Alko Secure on twin axles

[spj]

Hi all,

we went to a rally this last weekend and I found a new (to me) way of lining up the two Alko units, firstly position the car and caravan so that the heavyist axle wheel lock can be fitted and fit the lock, then drive the car forward with the one wheel locked until the second unit is lined up and fitted, low box on a 4x4 gives a little more control and obviously this method is only used on grass, the wheel only skidded a few inches on the wet grass, I would have left a bigger mark in the grass by jacking the caravan up and as it was the rear wheel it had less weight on it as the unit was parked on the crown of a hill and the car a little lower. A similar effect may be to run over a small piece of plywood with one wheel and allow it to skid on that, this way most sufaces should allow fitment without jacking or damaging the tyre or suface.

spj.

 

[Dustydog]

Hi SPJ

Interesting. Are sure it doesn't damage the lock or ally wheel?

I've done jacks to death on this forum and do use a hydraulic trolley jacj. As you say , not so easy on soft ground so I carry extra timbers for both levelling and placing under the jack. Good job I have a twin axle to carry all this extra load,lol.

Chers

Alan

 

[spj]

Hi Alan,

I have put some foam around the lock, the sticky backed type for stopping draughts around doors, and the wheel is fine.

spj.

 

[Dustydog]

Thanks SPJ

I'll give it a try soon.

Cheers

Alan

 

[JasonR_374341560]

I cant believe what I've read at the top. Absolute Madness and Lazy!

Apart from stress on the hardware, cutting only a few inches of grass is wrong when there is no need.

As for trolley jacks and half a forest and weight issues. My airbag jack overcomes all the problems re leveling and lock fitting and weighs next to nothing.

Quicker, easier and lightweight! Plus you park the van exactly where you need it once and no need to shunt it around.

 

[Hamer_5041128]

Jason R,

Agree with your comments.

I have thought about an airbag jack to make life easier. as my doctor informed me spine transplants are some years away!!

Please could you tell me what make your airbag jack is, where you purchased it from, and what weight it will lift?

Hamer

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Jason

On reflection I think you are right about the strain on the mechanical bits , never mind the grass.

Agreed I carry a hydraulic trolley jack for the job. This is lighter , I think than the poor excuse of a jack that came with the Wyoming.

I did look at the airbag, the one that plugs onto the exhaust. I was just a bit worried that the floor may be taking all the weight rather than the Al-Ko jacking point on the chassis .

How do you do yours?

Cheers

Alan

 

[JasonR_374341560]

Hamer.

First had one of the early Easylift jacks over twenty years ago and it gave sterling service. Have now replaced with a Draper as Easylift now only seem to supply more expensive airbags for commercial use.

Draper say it will lift 3 tons and we've lifted the current largest twin axle Elddis clean off the ground just to prove to a doubter that it works.

It also jacks up a Range Rover or my Q7 with ease and I jacked an Ifor Williams trailer with a 3 series BMW turing on it near Exeter 3 weeks ago so the delivery driver could change a wheel.

Try -

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=18521&MAN=Draper-3-Tonne-Inflatable-Air-Jack for info.

Ebay shops have the best prices though-

http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=Draper inflatable air jack

 

[JasonR_374341560]

Alan.

My dad, brother and I got Easylifts after seeing a caravanner use one when they were fairly new to the market.

My brother has used his for lifting all kinds of vehicles as well as lifting engines and gear boxes.

The Draper comes with two protection mats, I used rubber car mats before, as belt and braces touch.

You are right though, If you were silly enough to place the bag under the caravan floor I'm sure you would damage it.

You just place it under the chassis rails, axles or both. Works fine on Alko and other chassis with no damage.

And for the doubters they do not go off bang like a baloon and we always use with axle stand to put in place as we would with any jack.

 

[Hamer_5041128]

Jason R,

Thanks for information.

Hamer

 

[Clive-Cardiff]

Interesting info about the draper lift bag. Do you position the bag under the floor of the van or under the chassis. Just thinking that the chassis member is such a narrow section.

 

[spj]

Hi all,

I posted this because at the time I was on a wet rally field in the dark at 9 o clock on a Friday night, the carpark was full and the grass was soaked and the only room at this time was on the grass, we were pitched in a position that a 2wd car would have been stuck, over the past 15 months I have used the jack supplied with the caravan with no problems, this time the locks were only slightly out and using this method they were lined up with ease and without any 'stress on the hardware' The jack would have just dug in as the ground was so soft even with a jack pad under it which I normally use. Jacking up a caravan by any means causes more stress through its stucture and as for a

 

[JasonR_374341560]

I did mention above that it would be rather silly to use it under the floor!

