Caravan stuck on tow ball
Hi, after returning from a week away I found that I couldn't remove my 6 month old caravan from my car. Try as I might (moving the caravan slightly forward/backward/level etc) it wouldn't budge. In the end I had to remove the two bolts that hold the hitch onto the caravan A-frame ( a short tubular steel pole) to release the caravan from the car. Fortunately the hitch is detachable so once the caravan was clear I could remove the tow bar. What appears to have happened is the friction pads have come loose and are jamming the hitch onto the tow ball.
Any idea how I can get the pads out and/or remove the tow ball?
Also, this is only the third time we've been able to take the new caravan out. Would there be any warranty claim if further work or expense is required?
Andy
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Hi, when trying to unhitch (with the small handle fully raised) it just raised the back of the car up with it. Also, the hitch wouldn't click up in place like it normally does.
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A knotty problem.
I wonder if it’s possible to remove the two black circular covers on the sides of the Alko head (as you would normally have to do if you wanted to push out the friction pads for a routine pad change).
Then you may be able push a small drill bit into the hole, drill out the pads to an extent making them weak enough just to break up and fall to bits, releasing the tow ball.
Might also be easier to work on if you re-attached the head to the caravan, giving you more leverage.
Looking very closely at it though, there seems to be chunk of metal in an odd place towards the front of the tow ball almost as if something has come loose and jammed in place. Could you loosen the two screws visible (they look a bit like Allen key screws) and dismantle the whole thing?
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I've had another look at the assembly and managed to free the hitch off the tow ball. The front friction pad and split and one half had got stuck jamming everything up. Once I got this piece free the tow ball came off easily. I imagine the dealership is gonna say it's a consumable part but not great value for a 6 month old caravan and 3 trips.
Thanks for all your advice.
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Hello, Ive had this issue on different caravans and different tow cars and came to the conclusion that it only ever happened when using levelling ramps. Didnt matter whether the van was drove up or reversed up them. My solution is, if ramps are needed, get the caravan level but dont apply the caravan handbrake, chock the wheels front and back. Then I am able to remove the hitch from the ball as normal, once the vehicle is clear then apply the handbrake of the caravan. Dont know if this was your scenario but it works for us. Im sure someone will come along and explain the technicalities but like I say this works for us.
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Thanks for the tip. I use a AWD motor mover so never need to hitch/unhitch on ramps.
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The front pad appears to be quite fragile. I've just come back from a trip and upon arrival the hitch was creaking badly and when unhitching it was difficult to remove but did eventually pop free. On top of the car towball was the remnants of the front pad.
I later spoke to a caravan engineer who alluded to idea that the hitch had been harshly coupled to the car, i.e. Towball not exactly aligned to the hitch.....not sure I buy that, but I well check how I couple up in the future.
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Interesting problem, I first had this happen a couple of years ago, (been caravanning for nearly 35 years), eventually the coupling came off dropping a curved friction pad out which I replaced. Then this week the same thing happened, the Elddis agent said it’s not covered by guarantee and relieved me of £20 for a small piece of plastic, what a rip off! I now have to fit it. They said if the hitch is slightly out of alignment when hitching up it can cause this problem.
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I just had this as I dropped the van off at the dealer.
The front friction pad had broken en route. Very simple solution, put jack under hitch, lift the handle as it to unhitch and then start jacking up the van, the weight of the car will pop the hitch off, all that is needed is to replace the friction pads now
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Hopefully the OP hasn't had it stuck on there for a year.
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I recall the hitch locking onto the ball with an earlier ALKO 1300 anti-snake unit. This was a not uncommon occurrence and the fix was mentioned somewhere on the ALKO website.
I posted this on another forum some years ago:-
"To resolve this issue use a 13mm socket or similar, place it up into the centre of the wheel so that the socket is sitting on the black plastic and the centre pin will go into the socket. You then need to apply force with a hammer which will release the circlip, and the ratchet wheel."
Colin
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We bought a new van in October and have been away in it four times. On two occasions it wouldn't lift off at all when returning home and wasn't easy at the caravan sites either. Each time we drove to the dealer who, is not far away and of course they didn't find a problem, it unhitched - but great effort was needed to pull the small small handle up. They said just wiggle the stabiliser to loosen it off. They said there wasn't a problem.
When demonstrating that everything was working ( to make me feel foolish) they they said the small handle didn't need to click up and stay on its own when coupling. They said you had to hold the small handle up as the stabiliser was dropped onto the tow ball. I'm sure this is not the case, surely the small handle must click up before attaching?
I've a feeling there is a problem but and not sure what to say to the dealer as they are less than keen to do any work on it. Does the small handle have to click up and stay there before connecting? Should it be such a great effort to lift it off when disconnecting?
Any help much appreciated.
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I'd agree that there's a fault if the small handle doesn't stay clicked up by itself. Not sure if the reluctance to unhitch & not latching up are related though 🤷♂️ Sometimes if there is load on the hitch, forwards or backwards, it can make it difficult to unhitch.
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