An off-road caravan stands on three things — its wheels, the jockey wheel under the drawbar, and the stabiliser legs at the corners — and only the first two are rated to carry weight for hours. Importers who settle that difference at the order stage avoid the most common early warranty argument: legs used as jacks. Which loose items ship is a separate order question; how the caravan is held up is a specification and handover question.

What each of the three points carries

The axles take the travelling mass: the 21ft model is published at a 3,500 kg GTM, and the 16ft hard-top models at a 3,000 kg ATM.

The jockey wheel takes the drawbar instead of the tow vehicle. Published towball weights on the 16ft hard-top models are approximately 196 kg, 208 kg and 200 kg — the load resting on one small wheel whenever the unit is parked, which is why a footplate or pad under it matters on gravel and sand. The 16ft off-road caravan with a lockable jockey wheel is one listing that documents a 10-inch swing-up, lockable jockey wheel alongside four heavy-duty lockable and adjustable drop-down legs.

The legs take very little of the mass. They stop the body rocking, resist wind movement, and on models that lock they add a step for anyone trying to shift a parked caravan. They are not a lifting device.

Why legs are not jacks

Raising a wheel on a drop-down leg puts load into the mounts and floor structure in a direction they were not built for. Cracked mounts and torn fittings are caused at the customer's end, but when nothing in the paperwork says what the legs are for, the repair lands on the importer. The same applies to towing with the legs down, over-extending them on an uneven site, and letting them sink into soft ground.

What to write into the order

• Marked jacking points and a jack rating in writing, matched to the heaviest unit you order rather than the smallest model in the range.
• A jack and wheel brace for the unit as loaded, with the torque figure stated in the paperwork rather than sent in an email.
• Levelling blocks or ramps and leg pads — the parts that make four legs usable on a slope, gravel or sand.
• The jockey wheel specification, and whether it travels fitted or is removed for container loading.
• A note that published weights exclude gas bottles and jerry cans, so the parked mass is above the published tare before anyone adds water.

Legs, jockey wheels and jacking points are listed model by model across the published off-road camper trailers for dealers range, which is what a claim is measured against later.

What to check before the unit leaves your yard

Cycle all four legs and confirm the locks hold. Swing the jockey wheel, check that it rolls and that the clamp grabs. Confirm the jacking points are marked and match the jack you supply. Then hand the customer one page: level with blocks under the wheels first, drop the legs afterwards, never lift on the legs, and raise them before towing.

Published equipment on the 16ft hard-top models includes four heavy-duty lockable and adjustable drop-down stabiliser legs against a 3,000 kg ATM, and the 21ft model is published at a 3,500 kg GTM. Send the models you plan to order and how the units will be sited — hardstand, gravel or sand — and the support and jacking requirements can be confirmed before the build. Message WhatsApp: +86 186 6381 3961 with the model and site conditions; the published specifications are at www.lgloader.com, and written requirements go to [email protected].

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