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Post by Mike Harding on May 19, 2024 8:22:46 GMT 10
Does anyone use the handbrake on their caravan as the sole method of preventing it wandering off?
I did for a short time when the van was new and I was inexperienced with it but quickly discovered that it was useless.
Consider: there are two long steel cables to four large wheels which operate a total of eight brake shoes against 16 strong springs and to make all this work there is a lever about 300mm long. No wonder it's not efficient.
Instead I bought two large chocks from Supercheap for $45 and place one at the front and one at the back of a wheel pair on one side of the van and that makes it as solid as a rock. I haven't used the handbrake in four years.
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Post by arewelost on May 19, 2024 9:55:48 GMT 10
Usually the handbrake only operates on the two front wheels. But nevertheless, your point is certainly valid. I would never trust just the handbrake. I use four cheap plastic chocks front and back of the rear wheels. I do both sides because otherwise, I can imagine a strong gusty wind on the side may cause it to swivel a little.
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Post by Mike Harding on May 19, 2024 14:31:37 GMT 10
>Usually the handbrake only operates on the two front wheels. Fair enough, I didn't crawl under to check :) These are my chocks - they seem to have increased in price by about $10 but still worth every penny, they are solid rubber and 175W x 250L x 200H: SuperCheap chocks
Wind wise: with a pair of these on one side of the van I reckon it would take a tornado to rotate the van! |
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Post by yobarr on May 22, 2024 9:27:37 GMT 10
>Usually the handbrake only operates on the two front wheels. Fair enough, I didn't crawl under to check  These are my chocks - they seem to have increased in price by about $10 but still worth every penny, they are solid rubber and 175W x 250L x 200H: SuperCheap chocks
Wind wise: with a pair of these on one side of the van I reckon it would take a tornado to rotate the van! Hi Mike, although I regularly drop in to have a look at this site, of late I have been too busy to contribute. However, I would like to inform you that it indeed takes very little to move a caravan that has chocks only on the wheels on one side. To confirm this simply park you car and van on a uphill slope before chocking the wheels on one side. Now, leaving the safety chains still connected, use the jockey wheel to lift the drawbar off the towball. The van will try to roll backwards, but the chocks will cause it to swing sideways until the safety chains save the day. You now can use one of your chocks behind the rear wheel on the opposite side to hold the van in place while you disconnect the safety chains and move your car to rehitch the van. ALWAYS chock the wheels on both sides once you've established which way the ground slopes. Cheers |
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Post by Mike Harding on May 22, 2024 18:05:03 GMT 10
However, I would like to inform you that it indeed takes very little to move a caravan that has chocks only on the wheels on one side. To confirm this simply park you car and van on a uphill slope before chocking the wheels on one side. Now, leaving the safety chains still connected, use the jockey wheel to lift the drawbar off the towball. The van will try to roll backwards, but the chocks will cause it to swing sideways until the safety chains save the day. Well... yes... of course. But I don't park on steep slopes and then chock the wheels on one side - clearly the forces at work will cause the unchocked side to pivot against the chocked side. I would have thought this was "bleedin' obvious." In over four years of using these chocks, daily, on many different campsites I have never had even an indication of an issue and I don't accept I ever shall. |
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pete
Junior Member
Posts: 92
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Post by pete on May 25, 2024 0:56:44 GMT 10
No Mike, I don't use the handbrake on caravans as the sole method of preventing it wandering off. I always chock the wheels on any slope as caravan brakes can be quite useless and I wont rely solely on them.
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Post by magnarc on May 27, 2024 7:27:49 GMT 10
Hi All, I learned the hard way a long time ago not to trust the handbrake on a Jayco. Next to useless and no amount of adjustment will make it work. Might as well not be on there at all. I chock all four wheels front and back.
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Post by north200 on Jun 10, 2024 15:12:26 GMT 10
Mike, If the ground is soft I just dig small holes to level the caravan and stop it rolling away.
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