ALKO Black Shock Absorbers Torque Setting.

Wooie1958

Wooie1958

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Does anyone know the torque setting for the ALKO Black 4000kg Shock Absorbers 244087 ?

I`ve checked all the ALKO handbooks / literature and can`t see anything and i`ve emailed ALKO but they haven`t responded as yet :sad:

Got some uneven wear on my rear tyres so i`ve had everything off :hammer:

The ALKO torsion bar suspension is smooth and quiet, i grease it yearly so i know it`s done but the shock absorbers are buggered :scared:

They have little or no resistance compressing in and are very very stiff and jerking expanding so i`ve bit the bullet and ordered new ones :cry:
 
Alko will get back to you but they are a bit slow to respond.

I have asked them for maintenance info on my 2 rear axles. Mine are the type that have no grease nipples fitted. I cannot find any info on their website or using search engines.

It took them about 5 days to reply. They asked for my VIN number then emailed again to ask for details of the base vehicle. I have heard nothing now for about 4 days.
 
AFAIK the ones without grease nipples are " sealed for life " so no maintenance is needed.

When i bought mine the service manager didn`t even know it had any or that it needed doing when i asked if it was included in the service schedule :hammer:

He laughed and said that the days of greasing were long gone and suggested i left it alone and had it serviced by the experts :rolleyes2:

A local ALKO Service Centre suggested i went to either Halfords Auto Centre or Kwik Fit to have shock absorbers fitted :scared: i think not.

It`s now bank holiday weekend so we won`t get any answers now until tuesday at the earliest :sad:
 
Had a go at cleaning up the old ones, the outer casings are in a terrible condition and probably the worst i`ve ever seen :scared:

I`ve had the electric wire brush on it and i`ve now found a number i can just about make out :rolleyes2:

The number suggests they are for 8,000kg and above axles :scared:

The ones i`ve ordered are the Black 1800kg - 4000kg ( not Octagan ) ones which corresponds with the 2,300kg rear axle loading that it runs at.

We`ll see what arrives next week and take it from there, still haven`t got the torque settings :sad:
 
Wooie1958 said:
Had a go at cleaning up the old ones, the outer casings are in a terrible condition and probably the worst i`ve ever seen :scared:

I`ve had the electric wire brush on it and i`ve now found a number i can just about make out :rolleyes2:

The number suggests they are for 8,000kg and above axles :scared:

The ones i`ve ordered are the Black 1800kg - 4000kg ( not Octagan ) ones which corresponds with the 2,300kg rear axle loading that it runs at.

We`ll see what arrives next week and take it from there, still haven`t got the torque settings :sad:
Click to expand...

you dont need torque settings on something like that just tighten them
till it feels right with nylock nuts.
 
I now know for definite that i`ve ordered the wrong ones :sad:

I was informed they would not be dispatched until this morning for delivery tomorrow because i had missed friday afternoons dispatch deadline.

I emailed them immediately and rang them this morning ( 08.30 ) and have been told that they were actually dispatched last friday and will be delivered today.

Properly,properly struggling to source the correct ones :cry:

Does anyone know any company that could possibly refurbish the original ones ?
 
Do you know which ones you need?

I thought the black ones were 1850 to 4000 Kg and suitable for a motorhome rear axle.

Mine is a Tag Axle and are rated at 1500 Kg each. I have the black ones fitted.
 
The ones you mention and that i and the 2 dealers i rang thought were the right ones are ALKO 244087 Black and rated at 1800kg - 4000kg are wrong.

The ones i need are actually ALKO 283706 and rated at 8,000kg and above :scared: which is stamped on the bottom casing but was completely covered in some sort of underseal type spray that the whole underneath is covered in ( thank you Compass ).

The serial number was facing inwards and completely unseen from the outside when i looked, it took quite a while with the electric wirebrush to uncover it :mad2:

When i put the new ones on i`ll make sure that the name and serial number are facing outwards for future reference.

It only came to light when i was looking for the torque setting and i came across the ALKO shock absorber specifications that i first noticed that the fixing bolts were different sizes.

The ALKO 244087 ones use M12 bolts and the ones i need ALKO 283706 use M16 bolts, the top and bottom case diameters are different as well.

