My wife and i had a Fendt caravan, imported at a cost in 2013 of around R500K.

When we got divorced, she decided that the caravan needed a service ( it didnt, but anyway...)

She found some caravan dealer to come and take it to be serviced, and to bring it back.

On the way back, the caravan came unattached from the dealer bakkie, rolled and was written off.

Addtmitedley it has a locking system not found on South African caravan, so maybe they were not familiar with it, but the problem was that they ''locked'' the mechanisim with it resting ON the towball, and not locked on at all. so the towing went ok for a while, until the nose lifted slightly and it lifted off the tow-ball.

the same can happen with the more conventional attachement.

my advice- once your caravan is hooked on, try to wind the caravan upwards- it should try to lift the car. If it not locked on, it will just lift itself off the tow-ball.

I also always do a hard braking check when leaving home- i would rather have an accident in a side-street than on the highway. Brake hard, the get out and check that it is still properly locked on.

Good advice. I always check by lifting the caravan at the hitch to make sure the tow vehicle also lifts slightly. ( I don't usually lift it off the ground unless I am in a bad mood).

Always checked this tow method in that way, but did get caught out once - for some or other reason the little lip at the bottom of the tow Alko hook, where it goes over the ball and then locks below the ball got worn (??) away and thus did not lock properly. Cost me a new setup to fit on the BushBaby at that stage.

Mine "clicks" in. Even then I give it a kick or two.

Nico wrote:

Always checked this tow method in that way, but did get caught out once - for some or other reason the little lip at the bottom of the tow Alko hook, where it goes over the ball and then locks below the ball got worn (??) away and thus did not lock properly. Cost me a new setup to fit on the BushBaby at that stage.

I am surprised at that. i cant imagine how the lip at the bottom would get worn away.

very strange.  I would investigate further- i have never heard of this happening.  It may be that the tow-ball is an unusual size? But its very dangerous if that what is happening.

One of the things to bear in mind if you are buying an imported caravan with an Alko lever system hitch, is that many of them have an ''auto-brake'' mechanism, which has small brake pads inside the caravan hitch. To work, the ball must be very clean ( like surgically clean ) and dry, to work .

if you put grease on the towball or inside the caravan hitch it wont work.  it will make a sort of grinding sound when you brake, as it tries to grip the towball.

Its the European version of a stableilser system and is VERY effective in stopping caravan swaying.

I know of this sydtem, seen it in pics. To my mind it is just as useless as any other anti sway mechanism working on the friction principle. This subject has been discussed here msny times and it is clear that both those who are in favour of these and those doubting its value have strong opinions and cannot be convinced. 

Nico wrote:

Always checked this tow method in that way, but did get caught out once - for some or other reason the little lip at the bottom of the tow Alko hook, where it goes over the ball and then locks below the ball got worn (??) away and thus did not lock properly. Cost me a new setup to fit on the BushBaby at that stage.

Nico, my Fleetline het dieselfde gedoen.

 Het nog sonder probleme na die oord gesleep. Met ons terugkoms, wou die toestel nie sluit nie. Gelukkig is die wa se neusgewig baie swaar..... meer as 125kg....kry hom nie ligter nie.

My skoonseun wat 'n meganiese ingenieur is, së toe die gleufie waarin die lippie moet haak, is geslyt.

Het die gelufie met 'n vyltjie dieper gemaak en sie daar, probleem op gelos.

Fendt wrote:

One of the things to bear in mind if you are buying an imported caravan with an Alko lever system hitch, is that many of them have an ''auto-brake'' mechanism, which has small brake pads inside the caravan hitch. To work, the ball must be very clean ( like surgically clean ) and dry, to work .

if you put grease on the towball or inside the caravan hitch it wont work.  it will make a sort of grinding sound when you brake, as it tries to grip the towball.

Its the European version of a stableilser system and is VERY effective in stopping caravan swaying.

 

 

I had one like this from BPW on my Sensation.  It also provided an indication when those little pads are worn.

Great system.  

Then I had an incident once when I unhitched the caravan at Dolphin Holiday Resort (Balito) and never lifted the safety cable of the tow ball.  Result was a damaged cable with a handbrake pulled up so hard I had great difficulty to get the hand brake released.  Luckily this taught me to double check the hook-up between caravan and tow vehicle.

If you camp very long and do these things a lot of time, you can easily overlook something.

Na ek n ruk gelede gesien het hoe kom n wa los van trekhaak by Omaramba, maak ek ook maar dubbel seker. Dis nie die skade wat jou eie wa optel nie, maar die gevaar wat dit inhou vir mede padverbruikers

Nabro wrote:

Good advice. I always check by lifting the caravan at the hitch to make sure the tow vehicle also lifts slightly. ( I don't usually lift it off the ground unless I am in a bad mood).

Hi people, I do the same as the quote before I leave any camp site and yes I listen for that "click" sound when I lower the caravan onto the tow ball. All I'm scared of is the cable.

As mentioned above that handbrake being pulled up so high that you have to battle to release it may be  better to have a chain attachment for the hitch which may be better.

My 5c input but it may be other people may differ on my input.

Have great travel and keep safe at all times.

Safety starts with you.

Hi all.

having towed for 30 years, i find that the auto-break system works just as well as a stabiliser, but, as you say, both the ball and the hitch need to be free of grease for the auto-brake. i cant really say the one works better than the other.