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Post by stonedaddy on Jul 30, 2015 9:21:01 GMT
Unfortunately my old motor home may have done its last trip. While doing the Brandon and Caerphilly trips somewhere along the line a torsion bar in the Al-KO back axle seems to have snapped. This leaves it listing over on the near side and putting all the weight on the remaining bars which are internal inside the back axle. There is no other springs on this type of axle so it needs to come out and be sent off for a full and complete overhaul. One of the only places that do it is in Inverness thanks to Andy on the Caerphilly meet who put me onto this. The price is £1000.80,00 + vat. I had the van jacked up yesterday ( the first dry day since getting home) and it looked a awesome job to complete on the path in the garden. Its not a complicated job its just the tools like lifting gear and making sure there is no strain on the floor pan that will do permanent damage. It has to be taken out then stripped of the brake drums and wheel bearings and just the axle and canter lever arms get sent off to Scotland. When it comes back you have to rebuild the bearings and fittings onto it and refit it to the vehicle. Now if anyone else has got one of these AL-KO axles make sure that you give it a good greasing. I do mine at least four times a year so thought it was well maintained but I was wrong. Fraser Brown Engineering reckon these axles are a great design but flawed on the maintenance side. I and anyone else I have met seem to think that the axles have to hang down with the van jacked up before greasing, this is a load of tosh I have just found out. The grease nipples are between two bearings and you just fill the round axle up with as much as you can get in with the van jacked up or not. The surprising thing is how they last so long with this poor lubrication. When you send the axle off they fill the grease nipple holes and move them to the bearing which they replace with new ones with a lubrication groove in the bearing itself. They also double the amount of nipples in the axle. I put 32 pumps of grease in each nipple in April just before its MOT and the axle still failed. This was with the large cylinder hand pump handle grease gun, not the little push pump type. I have decided not to attempt the axle removal but I am going to take it into my MOT garage to see if they can do anything. I will try to get a price for the removal and stripping of the axle and rebuilding. I am sure this will come into a huge financial drainage on my pension and then the £1000.,80 +vat for the restoration of the axle. I am gutted because I have put lots of work into it over the years but there has to be a limit and it gets no younger (nor do I). This is the last thing that I ever thought would need doing but thats life. If anyone is interested in a video of the axle being refurbished I will put a link on for anyone to see. It also makes you realize why it costs so much. The job takes three days to do. So don't forget anyone with one of these axles get under it and get greasing it will save you thousands in repairs. www.fraserbrowneng.co.ukSad or Glad ?. Well if it has to go I will be sad because its the only van I have had and spent more time under it than in it. If it does go perhaps I will be glad, because I will have to get a later van that will be smoother and nippier. Also I will be able to listen to the radio on a low volume without having to drown the old diesel engine out. Draw back, engine management systems and silly electronic senders instead of cables. Won't be able to fix these things without big dosh being spent. Yikes what a choice. Maybe our last view of the old Iron Horse. .... Tom ....
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Post by billieblue on Jul 30, 2015 10:28:55 GMT
Maybe someone on here knows someone who might know someone who can get the job done cheaper. Then what would you do Tom? Do you want to hang on to it, or is it just the cost of getting a shiny, newer van?
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Post by campervanannie on Jul 30, 2015 11:18:47 GMT
Post this on WC bigger audience and might get more help available also try faceache too some guy has just had help with a engine rebuild because he was struggling don't be shy about your age either someone will come to the rescue of an old gimmer like you chick good luck. 3 is the magic number your van, my van and Carols van all not well at the moment mine is an easy fix need new brakes.
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Post by billieblue on Jul 30, 2015 11:58:50 GMT
Hope you can copy and paste Tom!
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Post by Firefox on Jul 30, 2015 16:31:55 GMT
Thanks for the report Tom. Quite interesting to hear about how the axle works and see the amount of greasing and maintenance it requires. You have done well to keep it going this long. I don't think I could manage a year of that regime. I have got used the modern maintenance free, fit and forget approach now. Hope you can find a solution!
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Post by n brown on Jul 30, 2015 17:20:37 GMT
sounds like time to fix it, flog it and forget it. then get a nice smooth easy modern thing,possibly packed full of computers but a nice drive !
