Sourcing trailer jockey wheels from China

Zero duty on the candidate trailer-parts line

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 8 October 2026, heading 8716 covers trailers, other non-mechanically propelled vehicles and their parts. Its other-parts line 8716 90 90 98 carries 0% duty from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension recorded. The table repeats this candidate line for different buying variants; the supplied tariff descriptions do not explicitly identify jockey wheels.

The tariff attaches a restriction on entry into free circulation concerning ozone-depleting substances to this line. Official guidance prohibits their use in new equipment except recycled halons for critical uses. Obtain a material and construction declaration, and ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable tariff condition for goods from China. The recorded DCMS export-licence measure concerns cultural objects; official guidance says Great Britain has no licensing requirement for importing cultural objects.

Confirm the assembly and separately supplied parts against their drawings, materials and function using finding your commodity code. HMRC advises checking an overseas supplier's code against UK treatment. The illustrative order assumes this classification and is not a quotation. For complete vehicles and wider parts coverage, see trailers and caravans.

Specify supported load, clamp fit and retraction

Specify the load supported at the drawbar, distinguishing stationary support from movement under load. Agree tube diameter, wall thickness, clamp opening, mounting-hole positions, adjustment travel and retracted clearance. Choose solid or pneumatic tyres for the intended surface, and fix wheel diameter, tread width, axle construction, handle clearance and whether the clamp is included. If also sourcing couplings, see our trailer coupling head sourcing guide.

Ask for drawings and load-test evidence for the supplied assembly, including its clamp and wheel fork. Agree steel grade, weld condition, protective finish and winding-test acceptance criteria. For products intended or reasonably likely to be used by consumers in Great Britain, product-safety guidance requires safe normal and foreseeable use and relevant risk information. Prepare fitting, load and stowage instructions for that use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 50 manual trailer jockey-wheel assemblies, assuming classification under this code under 8716 90 90 98, invoiced at £1,500 free on board, with £300 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £1,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £1,800, so it is £360. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: measure tubes, clamps and mounting holes against the drawing; trial-fit the assembly to the intended drawbar bracket.

Load and winding: test sampled assemblies under the agreed supported load; check clamp slip, screw binding, handle clearance and fork deformation.

Wheel and stowage: check axle retention, bearing play and tyre condition; operate the retraction mechanism and confirm that its retaining feature engages.

Finish and traceability: check welds, burrs and coating coverage; reconcile product references with cartons. For consumer products, producer identification and product or batch references belong on the product or packaging where reasonable. Agree the checks through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A matching catalogue photograph can conceal a different tube diameter or clamp opening. A wheel may wind freely without load but bind when supporting the drawbar. Thin forks bend, clamps slip, axle retainers loosen and damaged coatings expose steel. Treat these as sample-test targets before accepting the production batch.

Retraction faults can leave the wheel hanging below the agreed towing clearance. Require a demonstration on the intended bracket, retain an approved sample and record dimensional or material changes before shipment. Keep winding handles and sharp edges protected in transit, and check arriving cartons for mixed variants.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.