Joined: 06/8/2005 Standard Member
Forum Posts: 27
| Site Reviews Total: | 2 |
|
| Site Reviews 2024: | 0  |
| Site Reviews 2023: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2022: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2021: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2020: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2019: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2018: | 0 |
|
| Site Nights 2024: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2023: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2022: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2021: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2020: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2019: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2018: | 0 |
|
This applies to the Bailey Pageant, fitted with an Alko chassis and Alko corner steady, probably other Baileys will be the same.
Problem was my own silly fault, I overloaded the right rear corner steady and the part designed to break if over loaded broke, the nut/bush which is threaded to run along the threaded spindle and taking the weight of the corner. They are just cast alloy and break easily if over loaded.
My first problem was to work out which size of replacement nut I needed, there are two 16mm and 20mm for the heavy duty version, with not a lot of information around and no idea how to measure it. It turned out to be measured across the diameter of the thread, the same as a hole would need to be to allow the threaded part to just pass through. A pair of digital verniers confirmed it as 20mm, which is now on order.
I then set about gaining access to remove the broken nut, which looked at first as if it only needed a support bracket for the threaded shaft bending out of the way, to release the shaft end - NO CHANCE!
I then looked at and tried punching a roll pin out, the other side of the bracket, where you crank it - again EVEN LESS CHANCE!
My next idea was to reluctantly try removing the entire corner steady, which seemed as if it might be welded to the chassis and fixed to the caravan via two bolts through the floor. Numerous stories of problems with undoing corner steadies and the bolts just turning, so very wary.
In fact the bolts were quite firmly held, the threads not rusted and the nuts and split washers undid quite easily (13mm spanner). The steady wasn't welded to the chassis, rather it just hooked into a slot in the end of the chassis. The work of just a few minutes to get it off and into my workshop.
My next problem was to get the old nut off. The nut has a lug either side, which fits into the U of the steady, which a phillips screw and washer, at either side, into the lugs to retain the nut. Those screws are TIGHT - an ordinary driver would not budge them. I had to use an impact driver to undo them. The manual type you hit with a hammer.
Having got the screws out, I had to find some way to spring the sides of the U out, in order to release the lugs. I tried a pair of tyre levers, but couldn't spread the U enough whilst trying to get the nut out. I ended up using a 10mm bolt, cut to a length to just fit across the U, with a thick nut. Unscrew the nut and it sprang the U wide enough to release the cast 20mm nut from the U.
Just waiting for the replacement to turn up now.
-------------
Harry (M1BYT)
|
Topic: Replacing broken corner steady bush/nut
