Alko Torsion Bar expert needed

barryd

barryd

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I reckon some of the Torsion bars in my axle on my Swift Kontiki 640 have snapped. The vans lower by an inch or two than last summer. We heard a couple of loud cracks in August but the garage never found anything.

I need to get someone local whos in the know in North Yorks Durham area to have a look. Hopefully you can just replace the bars but if not I think its nearly £2k for a new axle.

Might want it upgraded as well as we are right on the limit.

Any thoughts?

Cheers
BD
 
barryd said:
I reckon some of the Torsion bars in my axle on my Swift Kontiki 640 have snapped. The vans lower by an inch or two than last summer. We heard a couple of loud cracks in August but the garage never found anything.



I need to get someone local whos in the know in North Yorks Durham area to have a look. Hopefully you can just replace the bars but if not I think its nearly £2k for a new axle.

Might want it upgraded as well as we are right on the limit.

Any thoughts?

Cheers
BD
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Sounds bad Barry, lets hope you can get it sorted soon and cheaply :)

Is the real axle not the standard boxer rear axle ?. If it is I would look for a replacement from a breakers yard.

I've used these guys for a front x member they will get you various prices from around the country
Peugeot BOXER Parts - Buy Peugeot BOXER Parts from The Parts Gateway
 
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What chassis is it on? If it is Alko then it will be Torsion bars.

If you look underneath there will be a grease nipple on the underside, just inboard of the wheels. The commonest reason for them breaking is lack of regular lubrication. Once they have snapped, they have to be renewed. I believe, because of the work involved, there is not much cost difference so I would look at a new axle, or try a m/home breakers yard.
 
If it's on the Alko chassis then it isn't the standard Fiat or Peugeot. Give Alko a call,
Warwickshire Business Park
Southam CV47 0AL
Phone: (+44)1926/818-500
or call their shop on 0800 074 4334 they might be able to put you in contact with someone.
ALKO UK Motorhome Chassis
I called them when I had my last van as I was going to upgrade my chassis weight, it's a matter of changing the torsion bars. The tech support I spoke to were very helpful
 
Thanks guys. ITs defo an Alko Chassis. So it looks like a new axle I reckon. If im keeping the van I would like to make it bullet proof. I suspect its probably never been greased. With the bike on the back we are right on the limit and the amount of miles we do coupled with the age of the van then its not completely supprising that somethings on the way out. I love our local garage and they service our cars really well but Im not sure if this is for them or not. One things for sure they would be cheaper than a MH dealer but perhaps I need an expert in Alko.

My thoughts were to put in a new axle and re-enforce it with some extra springs or Air ride suspension thingy which I have seen on tinternet.

Will call them in the morning.
 
barryd said:
I suspect its probably never been greased.
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It would not surprise me, when I was under mine in the summer painting everything I noticed they had put straight grease nipples in and faced them towards the grey water tank making it impossible to grease em without a special end on the grease gun, Muppets :(
 
barryd said:
£2K would have funded a two month trip! Bugger.
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Yup far from funny Barry.

It seems to me with Alko chassis, you are restricted to remedy, what I mean is an Alko dealer ?

It might be worth having a chat with your local garage and giving them the option.

I dont think too many people are turning away business in this climate, and perhaps they would be happy to do the work.

I agree with the principal of supporting your local businesses,you never know An ALKO specialist in Richmond in the making.

I just hope you get it sorted without to much financial pain

Channa
 
From a previous conversation with Alko ISTR there are a total of 6 springs :eek: 3 either side.

I'd give them a call. If I were in this position I'd definitely be having a go a changing the springs. Or at the very least removing the axle for Alko to refurb.

I've had the back of my van in the air once every year since new to grease the axle. It's part of the maintenance schedule.

D.
 
Will contact both Alko and the garage and go from there. Thanks for the replies

BD
 
From memory when I spoke to Alko I'm sure that the uprated torsion bars I was going to fit were about £500, I think that was with them doing the job. In the end I uprated the front Fiat coil springs to get me up to 4 ton & that cost about the same. I was trying to uprate the suspension & as the front end seemed low I went for that. I would have done the back as well but I was still limited to 4 ton on the alko chassis.

Somebody else you might want to try is ESSANJAY I'm sure they do work on the Alko.
 
Try the Caravan Clinic Tel: 0191 461 0302 sales@caravanclinic.co.uk

Halifax Place, Dunston, Tyne & Wear. Near Metro Centre Turn in for Federation Brewery if it is still there.
Not too far from Maingate and very reasonable.
 
Thanks for the replies

The vans booked in for an initial look at the garage next Tuesday. I spoke to Alko and they were a bit usure as to whether it would have leaf springs in the axle or torsion bars. If its the leaf spring and it is broken then it will need a whole new Axle which is £2K without fitting! If its just bars then they are about £50 each.

Its bound to be the former. I couldnt be that lucky. Or the garage could just tell me there is nothing wrong with it and they are just a bit worn but I dont think so!

Cheers
BD
 
How old is the van barry. If you dont mind me asking.I have a swift kontiki 640 and have been watching this thread very nervously, Got me paranoid about gresing mine now.:):)
 
bigboack said:
How old is the van barry. If you dont mind me asking.I have a swift kontiki 640 and have been watching this thread very nervously, Got me paranoid about gresing mine now.:):)
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You and me both :)

Barry is on an 'N' plate from memory :confused: but Barry also carries a Moped around on the back which I think is quite significant as he has done a good number of miles around europe with said beast on the back.

I was under the van this morning checking out the grease nipples and ordering myself an angled grease gun so I can grease them myself in between services as I'm sure they will not have been done :(
 
Hi.

I can confirm its a N reg 1996 on a Peugeot Boxer but is it springs or bars? I will have to wait until its been looked at!

My concern now of course is if I get it repaired will it do it again? I bet however its never been greased for yonks. I reckon the last owner didnt do anything and I certainly havent so thats at least 3 years that I know of it hasnt been done.

I spoke to someone at this company Ride Solutions today who sell a rubber suspension kit that claims to take 30% off the load on the existing suspension. Cost of the kit is £195 and he reckons its a 15 minute job to fit. If I can get the axle repaired I might fit one of them to strengthen it.

We are bang on the limit on the back but not over it. Its had a lot of hammer though in the 18 months I have had the van including two trips over the Alps and god knows how many speed bumps and potholes.

If I cant take me scooter Ill have to get another van with more payload!
 
Looks worthwhile looking into.
I'm sure your not overloaded, apart from when you purchase your 1 tonne of french beer ;)

I was more thinking about the fact the bike hangs out a good couple of feet from the back and will cause the back to be constantly bouncing. i remember seeing a van go past me on the motorway and it would have made me sea sick to have been in it, the back of the thing was bouncing and swaying about over every small dip and bump. I might be completly off the mark but It seems to me this must be adding 'wear n tear' to the rear suspension even though it might be no heavier than having the load inside the van if that makes sense.
 
No I think your right Mark but to be honest it feels no different with or without the bike on. These rubber spring jobbies are supposed to firm up the ride and stop rolling as well. Stable and Door come to mind!

Anyway it was a ton of German Beer, French Beer is too expensive. I stored it all in the Luton and the same day got stopped and weighed by the border guards on the Swiss border. They left us on the weigh bridge for 10 minutes and came back all disgruntled with a print out saying we were 60KG under. I was prepared to drink my way through the beer until we were under but didnt need to.

I just want it sorted now but have a feeling it will take weeks and weeks and weeks!

BD
 
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