Motorised Jockey Wheel?

[FunCaptain]

Originally Posted by J@mes

Thanks for the videos, that's a good idea maybe if you cannot get the jockey wheel at the front high enough to lift the front wheels/axel, then put another jokey wheel closer to the wheels. It would have to be securely fitted and weight rated though, doesn't look too safe otherwise!

Yes, 300 kg seems low for lifting so close to the axle, but it seems to work, Al-Ko makes solid products. And the support was especially modified.

[Peter_C]

OP What is the reason the trailer can't just be backed into the garage? Do you have a photo of the driveway garage?

Would it be possible to start with tape or markers on the ground to hit said markers, and find a way to hit the perfect angle? If it is left to a straight line push that is easy enough, or use a winch. A bolt mount in the driveway to clip into to redirect the winch cable could pull it out or in depending on winch location. Nothing wrong with disconnecting, repositioning the vehicle, reconnecting, then continuing with the task.

Another option that might work is to put a front receiver on the truck allowing tighter turns with more visibility. Not knowing what the tow vehicle is leaves me lacking information. Most anything can be fabricated.

Length of trailer has a lot to do with getting the front tires off the ground. The video shown above with the extra jack mount looks functional. The wheel could be 12" (30cm) since it would be left in the garage. Might be very easy to find a mount and fabricate with off the shelf parts (Recycled aka used and free is even better) into something functional while still handling the weight with reduced rolling resistance. Know where a small trailer axle with a rim and tire is? I can imagine cutting the axle 3/4's through, folding it, then using hardware to bolt it solid at the cut point, and bolt it to a mount that allows it to pivot, and be removable to a jack. Might be able to find a jack mount in galvanized steel, but everything else that won't touch salt can be mild steel. Think wrecked camper van parts.

Originally Posted by beamishken

You can't lift the front axle on a us trailer because the leaf sprung axles are compensated to give more articulation. Uk trailer axles are fixed and have relatively short suspension travel therefore lifing an axle is relatively easy.

What do UK trailers use?

The leaf spring system has mostly gone the wayside for tandem axle trailers, along with drum brakes in the USA. Torsion bars and hydraulic disk brakes are the new norm. Would be nice to jack the tongue up to change a front tire, or tie up a rear axle up without getting a vehicle jack out, but trailer length dictates.

[J@mes]

Actually we plan to back the trailer into the large garage workshop! BUT back it in by hand. The floor is concrete, dead flat inside, and from memory there's an ever so slight run off for rain outside, so a very very subtle incline a few meters in front of the entrance. Basically my friend's truck will pull the boat parallel to the front of the garage/workshop, we will unhitch (because it is not wide enough for a car to turn with the trailer attached) and by hand push and turn the trailer 90 degrees into the workshop/garage. The entrance is in the middle and we will push the trailer to the side at the back, maybe circa 15/20m movement in total, with a 90 degree turn into the workshop/garage and then a 45 degree turn left and then right to get it parallel to the wall, hopefully that makes sense!

We know how to do it, and it is certainly doable, it is just the weight I am not sure about because I am used to manoeuvring my old rib circa 500kg by hand on my own, but my new boat is circa 2250Kg, so a big increase on what I am used to!!

I think with 2 people, maybe putting a simple hand winch or electric winch on the rear wall to help pull the trailer in would make life a lot easier than pushing it in!

[_monkey]

My son and I (age 9) can push my rig (1.8T) up and down our flat drive with a bit of effort - turning the twin axle trailer takes 2 adults with a lot of heaving, not sure I've tried 90 degrees.

Is there no way to line up the trailer so it's a simple reverse?

[Peter_C]

It just donned on me how to easily make it more movable. GoJaks! They don't do so well on big lips, but they could allow you to pivot the boat 90*, remove them, roll the boat back and reinstall them to move the boat once in the garage.
https://zips.com/parts-detail/gojak-...s-gojakdollies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh6itMoMF6M

[J@mes]

Originally Posted by _monkey

My son and I (age 9) can push my rig (1.8T) up and down our flat drive with a bit of effort - turning the twin axle trailer takes 2 adults with a lot of heaving, not sure I've tried 90 degrees.

Is there no way to line up the trailer so it's a simple reverse?

