What Stabiliser?

[stux99]

Being a newbie to this, it was reccomended that I fit a stabiliser.
So, after a quick google I am confused. I have a brink towbar, swan neck style.
Any advice?
Thanks in advance

Stu

[Miff]

Check to make sure but if it's a recent caravan you are towing it may have an Alko or Winterhof towing hitch.

[stux99]

Thanks, its a 1992 ABI Celebrtaion, no stab fitted.
Have been pointed in the direction of ALKO AKS 1300:shrug:

[Miff]

My caravan has a Winterhof and I have no problems with towing, so can only recommend it. It's really easy to use and I would imagine the Alko works much the same.

[HarryM1BYT]

Thanks, its a 1992 ABI Celebrtaion, no stab fitted.
Have been pointed in the direction of ALKO AKS 1300:shrug:

I use - and I do beleive it is very much more effective, an old style stabiliser. I've had it so long (30+ years), I cannot even remember its make....

It is made from round bar, formed into a large U. The closed end of the U goes onto a bracket on the A frame. The open ends of the U have a coil spring formed from them at each end and then onto an adjustable friction damper.

Basically you fit the stabiliser into its bracket at the car tow ball, heave the other end up onto the A frame bracket, which helps take quite a lot of the nose weight off the rear springs, adding a bit of up and down damping in the process and the friction damper makes a very effective job of damping out an attempt by the caravan to weave. It takes a bit more time/effort to hook up, but it makes the whole thing much more stable.

[CoOkIeMoNsTeR]

Right, OK, if you want the best out of your van, you will be steered towards either the Winterhoff WS3000 (http://www.waudbys.co.uk/images/shop/more/310x263_1284630145winterhoffstabilisinghitchWS3000 310.jpg) or the Al-Ko 3004 (http://www.thecaravanshop.co.uk/images/uploads/3004%20triple%20500.jpg), which I have.
The pro's of the Winterhoff are:-
Easy action, very little pressure needs to be applied, and there is only one handle to move.
The pivot is aft of the towball, so it won't clout the bumper no matter how close it is to the towbar.
It has 4 stabaliser pads, so is a little steadier than the Al-Ko.
Cost from around £200 DIY install. Very easy to do

The Al-Ko:-
Much more widespread uses on vans, most UK vans have them.
Take up more of the A Frame, to compensate for the 2 stabaliser pads, which are cheaper then the Winterhoff and easier to change.
Buy the full kit and it comes with a good hitch lock gratis.
Cost from around £220 DIY install, again, a simple task.

This is my van with the Al-Ko unit. :smilie_re:http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=78150

HTH
Cookie

[stux99]

Thanks all, will do some more digging today.
Got a few weeks before our first "trip":)

[mel12s]

I tow with an Alko 1300 and it seems to do its job OK. The tow bar is a Brinks swan neck which is why I had to get the Alko. You can replace the friction pads in minutes and mine have lasted several years although my towing trips are fairly local, Tyneside to No. Yorks or Northumberland Borders. I've also done a few longer trips -200plus miles, mostly on motorways/A1 roads without any problems.

In the past I've also used the more traditional Scott type stabiliser and again they work fine.

My van is an Eldiss Tornado XL, 1991, 750kgs ex works weight and max payload of 200kgs. My current tug is a 1999, Fiat Marea HLX 2litre, 20valve petrol saloon which we've owned since 2000 and it is as steady as a rock with the van on and has never given any trouble.

Best of luck and happy caravanning for 2011.

