AL-KO Wheel locks

[CHESHIRECAT]

Hi All I use a AL-KO Secure wheel lock on my caravan and i have noticed when i screw the locking bolt into the reicever it is getting a little tight! I tried the bolt on a neighbours caravan and it screwed in quite easy, so i thought i would run a tap into the receiver incase there was a bit of corrosion or thread damage.
So does anyone know what size tap i need also thread size.

Thanks

 

[otherclive]

Hi All I use a AL-KO Secure wheel lock on my caravan and i have noticed when i screw the locking bolt into the reicever it is getting a little tight! I tried the bolt on a neighbours caravan and it screwed in quite easy, so i thought i would run a tap into the receiver incase there was a bit of corrosion or thread damage.
So does anyone know what size tap i need also thread size.

Thanks

Alko website is excellent and may have the info. Failing that give them a call. As if you get it wrong the problem will get worse. Could try some fine grinding paste on the bolt and work it gently.

 

[CHESHIRECAT]

Alko website is excellent and may have the info. Failing that give them a call. As if you get it wrong the problem will get worse. Could try some fine grinding paste on the bolt and work it gently.

Thanks Clive i have tried emailing them! But the email just bounces back for some reason, the paste could be a good idea .

 

[CHESHIRECAT]

Thanks Clive i have tried emailing them! But the email just bounces back for some reason, the paste could be a good idea .

This morning i have managed to get intouch with the tech deparrment at AL-KO they very kindly informed me that the tap size i require is 20mm × 2.5 thread, so if anyone ever gets the same problem thats the tap you need.

 

[Hutch]

Thats a good response from Alko. When I fit my wheel lock, I never wind it "tight" with the extension handle. I am lòking at buying one of the slimmist Lozenges, so as to be able to fit when the wheel doesnt line up. Spot on. What size is the slimmist. ?

 

[otherclive]

Thats a good response from Alko. When I fit my wheel lock, I never wind it "tight" with the extension handle. I am lòking at buying one of the slimmist Lozenges, so as to be able to fit when the wheel doesnt line up. Spot on. What size is the slimmist. ?

Does the wheel ever line up without some to and fro. Draw the line at jacking the beast up just to align. Only use a touring lock when on sites plus hitch lock. I echo your thoughts entirely.

 

[Woodentop]

If you have a mover it is dead easy to nudge the van back or forth to get the lozenge aligned - I've been doing it for years. What I don't understand is why/how often the tyre valve hole is the one that sits against the lozenge bolt accepter. You then have no option but to move the van a quarter turn of the wheel to get a clear hole in the right place!

 

[CHESHIRECAT]

Thats a good response from Alko. When I fit my wheel lock, I never wind it "tight" with the extension handle. I am lòking at buying one of the slimmist Lozenges, so as to be able to fit when the wheel doesnt line up. Spot on. What size is the slimmist. ?

Hi Hutch I'm afraid thats a question i cannot answer! But it might be one yuo could put to AL-KO , i had problems emailing them but tried again friday morning with my question and within 2 hours they replied with the answer i needed, so it's well worth an email ! Good luck

 

[otherclive]

If you have a mover it is dead easy to nudge the van back or forth to get the lozenge aligned - I've been doing it for years. What I don't understand is why/how often the tyre valve hole is the one that sits against the lozenge bolt accepter. You then have no option but to move the van a quarter turn of the wheel to get a clear hole in the right place!

Okay with mover if both wheels are on the ground but if ones on a ramp then it becomes more difficult as you say it’s invariably aligned in the place that requires maximum rotation for alignment. When away from home or storage I just use a simpler lighter wheel clamp. But these locks that are someway towards the Alko seem a reasonable compromise of weight v security v ease of fitting. I didn’t avail myself the 10% insurance discount for Alko as the 72 hour stipulation wasn’t practicable and vans being stolen from a site is quite a rare occurrence.

