We're thinking about getting one as (I think) we get a discount on the insurance. Not quite sure how they actually work, we're getting a new caravan which has the alko receiver on it. Do you need to use a wheel clamp on the other side or are they quite secure?
Are they fiddly to get on and off? Any advice most welcome.
The easier the thing is to get on and off = easy to NICK!!!
The alko secure that everyone hates is easy to put on and off just jack the van up a bit. it is the most secure lock just need a bit of work to put on /off not hard only two minutes. + 10% discount on the insurance:)
Simcon has the Excalibur lock though.
No you don't need a clamp on the other side or anything.
Hi
I have an Excalabur wheel lock and I have found it to be an excellent piece of kit easy to fit as the securing bolt has a lot of clearance through the holes in the alloy wheel. It can be used with the Alko receiver or if the holes don't line up on the alloy wheel it can be used with the supplied receiver. The only problem is if you have bought a new van is getting the security bolt out of the Alko receiver. Another advantage is you can also fit it on the offside of the van again using the supplied receiver. It works on the same principle as the Bulldog Max but this product as now been taken off the market. I now believe Milenco market a similar lock to the Excalabur.
Regards
Sandy
I have one of these also, you do have to line the wheel up but it is easy to fit. Mine did not come with the reciever, but after emailing them to say it wasn't in the box they are supposed to be sending one out. Bought mine from riversway alot cheaper than the Alko and still got money off insurance.
Hi Fifer
I can only think that Alko did not take action because the Excalabur comes with its own receiver and by chance it fitted into the Alko receiver. I don't think they could have claimed intellectual rights as they did with Bulldog.
Sandy
Simcom mine didn't come with the receiver either, did you get yours? Riversway are just saying that it doesn't come with it now (even though it clearly shows it on the website!).
Hi Fifer, I have one of these and they are an excellent bit of kit, no thouble to align unlike the Alko one. I got mine from Discovery when they were selling things off cheap. It didn't have the extra receiver/wedge thingy either, I asked PurpleLine and they said it could come with or without.
To buy it separately was about £30, I park my van up with the Alko receiver facing out so there was no immediate need.
Thanks dave, did you have trouble fitting it into the alko receiver? Ours is a new caravan (not picked it up yet) but don't know if you need a special tool for taking out the alko 'plug' (heard about that from earlier posts), if you do I'm in a pickle! Phoned up Riversway and they said you need the wedge/thingy to use without the alko - but they don't sell them!!
Quote: Originally posted by Fifer 55 on 17/6/2009
Simcom mine didn't come with the receiver either, did you get yours? Riversway are just saying that it doesn't come with it now (even though it clearly shows it on the website!).
Its not come yet, I had someone from purpleline ring me and say they would send one to me, I'll have to give them a ring and find out where it is.
I sent an email to riversway saying that it was in the picture and the text said no need to line the wheel up etc. and thats when purple line rang me.
Thanks dave, did you have trouble fitting it into the alko receiver? Ours is a new caravan (not picked it up yet) but don't know if you need a special tool for taking out the alko 'plug' (heard about that from earlier posts), if you do I'm in a pickle! Phoned up Riversway and they said you need the wedge/thingy to use without the alko - but they don't sell them!!
Nicky
I had no problem with mine, the alko chassis come with a plastic cap now (at least on a bailey it does)
Thanks for all the help. Had a helpful reply from a online shop who I asked to check his stock, his were all the same, no arm. He said it was to do with a dispute with alko, but surely if they were supplying the arm there's no need to use the alko receiver!
Thought I was buying the best security to suit me but it seems Purpleline have decided to change it and not keep the shops up to date (or maybe the shops are just very slow to update their websites . When you add on the £25/30 cost of the arm would of made more sense to buy the proper alko one!! Grrr
1) if its a 2009 van it will fit directly into the receiver, after removing the little yellow plug that keeps dust and dirt out of the thread.
2) if you choose not to use the Alko receiver (its only on the near side) the arm/wedge will fit without interfering with Alko's reciever plate.
I realise that Alko have spent a deal of money designing and manufacturing the reciever system but it seems that it isn't quite right, its so much of a pig to fit that people who've got one don't bother to use it. Redesign it a bit so it is practical and more people will buy it. Too easy to resort to legal muscle flexing these days. Sorry rant over.
With regard to above Dave is right about yellow plug ,ALKO no longer put in security grub screw ( after patent decision against Bulldog), with regard to the Purpleline supplied arm/wedge reciever plate that some people are not receiving with lock ,suspect that this is old stock the only way Purpleline avoided the Courts was to quickly included an alternate way for the lock to work, ie arm/wedge. I think don't buy online for this item see the pack in the shop first.
With regard to the ALKO lock, nice lock, can not see my caravan going missing, shame it's such a pig to use in certain circumstances, needs a re-think