Alko braked hubs....

xr770a · 15 February 2005, 16:23

What does everyone do with thier braked hubs to stop them sticking on ( mine partially seized in first year, cables and internals)...what is the hub nut torque......and...at what weight do I need brakes on the trailer.
I have just oiled the cables thoroughly, worked grease in both ends, and copper slipped everything in site, raising the cables up in the middle to allow water to run out, or not get in !

Is it me or are these Alko ones crap for sea launching

Pete7 · 15 February 2005, 16:49

The answer your question is yes.

Do a search on here if you want to read about the saga's with Alkos, you might want to set aside several hours though.

Pete

Andre · 15 February 2005, 19:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by xr770a

What does everyone do with thier braked hubs to stop them sticking on ( mine partially seized in first year, cables and internals)...what is the hub nut torque......and...at what weight do I need brakes on the trailer.
I have just oiled the cables thoroughly, worked grease in both ends, and copper slipped everything in site, raising the cables up in the middle to allow water to run out, or not get in !

Is it me or are these Alko ones crap for sea launching

The hub nut as my local Alco dealer informed me "once out must be replaced with a brand new one"

Alex Brown · 16 February 2005, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by xr770a

What does everyone do with thier braked hubs to stop them sticking on ( mine partially seized in first year, cables and internals)...what is the hub nut torque......and...at what weight do I need brakes on the trailer.
I have just oiled the cables thoroughly, worked grease in both ends, and copper slipped everything in site, raising the cables up in the middle to allow water to run out, or not get in !

Is it me or are these Alko ones crap for sea launching

My alko brakes started getting stuck after about the 2nd outing with the boat - this was not due to the handbrake being put on, but just general ceasure. I've not yet found that the hammer has been of any help to release the damn things, but infact a very good hard push with a jcb loadall (if you have one available(!!)) releases them pretty efficiently (this may not do them any good though I must point out).
More seriously, once I have washed the boat/trailer down, I then reverse the length of the boatyard (about 100 metres), which puts the brakes on, but in this autoreverse thing - if I just reverse and stop for 2 weeks they will cease and are a pain to release...... however, if you reverse further than required, then drive slowly forward by a few metres, that tends to release the brakes completely and unless some numpty pulls on the handbrake, they will not stick when you leave the boat.
The cables on mine went last year - well, the cables managed to join themselves by corrosion to the entire axle unit..... I've since replaced the whole lot, and will now regularly remove them, oil and replace to keep everything running smoothly.

-Alex

xr770a · 17 February 2005, 20:49

Sounds like I may of cracked it, catching it before it goes wotsit up !
Regular greasing sounds good, .....any idea on torque for the nut and, anyone any bearing probs ?

Jono · 17 February 2005, 20:54

..I have Alko "sealed for life" hubs on the trailer under me 'Umber.... they shouldn't be allowed on a boat traier that has the axles immersed for launching... when yer on Park'n launch, you don't have much say in the matter...

air

Pete7 · 17 February 2005, 22:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by xr770a

Sounds like I may of cracked it, catching it before it goes wotsit up !
Regular greasing sounds good, .....any idea on torque for the nut and, anyone any bearing probs ?

Yep, broke the wrench, bent the T bar, then the 36mm socket shattered so gave up. Torque is something like 200 foot pounds, and a 6 foot scafolding pole didn't budge the nuts.

Gave up, sacked the axles and had De-graff fit normal axles with bearings I can take apart.

Pete

Simon B · 18 February 2005, 00:52

Consider the merits of grease carefully, you may be better off dousing parts in a water excluding fluid WD40 or similar with teflon.

We have had Alkos' seize badly and have never found an ideal solution aside from confronting the symptoms. Its the seizing on that it the real bind especially if the boat is off the trailer or it happens and all the grease comes out. The usual relaese strategy is to smash the crap out of the backplate..this cannot be good!

xr770a · 18 February 2005, 13:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simon B

Consider the merits of grease carefully, you may be better off dousing parts in a water excluding fluid WD40 or similar with teflon.

We have had Alkos' seize badly and have never found an ideal solution aside from confronting the symptoms. Its the seizing on that it the real bind especially if the boat is off the trailer or it happens and all the grease comes out. The usual relaese strategy is to smash the crap out of the backplate..this cannot be good!

I think grease, WD40 silicone spray and possibly K- Y gel

might help !!........or forget the brakes !
On the brighter note, wd40 is only a release fluid and has no long term durability.......lets see how I get on at easter !!

Paul Beaurain · 18 February 2005, 18:28

I have jsut bought a 1.5 season old bramber trailer with Alko brakes.

They are very poorly designed and ongoing service has not been even thought of.

