Alko underslung spare wheel carrier

GandMTBKeens
GandMTBKeens Forum Participant Posts: 6
edited June 2012 in Caravans #1

Is it just me or do other users find it impossible to extract the spare wheel from the Alko underslung wheel carrier. I just took delivery of a new caravan with the Alko spare wheel device, so whilst the carrier is still shiny and new I thought I would test
its operation. First problem the jacking point fitted by the manufacturer of the caravan is in direct line with the wheel carrier, so you can not 'jack' on the nearside and extract the wheel carrier at the same time, not much help if the punctured tyre is
on this side.  However with fully inflated tyres and no jack in place should be easy. Release the holding plate, drop the frame onto the floor, slide out the wheel on its sliding mechanism, release the wheel from its fixing studs and lift out - no can't be
done because the sliding frame will not allow the wheel beyond the chassis and the  studs that secure the wheel onto the carrier are too long and the wheel fouls on the underside of the chassis before it can be lifted off the studs and extracted. Am I missing
something in the extraction exercise and can I get the wheel from underneath the caravan without having the strength of a silverback gorilla ??? I gave up on the trial attempt and hope and pray that I never get a puncture.