Alko Axle Problems

I have contacted the Driver Vehicle Standards Agency (used to be the VOSA) and they been in contact with AlKo. We will have to wait to hear what they say after AlKo have looked at the caravan.

I think I was lucky that the side only dropped by 12mm - if it had dropped enough to cause a tyre fire next to the gas locker or even enough to jam the wheel - it could have been a lot worse.

Quite simply rubber suspensions are reaching the limits of what they can take. Add to the problem of uncontrolled sway and fitting low profile radial tyres that do nothing to relive stresss on suspensions systems, not to mention the stress on hitch couplings with friction damping. .As an Engineer I cringe at what they are up to - I could go on but not enough space here to put them all down.

The latest I have heard is that Alko have inspected the axle on the caravan and that Bailey have requested a meeting to discuss the problem.

After this meeting the results will be passed on to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and then hopefully on to me.

The caravan has been off the road since the 02nd of September pending a solution to this problem - I hope it is fixed for summer!

I would advise anyone with a similar problem to go straight to the DVSA for guidance as Bailey and Alko do not seem to want to know.

My first caravan had dampers and coil springs, it was the easiest caravan to tow I've ever had.

Monza 1200s.

I've never liked the modern rubber suspension, but not had one fail, yet.

I bought a brand new 2014 Bailey Pursuit 560-5 and on our first holiday in Dorset 280 miles from home and three months old the near side tyre had burnt through the wheel arch and then the hot water pipe which was routed above in the wheel arch cavity, i first suspected the fault to be because the hot and cold pipes were crossing each other within the arch rather than running parallel thus pushing down slightly more on the arch. I luckily took photos showing very little tolerance between top of tyre and burnt through arch and mentioned this in my email for the warranty claim which was successful. 2 and a half years on another successful claim for leaking roof strap and i ask the service department check the axle clearance because I've never really been happy with the clearance only to be told that the axle has fatigued/ dropped implying it has been caused by over loading??? Dealer has informed Baileys and they won't entertain warranty claim unless Alko have inspected it which apparently i have to pay for £250-300 even though its still in Warranty?? Dealer hasn't forwarded my photos from original claim to Baileys yet which i believe proves the problem lies with the axle and was pre-existing from my first claim. Anyone with any knowledge on successful claims or links to people with same problem would be welcome.

How are you getting on with the claim?

I am expecting a reply from the DVSA at the end of the month (Jan 2017) following a meeting between Alko and Bailey.

The more I look into the subject on the web the more I am convinced that there is a safety issue with Alko axles.

When I get the reply/verdict I will post it on this discussion.

Picked our Cadiz 2 (2013) yesterday. From its 4th year service.... just been told the same.

Think I will be going straight to DVSA on Monday.

as you can imagine we are not happy.

My Lunar Clubman CK was almost 2 years old when my service engineer spotted (July 2016) that both tyres were wearing on the inside.

The Van went back to the dealers in October for warranty work, FLOOR, LIGHTS, MIRROR and several other items and they declared the axle to be the cause of the tyre wear. The Axle went back to ALKO who produced the familiar "get out of jail card" of overloading and refused to accept that there was anything wrong with their substandard axle. Refurbishment and two new tyres came to over £600 and I am not in the least impressed.

These ALKO axles are seriously dodgy.

Maybe a group of you should make contact with the Club Legal or Technical Team for assistance.  There seems to be too many occurrances.

Are these all single or twin axle vans?