The chassis rail near the wheel works fine, and you would use the normal jack there.

We've had and have Alko chassis and I place the bag under the chassis and axle tube. It will lift both wheels (TA) on one caravan side clear in seconds with no effort as it will my Q7. The bag control valve controls the descent, don't think that if the hose pops off the exhaust that car or van will crash down.

Changing wheel on car trailer with car on it we loosened the wheel nuts a little put the bag under the chassis and lifted it in about 45 seconds. One happy driver that was, he'd only limped in to the lay bye to call the AA or somebody.

Loads of emergency services use them, and I've been on a French site where newly delivered British mobile homes were lifted on to blocks using them.

I've found the other web site for Easylift, If you have any doubts about use, have a look at the "example uses" pages on the home page. - http://www.air-jack.com/

 

[JasonR_374341560]

You're entitled to you opinion SPJ. And the airbag jacks can be had for under thirty

 

[spj]

Jason,

to quote a few lines from the original post;

we went to a rally this last weekend

and obviously this method is only used on grass

skidded a few inches on the wet grass

wet grass, rally field, only used on grass, no tale has changed, you must have been reading something else. The jacking up comment came from your comment; 'Apart from stress on the hardware' a wheel dragged a few inches on wet grass causes less stress to the hardware than jacking a caravan up. obviously the jacking points are designed for jacking and I have no doubt of the ability of the bag jack, I have just never had the need for one. Not reading the post correctly just does'nt seem too smart.

 

[JasonR_374341560]

Cutting up the grass surface is not smart on any field if you want to split hairs.

Dragging against the lock is a smart move, sorry but I think not.

You appear to have little clue as to what your 1st post may suggest to some readers.

I'm not sure to what degree you think I and others would need to jack our vans, but weve had a number of vans in the 20 odd years that we've used an Airbag jack and sold the vans for top price with no sign or even a hint of structural or any damage related to it.

Again if you think jacking the van briefly would cause more stress than road use you are from a different planet. Also I posted about airbag jack mainly in response to the comment about trolley jack and timber.

 

[spj]

Jason,

As usual you have missed the point, none of my posts mention damage to a caravan from jacking, only that jacking up causes more stress than not jacking up, pretty obvious I thought and the comment about stress was actually from your post. For the last 15 months I have jacked the van up with the jack supplied to fit the locks with no damage, this last time the ground was just too soft and so I found an easier way, if you or others do not agree with it, fine, I don't honestly care. I found a way that works without buying extra equipment, if people choose to use this method, then it is up to them.

 

[Thorpedo]

Nice one SBJ,

This sounds like a really good suggestion for getting around the lock problem on soft surfaces if used with care.

I'll be trying this next time out, anything to avoid jacking up is good with me.

If I don't have to take the trolley jack I could save weight as well.

May try parking with the first locked (sliding) wheel on two small flat pieces of hardboard or plastic so that one piece slides across the other reducing friction and protecting the grass. With sliding pads like this it should work on hard standings as well.

Thanks again- good post.

Rob

 

[Thorpedo]

SPJ (spelt correctly this time)

Just tried the above method to slide the back wheels of a very heavy car whilst on tarmac,it worked a treat.

I used two offcuts of laminate floor each 6 inch long possitioned face to face under a wheel. The shiney low friction surfaces glide accross each other no prob.

With the hand brake on and hardly any revs I slid the back of the car without the rear wheels turning. I'd try on the caravan but it's being serviced (new water pipes at last fitted due to bad tasting water). This would work on the caravan just as well and with low friction there would be very little strain on the lock parts.

For sale offcuts of flooring 6inch x 6inch - only

 

[spj]

SPJ (spelt correctly this time)

Just tried the above method to slide the back wheels of a very heavy car whilst on tarmac,it worked a treat.

I used two offcuts of laminate floor each 6 inch long possitioned face to face under a wheel. The shiney low friction surfaces glide accross each other no prob.

With the hand brake on and hardly any revs I slid the back of the car without the rear wheels turning. I'd try on the caravan but it's being serviced (new water pipes at last fitted due to bad tasting water). This would work on the caravan just as well and with low friction there would be very little strain on the lock parts.

For sale offcuts of flooring 6inch x 6inch - only