Al-ko stabiliser
Our previous van had a Winterhoff hitch which was easy to use. I find the Al-ko on the new van very hard to dis-engage using all my 9 stones of body weight and 70++ old muscles. Our dealer assures me that it is simply a matter of strength. Does anyone
know if Al-ko make an extension lever? I have wondered about trying an 18 inch length of plastic tubing. Any ideas?
Comments
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Is this a new van or 'new to you'? It might get a little easier with use
If everything is as it should be & you still can't
move it even with two shredded wheat, I can't see why the plastic tubing won't work ..... it's have to be fairly rigid0 -
The AL-Ko hitch will not get better with age, the idea is it grips the ball tight hence the need for force to engage/disengage mine has done hundreds of miles and is still very hard to work, if it became easy to use i would fear it wasnt doing its job properly
but this would show as the red/green indicator on the hitch would give it away.Ask yourself this.........is it worth the effort for a safe jorney with no snaking if no then remove it or you could fit the older style swaybar.
They are dam hard to use but i swear by mine.
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Check the wear of the pads, my "new to me" caravan is extremely tight to engage the stabiliser as it has new pads. When I let the handle drop on it's own, the indicator shows that it's at the max value. i.e. no wear at all on the pads. When the pads are
worn down to about 1/2, it still works just the same, but the lever is alot easier to get into place.0 -
Our previous van had a Winterhoff hitch which was easy to use. I find the Al-ko on the new van very hard to dis-engage using all my 9 stones of body weight and 70++ old muscles. Our dealer assures me that it is simply a matter of strength. Does anyone
know if Al-ko make an extension lever? I have wondered about trying an 18 inch length of plastic tubing. Any ideas?My OH, at thirteen and a half stone, and six foot tall, finds it just as difficult. If you do come up with anything which will help, then please share the information.
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I always found the previous caravans ALKO hard to engage/disengage, fortunately this one has the Winterhoff and the different pivoting system and design makes it a lot easier. I rapped a few of my knuckles closing the ALKO, hope you find a solution.
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I was just rejoicing that mine was getting easier when the service man said I must have new pads! Now I have to literally jump on it to engage it - not doing much good to the Aframe cover - I can just about get it off ok!
I am not sure how we can do without stabilisers since they appear to arrive as standard? To me its a new fangled thing that I managed without for many years before they arrived!
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My OH, at thirteen and a half stone, and six foot tall, finds it just as difficult. If you do come up with anything which will help, then please share the information.
It must be technique then as I'm similar to your OH .... though I tip the scales at a little more
... and have never had
a problem with either my this or the previous caravan with an Alko hitch0 -
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My OH, at thirteen and a half stone, and six foot tall, finds it just as difficult. If you do come up with anything which will help, then please share the information.
It must be technique then as I'm similar to your OH .... though I tip the scales at a little more
... and have never had a problem with either my this or the previous caravan with an Alko hitch Perhaps you could share your technique? He had no problems with the previous hitch, but with this one we sometimes both have to sit on the bumper of the car to get it to disengage from the towball! So, if you see a Ford Mondeo estate bouncing around on a dark evening, on a site near you don't get the wrong idea!
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Perhaps you could share your technique? He had no problems with the previous hitch, but with this one we sometimes both have to sit on the bumper of the car to get it to disengage from the towball!
The "technique" might be as simple as getting the shims that control this "bite" on the pads set up correctly by your servicing provider?
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.... So, if you see a Ford Mondeo estate bouncing around on a dark evening, on a site near you don't get the wrong idea!
the thought would have never crossed my mind 
I'd have thought that if it was that difficult, there was something amiss
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The old Bulldog blade stabilisers could bite back if you weren't careful.
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