Unless your caravan/trailer was custom built, it is very likely that your tow vehicle wheels will differ from your caravan or trailer.
This usually means you have one spare wheel for the tow vehicle and one spare wheel for your caravan/trailer.
When going to more remote areas, especially on gravel roads, it is recommended to carry a second spare for your tow vehicle. We fully agree with this, but.......do you then take a second spare for your caravan/trailer? Weight restraints often prevent this........until now!
In my situation I have a 5 stud Land Cruiser tow vehicle and 6 stud wheels on my off-road caravan. On outback trips I do take a second spare for the Land Cruiser - but if I get two flat tyres on my caravan I need to unhook and travel maybe a hundred or more kilometres to have a tyre repaired or replaced if I cannot fix it beside the road. An extra 30kg spare carried all the time seems excessive for an extremely rare event.
The identical stud pattern of the tow vehicle is found on non-braked removable hub. In this case I've mounted it behind the existing spare wheel, so I don't misplace or damage it. It also allows the bearings to be fully greased, sealed and ready for a quick transfer. If the tyre is not needed then perhaps the bearings or wheel studs may be needed.
The hub is well protected behind your standard spare wheel.
The hub can also be stored under your bed.
You need to remove your existing brake hub. This will require removing the axle cap, then the split pin and finally the castle nut.
The brake drum will now slide off the axle, ensure your existing bearings don't drop in the dirt. Store them for later reuse.
The electric brake magnet, and its spring needs to be removed to prevent damage and loss. There should be two wire joiners behind the backing plate, that need a screw driver to release. These can be later reconnected and the polarity is NOT important.
Finally the non-braked hub that suits your tow vehicle spare is placed onto the axle, and the washer, castle nut tightened. This nut should not be overtightened, you can back off 1/6 or 1/4 turn until the split pin can be re-inserted.
Caravans Plus sells only a limited number of popular non-braked hubs, see below
Other trailer retailers may offer additional hub options. A heavier option is to carry a fully braked hub drum, but these can weight up to 12 kgs each.
Now in my seventh year of buying from CP. They have to be one of the best on line stores in the country, good prices and fast response to orders. More importantly their customer service is outstanding. I happened to get one product that turned out to be faulty, which they replaced immediately. That to me is the real test.
Item arrived quickly and worked perfectly. I like the added security of dealing with local experts and the online shopping gamble of other sites. :)
I received all the products I ordered. everything in the order was in the delivery and well packaged. Very happy with the service and great delivery time from Sydney to Melbourne. I definitely recommend Caravan Plus and will use them again in the future.
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