Horrible groaning noise

[annierich]

On Friday we collected our new - and first- caravan. It's a 14 month old Sterling Europa 460 which we tow with a Honda CRV. We drove it home (an hour plus drive) with no problems and for a couple of days it has been parked on our drive while we prepared the pitch on our storage site - and familiarised ourselves with the van over the weekend. Having 'played' with our new van - which we love- we hitched it up ready to take it the 10 minute drive to the storage site. Everything was checked and double checked - electrics, alko stabiliser. towball etc etc. When we set off there was the most horrible groaning noise which appeared to be coming from the coupling area. A quick phone call to an experienced caravanning friend resulted in the suggestion of setting off slowly, then breaking hard which seemed to do the trick but it still groaned a little going round some corners. The van was serviced prior to its delivery. I know its a long shot but does anyone have any ideas as to what the noise could have been? And if so what do we need to do next - if anything? Thanks .

 

[Dave_374330759]

Sounds like you've got contaminated pads in the ALKO stabiliser hitch (assuming that you've got a stabiliser hitch) - did you clean all the paint, plating and grease off the towball in accordance with ALKO's instructions before towing the van. The towball has to be pristine as do the pads. If you've got them dirty then you will have to clean the pads and the towball with some emery paper then wipe them all with brake cleaner, meths or thinners. Don't use white spirit as it leaves an oily residue.

 

[mistermac]

Hi

Without a doubt, it's your stabiliser as Dave has said. Don't worry - easily remedied.

I'm surprised your dealer didn't come up with this straight away.

It's not much of a job to replace the pads if you need to.

 

[annierich]

Thanks Dave. We have a new towball and a Alko hitch stabiliser. The caravan dealer told us we didn't have to take all the paint of the towball - but some has come off- there was no grease on it it was dry. So by the sound of it we need to clean everything thoroughly. How do you clean inside the hitch?

 

[mistermac]

Annie

That's your problem then - you need to emery ALL the paint from the towball before you use the stabiliser....

Your dealer, sadly, has misinformed you.

Mac

 

[Alan Partridge]

Quite possibly just dust from the pads. We regularly experience this, but a good wipe of the towball and the inside of the coupling head stops it for a few hundred miles. Surprising how much dust there is. I assume the creaking is just stick-slip motion between the ball and the pads - the same phenomenon that generates a sound when a violin bow is dragged over the strings.

Annoying but harmless. Probably nothing to do with grease contamination which would almost certainly silence it (but stop the stabiliser working).

 

[newton_374355356]

Quite possibly just dust from the pads. We regularly experience this, but a good wipe of the towball and the inside of the coupling head stops it for a few hundred miles. Surprising how much dust there is. I assume the creaking is just stick-slip motion between the ball and the pads - the same phenomenon that generates a sound when a violin bow is dragged over the strings.

Annoying but harmless. Probably nothing to do with grease contamination which would almost certainly silence it (but stop the stabiliser working).

Mac is right ...u need to emery all covering off tow ball

 

[CheapnCheerful]

I get worried when I don't hear a horrible groaning noise - it means I've left the wife behind!!!

 

[Alan Partridge]

Mac is right ...u need to emery all covering off tow ball

Agreed, and I have done so. Won't necessarily stop the groaning though. Contamination by grease will also certainly stop the stabiliser working but you don't need grease to cause creaking either - in fact it would probably quieten it.

 

[hgv dave]

also possible that the sliding bar that the hitch is bolted to may need greasing

hgv dave

 

[Tapestry]

Hi

We had the same noise on bank holiday Monday when we hitched up to tow home with our 18 month old Pageant. Coupling was fine. Hubby just pulled over into late night arrivals area, unhitched, wiped tow bar and re hitched. No noise and van towed fine home, was ok when we returned the van from home to storage. Alan's point about dust was probably the cause in our case.

Annette

 

[John_374224558]

Been there, had the same noise.It is quite possible that there may have been some residual dirt left on the stabilise pads from the previous owners towball, so I concur with everyone else.