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Post by Firefox on Jul 30, 2015 19:07:23 GMT
I like Tom's van, it is nice inside, and well built. But the driving and the maintenance would put me off.
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Post by andyjanet on Jul 31, 2015 12:52:38 GMT
Hi Tom, heres a few leads ebay have alco axles on under the heading caravan axles around £250 depending on size and model also 1st choice spares new and used alco axles for fiat based vehicles 09052356000 and as a last attempt western towing on 01392 216336 do reconditioned ones for around £1000 fitted. be a shame to see the old girl retired. you will need the model number for all these options this is on a plate in the middle front face of axle. cheers andy
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Post by penny13 on Jul 31, 2015 16:29:55 GMT
Hi Tom, heres a few leads ebay have alco axles on under the heading caravan axles around £250 depending on size and model also 1st choice spares new and used alco axles for fiat based vehicles 09052356000 and as a last attempt western towing on 01392 216336 do reconditioned ones for around £1000 fitted. be a shame to see the old girl retired. you will need the model number for all these options this is on a plate in the middle front face of axle. cheers andy Your a good lad Andy
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Post by stonedaddy on Jul 31, 2015 20:46:02 GMT
Cheers Andy for your perseverance. I have checked a few up on Ebay but just wonder if its worth spending anymore money on it. I am a bit pi,,ed off that I have just put four new tyres on it. In fact its five because I replaced the punctured one and that has not even been anywhere yet. I will let you know how I get on. .... Tom ....
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Post by cardmaker on Jul 31, 2015 22:46:00 GMT
Sorry to hear about the van Tom, we know how much you love your van.
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Post by stonedaddy on Aug 1, 2015 13:02:19 GMT
Hi Andy just thought I would update you on progress. The Western Towing Company you put up looked interesting at £1000 fitted for a reconditioned one. I looked this up but could not find any place it said fitted. I have emailed them for prices but being weekend I don't think I will hear off them until about Tuesday. If they do stock my axle and do fit it for that price it seems really good. The last estimate I got was for the £100,80.00 refurbish. On top my garage would want about a grand at least for two days labor. Also they could not have one of there ramps out of action for a week while the axle was being transported up and from Scotland and the three day refurbishment. If they don't do fitting, they send anything over £60 up free. If that was the case my garage would only loose his ramp for 2 days while he worked on it but that would cost me about another grand. If they got an axle on stock, it looks like Pegasus may somehow rise from the ashes again all be it for a short while. If they do fit it I have to travel to Devon to have it done and that will be pushing that suspension all that way again. But unlike its last trips it will be unloaded and running very light. I may have to book b & b for a couple of nights. Watch this space. .... Tom ....
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2015 13:41:08 GMT
Really sorry to read the sorry tale Tom, and I hope that whichever way things work out, you'll still be vanning with us either in the old girl or a younger model.
My Transit is now at the stage where I've suddenly realised how absolutely crucial maintenance is (and how expensive) if I'm going to keep it on the road beyond the next MOT. Luckily thanks to decent service history and underseal, my lack of maintenance of it over 3 years hasn't done too much harm so long as I work hard from now on to keep things cleaned, greased, repaired, derusted, waxoiled etc etc.
I had to put a new front wing on last week, had gone to wire brush a rusty patch and it disintegrated into a home bigger than my fist. Bought the wing off eBay £35 next day delivery, painted it with Aldi metal paint, fitted it myself with lots of cursing, and Kurusted and Waxoyled everything and anything in the area. Luckily as I already had the paint, the job only cost about £50 in all - but it was still £50 that I couldn't really afford, especially at short notice. But its been a good thing as its made me realise I need to do same for the other side, plus sills, plus wheel arches etc in very near future if I want to keep it legal and on the road after next year. And that I should be cleaning and waxing it regularly and treating it with more respect.
And what's really hard is knowing that the time WILL come when despite the £££, time, effort, energy and love invested in it, it is just putting off the inevitable when it will just become too much of a financial drain to keep it going. (A bit like having a dog really ;-) ).