4 companies who i`ve emailed and 2 that i`ve left messages on their answerphones haven`t even bothered getting back to me :mad2:

The incorrectly ordered ones arrived earlier and i refused delivery as per instructions but i`m glad they weren`t right because the box was well battered and way too big for the 2 loose shocks that were rattling about inside it :scared:
 
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I have just checked mine and they are 16 mm bolts. While I was on, I found an Alko identification plate fixed to the chassis. Amongst the numbers is the figure 238160, a gap, then the number 19. It is the only one that bears a resemblance to a shock absorber part number. But there again, the type number (of axle I suppose) is CA31800/284040 A. The last 6 numbers could also be a shock absorber part number. :(
 
The ALKO plate is to do with the axle and not the shock absorbers

The shock absorber part number on mine is at the very bottom of the metal housing just above the bottom bush.

It is stamped into the metal and says ALKO Germany 283706 and was on the inside when fitted.

It would have been just as easy to fit them the other way round so the info / number was viewable from the outside but that would have taken a worker with a fekking brain cell which quite obviously they didn`t have at the time mine was assembled :mad2:

Similarly if the fekking knobhead who sprayed the underneath of my motorhome at Compass would have taken a second or two to either mask or take care not to spray underseal all over the shock absorbers i might have seen the number / info earlier :mad2:

It winds me up to the point of exploding the shoddy, bone idle, lazy arsed, couldn`t give a f*ck attitude of workers here in the UK :mad2:

I would never have let anything go like that whilst i was still working and any of the guys that worked with me would have got a sized 12 right up the arse if they had as well.

Now i`m on one i`ll tell another tale of woe about british workers :mad2: :mad1: :mad2: :mad1:

Not long back i needed 4 new tyres fitted and i asked the tyre fitter to please put the date code on the outside so i could see it when fitted :dance:

His instant reply was WHY ? so i explained it was so it was easy to check it without having to go under the vehicle to look on the inside of the tyres :idea:

He replied that he hadn`t time to fanny about like that and they go on which ever way he picks them up :hammer:

I asked him again to please put the date code on the outside, he asked if i was hard of hearing and said they go on how they go on end of !

The manager saw there was a problem and came out, i explained and he told the fitter to do as i`d asked and get on with it.

The fitter now had a serious fekking cobb on and almost threw the trolley jack at the motorhome, i immediately stopped him.

I told the manager to shove his 4 tyres up his arse and left. He said i owed them money because they`d got the tyres in specially, i said ... SUE ME .... and drove off.

I went to another place a couple of days later and that tyre fitter pulled a bit of a face but did actually do what i asked.
 
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If you can't get manufacturers specific torque settings, there are generic torque tables such as found at the front of Haynes Manuals or on the web. Much better than just guessing, unless of course you're an experienced professional.
 
All shock absorber have metalastic bushes in the end these move back and forth in use but the centre is locked solid to the bolt.
You should fit them into place put the weight down on the suspension THEN bolt them up tight, this allow the movement to be shared in both directions of twist. The torque is laid down for the size of the nuts and is the same on most nuts of that size easily found in most reference manuals etc. Or just tight enough!!!! as felt to be right is usually right except for special purpose nuts.
 
All sorted :dance: :banana: :dance: :banana: and i`m on my umpteenth Carslberg so please excuse any typos :dance:

It has been a brobdingnagian effort but we got there in the end, i`ll try and explain :rolleyes2:

Sv Tech at Leyland SvTech went out of their way to help and obviously knew the right contacts at ALKO.

After numerous phones calls back and forth they came up with the info i needed because i was drawing a blank down every avenue i tried.

Basically the AlKO 283706 8,000kg shocks have been discontinued and have been replaced by ALKO 1293890 8,000kg shocks but that number wasn`t cross referenced and only comes up if you put ALKO 83112 which is the product number that the 2 places that stock them use.

The new shocks have 3 serial numbers stamped into the metal casing, 283706, 1293890 and 21521015 none of which cross referenced.

The 283706 isn`t used and there is no sign of the 83112 and no one knows what the 21521015 number is or means.

The 2 places that stock them are Nova Leisure and Arleigh International which are both the same company trading under different names.

Nova Leisure - 1293890 AL-KO SHOCK ABSORBER

Arleigh International - 1293890 AL-KO SHOCK ABSORBER

Neither of them sell directly to the public so you have to use the " Where to buy ? " function on the pages.

The searches come up with completely different companies with most of Nova Leisure results drawing a blank and the dealers know nothing about them.

Arleigh International only came up with 2 results, one of which is primarily a static caravan dealer who also sells some touring caravans.

