This may well be old news, but I just changed the alko 3004 friction pads and I cannot believe the difference!
I bought the van several months ago and was happy with the way it towed, but had a look in the coupling and the side pads looked "funny".
I replaced all the pads and sure enough, the side pads were contaminated in burnt paint which means its been used on a painted towball at some point.
A new kit of 4 friction pads and screws (and caps) was £20 delivered and a 10min job to swap all of them.
Now the van tows tighter and the stabiliser handle is a very hard push down to get it in place showing the side pads must have been worn as well as contaminated.
Quote: Originally posted by clever on 26/6/2012
That's a really good point Bestgear, I will take a look at ours. Did you get them direct from Al-Ko ?
Is there a recommended life span on the pads ?
Hi
I bought mine from Kenmore Caravans - £19.99 delivered for the complete kit on their ebay shop.
I had read that they expect them to be changed after something like 20,000 miles - but all I can say is mine were worn, and I very doubt if many vans approach 20mk miles in their lifetime! I guess the wear was down to the paint and any previous missuse.
The kit comprises:
two side pads
front pad
rear pad
front fixing screw
rear fixing screw
two red caps to seal the ends where the side pads locate.
These were genuine alko parts too.
Given its a 10min swap over its worth checking.
Post the change, the stabaliser handle is now very firm to push down - requiring all my weight to do it, and the green sector in the hitch handle is now far more prominent.
Quote: Originally posted by clever on 26/6/2012
Thanks David, I have never looked at mine as there just seems to be so many things to do when you get a new van.
But as you say, for £20 and 10 mins of work it could be worth the effort if it makes the van more stable.
Agreed, and you dont see these parts unless you go on your hands and knees and look up into the hitch with a torch...not what you normally would do!
DO stabalisers make much differance as I have never towed with one and only had problems with poor loads on trailers
2 plant trailers stacked and my tow pin was 3 " too low so the trailer was on the front axle. was not able to sort before I set off new it would be bad but driving steady it was ok.
carrying long steel beams on short trailer also gives a poor ride
The caravan seems to be easy. but it does not have an alko and it has a detachable tobar so the traditional leaf type stabaliser will not fit without one of the stupid heavy brackets that dont look like the are supposed to do the job. also as I tow a lot of trailers my towball is greased regually that is no good for alko.
Any ideas how to get the front & rear pads out ? Do I just remove the screw that goes through the pad ?
Hi
If you remove the red soft doc rubber off the nose, you will see a single torx screw there.
If you remove the screw, the front pad can be coaxed out from the hitch from underneath.
Once that one is out, put your torx screwdriver through the hole that the front pad screw was in, and you can reach to undo the rear pad screw (same torx size).
The rear pad was tight in mine and needed a wee lever with a small flatblade screwdriver to remove.
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Topic: Alko friction pads