If it helps you in your decision making, Vern and I have reluctantly realised that despite our hard work, your old girl is not going to be able to fit into his parking area in his wood, space wise is OK, but its the turning angle / length of vehicle factor which would be too tight. So we decided that you needed to get a different, slightly shorter van anyway ;-)
Hugs to you, I bet its all pretty stressful xxx
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Post by andyjanet on Aug 1, 2015 16:44:44 GMT
Tom do some research and c if you have a decent mobile mechanic in your area, we live near Windsor and garages are £70 plus per hour but a mobile guy around here is only £35because he doesn't have the overheads, it's a fairly simple job for a mobile guy if you have the blocks etc, keep me informed, if it comes to scrapping it I am sure you could get some money back on spares from people here and on WC, andy
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Post by Firefox on Aug 1, 2015 17:02:45 GMT
I second what @wvw said, getting it into the wood will likely be impossible. Once you are in, loads of space though! But having seen you reverse and manoeuvre up the 1:4 harirpin at Applecross, I wouldn't put it past you. A van 7m or less will definitely be easier however
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Aug 2, 2015 15:29:12 GMT
How about trying Old Arthur? He's near Doncaster, lovely bloke and very reasonable. That's if he wants to do it, of course. He's semi-retired, still helps his son out now and then with haulage and spends a fair bit of time hopping over to Spain so not always here, but no harm in asking. I know he's a welder first and foremost (first class too!), but I bet if he wants to do it he will. He's got a massive barn and a lot of tackle for jobs like this. Just given his phone no to Mark Jones the other week, he's hoping Arthur can do some welding on his van at the back end of year. Anyway, just a thought…
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Post by stonedaddy on Aug 3, 2015 14:12:53 GMT
Hi Andy and all other followers. Just to upgrade you on the situation. I have been all over the country on the Internet with varying degrees of success. I found through Andy's first choice pointer a scrap yard that has got a second hand AL-KO axle in it. I asked him to send a photo of it but he said its still on a van. So beware if you own a Kontiki Swift and it vanishes in the next few days. The guy said all Talbot Expresses have the same axle and it will definitely fit. It is strange that when talking to Fraser Brown Engineering they told me there was 10 different length axles and each one had to have its torsion bars cut to that models length. I am also under the opinion that Talbot never ever fitted a AL_KO axel it was the varying companies that extended the chassis like Swift and in my case Burstner to build the right size motor home on, but could be wrong on that. Well down the pub yesterday I have a mate who has a mate that owns a garage that we can get the van in. The problem is he does not know if he will lend it to him until he comes off his holidays tomorrow. I did not want to order the axle until I knew we had the garage but then I thought if I wait it could be sold. I have decided to order it which I did an hour ago and fingers crossed its the right one and in good condition. I have also decided to do the job myself if we can get it under cover and I will pay this mate to help me has he is out of work at the moment. The axle comes to £420 including P & P and Vat. An extra few pints down the pub for my mate for helping me. I reckon about 2 days work if we hit no hazards. So all in all fingers crossed it should be ready again in a couple of weeks. One thing I do know it will get a good few tubs of grease forced down them old grease nipples. I will keep you posted how we get on. .... Tom ....
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Post by billieblue on Aug 3, 2015 16:19:26 GMT
Well Tom, good luck with that! Hope you've made the right decision......keep us all posted!
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Post by thislongron on Aug 3, 2015 19:01:38 GMT
Hi Andy and all other followers. Just to upgrade you on the situation. I have been all over the country on the Internet with varying degrees of success. I found through Andy's first choice pointer a scrap yard that has got a second hand AL-KO axle in it. I asked him to send a photo of it but he said its still on a van. So beware if you own a Kontiki Swift and it vanishes in the next few days. The guy said all Talbot Expresses have the same axle and it will definitely fit. It is strange that when talking to Fraser Brown Engineering they told me there was 10 different length axles and each one had to have its torsion bars cut to that models length. I am also under the opinion that Talbot never ever fitted a AL_KO axel it was the varying companies that extended the chassis like Swift and in my case Burstner to build the right size motor home on, but could be wrong on that. Well down the pub yesterday I have a mate who has a mate that owns a garage that we can get the van in. The problem is he does not know if he will lend it to him until he comes off his holidays tomorrow. I did not want to order the axle until I knew we had the garage but then I thought if I wait it could be sold. I have decided to order it which I did an hour ago and fingers crossed its the right one and in good condition. I have also decided to do the job myself if we can get it under cover and I will pay this mate to help me has he is out of work at the moment. The axle comes to £420 including P & P and Vat. An extra few pints down the pub for my mate for helping me. I reckon about 2 days work if we hit no hazards. So all in all fingers crossed it should be ready again in a couple of weeks. One thing I do know it will get a good few tubs of grease forced down them old grease nipples. I will keep you posted how we get on. .... Tom .... Good luck Tom hope it all goes well
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Post by jennyp19 on Aug 5, 2015 11:53:35 GMT
We are keeping our fingers crossed Tom.