Westfield Caravans at Blackpool listened carefully to me then rang me back a couple of minutes later with a very attractive price so i bought them.

They arrived first thing this morning and although they look slightly different it is very clear they are the same shocks so i`m a very happy bunny.

My conclusion is that if you have a motorhome with an ALKO chassis it would be worth getting underneath and having a look at the shock absorbers for the serial number which you will find stamped into the lower metal casing just above the bottom bush.

Make a note of it and it might be worth seeing if yours have been discontinued as well,if they have find the replacement numbers now and will save a lot if time and effort later if you happen to need some.

Not all of the ALKO shocks have been discontinued, some have and some haven`t :rolleyes2:
 
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After a decent run trying to get away from the bloody weather that started in the north and ended in the south west all is good :dance:

There is a considerable difference in handling and more importantly no more uneven tyre wear :drive:
 
Wooie1958 said:
All sorted :dance: :banana: :dance: :banana: and i`m on my umpteenth Carslberg so please excuse any typos :dance:

It has been a brobdingnagian effort but we got there in the end, i`ll try and explain :rolleyes2:

Sv Tech at Leyland SvTech went out of their way to help and obviously knew the right contacts at ALKO.

After numerous phones calls back and forth they came up with the info i needed because i was drawing a blank down every avenue i tried.

Basically the AlKO 283706 8,000kg shocks have been discontinued and have been replaced by ALKO 1293890 8,000kg shocks but that number wasn`t cross referenced and only comes up if you put ALKO 83112 which is the product number that the 2 places that stock them use.

The new shocks have 3 serial numbers stamped into the metal casing, 283706, 1293890 and 21521015 none of which cross referenced.

The 283706 isn`t used and there is no sign of the 83112 and no one knows what the 21521015 number is or means.

The 2 places that stock them are Nova Leisure and Arleigh International which are both the same company trading under different names.

Nova Leisure - 1293890 AL-KO SHOCK ABSORBER

Arleigh International - 1293890 AL-KO SHOCK ABSORBER

Neither of them sell directly to the public so you have to use the " Where to buy ? " function on the pages.

The searches come up with completely different companies with most of Nova Leisure results drawing a blank and the dealers know nothing about them.

Arleigh International only came up with 2 results, one of which is primarily a static caravan dealer who also sells some touring caravans.

Westfield Caravans at Blackpool listened carefully to me then rang me back a couple of minutes later with a very attractive price so i bought them.

They arrived first thing this morning and although they look slightly different it is very clear they are the same shocks so i`m a very happy bunny.

My conclusion is that if you have a motorhome with an ALKO chassis it would be worth getting underneath and having a look at the shock absorbers for the serial number which you will find stamped into the lower metal casing just above the bottom bush.

Make a note of it and it might be worth seeing if yours have been discontinued as well,if they have find the replacement numbers now and will save a lot if time and effort later if you happen to need some.

Not all of the ALKO shocks have been discontinued, some have and some haven`t :rolleyes2:
Click to expand...

my shocks are your same original number but are still working well, but might change them next year before trip to Greece, would you be willing to divulge the price? or you can PM me direct if you prefer,
many thanks
flyinghigh
 
flyinghigh said:
my shocks are your same original number but are still working well, but might change them next year before trip to Greece, would you be willing to divulge the price? or you can PM me direct if you prefer,
many thanks
flyinghigh
Click to expand...



£139 for a pair, all in and delivered next day.

Got mine through Westfield Caravans, Blackpool. 01253 301505 ask for Phil Westfield Caravans | Caravans for sale North West

The other 2 numbers you might need are 83112 and 1293890

The 2 companies Arleigh International and Nova Leisure ( same company ) where they come from do not sell direct to the public.

Arleigh International

Nova Leisure
 
Time to refresh this thread ...

I've just been through the problems of trying to source the appropriate Al-Ko black shock absorbers. This thread has been a godsend. Thank you Wooie :D

My shocks had no part number as such. All they had on them in the position described was Al-Ko Germany 14.

In any event I tried to find a source for the 1283890 part, without success, but Wooie tracked down a source here:

Al-Ko Shock Absorber 1293890 - 1293890 Buy SECURELY Online

They had eleven in stock when I ordered a pair so if you are seeking such part I hope this helps. If you think you may need them these are priced at £50 less each than the price I obtained from Brownhills, the only other source I could find.

Westfields are no longer able to supply.

Thanks again Wooie - you got me back on the road quickly.
 
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