Visit to the AL-KO production plant

Alko manufactures lightweight chassis which are mainly used in RVs. It also offers a variety of suspension and stabilisation solutions amongst others. Here you can see what a motorhome looks like before it is a motorhome - before the walls and roof go on. This is the base skeleton delivered from Mercedes or Fiat before going to the motorhome manufacturer! In this video I also explain the benefits of using an AL-KO chassis.

[@annic7995]

Makes the loading and unloading easy. BRILLIANT!

[@davidofcoburg9279]

An interesting visit Alan, thanks. I've pasted a link to your video on our Australian Jayco Conquest and Optimum Owners facebook page. Many of the newer Jayco Conquests (like mine) are Fiat based with an Al-Co chassis.

[@royeirikandreassen6032]

This was good, interesting, like your presentation and enthusiasm, you have to visit several caravan manufacturers, it's very interesting.

[@robertdobson183]

Great tour of the Alko factory Alan . I’ve just bought a 2019 Lhd Hymer BMC I 580 with SLC chassis . Do you know what type of rear axle is fitted . Is it steel torsion bars which need greasing annually or torsion bar with rubber ? Many thanks

[@johnlong3214]

Another interesting video. That explains so much, thank you.

[@viz_aviz9189]

Be great for me as i never know whether i'm coming or going and then book into a hotel or shall i put the tent up, oh i don't know.

[@roadrider1100]

I could see that there was no leaf spring in the rear axle, but I didn't see how it was sprung. Was it by torsion bars in the transverse tube just forward of the rear wheel axle center line?

[@besteweg]

roadrider1100 With the al-ko rear axle instead of leafsprings, 3 torsion bars inside the axle guarantee for smoother suspension.
Over a leaf spring axle this axle construction has the advantage of being highly compact (lower floors), lighter, and offering independent suspension of the right and left wheel for better drivability.

[@eugenemcgurk1068]

like a star wars film set

[@brighton_dude]

Makes me think of the pushmi-pullyu from Doctor Dolittle.

[@fraserhardmetal7143]

Thanks for the video Alan , unfortunately the AlKo approach to motorhomes has been to marry a very lightweight chassis extension to a truncated road vehicle chassis. Basically you have a regular caravan chassis (albeit with some modification ) bolted onto the back of a road vehicle. This is not a good engineered solution. The body of the motorhome is then attatched to this assembly. The two halves of the chassis behave in different ways , with the body of the 'van connecting the two. You will know the degree of squeaking and movement that occurs when driving one of these vehicles - have you seen one involved in an accident ? The body has all the integrity of a caravan and behaves as such when compromised. There is a definite shift now to modified panel vans, which is evident in the reviews you have done, and must be a good thing, not only from a cost point of view, but more efficient, safer, more practical and less intrusive. What do you think ? Once again thanks for your enthusiastic input.

[@CORRIGEEN71]

Can you buy a chassis direct off them??

[@VanlifewithAlan]

I don't think so.

[@Neowinsnyper]

No. Not possible. For caravan or trailer yes, through a dealer but not for a motorhome

[@AndyMatrix]

Dream place , mixing with a Tesla Model S electrification