ALKO axle identification

[gdwales]

I wonder if anyone can help, my ageing but still wonderful 1997 Fiat Ducato Autotrail Mohican has an ALKO chassis and rear axle, the last 4 MOTs have all been passed with advisories "All wheel bearings have slight play", the MOT man says it is nothing to worry about but he has to advise on it. My question is how can I identify which ALKO axle it is in case I have to get new bearings (I am assuming they are not the same as the Fiat ones) as there seems to be several types and I cannot see a plate or number anywhere, any help gratefully received.

 

[Derek Uzzell]

It’s quite possible that the wheel bearings used on your Mohican’s Al-Ko axle are the same as those used on a 1997 Ducato fitted with the standard Fiat ladder-chassis.

 

I would have thought that - somewhere on your motorhome - there should be an Al-Ko data-plate with an identification number on it. If you contact Al-Ko

 

https://www.alko-tech.com/uk/contact-forms-0

 

and provide that identifier, they may be able to advise you which wheel bearings would be needed.

 

Are you sure there is no adjustment on your Mohican’s axle to address the “slight play” that the MOT tester has commented about.? A tester just inspects a vehicle in the condition it’s in when presented for the test, but it’s not his/her responsibility to perform remedial work on the vehicle. Your motorhome’s bearings may be worn and require replacement, but if the bearings are still in good condition and just a simple adjustment would remove the play, there would be no point replacing the bearings.

 

Don’t you have your motorhome serviced professionally? I’d expect a competent mechanic to be able to decide whether the “slight play” in the wheel bearings (that seemingly has not worsened over 4 years) should be addressed by replacing the bearings, or just needs minor adjustment to reduce the play.

[747]

Your AlKo axle will have brass bushes fitted inboard of the wheels (I hope you or former owners have been greasing them regularly). If these are worn, it might be possible that the wheel bearings are carrying a bit more load. I think renewing the bearings might not be a bad idea.

 

You could always contact this company and ask them (they have a very good reputation).

 

http://www.fraserbrowneng.co.uk/index.php?c=al-ko-axle-repair

 

Have a look at this website for bearings.

 

http://www.albatowing.co.uk/trailer-parts/trailer-suspension/bearings-grease-caps?zenid=9476d1121d083a696813b9d335fa9a4a

 

 

[Derek Uzzell]

Presumably the wheel-bearings that the MOT tester has advised as having “slight play” are the (taper-roller?) bearings in the hub on the end of each of the axle’s trailing-arms.

 

The brass bushes you refer to are in the ends of the axle-tube and need to be regularly lubricated, whereas the bearings in the hubs are not ‘maintenance lubricated' but replaced if they fail or wear out.

 

I suppose it’s possible that, if the axle-tube bushes were worn, this might have a negative effect on the hub wheel-bearings. But if the axle-tube bushes are worn, Barry has a much bigger problem than replacing (or adjusting) the wheel-bearings in the hubs.

[monique.hubrechtsgm]

Every alko Chassis have a COC paper document in stage two of building a motorhome. But the alko data- base can be entered by the chassis number of the base vehicle in stage one. Try ii that way to identify any replaceable parts on your alko chassis and axle. The wheels and bearings are not made by AL-KO. Their is green plate rivited to the alko axle tube. The alko axle torsion bar bearings should have not more play than 0.5 mm. THESE are not the wheel stub bearings of the bsae vehicle. Fraser- brown is a specialist in alko BT axles and metal spray by the swiss skoop method. But they are not an alko on BTR AMC axles. infra .Every alko chassis made for a motorhome is tested at full loads at the axles ans a certain tyre. and the ride heigt extrapolated. They can exactly tell you front and rear ride height for your chassis.