Putting Spare Wheel Back

[Gracie]

This is, so far, hypothetical as I haven't tried yet!

For the first time I now have a caravan with the spare in an Alko underslung spare wheel carrier. 14" wide-profile wheels are heavy -- I can manage to lift the (alloy) wheel when it is on the ground & I'm standing up, eg for removing/replacing wheels, and I imagine the steel spare will be heavier. I expect I could get it out from under the van, because of gravity! But putting it back? squatting or lying on the ground, and lifting it back into place? OK for a puncture I could call out Green Flag (Mayday) but after repair of the puncture and replacing the alloy wheel, how to lift that up under the chassis? Please if anyone has actually done it, could you please tell me how?

"Thanking you in anticipation" as they say!

[discoIII]

You don't need to lift it up under the chassis, the hole spare wheel carriage slides out to the kerbside from under the caravan and you lift the spare wheel off it, no need to go under the van or anything like that. ..

 

If you haven't used one before have a look in the handbook and do a test run. ..

 

Hope that helps

Edited April 16, 2009 by discoIII

[Watson(JohnG)]

You do have to get down to do it and its a mauling job especially with a flat tyre(levelling wedges under the flat tyre may be needed if its a flat on that side)

You unhook the handles after removing the centre plastic nut and hook

then let it rest on the ground and drag/lift it out

You can't lift very far as the wheel will hit the chassis

Putting it back for me means lying on the ground to line it up and shove it into place

It must be well greased or it will seize up and only pull it out as far as needed to just remove the wheel because if you pull it all the way it can jam

Enjoy

Edited April 16, 2009 by Watson(JohnG)

[neil]

This is, so far, hypothetical as I haven't tried yet!

For the first time I now have a caravan with the spare in an Alko underslung spare wheel carrier. 14" wide-profile wheels are heavy -- I can manage to lift the (alloy) wheel when it is on the ground & I'm standing up, eg for removing/replacing wheels, and I imagine the steel spare will be heavier. I expect I could get it out from under the van, because of gravity! But putting it back? squatting or lying on the ground, and lifting it back into place? OK for a puncture I could call out Green Flag (Mayday) but after repair of the puncture and replacing the alloy wheel, how to lift that up under the chassis? Please if anyone has actually done it, could you please tell me how?

"Thanking you in anticipation" as they say!

 

Hi Gracie

 

It truly is a pain to take a spare off a carrier, leave it to Green Flag/Mayday whoever as they will be far quicker and have

the correct tools (as well as a blocking vehicle) - as to refitting the flat to the carrier don't bother just stick the spare on

a plastic bag somewhere convenient and sort it out at your leisure somewhere away from the roadside, I'm sure Green Flag

may remount it for you but then you need to drop it again and get it fixed so have to start all over again :-(

 

neil

[shipbroker]

I thought that as a caravanner for some 25 years it would be easy. ..........It wasn't, frankly without the ability to physically lift the end of the caravan there is NO WAY that the wheel would clear the chassis. ........it actually took over 140 minutes single handed to extract the wheel and reload the frame on a level ground and even after getting the frame greased needed physical force to return it to the housing. ...that also included jacking the wheel being replaced and having the caravan connected to the car. ..as recommended for safety reasons.

 

A very extensive dialogue on just this subject was started,by me, on another forum about two months ago. ..and varied between no problem to ring for Green Flag everytime!

 

cheers

 

geoff

[The Ridge Rider]

I thought that as a caravanner for some 25 years it would be easy. ..........It wasn't, frankly without the ability to physically lift the end of the caravan there is NO WAY that the wheel would clear the chassis. ........it actually took over 140 minutes single handed to extract the wheel and reload the frame on a level ground and even after getting the frame greased needed physical force to return it to the housing. ...that also included jacking the wheel being replaced and having the caravan connected to the car. ..as recommended for safety reasons.

 

A very extensive dialogue on just this subject was started,by me, on another forum about two months ago. ..and varied between no problem to ring for Green Flag everytime!

 

cheers

 

geoff

 

But did you check the condition of the tyres sidewall?

 

Were there any groves made into the sidewall by the retaining bars, there were on mine (07 Ace), hence pipe lagging foam on the bars to protect the spare wheel, i dont want to get a flat only to find that the spare is useless.

 

I know i mentioned this on another post about spare wheels.

