AL KO axle service info from AL KO

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This may be of interest

Should I grease my AL-KO axles?

Yes. We recommend greasing your AL-KO axles every 20,000 Km, or once a year whichever comes sooner.

Ideally jack the motorhome so both wheels are off the ground.

The grease nipples are situated on the axle tube.

5-7 pumps of a hand grease gun for each side should be sufficient, until resistance is felt. Excess greasing could break the seals and fill the torsion tube.

We recommend 3 greases: Shell Retinax LX, Co. Kluber GL 1501 and Co. CONDA 3746 SP.
Failure to grease regularly could result in a requirement to replace the axles.

:goodluck::drive:
 
loulou said:
This may be of interest

Should I grease my AL-KO axles?

Yes. We recommend greasing your AL-KO axles every 20,000 Km, or once a year whichever comes sooner.


:goodluck::drive:
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It seems from previous posts Mororhome servicing departments know nothing of these grease nipples so if you do not do it yourself they need informing about them, it seems many have seaized up.:scared:
mine did not seize up but fell out, even more:scared::scared:

http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums...swift-kontiki-640-alko-torsion-back-axle.html
 
antiqueman said:
It seems from previous posts Mororhome servicing departments know nothing of these grease nipples so if you do not do it yourself they need informing about them, it seems many have seaized up.:scared:
mine did not seize up but fell out, even more:scared::scared:

http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums...swift-kontiki-640-alko-torsion-back-axle.html
Click to expand...



When i got this van we have now i asked the dealer ( local family firm, Caravans & Motorhomes you know the one ) who would grease the axle ?

I`d already spoken to the Peugeot main dealer and they said that anything on the ALKO Chassis was nothing to do with them.

Does it come under Vehicle or Habitation servicing ?

He actually laughed and said " you don`t grease anything on vehicles these days, haven`t done for years, everything is sealed for life ".

I walked out and sorted it myself.
 
Wooie1958 said:
When i got this van we have now i asked the dealer ( local family firm, Caravans & Motorhomes you know the one ) who would grease the axle ?

I`d already spoken to the Peugeot main dealer and they said that anything on the ALKO Chassis was nothing to do with them.

Does it come under Vehicle or Habitation servicing ?

He actually laughed and said " you don`t grease anything on vehicles these days, haven`t done for years, everything is sealed for life ".

I walked out and sorted it myself.
Click to expand...

sounds as if they know little or mabey care little about servicing or motors .like to hear there comments if you said its up to you to check if there is provision for greseing .i e nipples . and surely if the accommodate servicing of motor homes they should check to see if grease nipples are fitted or know when they are fitted .but then again there are no mechanics in dealerships only fitters.
 
It is the Torsion bars that are greased.

Nothing to do with wheel bearings.
 
Greasing Alko motorhome rear Axle

There is a lot of confusing and incorrect information being spouted about these axles and the shock absorbers in particular. The previous poster is correct this is nothing to do with wheel bearings and cars don't use trailing torsion suspension so many garages have little or no experience of the rear end of motorhomes.

What I have been able to clarify is that greasing is required to prevent the trailing arm suspension from seizing within the axle tube. This usually result in the suspension failing to drop down when the vehicle is supported on a jack, a hard ride and difficulty removing a rear wheel.

There are long bronze bushes inside the axle tube which have seals at each end to contain the grease. Over pressure when greasing can blow the seal and fill the hollow tube of the axle with grease. This is where the torsion bars are and should not be full of grease.

It follows that a seized arm bearing restricts movement of the trailing arm and the reduced range of movement would not cause torsion bars to break. So lack of greasing is not the cause of broken torsion bars. Torsion bars break because of repeated excessive stress (metal fatigue). An overloaded motorhome used on poorly maintained bumpy roads is ironically more likely to suffer a failure if the bearings are well greased as the arm will be free to move its full range. Even hitting a large pot hole shouldn't break a torsion bar as the maximum travel of the arm is restricted by a rubber bumber stop. Obviously if the torsion bar is fatigued any large movement of the arm could be the one to finish it off.

You can control two of the factors that contribute to metal fatigue and failure of torsion bars. Make sure your motor home is not overweight on the rear axle and many are very close to the design limit before you put any personal items on board. Avoid unmade or very bad roads. Unfortunately the third factor repeated stress is a function of mileage/time so the more you use your vehicle the more likely fatigue is.

