Problems Uncoupling with ALKO 3400 stabilser

[Mike_20755]

Has anyone had problems getting the ALKO 3400 coupling off the towball?

It's at its worst when I have levelled the 'van side to side by driving up a levelling ramp. I had to drive off the ramp last time, uncouple then rehitch the van and drive up the ramp a second time. Oddly, the coupling came awy easily then.

I had tried moving back and forth without success and also made sure the damper wasn't compressed. Any ideas?

 

[PopRudd]

Hi Mike,

Yes! I used to have the same trouble until I started to uncouple everything except the breakaway cable. If you take the caravan handbrake off you can usually uncouple easier. The ALKO only has a certain amount of leeway front to back and side to side, so if you are on a sloping site where the car and van are not level with each other, you may find the problem more pronounced.

Don't forget to take your breakaway cable off last, and stand by with a wheel wedge if you are up the ramp.

Cheers,

Pop

 

[colin-yorkshire]

hi mike

for some reason the alko doesn't like to release after reversing I dont know why but if you pull forwards before trying to uncouple it is easier.

I am not sure exactly how the 3400 works with the red handle but my 1300 disengages better if the handle and red knob is released before reversing

colin

 

[WatsonJohnG]

It might be worth trying releasing the stabiliser handle when arriving on site and before manoevering etc

I find that jiggling the van with the motor mover works

 

[Mike_20755]

Thanks all for your thoughts - it's nice to know I'm not alone. Perhaps ALKO can come up with some 'official' advice on this issue?

The upshot for me is that I will be getting a Bulldog leveller so that I can always uncouple so as not drive it onto levelling ramps when it simply refuses to uncouple.

 

[Parksy]

I had a similar problem with my Alko stabiliser when we had our present caravan last October but with use the problem seems to have cured itself.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Do not do what I did and leave the car handbrake off as the car takes some catching when parked on a slope and the coupling releases suddenly!!

 

[ValA.]

We discovered a simple solution to this - one of us sits on the bumper of the car, on each side of the towball - making sure the handbrake is fully on, of course. It's so simple and works every time.