Motorized Jockey Wheels? Moving a T@B 320 or 400 around on the camp site

RichardofYork · December 2020

Hi from Canada,

We are total newbies. We love the product and are trying to decide between the 320 and the 400....leaning towards the 400. One question I have struggled to find an answer to is about moving the unit around. Do people find that they need a motorized Jockey Wheel for the 400? ...is that true for the 320? We are in our late 60's and not overly muscular. If you would suggest a motorized one for either, or both, of the units....what would your recommendation be.
Thank you very much. I am sure this will be the first of many dumb questions.

Marceline · December 2020

You wouldn't need a motorized trailer mover unless you have some specific circumstances that would make it difficult to use your tow vehicle to back your trailer into its parking place (like a sharp bend in the driveway).

Bayliss · December 2020

@RichardofYork, I have included below the link to a discussion may be of interest to you, at least for the 320 model. I have purchased the Croft dual wheels mentioned in the post, but have not yet had an opportunity to actually try them out (due to Covid-19.) However, the 320 is very easy to move, assuming it is on a generally flat, smooth and hard surface, even with the jockey wheel that is supplied by nuCamp. But, if the surface is too soft (e.g., sand or loose gravel), it is very difficult to move with the stock single jockey wheel, which is why I purchased the Croft dual wheels. Others with the 400 should be able to answer your question as to that model and some folks have used a motorized unit to move their trailer (both T@B models, I believe.)

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/9869/make-your-t-b-easy-to-push-pull-in-gravel-or-dirt-with-a-10-croft-pneumatic-wheel-kit/p1

VictoriaP · December 2020

It’s my understanding that the 400 basically cannot be easily moved by hand. The 320 mostly can, if there are two people involved who are reasonably fit and it’s on a hard surface.

Start by asking yourselves why you need to move the trailer without a vehicle in the first place. Most people don’t need to do this at all, if the trailer needs to be moved, they hitch it up. Some of us, however, have parking spots at home that would be difficult or even impossible to use if we had to back into them with a tow vehicle.

Assuming you have a need for some sort of motorized unit at home, you need to look at the slope of your driveway. Many powered jockey wheels cannot handle steep slopes. A flat or nearly flat driveway opens up a lot more options, especially the less expensive models. If you have a steeper slope, you’ll need to measure the degree of slope and confirm with the manufacturer of your device on whether or not their unit is capable of handling your driveway.

I have both a steep driveway and a weird parking spot, one that’s not a straight shot to get into. I’m also solo, and disabled with an autoimmune illness, so pushing by hand isn’t happening. The driveway curves, has a rock wall on one side, and it would be impossible to back the 320 into the carport. The driveway is too steep for any of the trailer jack style dolly devices to work, such as the Trailer Valet. I opted for the Purpleline Enduro trailer mover instead. It’s permanently installed behind the axle, and operates with a remote control. A search of this forum will turn up lots of posts on the Purpleline Enduro and Quattro models.

It was easily the best thing I’ve added to the trailer. It’s also the single most expensive upgrade I’ve made, at about $1k for the device and over $400 for installation. As such, it’s a luxury unless you have a genuine need for a motorized setup.

warbler_road · December 2020

We keep our 400 under a (non-sloping) carport on blacktop, and wife and I can snug it in close to the wall to make more room, pivoting and moving it a few feet back and forth, but on soft ground or gravel you're not going to be able to move it.

The answer is to be adept with your tow vehicle, careful and deliberate when you set up at a site. Get it positioned and leveled just right before you unhitch. I went and practiced in big parking lots on Sunday mornings.

RichardofYork · December 2020

Thank you everyone for your input. A couple of things drove me to pose the question. One was that for security purposes it was suggested to have the tongue in against the trees (etc) and not accessible to a vehicle, which would require moving it off tv.....and secondly, that on a camp site I might want to orient the camper in a way that maximizes the view/environment and that might not be accessible to a tv. At home, it's not a problem.
Anyway, thank you all again. I will give it some thought.

GatorEgg · December 2020

My driveway between my house and pole barn is about 250 ft of shell. Pre and post trip I would park our 320 next to house for loading and unloading. Then using a two wheeled, $29 Harbor Freight dolly to pull it by hand back and forth to storage in barn. A 400, wouldn’t happen.

VictoriaP · December 2020

RichardofYork said:

Thank you everyone for your input. A couple of things drove me to pose the question. One was that for security purposes it was suggested to have the tongue in against the trees (etc) and not accessible to a vehicle, which would require moving it off tv.....and secondly, that on a camp site I might want to orient the camper in a way that maximizes the view/environment and that might not be accessible to a tv. At home, it's not a problem.
Anyway, thank you all again. I will give it some thought.

The “against the trees” thing won’t make enough difference to a determined thief, all they have to do is loop a chain or tow rope around the axle for long enough to pull the trailer out and turn it around.

Bayliss · December 2020

@RichardofYork, you may want to purchase a good lock for your coupler and also consider a lock for your wheel. I like the Proven Industries lock (https://www.provenlocks.com/), but there are others. You can search this forum for different lock suggestions. Just search for "coupler lock", "proven industries lock", "hitch lock", etc.

ontheroad · December 2020

@RichardofYork...hubby just finished making the "747" mod for our T@bCS-S...no pics sorry...but it has been a very popular mod by the T@g community, believe they've got it posted on how to make it there. Essentially it looks like an airplane landing gear...2 wheels, we'll know how it works in the spring as she is hibernating currently, but it did move easier.

Sharon_is_SAM · December 2020

The “747” mod is a set of 10 inch tires on a fork. Doubtful that you can manually move a 400 even with this. Here is a picture from the TaG forum:

4ncar · December 2020

@RichardofYork: I have a 320s. Up until last trip, I have had no trouble moving (pivoting) my trailer by hand. I am not as strapping as i once was, but was able to do so. On our last rip, however, we camped in a dispersed camp site, and wanted to pivot to maximize the view. The stock jockey wheel found every stone and soft spot within its intended path, and as such required both me & my SI to grunt & heave & push until we settled for what we could get.

all this said, if the surface is paved & smooth, with the 320, I believe you’ll be able to move it. If the intended camp surface is anything but, you may have some issue(s). My next mod is the “747” upfit.

AnOldUR · March 2021

Older thread, but found it while looking for an easier way to maneuver our 320S around. We brought it home to a snow melt, muddy driveway. Wanted to swing it around so that the door was more accessible. The little wheel on the jack sunk into the dirt and was very difficult to move. I had just ordered a dual wheel this morning when I came across this thread. Found a couple of wheels from an old portable generator in the basement and modified the original wheel bracket to accept them. Happy with the results! Was able the canceled the Amazon order before it shipped. Thanks for posting the "747" mod.

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Motorized Jockey Wheels? Moving a T@B 320 or 400 around on the camp site

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