My Alko creaks like an old mans knees these days! We were entering a site in Leyburn this weekend and seemed particularly noisy! Have removed the paint from the towbar when first fitted, regularly de grease it too. Van has had a service recently with no probs found. Is this just one of those things or do I need to do something? Seems worse after a long tow?
Creaking
- Thread starter Paul8
- Start date
Seems worse after a long tow? If you have a diesel engined car, it can be exhaust emission build up on the tow ball, but it's more likely to be just pad or road dust building up on the ball / pads.
Do you clean the pads as well as the towball?
It's probably time to deglaze the pads as well, which is easiest if you remove the pads from the Alko head - small circlips / spring clips to remove - check the ALKO web-site for instructions.
Use 200 grade or finer emery paper to deglaze the pads, and lubricate the metal pins on the back of the pads with a smear of copperslip - don't get any on the pad surfaces - this is just to make them slide easily in the ALKO coupling head.
Robert
Do you clean the pads as well as the towball?
It's probably time to deglaze the pads as well, which is easiest if you remove the pads from the Alko head - small circlips / spring clips to remove - check the ALKO web-site for instructions.
Use 200 grade or finer emery paper to deglaze the pads, and lubricate the metal pins on the back of the pads with a smear of copperslip - don't get any on the pad surfaces - this is just to make them slide easily in the ALKO coupling head.
Robert
Creaking AKS normally caused by rusty towball,diesel fumes or contaminated pads ,use P60 emery to clean the rust off then degrease both ball and pads with brake and clutch cleaner.
Good point about using brake cleaner and by the way, brake cleaner is a 50:50 mix of naphtha (light hydrocarbon solvent) and iso-propyl alcohol.
In place of commercial brake cleaner, I use white spirits - it's not quite as ready to evaporate as brake cleaner but works just as well.
Robert
In place of commercial brake cleaner, I use white spirits - it's not quite as ready to evaporate as brake cleaner but works just as well.
Robert
I replaced my Alko 2004 pads on a layby in France one time as they were making alarming creaking,cracking,banging noises.
They appeared to be flaking and the surface seemed to be breaking up so I sent them back to Alko.
They were very quickly returned cleaned up with the instruction to clean the ball and pads on a regular basis as they were sure I already did !
The X-Trail I had at the time was very bad(or good!) at turning out clouds of black smoke under load.
With the latest X I have had no creaky pads in 18 months.
I use a Scotch Brit type pad on the ball and occasionally clean with thinners.
They appeared to be flaking and the surface seemed to be breaking up so I sent them back to Alko.
They were very quickly returned cleaned up with the instruction to clean the ball and pads on a regular basis as they were sure I already did !
The X-Trail I had at the time was very bad(or good!) at turning out clouds of black smoke under load.
With the latest X I have had no creaky pads in 18 months.
I use a Scotch Brit type pad on the ball and occasionally clean with thinners.
hi just last week had a similar problem after cleaning tow ball with 600 wet and dry awfull noise solved by polishing with solvol !! now quiet again(winterhoff)
Correct me please someone if I am wrong, but I believe that Solvol is an oily emulsion, in which case it would be totally wrong to use it for polishing the towball.
Hi Lutz , I don't know if you are right as I believe the "Solvol" is the company name and they produce a range of car cleaning products etc.
The one I use is Solvol Autosol which is a white paste for cleaning chrome etc.
Just Googled Solvol and it can be several things including Australian hand cleaner and a fluid for flushing out arteries etc during embalming !!
Just had a look on another site and the only new posting under caravans is "Bodywork"
SPOOKY or what !!
From information I have gleaned out of the internet, Solvol Autosol consists of an abrasive powder in a spirit soap suspension. Makes me very wary about using it on towballs.
Assuming Crusader uses a clean rag to remove the Solvol residue, I don't think the use of Solvol will be a problem. The fine abrasive and soap / water base should all come off in the rag.
Robert
Towballs should only be degreased with a solvent not anything that is oil based which and 'correct me if i'm wrong'but is'nt white spirit oil based?
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