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Subject Topic: Groaning hitch Post Reply Post New Topic
Persondawnsunny
28/5/2012 at 8:58pm
 Location: Manchester
 Outfit:  Ford Kuga Swift Challenger View dawnsunny's Profile View Profile   Reply to dawnsunny Reply   Quote dawnsunny Quote  
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its the worst noise ever!...worse when towing in dry weather, quiet in wet. OH has tried to lightly sandpaper the ball and spray with brake cleaner.

I was ready to get out and walk it sounded so bad  this sunday...any advice??



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Just LOVE the great outdoors!


PersonGrampian91
28/5/2012 at 9:44pm
 Location: Midlands
 Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram View Grampian91's Profile View Profile   Reply to Grampian91 Reply   Quote Grampian91 Quote  
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Stabiliser hitch?

Did you remove the paint on the ALKO ball before towing for the 1st time?

Are the pads in the hitch contaminated?

Blade type stabiliser? The friction discs may need stripping and cleaning or replacing.


No stabiliser hitch, You should be greasing the towball not drying it.


Persondawnsunny
29/5/2012 at 5:58am
 Location: Manchester
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its a stabisiler hitch. Its now 3 years old and has got worse over the past year. Just had a service would the pads have been checked on that?

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PersonGrampian91
29/5/2012 at 11:56am
 Location: Midlands
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Checked as a visual inspection for wear maybe but not for contamination.

Has it been used on a greased hitch or on a towball that didnt have all its paint removed?

That will contaminate the pads and then will probably need replacing.

Try checking the pads to see if they are dusty/dirty and maybe try cleaning the pads with your brake cleaner?

Sandpaper on the ball is a bit excessive. Get a couple of those green washing up scourers from the supermarket. I find they work a treat.

Dampen one with a bit of water and clean the ball off, Then use a dry one to finish it.

That way it doesnt wear the ball out or cause flat spots from sanding.

Check the ball for that also.


Personlittlejack40
29/5/2012 at 5:05pm
 Location: Eastbourne East Sussex
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Try sanding the stabiliser pads with a bit of fine wet&dry paper - sounds as if theres a bit of contamination on them.

We had this several times on our last van, and a light sanding always cured it - found it was caused by the storage yard staff moving the caravan with a mini tractor on which they used to grease the towball occasionally


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Persongeoff+emmy
30/5/2012 at 10:16am
 Location: Huddersfield
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Cured ours with a new alko ball £16...


Persondawnsunny
31/5/2012 at 6:07am
 Location: Manchester
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thanks Guys...will get OH on to this before weekend...couldnt do another journey with that racket going on!!!

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Just LOVE the great outdoors!


PersonTallyman
06/6/2012 at 5:50pm
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I had the same problem and it was to do with the towball. If you have an Alko stabiliser you need to have an Alko towball - cured it immediately.


Personnelmo
08/6/2012 at 3:09pm
 Location: Surrey
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That's not a nice thing to call the wife...oh, sorry, groaning HITCH - mis-read that...

We had a new towball (well, towbar and car as well) and I forgot to sandpaper off the paint and it groaned for the first couple of journeys until the stabiliser wore the paint off itself.

Probably ruined the pads now but the groaning has mostly stopped...



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'In later life, you will be more disappointed with the things you didn't do than with the things you did.' - Mark Twain


Personles + june
08/6/2012 at 7:42pm
 Location: rugby
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Have a look at the alko website here, it shows you how to remove and clean the friction pads.

http://www.al-ko.co.uk/edit/files/how-to/how-to-change-side-friction-pads.pdf


http://www.al-ko.co.uk/edit/files/how-to/how-to-clean-friction-pads.pdf

If the links don't work copy and paste them into your browser.


Les

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The worst day fishing is better than the best day working



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