Trailer tongue jacks with jockey wheels

[Esteban]

At the Little Guy forum there is a lengthy discussion about jockey wheels. Some people are adding 10" pneumatic wheels from Harbor Freight 10 in. Pneumatic Swivel Caster to trailer tongue jacks to make it easier to roll teardrop trailers over rough and or grassy ground. Bulldog Caster Adapter Plates from etrailer.com mated with Harbor Freight pneumatic wheels connected to trailer tongue jacks are one developing DIY solution to function similarly to manufactured jockey wheels used in other countries.

Manufactured jockey wheels like ones from couplemate.com seem very popular in the UK and Australia. They are not readily available in the U.S.

Here in the U.S. the Fulton F2 line of trailer tongue jacks seem to be the most similar ones to jockey wheels.

Who has experience to share using a Fulton F2 jack, or a jockey wheel? What are the pros and cons? Are they very helpful to move a trailer more easily, especially over grassy or rough ground, like you may need to in a campsite?



A Fulton F2 Swing-Up Trailer Jack, Dual 7" Wheels, Sidewind, Bolt-On - 1,600 lbs from etrailer.com costs $154.95. Are they worth the (extra) expense?

[GPW]

Steve, we just use the Harbor Freight trailer dolly , and that works great for All my trailers ...

[mary and bob]

I use a wheel on the tongue jack of our teardrop. It is the standard removable steel wheel that works good on hard ground. A few years ago one parts supplier, maybe the teardrop fix-it shop, was selling a pneumatic tire wheel assembly, but it was expensive. One issue with a large wheel could be that your jack may not retract enough to get it on while hooked to your tow vehicle. Our other camper, a fiberglass Uhaul, has the swivel tongue jack that pivots up parallel with the tongue, and has a permanently attached wheel.

[GuitarPhotog]

My tongue jack has a hard rubber wheel about 8" in diameter. To keep it from rolling about unexpectedly, I use one of these http://www.dyersonline.com/camco-trailer-tongue-wheel-dock.html

<Chas>

[Esteban]

I have an A-frame tongue. I can use either an A-frame tongue jack or a swing up jack. I'm trying to decide which is preferable.

The downside of an A-frame tongue jack is that many of them, even when fully retracted, stick so far down under the coupler that they are easy to bend and or damage.

etrailer.com has two A-frame tongue jacks with similar short (about 5-1/2 in.) retracted heights:
The Pro Series Round, A-Frame Jack - Topwind - 15" Lift - 2,000 lbs has a 5-1/2" retracted height below the mounting bracket. It's priced at $22.95.
The Bulldog Round, A-Frame Jack - Topwind - 15" Lift - 2,000 lbs has a 5-2/5" retracted height below the mounting bracket. It is priced at $38.95.

A Bulldog Caster Adapter Plate can be attached to either of the above A-frame tongue jacks. If I am reading the description right:

Overall dimensions: 4-5/8" x 3-3/4"
Distance on bolt hole centers (short side): 2-7/8"
Distance on bolt hole centers (long side): 3-5/16"

it has a 3-3/4" height. It is priced at $13.99.

Harbor Freight has several pneumatic wheels that fit the above Bulldog Caster Adapter Plate:
A 10 in. Pneumatic Swivel Caster is currently sale priced at $15.99.
A 8 in. Pneumatic Swivel Caster is currently sale priced at $13.99.

For as low as $50.93 you could assemble an A-frame tongue jack with a detachable caster adapter plate and an 8 in. pneumatic caster wheel to make your own jockey wheel to make it easier to move a teardrop trailer.

Because the Bulldog adapter plate is removable there would be little danger of damaging the bottom of the A-frame jack when the adapter plate and attached pneumatic wheel are off.

Swing up tongue jacks that the Bulldog adapter plate fits could also be modified with detachable pneumatic wheels. It would cost about $28 - $30.

For a modest price using readily available parts tongue jacks can be modified to make a teardrop camper easier to roll where you want it at your storage area or in a camp site.

[mary and bob]

Retracted height is important, and is a critical dimension to consider when ordering a tongue jack. The other consideration is with a larger caster can you get it on the jack while the coupler is on the ball. Good links Steve.

[rowerwet]

I prefer a tongue jack that removes for towing, and with a wheel for moving the tear by hand, the cheap swing away kind work fine but get in the way when up.