Changing Damper on Caravan

[AlexandriaUK]

Hi all, as you can probably tell I'm new to site, well in this name, I was a member I think years ago but memory is dim and maybe so am I because I forget LOL I purchased a new caravan (not new as in new, those were the days) and on towing her back I can hear a quite considerable bang from to hitch on caravan, the unit otherwise towed great once tyres blown up, so question is, how do I, well my son actually change the damper having never changed one before or is it a complete change of all of it, thank you for reading and hopefully I will be able to contribute some info back.
Alexandria

 

[Craigyoung]

Hi just to get you on your way this was a question that was asked a while ago and here is what was said by one of the moderators on here in 2o1o !
"To get the right damper you need to look on the A frame, under the cover and you shoud find(for an Al-Ko Chassis) a number starting with 811***, then go to http://www.western-towing.co.uk/acatalog/Al_ko_Kober.html and match your 811*** number with the correct damper.
Assuming you have an Al-Ko chassis, remove the hitch head by the two bolts going through the side of the hitch head, and one bolt vertically at the rear(nearest the van).
The hitch damper should slide out towards the van, make sure you catch the spacer plate which is at the rear as it drops out.
If there is not enough room for th edamper to slide out, undo the 4 bolts holding the hitch assembly to the chassis and tilt the hitch to allow room.
Make sure the new damper has the locating eye at 90 degrees so as to line up with the fixing bolt at the front, and the rear locating eye vertical to line up with the rear bolt.
Slide it in replacing the spacer and fix with the rear bolt, retighten the 4 bolts of the hitch if you have undone them to get the damper out.
Fit the hitch head with the front bolt ONLY, then compress the hitch as far as it will go and pull it out quickly, and with a suitable screwdriver or rod, catch the front fixing eye as it extends into the hitch, refit the front bolt and torque all up to their recommended torque figure. (you may have to practice catching the eye several times, and repeat the compression of the hitch until you catch the eye.) "
Read more at https://www.practicalcaravan.com/forum/technical/40354-hitch-damper-replacement#sXY35KZSe05LDtqE.99

 

[Martin_E]

It could just be the brakes and or brake rod are out of adjustment, try pushing the hitch head in, if it starts to come out at a slow steady pace chances are its brake adjustment

 

[glenno]

Yep as above. I had the same and when I checked it was the brake shoes - on one side the lining had come away from the shoe.

 

[AlexandriaUK]

Thanks for that Craig, I will show it to my son when he turns up, I did watch. Video of a chap doing it and it looks fairly straightforward so will get old one out and order new one.
Thanks again

 

[AlexandriaUK]

When you push it in it just doesn't have any resistance but brakes seem to work OK, once its out we will know for sure I hope, he will do the brakes at the same time ie check them before we take her out any way, she looking good so pleased to have a bigger van with a loo

 

[AlexandriaUK]

Thanks Glen we live in hope, mind u those dampers are pretty pricey

 

[chrisn7]

You mentioned that van towed ok 'once the tyres had been blown up' which seems to suggest it might have been sitting a while on underinflated tyres, so did you check these as well?

 

[AlexandriaUK]

Yea we did and there was plenty of tread on them and under the five years but to be honest will replace them before we go on jollies next year, yikes, that's scary, its December tomoz, where did this year go, we only got out once as I had a bit of a mishap last year and now need to use crutches so our old caravan was slightly too small, this one seems massive, can anyone point me in right direction to buy good second hand items, ie electric hook up cable, steps with rails etc, thank you as well for support

 

[otherclive]

eBay, CMHC classifieds on line. Local caravan storage sites often have a notice board where people put things up for sale.

 

[AlexandriaUK]

Thanks will check it out and if not there's always Argos LOL