# Alko tag axle greasing any advice



## Chudders

I want to get my Al Ko AMC tag axle greased on my or maybe do it myself. I understand that the motorhome has to be jacked up so there is no weight on the wheels, Can this be done one side at a time or is it necessary to get the whole rear off the ground before greasing. Any comments appreciated, shouldn,t be a long job if I take it to a dealer perhaps.
Can,t quite work out how to jack it up, I assume a trolly jack underneath somewhere. No side jacking points like a car has.
Would like to go to Johns Cross Motorhomes but unfortunately its a long way from Cornwall
Thanks, Dave


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## Jezport

You can jack one side at a time. There are jacking points on my Alko chassis.


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## clive1821

The only place to go A&M Autos lancaster thats where I go and had my twin axel greaced up and took a lot of grease.... the axel was on floor stands off a 7 tonn ramp.... so both axels were off the wheels and there fore no weight on the wheels.... 220 miles each way...


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## Fatalhud

clive1821 said:


> The only place to go A&M Autos lancaster thats where I go and had my twin axel greaced up and took a lot of grease.... the axel was on floor stands off a 7 tonn ramp.... so both axels were off the wheels and there fore no weight on the wheels.... 220 miles each way...


If it took loads of grease then perhaps they are not the best to goto.
I think The manufacturer states that only around 5 pumps of a grease gun should be inserted
Putting too much grease in can damage the seals

I did mine wrong before reading a post on here

Alan H


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## havingfun

*alko tag axle greasing*

hi,

dont know how to do it,but...did wonder why you have to have it done,we have a 9 year old hobby 750 tag axle,and know in the 4 years we have owned it we havent had it done,is it like having the cambelt changed,because we went to am autos to have that changed.

mags


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## gaspode

Fatalhud said:


> The manufacturer states that only around 5 pumps of a grease gun should be inserted
> Putting too much grease in can damage the seals
> 
> I did mine wrong before reading a post on here
> 
> Alan H


Quite correct Alan, 5 strokes is the prescribed dose. Any extra will simply push past the seals and fill up the torsion tube. I doubt any real harm would be done but you could waste an awful lot of grease before you filled the tube up. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Jack one side at once placing an axle stand under the main front to rear chassis section immediately adjacent to the torsion tube. Lower onto the axle stand ensuring that the wheel is still clear of the ground and the swinging arm at the bottom of its stroke. Remove plastic cap from grease nipple, pump in 5 strokes of grease, replace plastic cap, lower back down and repeat at the other side - job done.


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## Jezport

*Re: alko tag axle greasing*



havingfun said:


> hi,
> 
> dont know how to do it,but...did wonder why you have to have it done,we have a 9 year old hobby 750 tag axle,and know in the 4 years we have owned it we havent had it done,is it like having the cambelt changed,because we went to am autos to have that changed.
> 
> mags


Hi Mags,

Yes you should get the axles greased, as the torsion bars can stick and then snap. The axles are very expensive to repair so it is well worth while.

Ant reputabale garage with enough space for your van can do it but as you are not far from Lancaster you know where to take it.


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## Chudders

Thanks for all the replies and info. I have spoken to Al Ko this morning and it seems that about 5 or 7 strokes of a grease gun should do it. Should feel a bit of resistance build up as its pumped. It was mentioned that if you put in loads of grease it would just start to fill up the tube by pushing past the seals.
Recommended that ideally both wheels should be off the ground but I guess it could be done one side at a time as you are only greasing the axles on one side as long as both the axles on the TAG are off the ground
Very grateful for everyones input
Regards, Dave


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## barryd

I learnt the hard way with this earlier this year. I didnt grease them and im pretty sure the previous owner didnt either. Result. New axle which cost me £2600.

Advice from Alko is to do it each year or more if in dusty conditions and high miles. They also stated both wheels have to be off the ground at the same time and to apply grease until pressure is felt.


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## cater_racer

I jacked mine up one ide at a time, using a trolly jack under the main steel rail (running NS), next to the axle mountings.

Took about 6 pumps of the grease gun, do it every year, don't know where the grease goes..........? What ever happend to last years grease?

Will do it again next April. 

I do about 12,000 miles a year.


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## JockandRita

Hi all,

It was Peter Hambilton (Friendly Hippo) who alerted me to the problems of not annually greasing the axles.
He has had a couple of tags recovered to his premises, whereupon one of the twin axles has stuck in the raised position, and cannot be freed. Expensive replacement (as mentioned above) is the only option.

Ours is greased every year too, and it doesn't take much.

Cheers,

Jock.


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## Bubblehead

Hi

What type of grease do you use?

Andy


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## Chudders

Bubblehead said:


> Hi
> 
> What type of grease do you use?
> 
> Andy


Cant remember off hand but if you to Al -Ko website there are useful downloads including the maintenance booklet which tells you all about the types of grease and means of jacking etc etc
Dave


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## fdhadi

*Very important.*

You should *not* have the handbrake on when jacking up a tag axle :wink: :wink: :wink:


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## Forestboy

Did mine today whole job took 15 minutes tops with a good 7 ton trolley jack and number 1 son to do it.


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## RichardnGill

fdhadi said:


> *Very important.*
> 
> You should *not* have the handbrake on when jacking up a tag axle :wink: :wink: :wink:


Just curious to why Frank

I did ours at 12 month old and lifted both axels and both sides at the same time after talking to Alko, that is what they advised. I was also told Castrol LM grease was ok.

Richard...


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## RichardnGill

fdhadi said:


> *Very important.*
> 
> You should *not* have the handbrake on when jacking up a tag axle :wink: :wink: :wink:


Just curious to why Frank

I did ours at 12 month old and lifted both axels and both sides at the same time after talking to Alko, that is what they advised. I was also told Castrol LM grease was ok.

Richard...


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## Chudders

Had the axle greased today. Did not do it myself, don,t have trolley jacks that are man enough. Anyway its a quick job for those with the right equipment.
Thanks everyone for your input, help and advioce.
Dave


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## SueandRoger

Bubblehead said:


> Hi
> 
> What type of grease do you use?
> 
> Hi Andy
> I spoke to the service manager at AL-KO about 4 years ago and was told that of the 3 recommended greases to use, the easiest one to obtain in this country was Shell Retinax LX which is what I use. The other 2 are: Co. Kluber GL 1501 and Co. CONDA 3746 SP. These are also shown on the Datasheet for the axle that I down loaded.
> 
> He also informed me there is no problem with just jacking up one side clear of the ground at a time; again 6 or 7 pumps of a hand grease gun annually for each side unless you want to use the axle tube as a grease holding tank!


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