Towing a small car?

[Zcat7]

Has anybody tried a fixed bar type arrangement to tow a small car without a trailer? Would such an arrangement be suitable for long distances or do they tend to be for short distance towing only?

 

[Araon]

emergency towing only unless it has a braking system

 

[Graham L]

There was a big debate on this last year or the year before that got a bit nasty.

Basically A Frames are only legal if its used for recovery purposes and the vehicle has to have tax and MOT.

Once what you tow is over 750kg it has to be braked as its counted as a trailer, the ones you see behind most big motor homes have a link to the braking circuit on the towed car to allow them to break like a trailer and are therefore legal.

The flip side of this is towing a vehicle from the port or from where you have just purchased it without a valid MOT or TAX is illegal as all four wheels are on the road so it has to meet the criteria of being roadworthy.

I'm sure someone else will come along and debate the merits etc but those are the facts.

 

[gninnam]

Seen plenty of big campervans with Smart cars and Igo's etc behind - how can this be allowed then??

 

[Zcat7]

So what do the big motor homes use if it's not an A frame (and hence recovery use only)?

The car I have in mind is only about 520kg so wouldn't incur the brake/trailer criteria and of course it will be taxed and MOT'd because the idea is to drive it once at the destination. But then there is the question of whether the whole thing is advisable, to put even that level of stress on the brakes (early crossover so with discs) and engine (tweaked 1641).

I actively encourage all views and opinions but I'd ask that you guys all keep it clean on my thread; no scratching or biting please!

 

[Graham L]

Seen plenty of big campervans with Smart cars and Igo's etc behind - how can this be allowed then??

Trying to keep it polite but as I put in my last post:

Once what you tow is over 750kg it has to be braked as its then counted as a trailer, the ones you see behind most big motor homes have a link to the braking circuit on the towed car to allow them to break like a trailer and are therefore legal.

So what do the big motor homes use if it's not an A frame (and hence recovery use only)?

The car I have in mind is only about 520kg so wouldn't incur the brake/trailer criteria and of course it will be taxed and MOT'd because the idea is to drive it once at the destination. But then there is the question of whether the whole thing is advisable, to put even that level of stress on the brakes (early crossover so with discs) and engine (tweaked 1641).

Personally I would check for yourself the legality of it (VOSA site) but in answer to what strain it will put on your bus I think thats down to yourself, I towed a trailer with my last bus whenever we went away, I don't think it ever got to 500kg but I know someone who tows a beetle on a trailer behind his bus to race meetings.

Personally if I chose to do it I would still want some form of braking on the vehicle even though its less than 750kg, I did a quick search for braked a frames and this was the first one that came up (note the one next to it says recovery only)
http://www.braked-towing-a-frames.co.uk/landing-page/a-frame-trailers.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

or this one

http://www.smart-tow.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Its worth clicking the towing law button on the last site as its says if the towed vehicle has brakes then they have to be working regardless of the weight as the outfit is classed as a single unit, ie all brakes work.

Hope this is helpful and I'm genuinely trying to help,

 

[james_stan]

Not directly relevant but in the 60's my father sometimes helped out one of the last privateer F1 drivers (Bob Anderson), they toured the European circuits with the car and all the kit and caboodle on a Splitty pickup ! Apparently some of the Alpine hill descents were a bit hair-raising(single circuit Drum brakes..). I think the 1500 sp engines were considered 'disposable'.

JS

 

[Zcat7]

Thanks Graham, those links are very helpful!

James_stan - Ahh the heydey of true motorsport

Neil

 

[gninnam]

Seen plenty of big campervans with Smart cars and Igo's etc behind - how can this be allowed then??

Trying to keep it polite but as I put in my last post:

Thank you for being polite