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Topic: Alko stuck!!

bazlam

via mobile 24/3/2025 at 10:07am
Location: London Kent border
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Help!! Went to pick up the van from our storage facility yesterday to venture on our first outing of the year. All was well until I removed the locking mechanism on the Alko wheel lock. The lozenge wouldn't shift. I tapped it with a rubber mallet, tried prising it and even swore at it. Nothing. So, Dalacres cancelled 😕 Anyone any idea what's going on?

DaveS1

via mobile 24/3/2025 at 10:50am
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A silly answer perhaps but you have removed the bolt and not just the lock haven't you ??
DaveS1

Monty15

24/3/2025 at 11:55am
Location: London
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I may be adding insult to injury by supporting DaveS1 in his bolt suggestion as a first choice!

The lozenge alone is normally a bit of a sloppy fit in the wheel aperture, so should just drop out once the bolt is removed, but I suppose there is the chance that some debris got trapped between lozenge and wheel, and has become wedged tight by the forces applied when the bolt was tightened. But I would have expected your hammering and prising would have overcome that!
Is it rock solid or is there a little movement/rocking?

I suppose corrosion/oxidation of the wheel alloy (or lock body for that matter) could have occurred. Corrosion is much greater in volume than the base metal it stems from, so could have trapped the lozenge in the wheel aperture.

I suppose the back steel mating face of the lozenge may have corroded to the steel receptacle on the chassis, but it's not a huge surface area, so I would have thought not too difficult to dislodge.

Some penetrating oil (WD40 etc.) squirted into the suspect areas may help, followed by more hammering/levering. DONT get the oil on the tyre, and/or clean up thoroughly after freeing off.

I've had my van move a little after the lock was fitted, and that has made the bolt very difficult to remove, but a tweak with the motor mover to rotate the wheel a smidge relieves the pressure and the bolt withdraws easily.

Do let us know how you get on, it may be useful info for others using Alko locks.

bazlam

via mobile 24/3/2025 at 7:43pm
Location: London Kent border
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Dave and Monty, I can't thank you enough for not shouting at me!!! You're both right! We bought this van last October. I fitted the lock when we reached our storage site. I also read the instructions how to fit. 5 months later I totally forgot the detaching of the first stage. I thought just removing the lock bit would be it. I am a total *nob head. Thank you both for treating me so kindly. Still, I've only been caravanning for 20 odd years, so I'm surely entitled to one mistake 😂 If only one!!! 🤣 I'll pop 50 miles to our storage facility to attempt to salvage what's left of my tattered reputation!! 🤣 Seriously both, many thanks for your brilliant advice, which I'm sure will prove to be the solution. If we ever meet up, the drinks are on me!! 🤣 👍👍👍

Monty15

24/3/2025 at 8:22pm
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You've got to laugh, haven't you! If we're all honest, there aren't many of us that haven't had a 'senior moment' and forgotten 'the bleeding obvious'!

Despite doing a 'thorough' walk around check before driving off, I find I can't because I didn't disengage the motor mover far too many times to have much pride left! - but then I AM senior, so can hide behind being what everyone expects of being a bit ga-ga and no one holds it against me!

May be embarrassing, but at least it's not a serious mechanical issue with big bills to fix! ...... assuming you didn't hammer and prise it too much!

Ancient Uncle

via mobile 24/3/2025 at 8:33pm
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We have all done it at sometime and had that moment of missing the obvious. That is one of the important functions of this forum. At least you did not call out an engineer.

Reminds of a story from a few years back when I had a young Polish girl to help me with my video business. She visited one evening and I was planning to go through some editing techniques . She managed to lock her keys inside her car so we phoned the RAC. Whilst waiting, she was worrying about him thinking her silly.

I told her she should be more concerned when he arrives that he sees her, young foreign girl and me old man, worry about the knowing look he would give.

bazlam

via mobile 24/3/2025 at 8:53pm
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You're dead right. With maturity comes certain rights. The right to be a doughnut, the right to be right (even if that's dubious), the right to be grumpy and the right to be wrong. Let's not forget the right not to give a monkeys! Gents, you have made up in spades for my crappy day yesterday. I doff my cap to you all. Thank you.

