Tow bar knock
Just taken the caravan away for the first time since October. When I braked at any junctions I would slow down and come to a stop and then clunk a real loud noise as the caravan stopped when I pulled away it was fine and if I came to a rolling stop or up
hill no clunk but anytime I had to brake harder the noise reappeared and shuddered through my vehicle. The ball hitch is clean. It's an alko hitch.i can push the tow hitch in but when I let it go its a real thud on return. Any ideas please thank you.
Comments
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Seems as though you have a problem with the damper on the tow hitch
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Yes you should, it gets harder as you push, ....
No way can I push mine in by hand .... it's designed to slow down a ton plus ..... not 14 stone
Write your comments here...I've never had a caravan where i couldn't push in the hitch.
It takes effort but its relatively easy for me, and i'm not exactly heavy at 140 pounds, or strong.
How do you think the brakes work, try applying the handbrake to make it easier.
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Yes you should, it gets harder as you push, ....
No way can I push mine in by hand .... it's designed to slow down a ton plus ..... not 14 stone
Write your comments here...I've never had a caravan where i couldn't push in the hitch.
It takes effort but its relatively easy for me, and i'm not exactly heavy at 140 pounds, or strong.
How do you think the brakes work, try applying the handbrake to make it easier.
Perhaps your damper needs renewing 'xtrailman'
I'm not a weak person but I can't push mine back on a two year old caravan,
and it returns slowly to the extended position if I haven't pulled forward after reversing and unhitched.Either way the OP's damper is at fault.
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I've been able to push the damper in on every NEW caravan i've had.
If you can't the draw bar is sized as that has to retract to operate the brake rod. Read the link i posted.
Never had a new caravan, but my draw bar isn't sized or seized
.... I'll try harder when we take it out on Wednesday 
I don't need the link to know how it all works
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I've been able to push the damper in on every NEW caravan i've had.
If you can't the draw bar is sized as that has to retract to operate the brake rod. Read the link i posted.
Never had a new caravan, but my draw bar isn't sized or seized
.... I'll try harder when we take it out on Wednesday I don't need the link to know how it all works
Mines not seized either, I brought it home today from the dealers warranty service, so when I unhitched it in storage I tried to push by hand and failed. However I sat on the bumper of my car and with foot against hitch it slowly went in and then slowly
retracted, seemed about right to me.0 -
Alko advise for damper, bottom RHS.
[url=http://www.al-ko.co.uk/pages_faqs/brakes.html]DAMPER[/url]
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Had the same problem with a previous van, hitch would compress and give a loud clonk under heavy braking removed damper and dealer checked resistance all ok.
Replaced damper then checked linkages,cables, and brake adjustment some of which was found incorrect reset to Alko instructions no more problems.The hitch could be pushed in by hand slowly as the damper was set for a fairly light van however on a heavy van it will have much more resistance as its there to make sure the brakes are applied progressively.Hope this helps.
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Thank you for all the feedback.i removed the damper got a new one from my local caravan dealer and refitted.you can push the tow bar in with quite a bit of effort and now it slowly returns.job done all for £60 can't wait to head out over half term without
the clonk.cheers.0
