Alko wheel lock cross threaded?
I have always been of the opinion that Alko wheel locks have never been the easiest to fit ! I am however experiencing even more problems with the one fitted to our present caravan.
have always found that inserting/screwing the locking bolt into the receiver (after lining it up) was more difficult than the al-ko wheel lock I had on my previous caravan but completing this procedure has now become more difficult to such an extent that it will not screw in sufficiently to insert the barrel. This can be affected by the caravan wheel being moved by as little as 1mm.
I contacted Alko and they replied that it sounded as if I had cross threaded the receiver and suggested that I contact my dealer who could retap the lock for me (puts in a M20x2.5 tsp into the whole and it remakes the thread).
There is a video on youtube showing this being done.
I was surprised that the thread in the receiver could be cross threaded apparently so easily and was wondering if anyone else had experience of this and of how effective doing the retap themselves?
Comments
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It's been commented on here before but IMHO you've got to really try & cross thread a 20 mm bolt into the receiver. Have you tried the locking bolt into the receiver on its own? Or if you can get hold of a M20 nut try screwing that onto the Alko locking bolt.
If you have a local engineering firm you might be able to borrow a M20 tap from them rather than take your caravan to your caravan dealer. They're not the cheapest of things if you had to buy one for a one off job.
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BB
As mentioned above, try the bolt on its own into the thread on the receiver as I too had initial problems trying to line the bolt up.After this I used Graphite dry lubricant spray on the bolt to assist tighten.
One tip is to leave the motor mover on, so minor adjustments, lining up the lozenge into the alloy wheel can be achieved.
Seeing what issues I had,I doubt you have crossed threaded it,but if you can run a tap down the thread it will not do any harm.
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I`ve found with the two locks I`ve used the receivers are not welded perpendicular to the wheel. I line up the receiver then insert the bolt a couple of turns, then use the mover to centre the bolt before removing and complete the final fitting. On the current caravan if the lock is not exactly lined up the bolt will not tighten up.
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Have experienced the same problem on mine. Firstly, check the thread on the bolt(s) and hub(s) to ensure there is no swarf or damage to the threads. If all is OK, try running the bolt(s) in without the lozenge in place. This will at least identify if the threads are OK.
I have had to resort to grease on one unit and running the bolt in and out with a drill attachment until it frees up. If this doesn't work, try tap or die depending on which threads are at fault. Looking at the thread forms, they don't seem to be the best cut I have seen!
Sounds obvious, but check that the wheel slots are identical, mine vary slightly, so the lozenge fits ok in some but not others.
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I have exactly the same problem with our present Knaus Starclass, whereas I didn't with our previous Barcelona. The spacing between the spokes on the wheels of the Knaus is much wider than the Bailey and as a consequence, the Alko lozenges are huge. At the moment, I use the Lock 'n Level air bag for levelling and fitting the locks and the positioning of the wheels is critical (to within 1mm) to ensure the bolts aren't cross-threaded. The second one (which is allowed to spin freely after inflating the bag) is usually easier to fit than the first.
However, my main problem is not in fitting them - but in removing them because after they are fitted and the air bag deflated for levelling, the wheels move slightly on the suspension, thereby putting the threads under pressure and making the bolts very tight to undo. I haven't caused any damage as yet, but it's only a matter of time.
Because of this - and other back/knee problems, I am actually thinking of fitting the E&P hydraulic levelling system which will allow me to lift the nearside of the van sufficient to spin both wheels when both fitting and removing the locks. An expensive solution, perhaps, but one which is coming increasingly to the fore as age takes its toll!
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They do a set of three M20 x 2.5 tsp on ebay (taper to plug) for about £20 and about the same price for a die nut but possible not the best quality. We have the Bulldog version when fitting it I tend to give half a turn anti clock prior to screwing it in
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Getting the wheel precisely aligned so the bolt is inserted "squarely" I have found is critical.
To ensure it is, I only screw it in by hand on the adaptor, not using the wrench so if it will not go in I know it is not yet square enough.
Any settlement of the wheel durning the van's use can side load the lozenge and really make removing the bolt difficult.
Then I don't just try harder but engage the mover and ease off that side loading, so not abusing the bolt and receiver's threads graunching out the bolt with the wrench.
I suspect if already abused, for a proper job of correcting the threads, it will be using a number three tap for the receiver and a die for the bolt if that is also damaged. Possibly a local garage can loan you these?
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I’m really really glad that we’ve got a single axle having to line up this Alko lock !!!
Thanks to everybody who’s given their experiences, I have tried only putting the bolt in without the lozenge on. The bolt goes into the receiver 8 times out of 10 without a problem, the times it doesn’t it stops after a couple of turns which suggests to me that the first few threads in the receiver are crossed. There seemed to be plenty of movement of the lozenge which is why I am surprised that it doesn’t give sufficient movement for the bolt to enter the receiver when inserted through the lozenge .
I have tried graphite powder and also grease. The next option is to try retap the receiver and failing that I always carry a decent lump hammer!
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