You may well recover the cost over s few years as most insurance companies give a discount for using the Alko. (assuming you mean the one which bolts through to the chassis)
BUT it can be a fiddle to fit if you are wanting to raise that side to level off.
Keep an eye on ebay, we got ours brand new for only £70. I would say, only get one if you are getting a mover, don't think we would of bothered otherwise. Forgot to say the thing I think is most important is a wee spirit level, best couple of quid spent.
it has to be in the exact postion to fit on, so having a mover makes it a lot simpler. i fix the alko lock first then level the van. as far as i know no van has been stolen with one fitted.
Quote: Originally posted by BR1AVE on 14/7/2010
it has to be in the exact postion to fit on, so having a mover makes it a lot simpler. i fix the alko lock first then level the van. as far as i know no van has been stolen with one fitted.
Wow thats good to know - I thought all clamps had been successfully removed by thieves just some took longer than others! No joy on Ebay, rang Alko and they gave the part number for the corresponding clamp for our van so just ordered one - I know OH will say there are other areas we can save money on rather than security stuff.
I'd like a tracker aswell but I think that will have to wait until after Xmas
We have an Alco axle lock and it is very good (we have a mover, would be a complete nightmare without!!).
Our current van came with a standard tracker & we get a 25% insurance discount for having it, but I would think twice about adding one aftermarket. Professional thieves will know what vans have trackers standard so hopefully they will avoid them, however if you add it aftermarket you will not get this benefit.
Tracker state that you do not advertise the fact it has a tracker with stickers etc., so presumably the van is still as likely to get stolen. Especially if you have an axle lock then the theft will more than likely include sufficient damage to involve an insurance claim.
It is just that if I am making a claim, I would rather have a new van rather than one that is recovered and possibly has had someone living in it in the interim period and not on a registered caravan site if you catch my drift.
We find the Alko mover a pain in the neck to fit particularly if you have forgotten it and put the legs down
Hopeless if you have to raise the side that it is on as you can't line up the mounting. Just been away and left it off.
I would have serious doubts about it if I didn't have a mover.
Very badly thought out by Alko in my view!
Would not have bought one if hadn't come with the van.
For a single axle van:
Very good bit of kit and easy to fit provided you remember to do it before uncoupling and or levelling.
To this end I have put a big plastic cable tie on the stabiliser handle so I remember to check the position before I uncouple.
Its neat, weighs little, is clean and is compact to carry together with being recognised as very secure, its purpose in being.
I simply don't understand why others find it so much aggro, unless they forget to sort it before uncoupling.
Now with a twin they must be a lot of hassle getting the second one on.
I agree with the other posts- if the van is level then its great, providing that you don't mind 5 minutes on your hands and knees (Alko don't supply a kneeling mat in the kit for nothing). If you need to level the van side to side, then its a pain in the bum as you will have to run it up the ramp until level, jack it up, spin the wheel into position, fit the lock and lower it back onto the ramp. If you use boards to level up then I suppose you won't mind so much because you'll be jacking it up anyway.
WORDS OF WARNING (If fitting when uncoupled)- Because you need to spin the wheel round whilst it is jacked up, the handbrake will need to be off. CHOCK THE OPPOSING WHEEL AND JOCKEY WHEEL or the unit will start to turn on itself once jacked (as you are obviously on a slope or you wouldn't be levelling the van would you?) and the whole unit may fall off the jack. I swapped the standard jockey for a locking wheel for this very reason after a near-miss myself.
Quote: Originally posted by Captain Caveman on 15/7/2010
If you need to level the van side to side, then its a pain in the bum as you will have to run it up the ramp until level, jack it up, spin the wheel into position, fit the lock and lower it back onto the ramp.
I suggest there is a far easier and safer solution , if you have a willing assistant.
First pull up the ramp or planks and determine the required lift; then come off the ramp and remove it.
Move back to where you wanted the van and had determined the lift required. Note exact position where lock receiver is correctly aligned and place coin on ground on wheel vertical centreline. Back off again and place ramp so right lift place is at the coin, and pull up the ramp till receiver is where required. Job done.
Hell it takes three times as long to explain it as in reality it does to do it, again its simple but requires a willing helper.
I have an Alko lock which i use all the time with no great difficulty. To jack up the van, level and align and fit wheel clamp takes less than 5 mins to do, which if your trying to protect a £15,000 caravan is not a great lot of problem.
However having read BR1AVE's post i might try is idea has it seems an easier and safer to do as the wheel is already locked and handbrake on before jacking to level.
Dunc.
------------- Why have kids when you can have a dog?
Can anyone who has bought one to fit to their van please tell me:
When you buy it, does it come with the "receiver" to fit to the chassis. A good friend of our has a lock to sell, following the death of her husband, but no receiver, it still on the 'van at a dealers. The dealer who took the van offered to take the ALko lock as it worth "worth next to nothing".
If its worth something, without the receiver, I'll ebay it for her. If its worth more than 50quid, I'll name the dealer too!!
Can anyone who has bought one to fit to their van please tell me:
When you buy it, does it come with the "receiver" to fit to the chassis. A good friend of our has a lock to sell, following the death of her husband, but no receiver, it still on the 'van at a dealers. The dealer who took the van offered to take the ALko lock as it worth "worth next to nothing".
If its worth something, without the receiver, I'll ebay it for her. If its worth more than 50quid, I'll name the dealer too!!
Thanks,
Iain
You have to have the receiver fitted to use it. If your van has not got one then forget it. There are also different type for different wheels so I doubt you will be lucky if the one for sale will fit. Suggest you forget it and make life easy!!!!!
Didn't realise that tracker had to be factory fitted to obtain the discount. I think if I was to retro fit a tracker then I would use the stickers on my van as I would hope that as a combination with my hitchlock & alko clamp it would be an additional deterrent & therefore my caravan will remain on my drive untouched. OH also wants Winter wheels
I mean if they are going to go still go for my van even with these things on it then there wasn't much I could have done about it anyway. Fortunately on our driveway it will be sandwiched lengthways between two fences with at least one car parked alongside it most of the time.
Our drive is also pretty private 8ft privet & fencing plus 6ft gates but still close enough to other houses and the road to raise suspicion if a white van were to arrive with a load of power tools at the ready - well lets hope so anyway!!!! We've a fair few trees on the drive too so next on the shopping list will probably be a Pro tec caravan cover & hopefully along wtih protecting it from the elements it will also serve to disguise its presence plus make & model.
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Topic: ALKO Wheel Clamp
