
AND the “Tow Bar Rosé ”.

I read this and went flying down the backyard to check on Rosies tow Bar..
Twasnt 'til i came back and read it the second time i notice the anomoly in the spelling
Hick .. burp.... oiy 'bartender.. decork another bottle of anti sway fa me will ya...

Sorry for running of track here on your thread Cobber. I am sure there will be some adjustments made and the whole thread will be smelling of Rose' tommorrow

Jockey wheels??.. how come Jockey wheels .. where did the name come from... ??
To Jockey .. the caravan into position.

Why not Hercules wheel .. to lift the van off the towball.

Its all too much.
Reddo

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Cobber,

Getting back to the original purpose of this thread - which I must admit I had fun in helping to derail ;D ;D ;D - the following is the jockey wheel attached to the Gason caravan sold on Ebay in July 2007:



Unfortunately you can't see the wheel itself of much below the A frame. However, it seems to be a bit different to the others you've shown. It's secured to the A frame with a horizontal plate, like some of the others, but the whole thing is strengthened with a "flying buttress" either side of the threaded pipe thingy...

I hope you get what I am referring to. You can tell I'm not an engineer. If I have to describe a mechanical device I am reduced to what I learnt in 4th form Art (flying buttresses) and a couple of descriptive words followed by "thingy"...

Don Ricardo

[cobber]

G'day Don R,

You've done very well, in helping to derail this exciting thread...... then describing in non technical terms the mounting arrangement for this particular two handed screw type Jockey wheel ... and now helping to get the thread back on track.
I wonder why they felt it necessary to provide buttresses to strengthen sideways movement but not back and forth stress as well

You probably noticed we have now covered two different ways of mounting this type of screw to the "A" frame.... either to a vertical surface or a horizontal surface.
It is rather a shame we can't see the wheel on your contribution because you may have noticed there are two different ways shown so far of attaching the wheel to the screw...... there may have been a third way ( that I think is a political philosophy isn't it......... don't answer that question, stay on track )

Which now raises the point that there are many different types of WHEEL as well as different ways of raising and lowering the wheel.
This could become a very interesting thread if some people can just refrain from derailing it .

By the way....... I have ordered a dozen "Jockey Wheel Cabernet" from Vanvino wines..... works out at $9.25 per bottle delivered, worth that just for the label I though and.... we have the paparazzi palate's educated assessment that the wine itself is superb.

I'll let you all know what I think of it when it arrives... (on a different thread )

Cobber.

[cobber]

G'day Reddo,

You are feeling nervous about your sheds security aren't you..... that's what you get for seeking the limelight and getting your name in the papers .

You have raised a very interesting question here

Jockey wheels??.. how come Jockey wheels .. where did the name come from... ??

And then provided the most logical answer

To Jockey .. the caravan into position.

but not necessarily the right answer .

I wonder if others have a different reason for the name "Jockey wheel"

Cobber.

[Surf Tragic]

Dec 5, 2010 19:41:35 GMT 10 @reddo said:

Jockey wheels??.. how come Jockey wheels .. where did the name come from... ??
To Jockey .. the caravan into position. Reddo

I see the term is used in bicycle gears, there is a 'Jockey wheel' that "jockeys" the chain from one cog to the next. So I reckon you're right, all it is used for is to jockey the van into position .

Dec 6, 2010 5:59:56 GMT 10 cobber said:

Which now raises the point that there are many different types of WHEEL This could become a very interesting thread if some people can just refrain from derailing it .

Cobber.

Apart from the different types, I have noticed most are roundish ;D

Cobber, what you are creating here really, is a "Parts Manual" of all VV bits, there are a few categories to explore yet.

ST

[griffin]

Hi Cobber

Thought you might be interested in this pic of a mates jockey on his old box trailer, it's square for something different. I thought it may have been home made but even the securing bracket is designed to take a square shaft

A very interesting thread

George

[Don Ricardo]

G'day Griffin,

Although the external sleeve is square, I presume that there is an inner sleeve which is cylindrical - given that the centre post is cylindrical? Can't see how it would work otherwise - a lot of wear on some parts of the sleeve and none on other bits.

Don Ricardo

[cobber]

Thanks for that one George, if it was home made the bloke took a bit of pride in his creation aye?
Unlike the bloke who made this one who was apparently in a bit of a hurry, hardly any castor action on it


Cobber.

[Franklin1]

This is the jockey wheel that belongs to my late '50s Newcastle / Castle / Cardman van...





It seems to match the Royal & Co version on Page 1, although my handle must have been chopped at some stage. The wheel is stuck solid, and so are the ball bearings. Might have to put it in a bucket of molasses for a while and see what happens.

cheers,
Al.

[humpty2]

The molasses will eat into the good steel after it's finished with the rust......why don't you just put it in a pot of oil and heat it.?

[Franklin1]

Thanks for the good oil there humpty2. Once I get my bearings, I should have a better handle on your idea, and be able to jockey the wheel into the heated oil tub. Sure hope I don't screw it up.

(There ya go...how to return a thread to its topic )

cheers,
Al.

[cobber]

This jockey wheel (possibly home engineered : has maybe too much castor action.... but it has passed the test of time so don't laugh.
It is on a "Kings Caravan"
The “Natures Own” wheel chock is a nice addition.


Cobber.

[Deleted]

Hi Cobber,that square jockey wheel fitted to a mates trailer on page 1 was made by Hauffe ,they were fitted to Newlands and some Viscount vans in the late seventies,dont see many of them now,and yes Don they had a cylindrical thread inside.Strange but true!
hughdeani

[cobber]

Plenty of castor action on this jockey wheel.
The home made caravan it is fitted to can be seen HERE



Cobber.

[cobber]

This is a jockey wheel.... without a wheel.

As you would know the piece in the centre goes into the piece on the left and the brass bit with the internal thread that is on the centre piece should be secured at the top of the piece on the left by a grub screw.

The grub screw broke... so it had to be removed from the centre piece and re-fitted to the piece on the left and secured with two grub screws, then that piece had to be inserted into the piece on the right then............ the piece in the centre could be wound into the brass bit with the internal thread until the cap on the centre piece could be screwed onto the piece on the right and secured with another grub screw.

All it needs now is a wheel



Cobber.

[cobber]

Another good looking jockey wheel on a good looking Hawthorn caravan



Cobber.

[kaybee]

Hey there Cobber.....if you like it,you can have it.......it's a bad tempered POS,won't go where it's pointed and it's about to be replaced with something more effective......