As for dampers well that is something i'm working on but there is a lot of bad information out there. Many dealers trying to palm motorhome owners off with Alko shocks meant for caravans (Octo range) and Alko themselves failing to identify what shocks are required for my swift Kontiki despite having all the chassis and build numbers. It seams the vehicle manufacture does not consider the Alko chassis to be part of the vehicle, whilst the leisure industry does not consider the running gear (Brakes ,hubs, suspention) of the Alko chassis to be part of there responsibility. Alko don't seem to be interested in supporting older motorhomes. I can't help wondering what VOSA might have to say if they were made aware of the danger people may be in from badly maintained or even incorrectly specified replacement parts on the rear suspension of these vehicles. (Sorry ranting now)
 
Since posting the original thread (and this was promted by a member whose torsion bars have failed, sorry cant remember who), I duly arranged with Georges garage to carry out the greasing.

After a throrough search, it was revealed that no grease nipples were fitted to the axle or the trailing arms. So I have asked AL-KO for further advice, still waiting for a reply. We dont have any riding problems, but simply trying to avoid having one.
 
loulou said:
Since posting the original thread (and this was promted by a member whose torsion bars have failed, sorry cant remember who), I duly arranged with Georges garage to carry out the greasing.

After a throrough search, it was revealed that no grease nipples were fitted to the axle or the trailing arms. So I have asked AL-KO for further advice, still waiting for a reply. We dont have any riding problems, but simply trying to avoid having one.
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The nipples are on the bottom of the axle towards the chassis.

These are mine looking towards the rear, it`s a 2006 model. ALKO Grease Nipple 011.jpgALKO Grease Nipple 012.jpg
 
loulou said:
Since posting the original thread (and this was promted by a member whose torsion bars have failed, sorry cant remember who), I duly arranged with Georges garage to carry out the greasing.

After a throrough search, it was revealed that no grease nipples were fitted to the axle or the trailing arms. So I have asked AL-KO for further advice, still waiting for a reply. We dont have any riding problems, but simply trying to avoid having one.
Click to expand...

Some do not require greasing and have no nipples fitted.
 
Last year at the NEC show I raised this very question with a techinical guy on the Alko stand. His simple answer was some are fitted with nipples some are not depends on spec, if fitted they need greasing, if not not fitted they don't need any greasing. Hope that helps, I raised it because mine does not have nipples.
 
You are quite correct shock loading would be increased. Not to the suspension but to the chassis and vehicle body (Hard Ride) as failure of the trailing arm to move would not transfer anything to the torsion bars! It is fatigue due to repeated extreme range movement that will eventually cause torsion bars to fail not lack of grease. Of course the bearing must be greased so the suspension can absorb energy and shocks from poor roads or it simply isn't doing its job. Anyway a failed torsion bar is better than shaking your camper to bits or losing control due to poor road handling. :)
 
Paul Stockwell said:
Anyway a failed torsion bar is better than shaking your camper to bits or losing control due to poor road handling. :)
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It is possible to lose control as the wheel flies away from the chassis as only the torsion bars hold it in :) I know this cos been there got the tee shirt:(
 
antiqueman said:
It is possible to lose control as the wheel flies away from the chassis as only the torsion bars hold it in :) I know this cos been there got the tee shirt:(
Click to expand...

Very True :lol-053: Of course a major contributing factor to failed torsion bars would be worn out shock absorbers allowing the suspension to move faster and further than if it were properly damped. I have to give credit were its due. Once I contacted the right person and got the part number for my dampers, I was able to go through to parts and order them with no problem, they are promised for delivery Friday. So we will see :wave:
 
shocks

Paul Stockwell said:
Very True :lol-053: Of course a major contributing factor to failed torsion bars would be worn out shock absorbers allowing the suspension to move faster and further than if it were properly damped. I have to give credit were its due. Once I contacted the right person and got the part number for my dampers, I was able to go through to parts and order them with no problem, they are promised for delivery Friday. So we will see :wave:
Click to expand...

I did have a broken shock the year before but had replaced both, but maybe it had already taken its toll on the torsion bars..
seems alko shocks are designated by colour, mine were blue.
 
I have just checked on our new (to us) van and there are no grease nipples fitted to both rear axles.

Anyone wanna buy a grease gun? :p
 
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