AL-KO scooter rack

by StewPotch Thu Nov 24, 2016 10:29 am

Hello all,

I’m looking for some advice/information about fitting an AL-KO scooter rack to my Fairford.

The van has been uprated to 4500kg, with the rear axle weight increased to 2600kg.

I have been given quotes for an AL-KO Sawiko Kawa Scooter Rack [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and an AL-KO Sawiko Agito Scooter Rack [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Both racks weigh 95kg and can carry 150kg – this obviously means I can carry something bigger than I could with a towbar mounted system.

With the heaviest allowable weight of 245kg, the axle weights would become 1615/2170 front/rear.

Does anyone have an AL-KO scooter rack or similar or does anyone have any thoughts on the subject?

by matchlessman Thu Nov 24, 2016 1:32 pm

With a quarter of a tonne hanging off the back, the steering will be noticeably lighter. You need to get the scooter etc as close to the rear axle as possible to minimise the effect.
Have you measured the distance from axle to the bike/rack to calculate just how much extra load will be put on the rear axle (and subsequent reduction to the front)? With the leverage effect it will be considerably more than the 245 kg combined weight on the rear.

by StewPotch Thu Nov 24, 2016 2:06 pm

Yes, put like that with a quarter of a tonne hanging off the back it does sound as though the front will become too light.

I had the weight(s) done about 8 weeks ago on a weighbridge before going to Belgium – 1720/1820kg front/rear (that was 40kg over the original 3500kg although it was measured with 69litres of water which was then dumped).

Going by a couple of online calculators, using 1720/1820kg axle weights, wheelbase 4035mm, a total overhang of 1850mm and extra weight of 245kg then the figures for the new axle weights become 1615/2170kg front/rear (ie Front 105kg lighter and rear 350kg heavier).

Ie the front axle becomes 94% of its original and the rear axle 120%.

In reality the total weight of the rack/scooter will be closer to 200kg than 245kg.

by matchlessman Fri Nov 25, 2016 8:16 am

Its the change of balance that will upset things. The weight distribution using your numbers;
In standard trim, you have 48.6% front and 51.4% rear.
In proposed trim, 42.8% front and 57.3% rear.

From a 3% difference front to rear, to 14.5%. Still drivable, but the handling will be very different.

by StewPotch Fri Nov 25, 2016 8:46 am

Thanks for the above MM – I hadn’t quite looked at the weight distribution from that slant - so there will be an 11.5% difference from the current set-up?

The official word from AL-KO is “all Al-Ko racks are type approved and come with the relevant documents to show this, so from any insurance point of view this should not present itself to be a problem” so yes, as you have said, it will still be driveable and all the weights are within spec.

However, yes, it will handle differently – I think I need to load up the van to about 450kg behind the axle at the moment and get a feel for it somehow.

by GCCrow Wed Nov 30, 2016 10:19 pm

HI, My experience is not quite the same as your plan but may be useful. I have a Warwick XL fitted with an alko sawicko agito 120kg three bike carrier ( the one that hinges on one side allowing the rear doors to be used on site). I have an aluminium checker plate box mounted on the carrier for water containers and odds and ends and two light weight bikes mounted on fiamma racks on top of the box, the whole thing totals about 100 kg plus the 45kg weight of the rack,itself..The van has been replated to 4100kgs and I have weighed it packed for a long holiday with full tank and full fresh water and both axles came in very much (couple of hundred or more kg) below the maximum allowable weights on each axle,I have used the vehicle all around Europe for about 7000 miles on all sorts of roads from motorways to the alps and have noticed no issues at all with handling. If you are interested I think I may have the exact axle weights written down somewhere.
Before ALKO accepted the order I had to supply vehicle details to be reviewed by their engineers in Germany.

by StewPotch Thu Dec 01, 2016 6:58 am

Thanks for that GC, some really useful information there.
I looked at the Agito as an option but didn't think I needed it to swing out (plus the Kawa was £500 cheaper).
One of the main issues is how it will handle with the extra weight - I was going to bribe my son and 3 of his mates to sit behind the rear axle (four crates of beer on the floor) and try out the handling.
Our van has been replated to 4500kg and the rear axle increased to 2600kg so the overall weight isn't an issue.

AL-KO scooter rack

AL-KO scooter rack

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