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Post by andyjanet on Aug 6, 2015 9:23:08 GMT
WEll Done Tom, its funny when someone is undertaking a large project like this i get the itchy fingers wanting to get in and help, i think its just as welll you live the other end of the country, my mrs loses me to the garage too much as it is, my sons classic mini is getting loads of attention at the minute his driving test is booked for the end of august
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Post by caz on Aug 6, 2015 13:43:10 GMT
Just catching up, sorry to hear about this Tom but hope you can get it all sorted fairly easily. I know nothing about axles and greasing and nipples so rely on my garage to do all that sort of thing, I hope they do 'cos I pay them enough.
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Post by stonedaddy on Aug 6, 2015 20:24:08 GMT
WEll Done Tom, its funny when someone is undertaking a large project like this i get the itchy fingers wanting to get in and help, i think its just as welll you live the other end of the country, my mrs loses me to the garage too much as it is, my sons classic mini is getting loads of attention at the minute his driving test is booked for the end of august Be careful with those itchy fingers Andy. You might live at the other end of the country but you might wake up to find me and the horse sat parked outside one morning. . .... Tom ....
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Post by stonedaddy on Aug 6, 2015 20:27:55 GMT
Just catching up, sorry to hear about this Tom but hope you can get it all sorted fairly easily. I know nothing about axles and greasing and nipples so rely on my garage to do all that sort of thing, I hope they do 'cos I pay them enough. Thanks Caz, I am not to sure about axles and greasing but used to know a bit about the latter once . .... Tom ....
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Post by stonedaddy on Aug 6, 2015 20:39:02 GMT
Well the latest update is My mate has got permission off his mate to borrow his garage when he ain't using it. I am waiting for the scrap axle to arrive by lorry which I am hoping will be fairly soon. I will check it over and clean it up and check the bearings which I am hoping will still be on it. If it needs new bearings I will have to order them which will take more time. The last test will be when its all fitted and we drop the full weight of the van on it. The scrap yard said there is a Swift Kontiki sat on it last time I phoned and he said it looks fine. I hope he is a bit truthful coz if it is still problematic at the end I will commit suicide by going nil by mouth and stop drinking. Hmmmm thats sounds a bit painful I might take the easy way out and start smoking instead. .... Tom ....
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Post by billieblue on Aug 7, 2015 7:32:16 GMT
Hope you're keeping an eye out on eBay and Autotrader just in case you need a plan b!
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Post by Ems&Beau on Aug 7, 2015 12:16:35 GMT
Hope you get it fixed up ok Tom, if I was closer I'd be round to help! I like a good project!
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Post by Firefox on Aug 7, 2015 12:22:28 GMT
Ems has got a good set of spanners Speaking of spanners, I broke a 19mm socket the other day, trying to get a wheel nut off. Has anyone else done this? It's the second time for me now.
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Post by Ems&Beau on Aug 7, 2015 12:34:58 GMT
I've not broken a 19mm socket or any socket actually. I regularly break the star bits, allen key bits and Phillips screwdriver bits I have in a socket set, luckily its a Halfords professional one so has a lifetime guarantee so they replace them FOC - best £90 I spent £15 years ago!
I have had to take one of my vans to a garage to get the wheel nuts loosened, even they struggled!
Keep us update with progress Tom!
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Post by outtolunch on Aug 7, 2015 12:55:42 GMT
Vernon it sounds like you need a Halfords professional socket set as well I got one a couple of years ago when they were on offer and it has some nice meaty impact sockets which I have used for particularly stubborn nuts and bolts.
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