Alko Handbrake/Axle Problem

[Jayster]

Well the van is out of commission for a few weeks at least.
Was taking our van down to the dealers in Catterick for it's annual service.
Somehow the handbrake had come on and has seriously damaged the brakes and possibly the axle, due to excessive heat.
I know i hadn't put the handbrake on, because i'd used the motor mover to put the van up to the car, once it dropped on to the towball, I just hitched it all up, released the motor mover and set off. I'm assuming i've hit one of the speed humps that runs through the village.
Estimated cost of repair... £1100.
Am hoping insurance will cover it. Service guy said if we'd gone another 10 miles the drums would of shattered.
Lucky escape I think on this one....

 

[Ivorwetwun]

Same thing happened to me 12 months ago. Cost me £392. If I had gone much further, would have had to replace the axle as well.
I KNOW that I took the handbrake off,and Mrs W always goes around the van and re-checks everything.
I have spoken to others, and this would appear to be fairly common. I am now fanatical, aand tend to stop after aa mile or so

 

[xtrailman]

I hate those one shot handbrake's. I always take great care to ensure the breakaway cable isn't about to snag on anything.
Much preferred the ratchet type, in fact i use to check my brakes with it.
one notch = clear
two notch = brakes starting to apply
three notch = brakes on
I used to put the van on axle stands every year and check the left right brake balance.

 

[John_374564913]

I purchased a Tyrepal system I appreciate it is originally for loss of tyre pressure, however it also measures tyre heat therefore if the same were to happen the tyrepal would continue to bleep continously notifying us of a problem due to overheating.

Yes they are expensive but the cost to repair your caravan would have paid for it four times over

John

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi all.
this problem is more common that one would have thought it was, particulaly when vans are towed during recovery by a commercial vehicle, or occures soon after setting off if moving over rough ground or traffic humps. and has happend to us a couple of times luckily as I tow the van with a ordinary hatchback any problems with the van are instantly felt and no damage has been done,
there is one easy fix for this shown to me by a recovery driver many years ago that still works on modern vans.
this is to wrap a bungee clip around the a frame on over the hand brake lever preventing it from lifting and accidentaly appling the h/brake. the bungee is strong enough to prevent this but not strong enough to stop the brakes being applied by the breakaway cable should the van become detached from the car.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

dupilcate post, sorry itchy fingers not been on for a while

 

[Dustydog]

Our buttonless handbrake has been fine over the last 3 years , the caravan being used all year round.
I wonder if the gas strut which supposedly assists the brake application gets too hot in the sun, expands and then applies the brake?
Colin's solution is sound . Must remember to take another bungee with us, just in case.
I looked at some other forums and no one other than our OP seems to have had this problem.

Is it possible for the ATC to influence the handbrake? Or for that matter the over run brake system?

 

[xtrailman]

The ATC fits on the end of the brake rod, so no i don't see how.
I'm not convinced that a bungee wouldn't stop the break away cable working?
Its happened enough to get a write up about destroyed brake drums, in the CC mag some years ago.

 

[Jayster]

Well the insurance company have said they will cover all the costs.... Which is a massive relief.... Just hoping they can get it sorted asap....

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

I'm not convinced that a bungee wouldn't stop the break away cable working?

hi RAY,
be convinced

since I wrote the suggestion I have tested it,
I wrapped a bungee around the lever, chocked the wheels attached the breakaway cable to car but not hitched up, set off in first gear.
the hand brake applied fully!! and then dragged the van together with the chockes 12in before the cable broke !!!!.
"observation" the bungee slid down the lever when the angle of it approached 45-50 degrees and there were black skid marks on the road where the tyres had slid proving the brakes were fully on.
ok so it cost me a new cable

but in the interest of safety worth every penny.
colin

 

[BigAl1]

Colin.
pleased that your experiment proved your theory. But what if the caravan brakes had not activated?

You would have been puiing your caravan along by its breakaway cable until it broke, then your caravan would have been following along behind your car with no connection, the caravan would move under its own momentum with nowt to stop it...Until you stopped the car, of course.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

Colin.
pleased that your experiment proved your theory. But what if the caravan brakes had not activated?

You would have been puiing your caravan along by its breakaway cable until it broke, then your caravan would have been following along behind your car with no connection, the caravan would move under its own momentum with nowt to stop it...Until you stopped the car, of course.

hi Al. thats why the wheels were chocked??? besides whats the point in doing a test if one is not certain of the outcome,
at the very least I have the knowlege than in the event of the van becomming detached (most unlikely) I know the breakaway cable would do it's job and apply the brakes fully and then break how many can say that?? however the plugs were not connected so the effect of detachment on the plugs is a unknown factor.

 

[xtrailman]

OK Colin, i will start fitting a bungee, another item for the check list.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Ray,

Be carefull about the additional weight the bungee adds to the nose weight, you may need to clip a similar bungee between to rear handles to offset the one on the brake handle

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

ho, ho, ho, very funny prof and I was begining to think you had no sense of humour.

 

[Robtel]

ho, ho, ho, very funny prof and I was begining to think you had no sense of humour.

Hang on a minute there Colin, have you any scientific evidence to back up that statement, have you proof of any properly conducted. monitored audits and tests by fully qualified personnel using calibrated instruments to back up your theory?

 

[xtrailman]

Hello Ray,

Be carefull about the additional weight the bungee adds to the nose weight, you may need to clip a similar bungee between to rear handles to offset the one on the brake handle

Have you been drinking prof?

Good point though,I'lll add that to the check list.