Caravan detaching from car after several miles

[Kevin M]

Sorry to revive an older post but some very good information and advice in this thread.
My Shogun is off for a towbar on Thursday, standard flange type with bolt on ball.
I only started thinking earlier that the last few towcars had swan neck type hitches so that got me thinking about compatibility with the Alko stabiliser.
A quick google showed me the difference between a standard and Alko ball.
A quick search on here came up with this thread.
I’ve just spoke with the fitting company and asked them not to supply the towball and have ordered the correct item direct from Alko.

Kev

 

[Buckman]

Sorry to revive an older post but some very good information and advice in this thread.
My Shogun is off for a towbar on Thursday, standard flange type with bolt on ball.
I only started thinking earlier that the last few towcars had swan neck type hitches so that got me thinking about compatibility with the Alko stabiliser.
A quick google showed me the difference between a standard and Alko ball.
A quick search on here came up with this thread.
I’ve just spoke with the fitting company and asked them not to supply the towball and have ordered the correct item direct from Alko.

Kev

The fitting company probably would have had the correct towball. Hopefully they will be fitting the one ordered?

 

[Kevin M]

The fitting company probably would have had the correct towball. Hopefully they will be fitting the one ordered?

Didn’t want to take the chance of it not being a genuine Alko item for the sake of £21, if it comes today then they will fit it if not I’m more than capable of getting it on and torquing it up.

Kev

 

[Raywood]

When we have had towbars fitted we have specified the ALKO compatible clearance and it was no problem. I cannot imagine any fitter would not know about this, most will check if there might be a problem.

 

[Kevin M]

When we have had towbars fitted we have specified the ALKO compatible clearance and it was no problem. I cannot imagine any fitter would not know about this, most will check if there might be a problem.

The fitting depot is fully aware of needing an Alko specific ball, they have Alko type balls available but not an actual Alko make, its just me being fussy about it being an actual branded item.

Kev

 

[JTQ]

The fitting depot is fully aware of needing an Alko specific ball, they have Alko type balls available but not an actual Alko make, its just me being fussy about it being an actual branded item.

Kev

Which I for one can fully understand, I have experience of "not all towballs are created equal", even if they get the offset and shank clearance right for an Alko AKS hitch.
I have known some are precious close to the ball's minimum diameter, I took a micrometer to a store once and all their balls were either marginal or even a few out of diameter spec.
The Al-KO one I ended up getting was "right" and exuded "quality", some others lacked.
All this was motivated by finding "my" long used tow ball had worn out of spherical. Not only that, diametrically across the least worn part where the chrome plating it had was intact, it was sub spec. It had towed many different trailers and our caravans with both dry and wet hitches and had probably been towing over 50K miles and decades. I suspect it never was "right".
Hopefully these days it is an area now cleaned up by current EU regulations.

 

[Buckman]

The danger of fitting the towball afterwards may exonerate them from all blame if there is an issue so be careful even if you are very competent.

 

[JTQ]

The danger of fitting the towball afterwards may exonerate them from all blame if there is an issue so be careful even if you are very competent.

Surely if the issue has zero to do with the bolting on or integrity of the Al-KO towball, such as the armature's attachment to the vehicle, there could be no ramifications.
It comes with the "right" bolts etc, so that is a positive aspect re confidence in the integrity of that bit.

 

[Gagakev]

When we have had towbars fitted we have specified the ALKO compatible clearance and it was no problem. I cannot imagine any fitter would not know about this, most will check if there might be a problem.

Ray this actually happened to me, when I purchased the Shogun it had a towbar but no ball when I viewed, asked them to include new Alko ball, towed once with it before realising it was a standard ball and NOT an Alko one they had fitted, hence my picture in earlier post.
Cant print on here how my telephone conversation went, but lets just say the scaffolders reputation on that day wasn't let down!!

 

[Raywood]

Possibly because I use a large reputable and well established fitting business I have never had a problem.

 

[DW1311]

Our caravan was written off, thankfully insurance paid out, may have been a faulty hitch. We’ve ordered a new caravan and have Alco towballs and will be doing the jockey wheel tip at every hitch. My partners been towing since and is fine but I think my heart will be in my mouth the first few times!

 

[Damian]

Thank you for coming back with an update and one which ended up in your favour.
I hope you enjoy your new van and I am sure you and your other half will take extra care in future when hitching up, just for your peace of mind.

 

[Jcloughie]

Enjoy it..... ( When you get the chance).

John

 

[Beachball]

Good Luck with your future travels