Al-Ko Spare Wheel Carrier

[PC_5041701]

I've recently bought a new caravan which had an Al-Ko Spare Wheel Carrier fitted as standard equipment with a 15" 6J spare wheel. As I've experienced three blow outs in the past, and as I've never had one of these carriers before, I thought I'd try removing the spare wheel before going away in the van for the first time. Al-Ko advise leaving the van hitched to the car when changing a wheel but there's no way the spare can be removed from the carrier from the side of the van with the car hitched. Even with the van unhitched, the jockey wheel lowered to minimum and the van jacked up, the spare cannot be removed from the side of the van. When the carrier is extended the spare wheel finishes up directly under the main chasis member and can't be lifted off over the retaining stud on the carrier. The only way I can remove my spare is to drop the front end of the van down to minimum, drop the carrier onto the ground but don't extend it and then crawl under the rear of the van and remove the wheel. Not much fun for a bloke of 60. I've talked to an Al-Ko agent who said that they knew all about these problems and advised me to carry the spare inside the van. They also said that they've known the carriers to seize up in less than twelve months and have had to cut them off. Does anyone else have the same problems. If you haven't had the need to remove your spare I would advise that you give it a try (and give it a good greasing whilst you're at it, mine was bone dry on a new van).

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I find removing the spare wheel from the Alko carrier to be the most mauling job on the caravan

Have you positioned the wheel on the carrier so that it is as close to the chassis rail as possible.This may help in clearing the chassis far enough to remove the wheel

I can get the 14in wheel off with the jockey wheel wound down even with the adverse slope of the drive.It does entail lying on the ground and muffled words of derision.

 

[Vic_5039745]

When I had a caravan fitted with this carrier, I found that the best way to raise the 'van is to lay the car's spare flat on the road in front of the caravan's punctured wheel then gently pull the caravan up on to it.

This then gives you enough height to get your jack under the van and raise the caravan to a point where you can remove the spare wheel from the carrier and also remove the wheel with the punctured tyre from the caravan. Once the wheel is changed, you can remove the car's spare, wind up the legs and let the 'van down by the jack, all the time with the car attached to the 'van.

IN DOING THIS DON'T FORGET TO LOOSEN THE WHEEL NUTS ON THE 'VAN FIRST AND BEFORE YOU TAKE THE CARAVAN WHEEL OFF,WIND THE LEGS DOWN FIRMLY. THIS METHOD ALSO ALLOWS YOU TO KEEP THE CARAVAN ATTACHED TO THE CAR.

As a bloke of 61 I don't fancy all this mucking about so if this happened to me now, I'd get the Caravan Club's Recovery Service Mayday out to change it for me! Their guys are a damned sight more agile than I am!

Vic

 

[PC_5041701]

Thanks John. If I position the wheel on the carrier any closer to the chasis it fouls the blown air ducting and I can't pull the carrier off it's retaining stud. If I remove the carrier complete and reverse it so that the wheel is removed from the other side of the van (as advised by Al-Ko when travelling abroad) the wheel fouls the rigid water drain pipework and again the carrier can't be pulled off its retaining stud. Looks like the only way for me is the way I'm doing it.

 

[PC_5041701]

When I had a caravan fitted with this carrier, I found that the best way to raise the 'van is to lay the car's spare flat on the road in front of the caravan's punctured wheel then gently pull the caravan up on to it.

This then gives you enough height to get your jack under the van and raise the caravan to a point where you can remove the spare wheel from the carrier and also remove the wheel with the punctured tyre from the caravan. Once the wheel is changed, you can remove the car's spare, wind up the legs and let the 'van down by the jack, all the time with the car attached to the 'van.

IN DOING THIS DON'T FORGET TO LOOSEN THE WHEEL NUTS ON THE 'VAN FIRST AND BEFORE YOU TAKE THE CARAVAN WHEEL OFF,WIND THE LEGS DOWN FIRMLY. THIS METHOD ALSO ALLOWS YOU TO KEEP THE CARAVAN ATTACHED TO THE CAR.

As a bloke of 61 I don't fancy all this mucking about so if this happened to me now, I'd get the Caravan Club's Recovery Service Mayday out to change it for me! Their guys are a damned sight more agile than I am!

Vic

Vic, got a fairly heavy van, don't think driving it onto my car's spare would do the spare much good. From what you say it looks as if I'll have to stick with what I'm doing or use "Mayday". Cheers.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Hi again PC I had the ducting problem but managed to reposition it so that the wheel was able to come nearer to the side.A possible re-route and/or extension to the ducting might help

Who designs these vans and what is their day job!!!??

 

[PC_5041701]

Hi again PC I had the ducting problem but managed to reposition it so that the wheel was able to come nearer to the side.A possible re-route and/or extension to the ducting might help

Who designs these vans and what is their day job!!!??

John, thanks again, already moved the ducting as close as I can get it to the chasis, I'll have another look for a possible re-route when I have the van at home again. Don't know who designs the vans but I've paid