Unhooking ALKO hitch

[GordonN_5040466]

I have much difficulty in unhooking my van at my home. This clearly is because of the roadwayn incline with the car slightly higher than the van. Question - has anyone any tips on how this procedure can be made easier - other than levelling the roadway?

Ta Gordon N

 

[rob_jax]

Gordon,

What ALKO hitch do you have? The ALKO 1300 has a separate friction clutch which needs to be fully unwound before the handle will release, the 2000 series should be OK just by releasing the handle.

What happens when you wind the front of the van up on the jockey wheel?

What happens if you creep the car forwards about 3 inches - to unload the caravan brakes and release the towhook - before unhitching?

Robert

 

[Lutz]

You say the car is higher on the incline than the caravan. That means that the caravan is pulling at the towbar. In that case the easiest solution is to put chocks behind the wheels of the caravan and let the car roll back an inch or two, just enough that there is longer any tension in the coupling. You should find that you'll be able to unhitch without difficulty.

 

[GordonN_5040466]

Gordon,

What ALKO hitch do you have? The ALKO 1300 has a separate friction clutch which needs to be fully unwound before the handle will release, the 2000 series should be OK just by releasing the handle.

What happens when you wind the front of the van up on the jockey wheel?

What happens if you creep the car forwards about 3 inches - to unload the caravan brakes and release the towhook - before unhitching?

Robert

Hi Robert, Thanks for the reply. I have a 2000 series. When I wind down the jockey wheel, I raise the rear of the car - a technique which eventually releases the hitch but I am extremely uncomfortable about repeatedly doing this for obvious reasons!

 

[GordonN_5040466]

You say the car is higher on the incline than the caravan. That means that the caravan is pulling at the towbar. In that case the easiest solution is to put chocks behind the wheels of the caravan and let the car roll back an inch or two, just enough that there is longer any tension in the coupling. You should find that you'll be able to unhitch without difficulty.

Thanks Lutz - I will try this after I return this weekend!