Creaking noise from tow bar/ball

[WelshRebel]

I've just come back from a weeks break in West Wales. My concern is the noise that seems to come from the rear. It sounds like someone walking over loose floor boards - the creaking is really noticeable!! The owner of the caravan site reckoned it is the al-ko stabiliser on the caravan (2006 Abbey Adventura 325). I would agree that it seems to come from the caravan and not the car, as my previous car was doing the same recently, until I sold it.

The caravan is just over a year old and has had its annual service. Am I correct in saying that no grease should be applied to the tow bar ball on the car, as this will affect the operation of the stabiliser??

The car I tow with is a Citroen C5 2.2 HDi

Kind regards

Nick

 

[SteveW77]

You need to clean the inside of the hitch with a brake cleaning spray. Then clean the tow ball with the same stuff every time you hitch up, as the ball gets covered in a fine coat of diesel from the exhaust.

Steve W

 

[glen_374237991]

you are correct in what you say nick, do not grease the alko hitch and ball, it will cause problems with the stabilizer, i think it is 100% what the other guy mentions ,clean your ball and hitch

glen

 

[Mike_5041108]

Welsh,

I think your key statement was that you've just had the van serviced. Both my father and I had our vans serviced in June, then spent July driving round France thinking the tow bar was about to come off - the creaks were that bad. We were both of the view that the noise wasn't there B4 the service. I think they must grease the hitch head, which contributes to the noise. I gave the stabiliser head a quick clean out with a cloth soaked in brake and clutch cleaner, which helped no end.

Mike

 

[Catcher]

I would also recomend cleaning the inside of the hitch and the ball with brake cleaner but not just before you hitch up. I used to have the problem of a creaking Alko hitch (so loud I used to get strange looks when moving off site). I then noticed that if I didn't use brake cleaner immediately before hitching, the noise disappeared. I now use brake cleaner once or twice a season, the rest of the time just wipe with a cloth and I've had no problems. I do drive a petrol though and I do appreciate that it might need more regular cleaning with a diesel.

 

[philip_5109302]

You could try and clean the towball with Methylated spirit, we do and have no problems.

 

[rob_jax]

AL-KO approve two solvent cleaners for the tow-ball and inside the tow-coupling:

1. White spirit - a light petroleum solvent

2. Brake cleaner - a 50:50 mix of alcohol (usually iso-propanol but could be ethanol) and heptane (a light petroleum solvent)

In the winter I'd use brake cleaner or just straight alcohol, in the summer I'd use white spirit - for a similar reason to the propane / butane question - white spirit in hot weather has a chance of staying around long enough to actually dissolve the crud.

Robert

 

[GrahamPonty]

Hi Folks,

I have had the same problem with the alko hitch. I now give the tow hitch a light rub with very fine sand paper then clean it with thinners on a rag. The thinners evaporates leaving no sign of any residue on the ball. I also give the friction pads a light sanding now and again as they can become glassed and also clean them with the thinners.

No problem with creaking towhitch anymore.

Hope this helps

Graham