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I have a 2006 Bailey Senator with an Alko Aks 3004 stabiliser fitted. Two weeks ago after a minor rear end shunt I was advised to fit a new towball. This i did and then went off on holiday. Drove 300 miles without any problems until we reached the site. Pulling onto the pitch the stabiliser started to creak and groan loudly. We left for home yesterday and the same thing was happening. Anytime there was a slight lock on the steering the groan started and it was very loud. Towing in a straight line was quiet. The noise is exactly the same as the old style bulldog type stabiliser used to make but not once have i experienced the noise on this new style until now. The only thing different  is the new tow ball. The old tow ball looks ok and is an alko the new one is a brink. I'm tempted to refit the old one but that's going against the advice of the garage who checked out the car after the shunt. I have cleaned inside the hitch with white spirit and everything seems ok. Just haven't got the car at the minute to try it out.

Any advice appreciated.

harryb

harry, did you fit a new alko towball with the extended neck?? or does the brink ball have the extended neck???

if yes, did you clean all the paint off it using a rough wet and dry then polished with smooth grade wet and dry, the ball does have to be spotless

i know i clean my ball of any rust then give a good spray with brake cleaner

thats all i can think of

Sounds like that to me too, but if you have used white spirit then I would suggest PDQ that you clean the ball again with meths also the pads, if the white spirit hasn't sunk in too far.

[Some years ago I boiled some Vincent clutch linings in a pan with washing powder - this successfully boiled out some oil that had got in them - might work with the Alko pads. (PS the wife wasn't too happy - coest us a pan as she refused to use it afterwards....)]

Pete

Thanks for the replies.

The Alko information sheet says to clean everything with white spirit or meths.

The new ball is by Brink and is extended. All the info is stamped the same on both balls and yes it is extended. The Brink ball is not painted but is shiny silver, anyway I used fine emery to roughen it up.

Once my car had returned I tried it out and didn't even have to drive out of the street, the noise was still there and just as bad. So back on the drive and swapped back to the old tow ball. Result, perfect. No noise at all. So it must be the new ball. When i measured it it is the dimension stated. Between 50mm and 49.61mm minimum. It actually measured 49.85mm so its not as though it was over size.

Just one other question. Does anyone know what the torque setting should be for the bolts.

harryb

210Nm.see www.al-ko.co.uk

Click a title below to download file: Additional Information for Coupling Up (AKS2004/3004) AKS 1300 Ratchet Wheel Correct Use of Towballs Fitting AKS 2004/3004 to BPW Overruns Friction Pad Replacement AKS 2004/3004 Friction Pad Replacement AKS 2004/3004 & Adjustment Problem Solving AKS 1300 Problem Solving AKS 2004/3004/2700 Rotating Shafts Towball Fitting try brake cleaner on the pads work for me.