ALKO STABILISER WON’T UNHITCH – what to do

Hope fully this won’t happen to you but there is a problem that can occur with ALKO stabiliser hitches where it can become impossible to unhitch from the tow vehicle. This happens when one of the pads breaks inside the hitch and can leave you with the car and trailer locked together.
Fortunately, there is a solution for most tow bar types which I explain in this video.

[larsbangpedersen]

Thank you for this information. It happend for several times. Now I know why.

[robinbanks]

Excellent advice given here most caravaners will not know anything about this potential problem myself included much the wiser now thankyou so much Dave

[RonPanter]

It happened a month ago and my tow bar is a fixed swan neck one so we had to call a mobile caravan repairer who released it with a squirt of silicon spray and then replaced the broken pad. Wish I had seen your video before it happened. Very good vlideo.

[Biggonion]

Dave, thank you so much for this. Having just driven 300 miles after hols to put van in storage, won't unhitch! Problem was just as you described, now car is free ready for hitch repairs tomorrow. Thanks again.

[the.just.able.biker]

This video has helped enormously!

We took our caravan home to give it a good going over after being in storage for 2 years. There was a bang just as we were beginning to move away, so that was probably the ball being banged up into the hitch because it was probably misaligned.

We got home and no matter what we tried we couldn't unhitch the caravan. I'll try and remedy it using your method. It's not an Alco hitch, but I'm sure the principal is the same.

[johndn]

Thanks for this video - we have just suffered exactly the problem you describe. We were lucky and were able to detach the hitch but it was very reluctant to separate. Once the ball and cup separated, the upper pad fell out! I will be replacing the pad and probably do as you suggest and carry a spare.
We've not had the van long and I don't recall giving it a jolt whilst hitching up, but it's possible the previous owner did and that the pad was cracked but not broken. So this is probably something that's worth checking visually from time to time. The hassle of getting it properly stuck is definitely worth avoiding if possible!

[gengineering]

Very helpful advice since i am not familiar with how they function thanks for the video 👍

[RobertMintonPhotography]

Thanks for that, useful tip and what a rip-off those pads are! since I have had one of these hitches I find it locks on my car when parking on driveway, as caravan on a bit of a slope. Very difficult to remove, probably not recommended, handbrake on caravan, reverse an inch or so releases the pressure.

[eis]

This system was an option the salesman I just bought a trailer from was unable to explain the purpose of and how it functions. Excellent explanation sir, pro's and cons. Only thing I like about this system without looking further into it is that it's still a regular coupling underneath - seems like you could pull all the pads out an go about your business if it failed. I won't be retrofitting this system.

[MisterA-Vintage]

Exactly this happened to me today! Top pad broken as you describe and only my third time with the new van hitched. Also somehow then managed break the plastic jockey wheel while manoeuvring on gravel driveway - oh the joys!

[NZRoy]

Brilliant needed to understand how that part of the caravan functioned. Thanks for that.

[paulefc]

Used to have problems quite regularly with my old caravan, pads were fine and just seemed to be an issue with tension, happened once after a long drive and was absolutely knackered, freed it by using the jockey wheel to raise the back of the car, and then sat in the car boot to force it down, probably not the recommended method but it worked 🤣🤣🤣

It also wont work with detachable tow bars as most of them dont drop straight down, they generally come off at an angle

[jeffarcher]

Interesting video. Had this happen to me this summer, on phoning a local engineer he suggested trying to lift the car up with the jockey wheel and at the same time violently wriggle/rock the coupling, after a number of attempts the small broken part fell out and the two separated. It was quite a nerve racking time not knowing how to split the unit.

[peterjones]

Great advice! Thank you so much for the info.

[MrKnowwun]

Not much use if you have a fixed electrically retractable swan neck tow bar. specially when there is a much easier option. Using your motor mover, you rock your van backwards and forwards while winding up your jockey wheel. Pops off in a heartbeat.

[TicketyBoo.]

Never happened to me Dave but it's definitely one of those things you should be aware of as it could be such a pain. As the only solution seems to involve removing the tow bar/ball I am a bit concerned as mine is an eclectically deployed system. Looks as though removal would be a MAJOR job. I suppose you could work from the other direction and remove the hitch from the caravan! Failing that I suspect i'd be resorting to brute force or walking away and pretend its not mine 😳

[PaulCornforth-pywc]

Nice video, but would advise to leave the breakaway cable to last, I one forgot to apply the hand brake before unhitching the caravan, if I hadn't left the breakaway cable attached the caravan would of rolled out of control down a hill, but the breakaway cable saved disaster.

[caravanstuff]

I must confess I'm not a fan of this Alco system...I don't like the way it affects the handling of the car when you encounter a uneven road at speed so I spray some dw40 on the tow ball and wipe off the residue before I hook up...have been caravaning for 20 years and have found as long as you distribute the Waight properly then fish tailing isn't a problem!!.🤔💕🇬🇧

[alexr]

Great video. Unfortunately some tow bars can’t just be unbolted. Examples are tow bars that swing out from under the car. These are usually OEM tow bars. What can be done in such a case?

[carolharries]

Wondering if you can help with our problem. Our hitch isn’t stuck but it’s started making an awful crunching groaning sound while travelling. All the pads were changed recently so at a loss???