AL-KO Air top suspension on Warwick duo.

I have a Warwick duo the air top suspension on the rear near side has been punctured, trying to get replacements bellows is proving difficult I had a look underneath and found the problem ,I believe the bolts have been fitted wrong causing the damage anyone else had this problem [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

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Yes, thankfully not mine.
When this was first brought up I immediately got under mine to check, as you would. My air springs are very different, clearly an updated mod to avoid your problem.

Unfortunately, you are correct, the bolts shown in your pic are the wrong way up and have chafed the spring till it leaked.

I wouldn't be too worried about the other one, the only fix will be to change both, unfortunately.

I would try and see what AS have to say about this, as Paul has shown, you are not the first with this problem.

Hi , I bet you are not alone in having a quick look , I have only had this motorhome since November used it once , I downsized from an auto trail tag axle but I do like this little Warwick I contacted AS and AL-KO on Friday but both had half days I have sent photos and questions to AS service department and will speak to them Monday morning. Again thanks for your reply will keep you updated

this reminds me, I need to check the pressures on mine

Thanks for the heads up, I don't think I would have checked my gauges without this warning about low pressures causing damage. 

Mine were at 1 bar (bottom of green/top of red) so I pumped up to 26 psi which is now in the middle of the green section. 
I was suprised how quickly they pumped up, just a second or two on the electric pump that normally takes a minute or two with each tyre.
I'm not sure how often I need to do this but I will keep an eye on these pressures now.

Good morning,
Here is the latest update on AL-KO air top suspension, I got a reply from Auto Sleepers this morning with a quote for a complete suspension kit, £651:48 ans it will be delivered tomorrow morning, I asked I’d they could fit them, yes of course mid April is the earliest date , no so good, I then said that they have been fitted incorrectly the bolts are the wrong way round , yes we know about that is was a design fault by AL-KO was the reply, but you fitted them surely your mechanic would have seen the problem , no fitted as per instructions, fine thanks for your help .
I have paid for the new units which apparently are of a new design . Next I phone Towtal in Stoke spoke to the owner, he will fit them for £150 next Monday 26th February, so in total I am now out of pocket £801 for a motor home I bought in November used once . I know what your thinking take it back to where you got it from , they were my first call they told me you purchased the Gold RAC warranty phone them , this I have done 3times but got nowhere, the are saying take it to my garage get them to phone us before anything is done and we the RAC will decide if we will pay for it, oh by the way your claims limit is £500 max .this is not the best start to the week , to summarise paid £38000 for this motor home in November used once, paid for warranty which is useless, facing a bill for £801 to get it back on the road, , manufacturers don’t want to know, I have just phoned the dealers were I got it from again , told them the sorry tale and would like to know what they intend to do awaiting their call now. Not great but I will get to the bottom of this , will keep you all posted

I have a Sussex Duo (Marquis special Warwick) . According to spec the Sussex is fitted with air tops - mine isn't. It drives great, handles great, I don't feel the need for air tops. Probably too late seeing as you've paid for them but could you not remove and do without.?

I have spoken to Auto Sleeper this morning they say the suspension it altered to accommodate the air tops so I have no option but to replace them as it will just bounce all over the place.
The fact of the matter is they are fitted wrongly and designed wrongly and I am having to bear the cost . Keep smiling lol

You could refer RAC to their article. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] In first 6 months the supplying dealer must prove the fault was not present.

Thanks for that I have just spoken to the dealer and told him what the problem is at the end of the day I have sourced the parts got it booked in to be repaired all be it at a cost of over £800 the ball is is the dealers court I will not let this go but thanks for you reply

Hi HarryO. Sounds like another case of David v A/S Alko Goliath. Surely if the original units where fitted in accordance with Alko instructions by A/S then those instructions are incorrect in that they have caused the failure of the part so Alko are responsible for the part failure and should put it right. Have you taken your case to Alko, because this a is well documented case of bolts being fitted upside down in accordance with Alko instructions and causing part failure. By their statement A/S appear too have admitted to you that Alko are liable because A/S fitted them in accordance with the instructions from Alko which are incorrect and which are written in the fitting manual.

On the newer A/S models all that has been done to the mountings is to fit the bolts the correct way round, I do not know of any other mod or design re jig that has been done to these air tops. 

Somebody is answerable for the fault and that is the makers of the source product. Any incorrect fitting instructions in a fitting manual supplied by manufacturer are the responsibility of the manufacturer This applies to any product you might buy. For instance if your washing machine/ dryer caught fire and it was down to a manufacturing fault or failure of a part then it's them who are liable not you.

On the other hand, again A/S have not been very helpful to you knowing the situation and the history of these airbag mounting bolts. It seems that it's only when you genuinely need help you realise how poor the service is.