My first real surprise was the way the wheel mounts to the hub. On every car I own or have owned the wheel vertical loading is transfered to the cebtre boss, on which the wheel mounts. On the Alko hub there is no boss just a flat surfaceand the wheel is bith held on and located simply by the 4 spindally wheel bolts.

The trailer is rated at 1350Kg all up, with the Humber on it (fuelled etc) then it is right on this number. with say 50kg on the tow ball that leaves a 650kg of static load per wheel. The suspension in the alko axle assembly seems non existant, so you imagine the shock loading on the wheel bolts each time you drag that left wheel over a recessed drain cover.

I now see why there are so many previous posts re - wheels falling off Alko Hubs.

To me having working brakes on the trailer is a life saving opportunity. I see from many posts that people just give up having working brakes....

Bill S · 18 February 2005, 21:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by xr770a

I think grease, WD40 silicone spray and possibly K- Y gel

might help !!........or forget the brakes !
On the brighter note, wd40 is only a release fluid and has no long term durability.......lets see how I get on at easter !!

Steady Marky.... this here is a family show.....The rest of the world does not need to know about you and K-Y!

By the way, the correct torque for yer wheelnut is the one thats already on it - it hasn't fallen off since we put it back on, has it? Or to put it another way - as tight as I could effin get it with the same tools I used to get the bleeder off in the first place - wonderful things, gas board grips, what?

You guys defo coming up at easter?

see ya,

Bill

xr770a · 19 February 2005, 17:46

Easter all the way Bill !!............all lubed and KY'd .........new tight nuts, as tight as my 2ft breaker can go with 17 stone behind it !

Got to keep it lubed !!

Tim M · 20 February 2005, 00:58

xr770a : I was just wondering if this trailer is the one you keep your 4.5 on. I have a very similar boat to you (although your engine is 50% larger) and the weight should be well under 750kg. You could easily servive without breaks - would be much easier in terms of maintainace......

xr770a · 20 February 2005, 08:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim M

xr770a : I was just wondering if this trailer is the one you keep your 4.5 on. I have a very similar boat to you (although your engine is 50% larger) and the weight should be well under 750kg. You could easily servive without breaks - would be much easier in terms of maintainace......

I will check out the motor and boat weights Tim .........cheers

Jackwabbit · 22 March 2005, 12:21

Even after replacing the break shoes & cables at the end of last season, on our ALKO hubs & pushing the trailer backwards & forwards about half a dozen times before locking it up in a container (without the hand break on) we can always guarantee the breaks are locked up next time we go to get it out. This has also happened after towing the boat down to the coast & not even putting in the water.

gtflash · 22 March 2005, 14:32

just done 4 sets of shoes, 4 bearings and turned out 3.5-4mm of corroded drum to get to shiney stuff. Pressed bearings out and in and the record was on bearing that took almost 7t of pressure to push out!! now all my cables are seized, anyone know anywhere cheaper than £25 a pop x 4

Scary Des · 22 March 2005, 14:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtflash

just done 4 sets of shoes, 4 bearings and turned out 3.5-4mm of corroded drum to get to shiney stuff. Pressed bearings out and in and the record was on bearing that took almost 7t of pressure to push out!! now all my cables are seized, anyone know anywhere cheaper than £25 a pop x 4

http://www.trailerpartswarehouse.co....en_cables.html

Don’t know what you are after but try here

Des

xr770a · 23 March 2005, 09:45

well i'm off at Easter and dipping the boat into the sea, lets see what the brakes are like now that I have copper slipped ALL the moving parts inc the cables at both ends working the grease in. The Copper slip grease is the biz, its still on my jeans after 3 washes so salt water no worries ( I hope )
Towing 400 miles 4 days play then another 150 miles....will keep you posted.

gtflash · 26 March 2005, 02:44

learnt my lesson yesterday, used a second hand circlip as i bought the much cheaper cavalier bearings and the supplied one didnt fit. Well the wheel fell off and knackered the new bearing and nearly the stub axle etc..

Today Bought new bearing that came with 2 circlips so replaced the other 2nd hand one, trust me 2t of boat on 3 wheels is an eye opener, good job the rangey was there to take most of the weight!!

life saver was nice guy at www.trailertek.com at winchester, opened up especially for me on good friday and £26 for a 251 kit and 2 circlips.

gt

Rogue Wave · 26 March 2005, 09:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete7

Yep, broke the wrench, bent the T bar, then the 36mm socket shattered so gave up. Torque is something like 200 foot pounds, and a 6 foot scafolding pole didn't budge the nuts.

Gave up, sacked the axles and had De-graff fit normal axles with bearings I can take apart.

Pete

I got em off in the end!

But Yeah Alko axles aren't that clever.

I think the only brakes that will withstand water properly are Discs and they ain't allowed