[Poppy]

Being a newbie to this, it was reccomended that I fit a stabiliser.
So, after a quick google I am confused. I have a brink towbar, swan neck style.
Any advice?
Thanks in advance

Stu


Hiya. Do not have a clue i am afraid...:shrug: Maybe.?:shrug::getmecoat::getmecoat::getmecoat::D
http://media3.picsearch.com/is?VWyPx1fZUcIW0J70Pfots4yby4jIkEkNLrEircdzrWI (http://wzeu.search-results.com/r?t=p&d=apn&s=zuk&c=p&l=dis&o=15647&sv=0a652940&ip=5c197091&id=793B226F149165E0E5DF61CDAA2B88BF&q=stabilisers&p=1&qs=167&ac=24&g=63c0f+HUfvbFy8&en=pi&io=13&ep=&eo=&b=img&bc=&br=&tp=d&ec=20&pt=&ex=&url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.BikeBicycle.co.uk%252Fi d%252FB000WFHB8C%252Fsearch%252FJuniorTrainingWhee lsStabilisers.htm&u=http://uk.search-results.com/fr?q=stabilisers&desturi=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.BikeBicycle.co.uk%2Fid%2F B000WFHB8C%2Fsearch%2FJuniorTrainingWheelsStabilis ers.htm&initialURL=http%3A%2F%2Fuk.search-results.com%2Fpictures%3Fqsrc%3D167%26o%3D15647%26 l%3Ddis%26q%3Dstabilisers%26dm%3Dall%26atb%3Dsysid %253D2%253Auid%253D4129d67d58459df1%253Auc%253D130 0317723%253Asrc%253Dhmp%253Ao%253D15647%253Aq%253D stabilisers&fm=i&ac=24&fsel=1&ftURI=http%3A%2F%2Fuk.search-results.com%2Ffr%3Fq%3Dstabilisers%26desturi%3Dhtt p%253A%252F%252Fwww.BikeBicycle.co.uk%252Fid%252FB 000WFHB8C%252Fsearch%252FJuniorTrainingWheelsStabi lisers.htm%26imagesrc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fecx.ima ges-amazon.com%252Fimages%252FI%252F419bQQq1pGL.jpg%26 thumbsrc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fmedia3.picsearch.com %252Fis%253FVWyPx1fZUcIW0J70Pfots4yby4jIkEkNLrEirc dzrWI%26o%3D15647%26l%3Ddis%26thumbuselocalisedsta tic%3Dfalse%26thumbwidth%3D128%26thumbheight%3D92% 26fn%3D419bQQq1pGL.jpg%26imagewidth%3D500%26imageh eight%3D362%26fs%3D17%26f%3D2%26fm%3Di%26fsel%3D1% 26atb%3Dsysid%253D2%253Auid%253D4129d67d58459df1%2 53Auc%253D1300317723%253Asrc%253Dhmp%253Ao%253D156 47%253Aq%253Dstabilisers%26ftbURI%3Dhttp%253A%252F %252Fuk.search-results.com%252Fpictures%253Fq%253Dstabilisers%252 6page%253D1%2526o%253D15647%2526l%253Ddis%2526psta rt%253D0%2526atb%253Dsysid%25253D2%25253Auid%25253 D4129d67d58459df1%25253Auc%25253D1300317723%25253A src%25253Dhmp%25253Ao%25253D15647%25253Aq%25253Dst abilisers&atb=sysid%3D2%3Auid%3D4129d67d58459df1%3Auc%3D1300 317723%3Asrc%3Dhmp%3Ao%3D15647%3Aq%3Dstabilisers&qt=0) Poppy

[stux99]