Not really, there's isn't enough room inside the workshop/garage! We are having to reposition quite a few shelves as it is just to make enough room to fit my boat on the side!

Originally Posted by Peter_C

It just donned on me how to easily make it more movable. GoJaks! They don't do so well on big lips, but they could allow you to pivot the boat 90*, remove them, roll the boat back and reinstall them to move the boat once in the garage.
https://zips.com/parts-detail/gojak-...s-gojakdollies

Thanks for the idea I like that, definitely an option! Found this website, very similar, but only 680kg per wheel, so technically I'd need 4! 🙈 shame, but it's another option nonetheless! 🙂👍

[Peter_C]

Originally Posted by J@mes

Thanks for the idea I like that, definitely an option! Found this website, very similar, but only 680kg per wheel, so technically I'd need 4! 🙈 shame, but it's another option nonetheless! 🙂👍

With a pair (2) you could lift the rear tyres off the ground, leaving much of the weight on the front tyres, then pivot it around as needed.

Sounds like a really tight squeeze. Still not sure I wholly understand the movements, but it sounds like being able to push the boat almost sideways needs to happen. If the two of you still can't move it easily a winch could do the rest. A few well placed nuts in the concrete could allow you to screw in a D-ring to redirect the winch. Or even just use the tow vehicle to redirect.

[treerat]

A mate of mind uses a small ride on mower picked up at a local auction.

Cheap and cheerful but easy to use

[J@mes]

Originally Posted by Peter_C

With a pair (2) you could lift the rear tyres off the ground, leaving much of the weight on the front tyres, then pivot it around as needed.

Sounds like a really tight squeeze. Still not sure I wholly understand the movements, but it sounds like being able to push the boat almost sideways needs to happen. If the two of you still can't move it easily a winch could do the rest. A few well placed nuts in the concrete could allow you to screw in a D-ring to redirect the winch. Or even just use the tow vehicle to redirect.

Good thinking! Will bear all you're ideas in mind, thank you 👍

Really we need to see how we get on first time round and then decide the best way forward!

Originally Posted by treerat

A mate of mind uses a small ride on mower picked up at a local auction.

Cheap and cheerful but easy to use

Yeah that would be lovely but finding one and storing it is an issue. Hopefully I'll get away with good old fashioned brute force, and maybe a winch and trolly wheels. After that I may try a motorised jokey wheel. Food for thought!

[Salty Pete]

J@mes my prayers are with you.
I went the other way, got rid of my 10 metre boat with dual axles and went to a 3.8 with a single.

You don't need food for thought you need a banquet.

I was contemplating using the wheel jockeys but you need to jack up each wheel individually to put them under the wheel.

The only solution for me was setting a track into the concrete driveway that a scissor lift would run on.

Jack the boat up on the scissor lift and push it straight down the driveway.

I bought a smaller boat.

[Striker]

I tried various motor move type devices but eventually settled on a front mounted tow bar (easy on a Defender). Worked fantastically not only for my narrow drive with a kink in it, but also when manoeuvring around tight slipways. The best bit is that you have great visibility whilst manoeuvring and the confidence that you have the power of the vehicle and breaks.

I believe front tow bars are available for quite a few 4x4 models.

[GuyC]

Watling Engineering do them.

[J@mes]

Originally Posted by Salty Pete

J@mes my prayers are with you.
I went the other way, got rid of my 10 metre boat with dual axles and went to a 3.8 with a single.

You don't need food for thought you need a banquet.

I was contemplating using the wheel jockeys but you need to jack up each wheel individually to put them under the wheel.

The only solution for me was setting a track into the concrete driveway that a scissor lift would run on.

Jack the boat up on the scissor lift and push it straight down the driveway.

I bought a smaller boat.

Your previous set up sounds harder than my mine! I think I will be OK, time will tell!

Originally Posted by Striker

I tried various motor move type devices but eventually settled on a front mounted tow bar (easy on a Defender). Worked fantastically not only for my narrow drive with a kink in it, but also when manoeuvring around tight slipways. The best bit is that you have great visibility whilst manoeuvring and the confidence that you have the power of the vehicle and breaks.

I believe front tow bars are available for quite a few 4x4 models.

Yes this could be an option, will see how we get on first of all!

Originally Posted by GuyC

Watling Engineering do them.

Thanks.