Jayco CT - Manual Maneuverability?

[smokyjoe]

Hey Guys,
              Almost brand new member here. I've owned a CT for almost 24 hours now I picked up an older Jayco Eagle yesterday (mid 90's model). First CT, and a young family, so I think this will be a good entry point.

We know where we'll be using it, but I'm not sure about reversing it in. It will need to be reversed in, and the track is tricky, and not not very wide, so I'm not sure how I'll go reversing with a vehicle. I think I'll have to unhook it and maneuver it in.

I've been looking into the ratchet jockey wheels, but as it's grass I'm not sure how I'll go. I'm trying to work out whether 2 adults will be able to push the CT. It would only be a few metres, and there will be a downwards slope at the start (dropping about 1/2 foot over a metre) then pretty flat ground (hoping the handbrake will be enough to stop the CT if it moves too quickly down the slope, but I don't think it will be a problem).

Unfortunately we don't have anywhere to store the CT where we live, so we've dropped it at a relative's place in the country (conveniently on the way to where we will camp), so I can't just get the CT out and have a go at pushing it. I'm unlikely to be back there until it's time to go camping.

How would 2 adults go (or 1.5, my wife is pretty weak  ) pushing a loaded Jayco Eagle over relatively flat ground?

I've read of the issues with ratchet jockey wheels on grass and with slopes. In general, if a cheapish (Alko PowerMover) ratchet wheel can't handle it, is there any reason to think 2 adults could?

[isportfish]

As your camper will be quite a bit wider than the tow vehicle can't see why you can't  just keep hooked up and reverse  in. Even if you  need to un hook vehicle to reposition. With a bit of practice its supprising how good you can get at manoeuvring.

[gronk]

Explain the track a bit....how long is it....is it a dead end and you can't turn the car around once in there ....

Is there enough room to drive in, unhook and spin the camper around, then reverse out and back the car back in ?

Is this the only spot you can camp ?

[smokyjoe]

I've attached a (very rough) pic of the track. There's only one approach, and it's pretty much impossible to drive anywhere that is not marked as the track. I think I could probably get the vehicle and CT just past the site, into the dead end, but it would leave very little room to swing when reversing (basically none). Easiest would be to unhitch it here, and push it in (if possible).

Other options are to reverse into this section of the track from the south, which will be a lot more difficult but will provide a little more swing room, or drive straight onto the site, unhitch, drive car out then manually rotate CT, but there will be very little room to maneuver, and I'm not sure the car will fit past the CT. So I'm hoping a couple of people, and/or a ratchet jockey wheel will do the job.

On another note, for someone reasonably competent at reversing trailers (not me yet), is it as simple as 'if you can drive it straight in, you can reverse it out' or vice versa? If I can't reverse this in from the south end on the pic given the angles and width of the track (given enough time and patience) is there any reason to think I'd still be able to drive it out forwards if I get it in another way?

[Goose]

I'm trying to work out whether 2 adults will be able to push the CT. It would only be a few metres, and there will be a downwards slope at the start (dropping about 1/2 foot over a metre) then pretty flat ground (hoping the handbrake will be enough to stop the CT if it moves too quickly down the slope, but I don't think it will be a problem).

....

I've read of the issues with ratchet jockey wheels on grass and with slopes. In general, if a cheapish (Alko PowerMover) ratchet wheel can't handle it, is there any reason to think 2 adults could?

If you can't lift the CT's nose off the ground yourself, then I would really advise against any strategy where you have to push the CT on grass or have any kind of uncontrolled decent, no matter how short, even if there are 2 people.

Moving and spinning a heavy (ie more than 700-800Kg) CT on flat concrete is one thing. We can all do that, but once a bit of uneven land, grass or soft dirt comes into play, they are near impossible to move. The jockey's basically sink into the grass because of how small the surface area of the wheel is. And if you can't lift the nose up and effectively be the jockey wheel yourself, then you're dependent upon having the jockey deployed.

You also don't have many suitable surfaces on the CT to push against. You also have to let go of the CT and pull the brake on to stop it.

Besides risking injury and damage to your equipment, you have the real prospect that you'll just end up fighting with the other adult because its so difficult and you've already invested so much time into packing and getting ready and driving to the camp site now things are going wrong from the get go.

The other thing is that you risk collapsing the jockey wheel if the CT starts moving but the jockey gets stuck and it gets pulled apart. This has happened to people and the drawbar has come down on their shin and feet.

Best advise is to just get the CT and practice reversing. Plenty of tips online.

[D4D]

You will struggle to push it on grass and I wouldn't rely on the handbrake to stop it.

[smokyjoe]

Thanks guys. That's exactly why I wanted to ask. I'll skip wasting money on a ratchet jockey wheel, and be prepared for some Austin Powers style reversing to get it in.

Thanks.

[Bird]

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/trailer-mover

[Goose]

On another note, for someone reasonably competent at reversing trailers (not me yet), is it as simple as 'if you can drive it straight in, you can reverse it out' or vice versa? If I can't reverse this in from the south end on the pic given the angles and width of the track (given enough time and patience) is there any reason to think I'd still be able to drive it out forwards if I get it in another way?

think about it like this ... do you know for sure if others have gotten their CT or van into that spot? If you know for sure that it can be done, then you just have to work out how. Maybe ask the camp site caretaker or manager or a ranger on what the best approach is. On the other hand, this may be a tent-only or car-only spot.

Here is a good start for reversing http://www.campertrailers.org/reversing.htm

[smokyjoe]

think about it like this ... do you know for sure if others have gotten their CT or van into that spot? If you know for sure that it can be done, then you just have to work out how. Maybe ask the camp site caretaker or manager or a ranger on what the best approach is. On the other hand, this may be a tent-only or car-only spot.

Here is a good start for reversing http://www.campertrailers.org/reversing.htm

No, I don't know for sure whether others have gotten a CT on there. The ranger thinks we'll get one on there.

I'm not completely new to reversing trailers, but I haven't done it with something as long as the Jayco before, and it's been a while since I've done it (excluding yesterday after I picked it up). I'll just have to hope for the best.

[Kangaron]

Hook it up and head to a nearby industrial estate one Sunday morning and have a play.