Al Ko Wheel lock
I currently have a Full Stop Nemesis Ultra wheel lock but understand it is not as secure as the Al Ko lock. I’m thinking of purchasing an Al Ko but it seems to me that it’s going to be a bit of a faff getting things lined up especially if I’m on uneven ground and using a ramp to level the caravan side to side. What are peoples experiences and is it really much more secure?
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I have used the Al-ko locks for years and have two on my current caravan and have not found any faff yet. The only thing that needs thinking of ahead is that the lock cannot be fitted between the wheel spokes where the tyre valve is located.
As well as blocking the removal of two wheel nuts the lock also passes through the wheel into the chassis giving further difficulty for the thief. No lock is completely secure since it is possible to drag a caravan with any wheel lock in place up onto a transporter. What the lock buys you is making it more difficult for a thief to the extent that they choose a different caravan to steal.
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And an alternative view….
Alko wheel locks are the work of the devil. We gave up using ours and chose to forego the insurance discount. They were faff with a capital F.
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If somebody wants your van then they will take it. Both the Alko and the Nemesis are insurance approved so either should give you the peace of mind, so do you really need to change?
https://www.fullstop-security.com/product/nemesis-ultra/
Colin
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There is a weakness in the Alko system which I won’t detail here so I echo EM's thoughts of why change.
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I stored caravans for 50 years at home at 5 houses (Cumbria to Cornwall) without any wheel locks at all. Whether you need them at all really does depend where you are. I never bothered.
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As per TW. We changed from the Alko (horror) to a Wraith. It was just so fiddly to fit the Alko as it had to be precisely lined up with the mover on. With the Wraith you can just fit it anywhere after taking off the mover and all the stress when coming home was taken away, also very much faster.
We checked with our insurance (Club cover) and both were approved. As EM said if they want your caravan it will go so all you're buying is time and/or making them look for an easier target so at least have a hitch lock as well and other devices if you feel the need.
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I have even seen some people fit wheel locks at campsites. That seems to me a really surprising level of anxiety.
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Guilty as charged eurotraveller. My policy says two devices to be fitted when caravan is left unattended. It only takes seconds so no problem.
Colin
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Depends on the type of campsite I would say, busy (club) sites with key barriers are a different proposition to other less busy open sites.
But more importantly what is written into one's insurance document must be taken into account.
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For us, not anxiety, just an insurance requirement. Mind you, I doubt anyone would bother to steal our now 15 year old van!
No problem to fit, even on our twin axle, I am usually lucky in that both wheels line up, only occasionally do I have to jack up the van to fit the second AlKo.
We also use a hitch lock, and have an alarm and tracker, plus a secondary GPS thing that came with our Alde "extra box". Discount makes insurance cost very reasonable.
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I've used an ALKO wheel lock ever since i've had caravans, about 12 years now and never had any trouble lining up the receiver with the centre of the wheel aperture, I find it easy to tell if its lined up just by looking.
I don't use ramps to level the caravan side to side, I have a lock'n'level which makes everything very quick and easy.
As others have said its a requirement of my insurance that a wheel lock is fitted when the caravan is unattended, even on a 'busy' site.
I don't see what all the faff is.
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"I've used an ALKO wheel lock ever since i've had caravans"
I suspect that could be why you don’t realise that siting a caravan without the Alko lock is far simpler, Whittakerr 😎.
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On our first caravan, which we had for 8 years, we just had a standard wheel clamp. The second came with the Alko. It took a bit of getting used to, but once we had used it a few times I didn’t find it particularly difficult to line up on a camp site. Where it was more of an issue was in the storage compound, where there was little front to back tolerance. If the receiver lined up with the tyre valve when it was in the right place, it was a right pain to sort out.
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I know someone who had his caravan stolen from a site. They just cut the awning off at the rail. No wheel clamp just a simple hitch lock.
I'm definitely not anxious about it but it doesn't take long to take a few simple precautions.
I'm in the "too much faff" brigade as far as Al-ko is concerned.
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Actually Tinners I have set up several times without the ALKO wheel lock for various reasons, so I know what it's like. It only takes 4 or 5 additional minutes to get the lock from the cupboard and fit it, and if it encourages a would be thief to move on to an easier target then its a little time well spent in my opinion.
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I see. You must be very agile and quick 👍🏻👍🏻
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