Hiya. Do not have a clue i am afraid...:shrug: Maybe.?:shrug::getmecoat::getmecoat::getmecoat::D
http://media3.picsearch.com/is?VWyPx1fZUcIW0J70Pfots4yby4jIkEkNLrEircdzrWI (http://wzeu.search-results.com/r?t=p&d=apn&s=zuk&c=p&l=dis&o=15647&sv=0a652940&ip=5c197091&id=793B226F149165E0E5DF61CDAA2B88BF&q=stabilisers&p=1&qs=167&ac=24&g=63c0f+HUfvbFy8&en=pi&io=13&ep=&eo=&b=img&bc=&br=&tp=d&ec=20&pt=&ex=&url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.BikeBicycle.co.uk%252Fi d%252FB000WFHB8C%252Fsearch%252FJuniorTrainingWhee lsStabilisers.htm&u=http://uk.search-results.com/fr?q=stabilisers&desturi=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.BikeBicycle.co.uk%2Fid%2F B000WFHB8C%2Fsearch%2FJuniorTrainingWheelsStabilis ers.htm&initialURL=http%3A%2F%2Fuk.search-results.com%2Fpictures%3Fqsrc%3D167%26o%3D15647%26 l%3Ddis%26q%3Dstabilisers%26dm%3Dall%26atb%3Dsysid %253D2%253Auid%253D4129d67d58459df1%253Auc%253D130 0317723%253Asrc%253Dhmp%253Ao%253D15647%253Aq%253D stabilisers&fm=i&ac=24&fsel=1&ftURI=http%3A%2F%2Fuk.search-results.com%2Ffr%3Fq%3Dstabilisers%26desturi%3Dhtt p%253A%252F%252Fwww.BikeBicycle.co.uk%252Fid%252FB 000WFHB8C%252Fsearch%252FJuniorTrainingWheelsStabi lisers.htm%26imagesrc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fecx.ima ges-amazon.com%252Fimages%252FI%252F419bQQq1pGL.jpg%26 thumbsrc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fmedia3.picsearch.com %252Fis%253FVWyPx1fZUcIW0J70Pfots4yby4jIkEkNLrEirc dzrWI%26o%3D15647%26l%3Ddis%26thumbuselocalisedsta tic%3Dfalse%26thumbwidth%3D128%26thumbheight%3D92% 26fn%3D419bQQq1pGL.jpg%26imagewidth%3D500%26imageh eight%3D362%26fs%3D17%26f%3D2%26fm%3Di%26fsel%3D1% 26atb%3Dsysid%253D2%253Auid%253D4129d67d58459df1%2 53Auc%253D1300317723%253Asrc%253Dhmp%253Ao%253D156 47%253Aq%253Dstabilisers%26ftbURI%3Dhttp%253A%252F %252Fuk.search-results.com%252Fpictures%253Fq%253Dstabilisers%252 6page%253D1%2526o%253D15647%2526l%253Ddis%2526psta rt%253D0%2526atb%253Dsysid%25253D2%25253Auid%25253 D4129d67d58459df1%25253Auc%25253D1300317723%25253A src%25253Dhmp%25253Ao%25253D15647%25253Aq%25253Dst abilisers&atb=sysid%3D2%3Auid%3D4129d67d58459df1%3Auc%3D1300 317723%3Asrc%3Dhmp%3Ao%3D15647%3Aq%3Dstabilisers&qt=0) Poppy
Made me smile before another days graft:D

[stux99]

I tow with an Alko 1300 and it seems to do its job OK. The tow bar is a Brinks swan neck which is why I had to get the Alko. You can replace the friction pads in minutes and mine have lasted several years although my towing trips are fairly local, Tyneside to No. Yorks or Northumberland Borders. I've also done a few longer trips -200plus miles, mostly on motorways/A1 roads without any problems.

In the past I've also used the more traditional Scott type stabiliser and again they work fine.

My van is an Eldiss Tornado XL, 1991, 750kgs ex works weight and max payload of 200kgs. My current tug is a 1999, Fiat Marea HLX 2litre, 20valve petrol saloon which we've owned since 2000 and it is as steady as a rock with the van on and has never given any trouble.

Best of luck and happy caravanning for 2011.

Thanks, got a 1300 to look at this weekend, my van is 950kg with 250kg load, so should be adequate:}

[Poppy]

Made me smile before another days graft:D

LOL. Thanks for seeing the funny side..:)..Poppy

[CoOkIeMoNsTeR]

Thanks, got a 1300 to look at this weekend, my van is 950kg with 250kg load, so should be adequate:}
:eek: I am starting to worry that my van is a little large for these cars! Glad your sorted though;)