Melissa, the two things you have to remember is (1) the lever clamp is to hold the whole assembly in the vertical position. (2)The crank on the top is to move the jockey wheel up and down once you have it in position to raise or lower the tongue. If you will look at the second photo in the document, notice when the jockey wheel is retracted fully, the support arms for the wheel are in a set of notches in the upper section. If you lower the whole assembly all the way down, the fact that the wheel support arms are in the notches will prevent the wheel assembly from swiveling. This can be avoided if you simply crank the wheel down for a few inches below the notches before lowering it all the way to the ground. (See the explanation in the third paragraph of the document.) Not mentioned is another factor. If you lower the entire assembly all the way to the ground, then clamp and try to move the tongue from side to side, the torque caused by the failure of the wheel to swivel can cause the clamp to work loose and cause the tongue to slip downward on the assembly. Even if that isn't a factor, if you lower it all the way down, you are at the limit, and may not be able to lower it onto the hitch.
The explanation is actually more complicated than it is in practice. Once you have the jockey wheel in place for maneuvering the trailer into position for hitching, then use the explanation Sandra mentioned for actually doing so.
The reason for the Jockey Wheel Basics document is that we have had members try to leave it in the travel position and simply crank the wheel down from that position, winding up with the lower assembly being completely unscrewed from the upper assembly, causing the tongue to fall, and damaging the jockey wheel assembly. See the photos 21-23 in the *Suggestions photo album for some additional information about how to mark the lower assembly to make sure it doesn't become completely unscrewed. Photo 23 shows the rubber mallet Sandra uses to hold the hitch lock open while hitching up. Really a handy hint, because it leaves both hands free to jockey the tongue into position. and lower the coupler onto the hitch ball.
Jerry J
----- Original Message -----
From: vitabin_cSent: Friday, May 27, 2011 12:21 PMSubject: [tabtrailers] Re: Jockey Wheel Directions Step by StepHmmmmmmmmmm, ok..... the "Unhitching" file doesnt say anything about not loweing the JW all the way to the ground yet the one with photos Jerry (I believe was him)showed me says not to lower it all the way down and to do another step. I'm printing all this out and if I still have questions once my trailer arrives I'll ask specifically what I'm confused on then. Thank you very much for these links.
Melissa
--- In tabtrailers@yahoogroups.com, "Sandra" <sandra.rutan@...> wrote:
>
> Go to our Files - AA_Basic_T@B - look for "Unhitching" - it gives step by step instructions. Also print out the ReadySetTow card and keep it close by as well.
>
> Sandra Rutan
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