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Help.....

I am trying to renew the friction pads on my hitch but am struggling to replace the curved one which covers the front and top.  The side and rear pads were simply to replace but for some reason the front pad does not want to drop out.  I have tried lifting and keeping the safety indicator up out of the way with a spanner but the pad seems reluctant to come clear of the screw hole recess.  Has anyone encountered this before and how did you overcome it ??

All replies will be gratefully received as i do not wish to break it to remove it incase i can not get the new replacement in.

Have you removed the rubber buffer and removed the 2 screws??

·        How do I replace my front and back pads on my AKS 2004/3004?

Uncouple your AKS 2004/3004 and remove the rubber soft dock.  Press the safety indicator outwards and secure with a 14mm spanner (not included).  Remove the cheese head screws using a torx tool.  Press the friction lining recess inwards and pull down and out.  Open the coupling handle and remove the countersunk head cap screw using the torx tool. 

Press the friction pads inwards with a screwdriver and remove from ball cup.  Fitting the new pads will take place in reverse order.

Hi John

Thanks for that.  However, having removed the rubber soft dock there is only one screw visible.  I removed this and held the safety indicator up with a 14mm spanner and then prodded the pad through the hole the screw came out of.  It would not move more than a mm.  What is a torx tool and where can i get/borrow one ?

A torx tool is just a bit like a phillips or posidrive but has splines to fit the grooves in the screw/bolt head.

They are available in sets from market stalls etc but if you have removed the screw you don't need one

Are you trying to remove it with the side pads in

Maybe it would be worth trying with them out ? 

Here are a few more !!

Screw draw types
	Slotted
	Phillips
	Pozidriv
	Torx
	Hex
	Robertson
	Tri-Wing
	Torq-Set
	Spanner Head

Alko will quickly answer an Email

www.al-ko.co.uk

Hi again

I've just had a go with mine

It only had one torx screw and I remember that the 2004 became 3004 with different friction pads and one screw etc

I removed the screw and held up the indicator button with spanner etc and it seemed still in tight so I moved to go for a  screwdiver to lever the front and the pad fell out !!

The only extra thing that I had done was to insert a screwdriver into the screw hole and give the back of the pad a sharp bang to release the protrusion on the pad from the front housing

Hope that helps

You shouldn't need to replace them until several thousand miles really

Thanks again John

I will give that a go and let you know how i get on.  We bought the caravan and hitch second hand two years ago and the hitch has started to creak hence as we do not know how many miles it has done in its life we opted to change the pads.

I had horrendous creaking and cracking noises on the way to Spain and replaced the pads with the spares provided on a French layby!!

I sent the old ones back to Alko as they seemed to be flaking

They returned them like new with the instruction to clean with emery and the comment that it was contamination from diesel fumes etc coating the pads

Hi John

Finally got round to trying again and with a bit more force and renewed confidence managed to removed the offending pad with a swift belt of a mallet.

Thanks again for all your help.

Bulgybellt

Did you get a torx screwdriver bit?

Hi John

No I just used a normal flat headed screwdriver, rubber mallet and an allen key.

Hi John

As I keep my caravan at work could you please send it to the following address:-

Andy Cadd ,  Chiltern Air Support Unit, RAF Benson, Wallingford, Oxon, OX10 6AA.

Thank you very much

Andy

Just brought caravan home ....with no squeaks.  Going away tomorrow so will say thanks now in advance.

Andy

Posted it today but no collection till Monday!!

Have nice break we are off to France on Tuesday for 7 weeks