Fiona W

via mobile 24/3/2025 at 9:26pm
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And scope for different mistakes in a MH - we’ve driven off whilst still attached to the EHU. Luckily we paused to wonder why a lunatic was running after us, waving. And driven off, right over the waste water black canister; that was terminal. Most alarming was blithely moving off in first gear, forgetting we were still up on the chocks: that was quite a thump.
Thankfully, we all (usually) only do these things once. As others do, we both do a walk around check first - if only to check we haven’t left the dog’s water dish behind, yet again…

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2025=3 sites, 5 nights; 2024 = 20 sites / 41 nights. 2023 = 9/23. 2022 = 13/35. 2021 = 11/29. 2020 = 4/20. 2019 = 13/35. 2018 = 20/33. 2017 = 10/22. 2016 = 19/33. 2015 = 15 sites / 27 nights. Didn't count 1976 to 2014.

Ancient Uncle

via mobile 24/3/2025 at 11:40pm
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Also, having changed out of our wellies into driving shoes whilst sitting in the driver’s seat, closing the door and driving off. Then spotting in the wing mirror a pair of wellies neatly standing.

Colin21

25/3/2025 at 1:13pm
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I'm another one guilty of trying to move off with the movers still engaged, even after a walk-round! Always at home, and there's always a neighbour outside to see me make an idiot of myself. And yes, I've done it more than once.

Another trick was forgetting something inside the caravan and winding a steady down so that I can go in without it tipping, as the door is quite near the rear. You've guessed it, I've then gone to hitch up with the steady still down. We all have our senior moments.

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Colin

Monty15

25/3/2025 at 3:56pm
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The dreaded Alko lock has a few more tricks to catch the unwary, or too casual user!

I could alert you to most if not all, but where's the fun in that, we all learn MORE from our mistakes than our successes!

I'll tip you off to the 'joy' of trying to fit it whilst also using ramps to level the van!!!!!

..... which is why I'm now the smug owner of a Lock n Level

Kelper

28/3/2025 at 11:32am
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This is useful?

Monty15

28/3/2025 at 12:04pm
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Quote: Originally posted by Kelper on 28/3/2025
This is useful?

I've got a checklist, and I DO refer to it, and STILL goof occasionally! You can't help STUPID I guess!

...... but perhaps it's only a single goof occasionally, not a catalogue of them every time, so maybe of 'some' worth

...... "it's my age you know", and that's one that becomes more creditable and less questioned year on ancient year!

Dave and Cyn

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Quote: Originally posted by Monty15 on 25/3/2025

I'll tip you off to the 'joy' of trying to fit it whilst also using ramps to level the van!!!!! ..... which is why I'm now the smug owner of a Lock n Level

A huge + 1 to the faff of lining up the ALKO lock using ramps!
Another smug git who moved to a L n' L 😎

bofs

via mobile 28/3/2025 at 4:28pm
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Quote: Originally posted by Dave and Cyn on 28/3/2025

Quote: Originally posted by Monty15 on 25/3/2025

I'll tip you off to the 'joy' of trying to fit it whilst also using ramps to level the van!!!!! ..... which is why I'm now the smug owner of a Lock n Level

A huge + 1 to the faff of lining up the ALKO lock using ramps!
Another smug git who moved to a L n' L 😎

And another smug couple here - we love the Lock n Level!

CyberCynth

29/3/2025 at 7:14am
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Quote: Originally posted by Monty15 on 28/3/2025

Quote: Originally posted by Kelper on 28/3/2025
This is useful?

I've got a checklist, and I DO refer to it, and STILL goof occasionally! You can't help STUPID I guess!
...... but perhaps it's only a single goof occasionally, not a catalogue of them every time, so maybe of 'some' worth
...... "it's my age you know", and that's one that becomes more creditable and less questioned year on ancient year!

I have a checklist too! The trick, though, is A) remembering to put ALL of the essentials on the list in the first place and B) Remembering where you actually put the list!

Good luck everyone, for trouble-free setting up/packing down, have a happy season!

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Life without dogs? I don't think so!

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