Creaking Alko

[Richard_374306006]

My wife and I have a new Pageant with a Alko 3004 hotch/stabiliser. Our first trip was fine, but on our second we got a horrendous creak from the hitch. I spoke to our dealer and they advised me that the problem was paint from my new towball and it should go if I clean the friction pads and towball ball with 100 grit paper and brake cleaner.

I did all this, but am still having the dreaded creak! I see that a few others on the forum have eluded to this problem, but say that it went away after the cleaning process above.

Any suggestions???

 

[rob_jax]

Richard,

If you use the "Forum Search" facility you should find loads of threads on this subject.

But in summary, the friction pads in the popular AL-KO and Winterhoff stabiliser coupling can become contaminated with paint from the tow-ball. The paint or protective coating gets embedded in the surface of the friction pads and causes them to squeal.

It's easy to remove all the paint from the tow-ball, but the contamination issue is the friction pads. So did you remove the friction pads from the coupling, carefully resurfaced them with emery paper (100 or 200 grit is OK), and then refitted? Trying to do this properly with the pads in place is futile.

If the pads still squeal after correctly resurfacing and cleaning them, then they are still contaminated - and so you need to sand the friction pads more - taking care to maintain any ball-shaped depression in the surface.

If after doing all this you can't cure the squeak - replace the pads with new - about

 

[Richard_374306006]

Thanks Robert,

I did try and sand them (carefully and throughly) while still in place.

I will have another go and remove them this time. Is the removal process fairly straight forward?

Richard

 

[rob_jax]

Richard,

Yes - take a look on the UK AL-KO web-site - there is a series of PDF documents you can retrieve on subjects like "pad contamination" and "pad removal"

AL-KO web-site FAQ pages:

http://www.al-ko.co.uk/faqs_2.asp?act=list
Robert

 

[lunar2000]

Richard,

Hope this helps? I used to have the same problem on my caravan/Alko hitch ( even the paint was removed and i cleaned the ball with white spirit). It still groaned until I realised that if I traveled in wet weather the noise stopped.

Could it be that once the pads are dry and white spirit, or any cleaner for that matter, contributes to the polishing effect on the pads?

For the last two years I have only used a kitchen scouring pad,the green type with a sponge backing and have never heard a squeek since.

Finish cleaning with a piece of kitchen roll to ensure no bits left on the ball,

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Pop,

The pads won't squeal in damp / wet weather because the water acts as a lubricant, and like getting grease on the friction pads they won't work as effectively when wet.

Whilst it is possible to use commercial brake cleaner to remove grease and oily surface contamination, I normally give the pads a wipe with a clean rag dipped in white spirits - and keep going until the rag comes away clean - it's surprising how dirty the pads get. Then rub the pad surface with a green scouring pad.

No squeaks, Robert

 

[taylor.paul]

Our 3004 creaked , i spoke to alko they told me to allow them time to settle on to the ball as it was not supplied by them, (i bought it from a dealer and had to remove the paint) they were right as i now have no problems at all.. it took about 200 miles (motorway driving) to clear, hope this helps

 

[Colinn]

Just to get this in perspective, am I right in saying that this problem, while being a noisy nuisance, is nothing more than that??

 

[Colinn]

Just to get this in perspective, am I right in saying that this problem, while being a noisy nuisance, is nothing more than that??

 

[sparkes]

Richard

Before you try all the hard work try throwing a bucket of water over the hitch after you connect it before your next trip. This has been known to solve the problem several times on this forum

 

[rob_jax]

Colinn - yes, the stabiliser is still working correctly, it's just noisy.

Steve - soaking the pads in water will probably make them quiet - but will interfere with the operation of the stabiliser - you've effectively lubricated the pads. So now they slip rather than grip, and that's probably not the effect you want.

Robert

 

[Colinn]

Colinn - yes, the stabiliser is still working correctly, it's just noisy.

Steve - soaking the pads in water will probably make them quiet - but will interfere with the operation of the stabiliser - you've effectively lubricated the pads. So now they slip rather than grip, and that's probably not the effect you want.

Robert

tks, rob. if that's the case, then it must surely be better to put up with the noise and start afresh with new pads and a clean ball at the next service.

 

[Richard_374306006]

Just to get this in perspective, am I right in saying that this problem, while being a noisy nuisance, is nothing more than that??

Colin,

Although as you say is it just noise, until you hear it you can not believe just how noisy it is - think of someone tearing out the main mast from HMS Victory and you are somewhere close! It really is that bad, it scares the wossit out of people standing near by!!!

I agree with Rob and the water issue, the water would act a lubricant and thus reduce the friction effect of the stabiliser.

Richard.