 

[Tuningdrew]

Beat me to it on the tap size. Buy a ‘second taper’ tap as it has the lead- in on the end to get the tap started but the full thread comes in quite quickly. A ‘first taper’ has a very long lead in of several turns before the full thread starts and a ‘plug’ tap has no lead in at all just the full thread right from the start, can be tricky to get started. You should be able to screw it in by hand unless you’ve got it cross threaded or the thread in the receiver is actually damaged. On the subject of AlKo lozenges, when we bought our second caravan it had an AlKo receiver but no lock. I was given a lozenge and lock by a friend but it didn’t fit the wheel we had. I used a coarse flap wheel on an angle grinder and reshaped the part that goes into the wheel slot in a few minutes as the aluminium is very soft and easily shaped. When we went to a twin axle it was supplied with a pair of AlKo locks. Ditched them really quickly as they’re such a faff to fit to a TA without lifting the van and from what I have seen are very easily removed by a thief. I just use a pair of SAS clamps. Fitted in a minute or so and satisfy my insurance requirements.

 

[JezzerB]

That's interesting Tuningdrew; I was going to ditch mine on our TA-not only are the a huge faff (even with EP lifting) but they are capable of scratching the alloys too if you aren't v careful -i applied some protection. I thought they were the only diamond theft approved lock and hence v difficult to remove hence my retaining them-if you've seen other wise we'll be going back to the Nemesis!

 

[Tuningdrew]

That's interesting Tuningdrew; I was going to ditch mine on our TA-not only are the a huge faff (even with EP lifting) but they are capable of scratching the alloys too if you aren't v careful -i applied some protection. I thought they were the only diamond theft approved lock and hence v difficult to remove hence my retaining them-if you've seen other wise we'll be going back to the Nemesis!

I just called my insurers (CMHC). The difference between AlKo and the SAS clamps on the premium was negligible versus the ‘faff factor’. Just as long as they’re fitted whenever they vehicle is in storage or on site It fully covered. My feeling is that if a thief wants my van they’ll have it whatever security is fitted.

 

[Andy1961]

Hi CheshireCat,
I may have misunderstood your original question but have you tried spraying a little WD40 onto both the bolt and the receiving thread? This may well make the bolt easier to tighten.

 

[CHESHIRECAT]

Hi CheshireCat,
I may have misunderstood your original question but have you tried spraying a little WD40 onto both the bolt and the receiving thread? This may well make the bolt easier to tighten.

Thanks Andy
But yes i have tried wd40 and still a little tight, ive ordered a set of two taps off ebay a tapered and a plug so a quick clean out should help.

 

[CustardAvenger]

Having seen the below picture of a caravan alloy ground down to the hub due to the van being stolen with the wheel lock still on... the hassle of the AL-KO lock and it's purchase cost for a few quid off the insurance was just not worth it for me.



The insurance is satisfied with the Millenco Hitch/Wheel locks and I fit some other items in storage to do as much as I can.

 

[JezzerB]

I'd say to the contrary that given the state of the wheel they deemed it not worth getting off-and the damage to the caravan and the difficulty towing probably made it almost impossible to sell intact-I would say that has persuaded me to fit them even more if I needed persuading-anything to make the crims life more difficult is good by me!

 

[CustardAvenger]

I'd say to the contrary that given the state of the wheel they deemed it not worth getting off-and the damage to the caravan and the difficulty towing probably made it almost impossible to sell intact-I would say that has persuaded me to fit them even more if I needed persuading-anything to make the crims life more difficult is good by me!

The caravan was allegedly stolen by Travellers according to the source; it was recovered and was in for insurance repair.

My point was the caravan was "secured" but they took it anyway.

 

[JezzerB]

MM yes but the didn't get the lock off and didn't get the wheel off-must have made a heck of a racket and mess of the road etc-if they're that tricky to get off it reassures me!!!

 

[CHESHIRECAT]

All sorted i ordered a couple of taps off ebay £7.07 with postage from china 1st may ! came today so wto the caravan and run a tap down the receiver it went a little tight after a few turns, a little bit of steel came out with the tap so there must have been a bit of damage some how, the bolt goes in easy now with the help of WD40.

 

[Andy1961]

Glad to hear you got it sorted.

 

[CHESHIRECAT]

Cheers Andy i think for anyone with an AL-KO wheel lock having a tap in the bag could be an idea if just to keep the threads clean, and at that price .

 

[Happy-Lappy]

Cheshire Cat,
I still have the plastic screw that came with the Al-Ko lock and always fit this whilst travelling. This stops any road spray and grit, from entering the bolt receiving hole. I also have the correct tap as a back up.
Regards,

 

[CHESHIRECAT]

Thanksfor the tip ! I use the plasic screw cap also but thinking about it i could have picked up a bit of grit when i place it on the floor and transfered it into the reciever, you never know.