creaking

[debbie_374371695]

Hi there, we are new to caravanning and have got a groaning creaking sound when we are towing. I have read posts with people having similar problem but these seem to be with al-ko hitch but ours is a winterhoff. Can Anybody help?

 

[Damian]

Debbie, the causes will be the same for either hitch as they both employ friction pads in the coupling head.

Usual suspects are contaminated pads or towball, or both.

Thoroughly clean the towball with 400 grade wet and dry and clean finally with brake cleaner or white spirit.

There should be no paint whatsoever on the ball, and no grease, it should be bright and shiny clean metal only.

Do the same with the friction pads in the hitch.

 

[chrisn7]

Damian-white spirit will remove oil, but is actually a light oil itself, and therefore this is not an appropriate use. If you have ever left a paintbrush in some white spirit, you will have noticed that it takes weeks and weeks to evaporate. Brake cleaner and meths both evaporate rapidly and are much more suitable cleaners.

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Chris,

Sorry but no - white spirit isn't an oil, rather it contains similar light petroleum hydrocarbons to those found in brake cleaner.

Both white spirit and brake cleaner are suitable, meths isn't so good - it's an alcohol and that doesn't dissolve diesel soot so well.

Robert