[MauriceH]

I thought that as a caravaner for some 25 years it would be easy. ..........It wasn't, frankly without the ability to physically lift the end of the caravan there is NO WAY that the wheel would clear the chassis. ........ it actually took over 140 minutes single handed to extract the wheel and reload the frame on a level ground and even after getting the frame greased needed physical force to return it to the housing. ...that also included jacking the wheel being replaced and having the caravan connected to the car. ..as recommended for safety reasons.

 

A very extensive dialogue on just this subject was started,by me, on another forum about two months ago. ..and varied between no problem to ring for Green Flag every-time!

cheers

Geoff

Been there -- done it . .. it's the worst invention yet

-- apart from the side lift jack that you are supposed to lift the caravan up with

-- remember it has a FLAT tyre

-- Just try securely positioning the jack with the wheel flat !!

 

I now resort to taking axle stands -- and don't even think of trying to slide out the under-slung wheel holder -- UNTIL - the caravan is at "normal height"

 

After that slide out the frame -- lift off the wheel and replace the damaged one. .

 

The damaged one may be lighter so you might not struggle to get it back

-- or you might just say by this time "S*D *t " and put the wheel in the van to get repaired. .

 

Then jack up the van slightly -- remove axle stands and lower jack. .. hopefully the wheel stays on. .

 

If you can do all this in less than one hour -- you are superman !!!

 

Maurice

[Guest]

I have always been puzzled why Alko can,t design a wheel carrier that fits between the chassis, towards the rear of the van, which then simply drops the wheel down centrally to slide out centrally.

I know there is a problem with weight distribution but it would only be a bit further back than the cuurent one and as noseweight is a problem for most vans then this might actually help.

They have obviously not tried to change a flat tyre at the side of a busy road !!

[Watson(JohnG)]

I have always been puzzled why Alko can,t design a wheel carrier that fits between the chassis, towards the rear of the van, which then simply drops the wheel down centrally to slide out centrally.

I know there is a problem with weight distribution but it would only be a bit further back than the cuurent one and as noseweight is a problem for most vans then this might actually help.

They have obviously not tried to change a flat tyre at the side of a busy road !!

 

Some people say that they have had difficulty in replacing the steel spare with the alloy wheel and that the alloy has been damaged/scratched

[old van man]

Al-Ko spare wheel carriers are not designed they are a add on lumps of metal of no use to man or beast,have a twin axle van, with twin motor movers fitted and you can throw away the alko jack,(movers cover the jacking points) then BEND the wheel carrier to miss the motor mover all this to be done on your stomach with good clothes on,my advice forget it and join one of the Road Services.

[Gracie]

This is a thank-you to ALL the good people who have tried to be helpful, and I've had some good tips about getting the spare out, but it seems there's no satisfactory answer to getting the (steel) spare BACK at the end of the process (ALKO-KOBER PLEASE NOTE!) I mean even at home, ready for the next trip, without considerable muscular strength. I had thought of trying it out on the tarmac driveway at home, but now I'm not so sure! Avondale used to have the spare accessed from the floor inside the van, which was obviously more user-friendly, and I wonder why other manufacturers didn't copy the idea?

Thanks again to all who took the trouble to reply. . Gracie

[beejay]

Thank God Hobby for my front locker spare wheel mounting. . If some manufacturers can do it why can't others?

[Watson(JohnG)]

Thank God Hobby for my front locker spare wheel mounting. . If some manufacturers can do it why can't others?

 

They more or less all used to do it but as wheels got bigger and heavier the nose weight was a problem

The longer drawbars on European vans helps with the noseweight but UK makers are more concerned with looks than ease of use

 

I just had a thought !!

If the carrier had small casters/wheels it would be easier to get out

Now to the drawing board

Edited April 18, 2009 by Watson(JohnG)

[Watson(JohnG)]

Well I fixed some little casters on using jubilee clips etc and it was "easier" but some fine tuning is still needed

But as I was doing it and replacing the spare wheel my neighbour who works in the motor trade came to spectate

As I lay horizontally on the ground while sliding in and lifting the 15in wheel and tyre his comments were not complimentary about the design to put it politely

 

I did discover that the handrail I have for my wife to use with the step is ideal for levering the carrier and wheel when it gets stuck at the extent of its travel outward

 

I took the advice earlier in the thread about pipe lagging and put some round the carrier to protect the tyre

and I gave the slide a good "do" with spray grease

 

Last time I did it the wheel came off but at least the RAC man was able to slide the carrier out easily to get the spare wheel :wacko:

[Gracie]

