DETACHABLE BALLS & ALKO 2004 ?

[Steve]

HELP !

We've bought a new tug and she who must be obeyed (SWiMBO) wants a
detachable ball for the new car so that it still looks pretty !?
Does anybody know if you can get a detachable for use with an ALKO 2004
hitch ?

TIA

Steve

[Paul]

"Steve" <steve...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:ueAOa.10737$4O4.1...@newsfep2-win.server.ntli.net...

I thought that all new tow bars/balls had to have the underside of the ball
machined to give extra clearance. If the ball has a machined neck then it
will work on any modern hitch.

If you went and hired a van then you wouldn't be expected to have a special
ball for a given hich, that seems daft.

Hopefully someone can confirm this.

Paul

[Tony Maris]

Hi Steve,

You don't say what the towing vehicle is. Detachables are not available for
everything. However, using an Alko AKS 2004 is not a problem on detachables
or swan necks, there is plenty of clearance on them.

Regards

--
Tony M
Towbars & Trailers
Chesterfield
Specialists in Towing Equipment
NTTA Council Member
<anthon...@which.net> http://www.towitall.co.uk
QSA accredited for Towbars and Trailers

"Steve" <steve...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:ueAOa.10737$4O4.1...@newsfep2-win.server.ntli.net...

[Tony Maris]

Not so Paul.

All the Alko range of friction head couplings require a special ball (which
should be supplied in the kit) unless used on a swan neck or detachable
towbar. The problem is not actually the shape of the ball (you are correct
about the machined undercut) but the clearance around it. The Alko flange
ball has a taller neck and the throat is cutaway to prevent the front of the
coupling fouling when pitching.

Regards

--
Tony M
Towbars & Trailers
Chesterfield
Specialists in Towing Equipment
NTTA Council Member
<anthon...@which.net> http://www.towitall.co.uk
QSA accredited for Towbars and Trailers

"Paul" <PauldotL...@t-online.de> wrote in message
news:beejq7$op0$1...@ngspool-d02.news.aol.com...

[Roger M]

I was once told that the ball is harder for use with a friction stabiliser.
It is not always clear that the ball MUST BE FREE OF GREASE for friction
couplings. It saves the grease marks on the legs too!

Roger

[Paul Westwell]

Tony,

You might be able to answer this....

Two questions come to think of it!

Firstly I have a Ford Galaxy with a genuine Ford dealer fit swan neck
towbar. I assume this is fine to use with the ALKO AKS2004?

Secondly a college of mine has a Nissan Terrano (around 3 years old) with a
factory fitted swan neck and the spare wheel on the rear. We were wondering
if the AKS2004 will foul the spare wheel when the handle is up?

ALKO were unable to provide an answer.

Regards,

Paul

"Tony Maris" <anthon...@which.net> wrote in message
news:bef2he$4ftq0$1...@ID-183566.news.dfncis.de...

[Mike Williams]

I really can't believe that a message with the subject heading "detachable
balls" hasn't received even one funny reply ;-)

I normally "live" on one of the main Visual Basic newsgroups (although I
haven't been there for some time since I got this "travelling" bug!) and any
similar message on that group would definitely have attracted some "dodgy"
replies ;-)

Mike

[Tony Maris]

Hi Paul,

Yes, and probably.

The Ford swan neck bar is not a problem with the 2004. However, the same
stabilizer is notoriously bad with rear mounted spare wheels. There is
actually a specific 'window' for clearance around the ball laid down in (I
think) EC94/20. Unfortunately, the AKS 2004 falls well outside it.
Previous versions were actually not so bad and the AKS 1300 falls well
within it.

Alko are aware of the problem and, I believe, are addressing it. The
Winterhoff WS3000, which is also a friction head stabiliser, does not suffer
this. IIRC, the Winterhoff website (don't know the URL but Google should
find it) has a pictorial image of the problem.

Vehicles I've heard of so far causing concern are Freelanders, Rav 4's,
Fronteras,Vitaras and (I suspect) Honda CRVs. anyone know of any more?

Regards

--
Tony M
Towbars & Trailers
Chesterfield
Specialists in Towing Equipment
NTTA Council Member
<anthon...@which.net> http://www.towitall.co.uk
QSA accredited for Towbars and Trailers

"Paul Westwell" <paul...@nospam.westwell.me.uk> wrote in message
news:MEZOa.7447$nP....@newsfep4-winn.server.ntli.net...

[Tony Maris]

Add the new Jeep Cherokee to the list. I've just received a query about one
with a swan neck bar fitted.

--
Tony M
Towbars & Trailers
Chesterfield
Specialists in Towing Equipment
NTTA Council Member
<anthon...@which.net> http://www.towitall.co.uk
QSA accredited for Towbars and Trailers

"Tony Maris" <anthon...@which.net> wrote in message
news:behtac$5aqq3$1...@ID-183566.news.dfncis.de...

[Roger Hainsworth]

Paul Westwell <paul...@nospam.westwell.me.uk> wrote in message
news:MEZOa.7447$nP....@newsfep4-winn.server.ntli.net...

> Tony,
>
> You might be able to answer this....
>
> Two questions come to think of it!
>
> Firstly I have a Ford Galaxy with a genuine Ford dealer fit swan neck
> towbar. I assume this is fine to use with the ALKO AKS2004?
>
> Secondly a college of mine has a Nissan Terrano (around 3 years old) with
a
> factory fitted swan neck and the spare wheel on the rear. We were
wondering
> if the AKS2004 will foul the spare wheel when the handle is up?
>
> ALKO were unable to provide an answer.
>
> Regards,
>
> Paul

Hi Paul, my friendly local caravan agent allowed me to try to couple up my
tow car to check whether or not a stabiliser coupling (Alko 1300) would fit,
it was OK and did not foul the rear mounted spare wheel. The AKS2004 would
not fit without fouling though, different cars have different problems.
Roger