friction pad glazing

I presume you are talking about the brake linings on the caravan. Are you sure it's diesel exhaust causing the problem because I had the same towing with a petrol car? In my case, glazing was caused by brake fade occuring on crossing long alpine passes in a hurry with a fully loaded caravan.

I presume you are talking about the brake linings on the caravan. Are you sure it's diesel exhaust causing the problem because I had the same towing with a petrol car? In my case, glazing was caused by brake fade occuring on crossing long alpine passes in a hurry with a fully loaded caravan.

I think Lutz he is referring to the AlKo stabiliser pads, in which case just clean with brake cleaner both ball and pads, I have never needed to resort to any abrasives

The alko3004 hitch is well known for this problem

Remove all four pads and emery with fine grade emery cloth and wash with brake cleaner fluid.

Clean the towbal with the same emery and again wash with brake cleaner fluid.

I do this evry 2-3 months and the hitch is quiet most of the time.

Driving in heavy rain or over dirty roads can get debris into the pads so they might need doing more often.

Some suggestions are about diesel exhausts but the exhausts on my diesels don't seem to cause the problem it is road dirt.

It is the pads on the tow hitch we are having problems with.  We have done as you say but they seem to glaze up in about 100 miles.   

Is that continual towing? it can take a long time to clean thoroughly, claen before every hitch up.

I presume you are getting them clean enough?

Maybe try fitting new side pads. Although the pads are supposed to last for 30000miles.

One other thing is to check behind the pads where they locate in the actual housing. The back of the pads move in this housing and if the housing is dirty this can cause groaning.

Hi Grattmo,

There is NO answer to avoiding the glazing over of your friction pads. Believe me I have done exhaustive trials and reasearch on trying to avoid this problem. Even after discussing it with ALKO and many acreditted engineers, they all say you have to clean the pads - if necessary after only 100 miles. The final test I did was to tow our 1500kgm with our deisel X-Trail WITH THE TOWBALL AND HITCH COMPLETELY SEALED from outside contamination and the pads still glazed over. ALKO say it is carbon from your car exhaust - not totally true!!! I am convinced after testing that it is the 'dust' that comes from the pads themselves glazing the surfaces. This of course will not be admitted by Alko, but does affect the efficiency of the stabiliser depending on how much the pads (all four of them) are contaminated !!! I have given up with Alko themselves after they said it was either paint off the tow ball - carbon from the exhaust - or contaminated pads !!!!! Good Luck..

It is important to clean the ball thoroughly, don't forget that over a short period of time a film of rust acn build up so a VERY fine grit (1200 grade) emery cloth is needed to polish/clean the ball without leaving any grooves in the surface then clean off with brake fluid or similar. As already said the pads need to be cleaned & use the same grade emery to lightly rub the surface then spray brake fluid  & wipe clean .This spray & clean operation may need to be repeated on the pads a couple of times to ensure that any grit is cleared away as this can cause scoring on the ball which in turn will cause a build up of dust