Whats your thoughts and comments on alko spare wheel carriers?
Thinking of getting one maybe.
Took spare wheel out of the front compartment to reduce nose weight, but now we have to carry spare wheel on floor of caravan or in boot of car, that is if we don't forget it at home!!
Anyway what are your experiences of these carriers?
Just took mine off.It is very difficult at best to get the spare out, even worse (impossible?) if you have a puncture on the "wrong" side. I have fixed bed and put it under that.
We took ours off after trying to get the wheel out with a complete flat. Ended up being a pig of a job involving jacks and blocks of wood. Now carry it in the side locker under the L shape lounge.
They are generally not recommended. I noticed when we changed our van to the current Bailey even they have stopped using it and replaced it with a winder located under the bed.
Had one on our old Bailey and had to remove it on the M62 at 1am.It was our early days of caravanning and the carrier was stuck solid,had to dismantle it under the van with a little torch in my mouth and trucks flying past.
Never again,kept it on the floor of the van after that and now our Avondale has a hold in the floor so it is out of the way and very easy to maintain.
They are not the best invention ever, but if you do decide to use one make sure you keep it in good condition and keep it well greased. Otherwise when you come to use it you will find it a real pain to get out.
The main problem is if you have a flat tyre then the caravan drops closer to the ground, so you can't get the wheel carrier out without jacking the van up first. It then becomes a rather scary job of trying to get the spare out with the van jacked up.
Personally - I would stick with they way you do it now.
Don't get an Alko one, others are available. Very easy to slide out, drop and get the wheel off then put the other wheel back on then lift and slide in. Just keep the slider well greased another easy job to do.