Hi, thanks for your reply, I motor home will be repaired by next Monday at a cost of over £800. It just so happens I am going to the NEC on Thursday to the camping and motor home show needless to say there will be two companies I am eager to see there reaction when I am actually standing in front of them and not at the end of a phone. I have have motorhomes for years and never belonged to a forum , I am amazed at the response I have had from other members , as a last resort I have contacted the dealership that I bought my motor home from and suggest he resolve this matter, he said he will look into it , but for now I know it will be done by next Monday , the saga continues !

HarryO wrote:Hi, thanks for your reply, I motor home will be repaired by next Monday at a cost of over £800. It just so happens I am going to the NEC on Thursday to the camping and motor home show needless to say there will be two companies I am eager to see there reaction when I am actually standing in front of them and not at the end of a phone. I have have motorhomes for years and never belonged to a forum , I am amazed at the response I have had from other members , as a last resort I have contacted the dealership that I bought my motor home from and suggest he resolve this matter, he said he will look into it , but for now I know it will be done by next Monday , the saga continues !

Hi H. Well I'm sure you know what to say to them, the points you want to make, and now have the answers to reply. Don't let them fob you off you mate you wont be the only one who has been in this position. Lets hope you get a good outcome and please keep us all informed as the outcome of these things can help us all in the end.

Hi Harry O and All.

My Sussex EB has Alko Air Top suspension. I have owned it from new and just outside the warranty period the suspension developed air leaks, which I determined to be caused by bolt heads (not thread shanks). They were, in fact, fitted the right way round but edges of the hexagon heads caused the problem.  

I dealt with Alan Curry at AS who told me they had been correctly fitted and also that my warranty had expired. I was persistent with my claim and eventually he agreed to supply a new pair of bellows at cost (which from memory was £200 to £300). When I fitted these I used stainless dome head bolts ,to avoid any chance of the problem re-occurring . That was 3 years and 12,000 miles ago and all is still well.

It may be of interest to note that I also obtained (free of charge) a set of solid rubber spacers from AS. (During factory build these are removed from the base vehicle (Peugeot Boxer)  by AS so they can fit the Alko Airtops) . They are then, surplus to AS requirements. Should the air suspension fail in future I can fit these in their place.

Hi
I spoke to AS but the were not interested but I am not finished yet , I will be seeing them at the NEC , and will make my point known hopefully the stand will be busy . I really want to keep my Warwick but they are not helping my cause but as they say right is might

HarryO wrote:Hi
I spoke to AS but the were not interested but I am not finished yet , I will be seeing them at the NEC , and will make my point known hopefully the stand will be busy . I really want to keep my Warwick but they are not helping my cause but as they say right is might

Just keep in mind what A/S have already said about the airbags. They have fitted them in accordance with manufacturers guidelines this will probably be their escape route. Have a look for for Alko first if they are there. The right questions to them should squeeze them quite a bit.

I will believe me I am looking forward to it

Mindhyg wrote:
Have a look for for Alko first if they are there. 

According to the show website they are.
Good luck!

PB

Will keep the site updated with the outcome

Had the same problem with my Sussex Duo, but changed the hex headed bolts for domed Allen key bolts , from EBay, works well.

Yes, we had burst bellows, despite bolts being fitted the correct way up by A/S. Self inflicted damage really as the bolts cannot chafe if bellows are kept inflated - a very small loss of air produces a significant pressure drop.
AL- KO have redesigned these units, with no fixings near the rubber bellows. Don't know how to post a pic, but can be seen on the AL-KO website.

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Oh, and having driven with no air tops I found the difference in ride and handling significant with the new air tops fitted, although I do habitually travel fairly heavily laden, as we mostly wild camp.

Hi,
Well just got back from the NEC, I went and seen AL-KO first, waste of time he was interested in my problem I did point out that the design was poor to say the least but all I got was shrugged shoulders, then I went to A/S to be fair after I explained the problem to them they were sympathetic and appeared to understand, they said they would find the top person there and try and get an answer, so in between that I phoned the dealer who supplied the motor home he said that he was waiting for an email to try and get something for me , wrong answer, I explained I have had the motorhome 3months payed cash for it £38000 drove it once and now face a bill of £801 to get it back on the road. I have told him this is not my problem I am having the repair done on Monday and if I don’t receive an agreeable solution I will be standing in front of him Monday afternoon.
I then went back to A/S they said the dealer should do the repair and send the bill to them , the service department was waiting for a phone call. Well I thought I had at last got my case across, wrong I phoned the service dept at A/S was informed as I was not the original first owner they will not do repairs under their good will policy, and the case is closed.
So I suppose they think I am just going to let it go , I am not I am going to write to the M.Ds of both companies and state my case to them and inform them I will take this further if necessary just to prove the point I hate to be treated as an imbecile and spoken to as though I am nothing. More to follow

Bit harsh on A/S HarryO.  I think it amazing that if you had been the original buyer from new they would have coughed for repairs to a 7 year old vehicle. I do think you have a valid claim from the dealer you bought it from. 
Only my opinion of course.

Point taken