Alko drop down jacks

benandjordansmum

benandjordansmum

Active Member
Feb 8, 2012
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Logan Village, Qld
Hi guys,


We have a 16.49.1 OB and we seem to get a lot of movement . ie. when someone rolls over in bed or walks...even with the kids. I was wondering whether anyone else has this problem and whether putting the drop down jacks in a different position helps. We generally put ours straight down, but I have noticed others sometimes put their on an angle.

Thanks
Tracy
 
Lara

Lara

Active Member
Jan 23, 2013
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Manly NSW
It would help putting jack pads under the legs. If your on soft ground they help to keep to give it a larger load area. Also good to re-adjust the drop downs after a day or so once the van has settled.
We use the jack pads and it all feels pretty solid to me!
 
Lara

Lara

Active Member
Jan 23, 2013
728
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Manly NSW
You want it to be pretty firm and solid on the ground. Like LUK77Y said above you want it give a good 1/3 turn after reaching the ground.
But again re-check them again after a day or so to see if they need adjusting once the vans has settled!
 
Burnsy

Burnsy

Well-Known Member
Mar 26, 2012
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Newcastle
Tracy i noticed that when we had our 16-49-1 also. I always had jacks straight down if possible but also try putting chocks front and back of both wheels, that should eliminate a bit more movement.

Cheers.
 
Xpandafan

Xpandafan

Seriously Likeable!
Aug 24, 2012
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Kealba, Victoria
Straight down onto my special stabilizer pads ($2 Shop plastic cutting boards). Just enough to take some van weight, e.g. slightest visible lift of van. They're stabilizers after all not jacks. Readjust jockey wheel as well (also with pad). Do the re-check in the morning as others have recommended also make sure the manual brake is on hard.
 
Brad

Brad

Well-Known Member
Jan 2, 2012
2,645
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Rowville, Victoria
I have pine chocks under the jacks. But I reacon I am giving the jacks a good full turn if not more once they hit the ground. In the 18 it is a double axle so there is more stability in that already, but once the jacks are down and in place I don't have much movement. Note that I would not do this though if the jacks did not go straight down.
 
brookes2622

brookes2622

Active Member
Jun 24, 2012
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Bywong NSW
I agree with OP there is a bit of movement in ours as well. My kids don't sit they do a sort of controlled falling that they practice in their sleep so we get a bit of night shuddering. Defiantly more then we ever got in our old camper. I put the drop downs straight whenever possible and most of the time use no additional support but I have noticed this shudder or movement even when on concrete. Easter we stayed at Lane Cover Tourist Park (a great place to stay if your heading to Sydney ~$40pn) on a uneven slab so I had the legs at the front wound down pretty hard and it still occurred.

Moral of the story, for me, is that I don't seem able to fix it so am learning to live with it.
 
relgate

relgate

Superstar
Staff member
Feb 2, 2012
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Sydney, NSW
My wife is always keen to have no movement in the van, so I found we can get the van rock solid by putting extra pressure on the drop jacks in the vertical position. I can achieve this by dropping the rear ones, then winding the jocky wheel down (raising the drawbar), thus applying pressure to the rear jacks. I then drop front jacks firmly, then release pressure of jocky wheel. All this done with pine pads and the instructional DVD cover under jacks.
All this said, I'm careful not to put excessive pressure on them, and, since I don't mind a bit of movement, I usually only resort to the above after a few 'reminders'.

Also, as a side note, when buying caravans and trailers, both new and second hand, my wife's opinion is always coloured by the stability of the van on display. A bit like not liking a car for sale because it's dirty. However, for this reason, I reckon it's worth making your van rock solid when selling!
 
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