grinding noise from ALKO hitch

[saint-spoon]

OK team I have been experiencing a bit of a grinding/ clicky rubbing noise when towing. It only really happens when I am moving in traffic and around corners and similar situations. On the motorway you can’t hear anything. The caravan is quite new, I only took receipt in September and although it has been towed all over winter the pads should be relatively good condition. The tow ball was also new at the time of buying the caravan as I got a new on when I had the electricery sorted to 13 pin on my old terrano. I now have a new tug in the Sante Fe and the nose of the caravan is slightly higher than it was when being towed by the terrano. Is it normal to get some grinding? Am I right to think that it is the pads bedding into the ball? Obviously the dampening affect of the tow hitch against the ball is done by friction between the pads and tow hitch.
I have already considered the brake piston on the caravan and will be giving that a good looking and spot of lubricant as required next time out and about.

 

[brian_c]

I had a similar thing a few years ago and following advice from this forum I was able to sort it.
Before each trip I thoroughly cleaned the tow ball (having checked that every last bit of paint had been removed) I then used brake Cleaner to give both the tow ball and hitch head pads a final clean before connecting up. This was very successful and I have followed the same advice since.
However I was suddenly struck deaf a couple of years ago so wouldn't hear the creaking now. But my wife would soon say if it returned.
Obviously this is an help for that situation I had. I'm sure you will also check that nothing more problematic is causing your grinding.
I hope you get it sorted ok. Best wishes Brian.

 

[Thingy]

First things first. You mentioned a new towball, was it by any chance covered in black paint, and if so, did you remove it? If not, as the paint starts to wear and brake up it will begin to contamniate the pads in your alko hitch. You would be surprised to know how small a piece of muck on the pads can cause the grinding noise. Im 100% certain it is the friction pads, probably contamination thats causing it.

Not sure what the others on here do, but I have some fine wirewool that I clean my towball with before each trip.

 

[Sproket]

One of the problems associated with towing with a diesel more so if the exhaust exits to the rear of the vehicle. The residue contaminates the tow ball and the pads a good dousing of brake cleaner with a bit of wire wool will clean the pads ok, i had my tail pipe on the truck re made to exit just to the rear of the o/s rear wheel. .. never had the problem since. ..

 

[saint-spoon]

Cheers Chaps. I have been chatting to an ex-caravanner at work who suggested similar a ctions. the Alko webpage recommends cleaning the tow ball after every trip which is something I have not been doing (naughty me). I will buy some brake cleaner and wire wool and give everything a good clean before the next trip.

 

[Hutch]

SS, that is a typicalsound you get from "Glazed" Alko pads, normally as you go slowly round a roundabout.
You can try cleaning them with brake degreaser, but I have found in the past , its best to remove the two side ones and get rid of the glaze or fit new ones and then give the tow ball and hitch a good wipe every time you hitch up.
Another way to prove it would be to tow the van a short way without engaging the big lever and checking for the noise.

 

[saint-spoon]

slowly around a round about... yup that is it. I will try and degalze the side pads or if that doesn't work I will change them. Lesson learnt.

 

[GrahamE]

I get this despite cleaning the ball, the caravan gets put out/away by the storage site vehicles so you are reliant on other cars/hitches being clean or not as not everyone rigorously cleans before and after use. When we first got the van and were being escorted to our pitch I mentioned it to the warden and he did say most vans do it to some degree. I the back of the car I carry brake cleaner, wire wool and try to keep on top of things.

 

[saint-spoon]

seems like a never ending process.

 

[GrahamE]

seems like a never ending process.

Yes ours is a winterhoff hitch but the outcome is still the same. Bit like hoovering the house, thankless and before you know it needs doing again.

 

[Gagakev]

slowly around a round about... yup that is it. I will try and degalze the side pads or if that doesn't work I will change them. Lesson learnt.

Had the same problem....thought I was towing a screaming elephant behind me :lol:

Cleaned the ball till i could nearly see my face in it.
Deglazed the pads with them still in place...worked for a couple of tows,
Then the screaming elephant returned, took pads out and deglazed and low and behold he returned again!!
replaced with new and....touch wood had no problems since.

 

[Craigyoung]

We had a creaking in the hitch area last year and was told if I popped the 2 bolts out I think that's what they are , correct me if I'm wrong !!!! I was told to spray a bit WD4o in to it to lubricate it and it worked , on last hour of winding hillside roads on way to site in France last year , my wife thought it was going to snap !!! So loud and embarrassing when we got to the site as it was peaceful till we got there !!!

 

[Mel]

Not sure that WD40 is a great idea, as the point of the Alko stabiliser is to grip the tow ball, so lubricating it may be counter productive and just contaminate the pads. I am not technical though so i could be wrong.
Mel

 

[Craigyoung]

Mel ,
Neither am I , but when I was at the caravan specialists place gettin my 13 pin plug changed , he pointed to what I needed to do and what to use ? I may be talking about something totally different :huh: .
We've had no bother since though .

Craig .

 

[saint-spoon]

You shouldn't be putting any lubricant of any sort onto the towball or pads as the whole damping effect is reliant on friction between the two.

 

[DeliDave_]

SS, that is a typicalsound you get from "Glazed" Alko pads, normally as you go slowly round a roundabout.
You can try cleaning them with brake degreaser, but I have found in the past , its best to remove the two side ones and get rid of the glaze or fit new ones and then give the tow ball and hitch a good wipe every time you hitch up.
Another way to prove it would be to tow the van a short way without engaging the big lever and checking for the noise.

Had the creaking noise and 1 pad had cracked ,replaced them and all quiet since

 

[saint-spoon]

Cheers for the advice Team. I gave the tow ball a good seeing to with some 120 wet and dry and a spray of brake cleaner and polished the firction pads with the same and the creaking has now gone away (fingers crossed). Half hour of my life well spent I think.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

....and polished the friction pads

The friction pads shouldn't be 'polished', the surface should only be roughed up with emery paper or else they loose their purpose of friction.

 

[saint-spoon]

that is why I used some wet and dry (emery paper) to polish off any glazing or muck on their surfaces.

 

[Craigyoung]

Hi all ,
apologies for the confusion on an earlier post that I posted I have realised that you must think that I was WD-40'ing the pads themselves but I wasn't I was taking them out and spraying into where they sit not actually the pads. We were away the weekend and the people we were away with he was having problems with his and changed his in a matter of minutes he done the quick test between the green dot and red dot on the Hitch . They were the least of his problems as his charger also burnout !! :woohoo: at least the sun came out !!

Hopefully , confusion over !

Craig . B)