Jockey Wheel / Trail A Mate questions.
Submitted: Monday, Nov 18, 2013 at 22:32
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Willie
Howdy Boggers,
I need to either modify / replace my jockey wheel, or buy a Trail-A Mate. I have a few questions regarding this :
Are there better quality jockey wheels on the market or are they all much the same quality ? I plan to replace the actual wheel with a box section piece of steel ( to cut down the wobble a bit and keep it the same height as it was with the wheel)
The option to the above is to buy a Trail-A-Mate which I know is well made, but I wondered if I can still leave it on the draw bar when not in use (like my jockey wheel now). I have nowhere to store such a bulky item in my 16, where space is at a premium.
My 16 footer is down in Wollongong at the moment getting a huge electrics upgrade which will bring a 2001 model right up to modern standards. I have purchased a 320ah Lithium Ion battery set-up, a Sterling Pro Q12V - 1800W Inverter fitted with Safelec Safety Gear, a 50 amp Mariner PNP1250 battery charger and lots of bells and whistles to support all this.
Thanks everyone,
Willie.
Reply By: braggy - Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013 at 01:40
Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013 at 01:40
Hi Willie
I'm sure you will not be disappointed with the upgrade to Lithiums,
but when you say Lithium Ion, do you mean Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFep04)
Cheers Ken
AnswerID:
586701
Follow Up By: braggy - Saturday, Nov 23, 2013 at 03:14
Saturday, Nov 23, 2013 at 03:14
Curved what ?
Good, the lithium ions are a bit unstable, and can blow up,
didn't want ya sleeping on top of them.
300ah should do you fine, how much solar have you got ?
Cheers Ken
FollowupID:
855465
Follow Up By: Willie - Saturday, Nov 23, 2013 at 04:05
Saturday, Nov 23, 2013 at 04:05
Ken
I have 4 x Kyocera 135 panels up top. Three were replaced no charge by Kyocera a couple of years ago and I added one more at the same time.
I reckon I should be able to charge up the new batteries fairly rapidly. I know nothing about electronics - I work on the principle of 'more is better'.
Is that a single axle 16 footer on the truck in your photo ? What went wrong ?
Chedrs,
Willie.
FollowupID:
855466
Follow Up By: braggy - Saturday, Nov 23, 2013 at 04:36
Saturday, Nov 23, 2013 at 04:36
Thats heaps Willie.
I have 3x135w and 210ah Lithium, the van has been away over 3months (Nth WA) and batteries have been fully charged on solar only by lunch everyday, although they are not big power users.
The best thing about Lithiums is that once set up and going ,you can basically forget about them, even half charges don't worry them for a while.
I don't think you will be disappointed.
No, its a 14'er, its all here on this
forum, "can only happen if ya go too hard too fast" right
At least its only the poptop skirt thats fallen off now.
Cheers Ken
FollowupID:
855467
Follow Up By: Willie - Saturday, Nov 23, 2013 at 18:24
Saturday, Nov 23, 2013 at 18:24
I have had two big problems with mine - both needed a tray top, but one occurred in Alice where they don't mind if you drive through town at 5 km/ h to a repairer - all the springs broke in the centre on one side.
The other episode was when the two arms of my drawbar split right through on the bottom and both sides, leaving just the top surface intact. I unhitched it when I got home and was very surprised to see the front of the van tilt up, and the rest stay parallel to the ground.
Could have been a train wreck.
I replaced it all with a much stronger draw bar the same size as the current large BTs.
Willie
FollowupID:
855468
Reply By: Gone Bush - Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013 at 04:09
Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013 at 04:09
Willie,
it depends on whether you want a wheel on the Trail-a-Mate leg or just a plate.
I had a Trail-a-Mate and I wouldn't leave it on the drawbar while travelling. I used to take it off every time and put it in the front boot.
I have recently replaced it with a Vehicle Components slide jack. Here are some photos of how I attached it.
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I welded two pieces of steel angle to it and then bolted those to two more pieces that were, in turn, bolted to the flat plate on the drawbar. I used the same size nuts and bolts as the hitch uses.
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It's so easy to use, and it stays on the drawbar while underway.
AnswerID:
586702
Follow Up By: Gone Bush - Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013 at 04:13
Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013 at 04:13
Willie, I just re-read your post about not using the wheel.
You can see four holes in the footplate of the VC slide jack; I intend to bolt a piece of timber, pine or similar, to that just to increase its jacking height a little. 50mm slab of pine should be just right.
FollowupID:
855469
Follow Up By: Willie - Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013 at 04:21
Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013 at 04:21
Stephen,
Thanks for going to the trouble here. That looks like a very neat set-up. Pretty much everything I need.
Is the jack fairly stiff when extended ?
You have gone to a lot of trouble to mount it with your own steel plates etc. Don't they come with some way of mounting them to the drawbar ?
Thanks a lot,
Willie.
FollowupID:
855470
Follow Up By: Willie - Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013 at 04:22
Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013 at 04:22
PS
I don't want a wheel on it.
FollowupID:
855471
Reply By: Gone Bush - Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013 at 04:31
Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013 at 04:31
Willie,
see here:
Site Link there are a choice of swivel mounts etc.
But, not being able to see them in the flesh I wasn't sure that they were suitable for my application and I didn't want it to swivel. BT weld them to a piece of flat plate on the drawbar but I wanted mine removable. Using those six pieces of angle is easy, I suggest slightly thicker plate for less flex, but that's what I had in the offcuts bin, so that's what got used.
I'm sure if you printed out my photos and took them to a local metalwork shop they could do it for you out of scrap. They just need to cut some steel angle, weld two pieces to the jack, and drill some holes in the right places.
By the way, I see you are on ExplorOz now.
AnswerID:
586703
Follow Up By: Willie - Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013 at 19:04
Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013 at 19:04
Yes, I posted on Exploroz for the first time in many years.,
I joined over nine years ago when I used to criss-cross the WA deserts on a regular basis. But then the style of the site changed about six years ago and most of the regulars left. (no personal chit chat was tolerated)
I was given a free membership this week when I purchased their new maps, so I went in and had a look and a chat for old times sake.
Willie.
FollowupID:
855472