This is from Gracie, the poor chap who started off this topic! The problem is PARTLY solved, I did a lot of head-scratching, puzzling in the night etc and have actually tried it out today. Replacing the spare this way can only be done at home or some place where you have the use of a small TROLLEY JACK. I also needed a strong piece of wood about 2" x 7/8" and about 15" (sorry, 375mm) long, but not much longer. I put this wood inside the U-shaped handle of the carrier, and then got the jack underneath & raised the jack to support the carrier. Removed the pin & plastic knob, & eased the "handle" part of the carrier out of the holes in the chassis. Then lowered the jack almost completely & was able to pull the carrier out, aided by the trolley wheels ( like your idea, John G ). I still needed to jack the van up to enable the spare wheel to clear the chassis, & of course the Alko side-lift jack was in the way so had to pull out at an angle!! Reversing the procedure worked, which was my original problem. It was a pain, especially getting the carrier frame lined up with the 3 holes (including that for the bolt), but at least I HAVE DONE IT! More space between the van's nearside and the nearby fence would have helped. Repeat, it WAS a pain.

 

I have had ONE puncture in many years of caravanning. So my plan if ever I have a puncture again is (1) Call out Green Flag (Mayday) to get the thing out & change the wheel.

(2) When getting the puncture repaired, ask if the repairer is able to put the spare back underneath for me (Not all tyre dealers can/will I imagine) . (3)If not, put the spare in the car boot or back seat, and carry out the above at home, at the end of the trip!

Thanks again to all contributors to this.

[shipbroker]

. ..............yes we ( and other forums) have had a good chew on this and like others my tyre had four groves in it and yes,like others, we have put foam tubing in the offending areas . ..and copper greased the sliders. All my previous modern vans had the spare in the front locker which was wonderful. ............

 

Does anyone from the 'Van Manufacturers or Alko read what we say??

 

rgds

geoff

[Watson(JohnG)]

Gracie

N ice one

[MauriceH]

. ..............yes we ( and other forums) have had a good chew on this and like others my tyre had four groves in it and yes,like others, we have put foam tubing in the offending areas . ..and copper greased the sliders. All my previous modern vans had the spare in the front locker which was wonderful. ............

 

Does anyone from the 'Van Manufacturers or Alko read what we say??

 

rgds

geoff

the subjects are like Christmas

 

they come around each year !!

 

Alko side jacks

Alko wheel carriers

Alko secure wheel locks

Alko Jockey wheel mounting points

 

and NO I don't think they do read about these problems or even give a toss

Maurice

Edited April 18, 2009 by MauriceH

[BryanS]

I wish I'd read this thread before deciding this evening to see what was involved in replacing a wheel! The previous van had the spare in the gas locker but the new Burgundy has the infamous Alko carrier.

 

At least the carrier tubes weren't seized up, but the big heater hose was partly in the way, and there wasn't enough ground clearance to get the tyre out until I'd excavated a bit of garden. The assembly was just too heavy to get back without using a broom handle as a lever and lying on the grass and pushing with my feet. DO try this at home - not on a motorway hard shoulder! In a real case none of this would have been possible, because ALKO's jack would have been in the way of ALKO's carrier on ALKO's chassis.

 

Come on Bulldog and others. There's a gap in the market here!

 

Bry

[brianinhull]

Seems most people agree that is best to leave to Green Flag etc; can you tell me if Red Pennant/Euro assist etc; do same if you have a puncture abroad.

 

Regards

 

Brianinhull

[darrell]

The answer with my Pageant Burgundy which had the movers behind the wheels which then interfered with the ALKO spare wheel carrier SIMPLE. Remove the carrier completely and put it somewhere in a dark hole and forget about it. Having struggled with this contraption on my previous two caravans, I simply removed the spare wheel and tyre and now it sits neatly and above all dry and clean unter the rear fixed bed. Just the ticket, I stop it moving about by wedging it in place. Easy to check the tyre pressure too.

Also the ALKO side lift jack seems dodgy to me, I have one of these too, but again the mover gets in the way of the jacking points, but the dealer fixed some stainless steel angles to the axle and it seems OK, not that I trust it so I take a bottle jack as well, also might even take my trolley jack, can't be too careful.

[Colbre]

Not wishing to repeat myself have a look at the Swifft Challenger 580 spare wheel topic.

 

I have a12v Pyramid scissor jack which works well. But I also like to grease the spare wheel tubes if I could get it off. In the past I have released the other end of the carrier and put it all under van and lifted - easier than trying to push the slides in.

 

Colin