A Frame towing- a few questions

[Cruising R32]

Do any of you guys have experience with towing a car using an A-frame?

Whats the deal with the law?

How easy/ safe are they for towing a car with a similar weight car?

Where is best place to buy one from?

Here is a link to one I was looking at-
http://www.adverts.ie/car-parts-acce...covery/4027501

 

[PeteMoore]

they are grand providing you use common sense.

As far as the law is concerned, almost certain the car being towed must be classed as a trailer and fall into the law regarding towing and it must also be taxed and MOT'd.

Would also need a trailer board on its arse

 

[NI_Volvo_Nut]

When I had one I asked a cop about it, he didnt have a clue, other than the towed car becomes a trailer. I had magnetic lights to put on the towed car and I put my number plate on the towed car as well. Police passed me towing on the motorway from Banbridge and didnt pull me over, do I assumed this was acceptable. As for towing, I used a Volvo 740 or an S70, both heavy cars, but on twisty road I could feel the back of my car being pushed out by the towed car. If i were planning on using it alot, I think I'd want a jeep of some sort.

 

[56oval]

Most police over here dont know the regulations themselves or arent interested as long as you are towing in a safe and secure manner, as pete has said the vehicle in question being towed is classed as a trailer, if you are going by the letter of the law your gross train weight (i.e total weight of vehicle and laden trailer combined) must not be exceeded. Now this bit is where it gets sticky, if you exceed 750 kilos of trailer weight including vehicle being towed, the letter of the law stipulates that it must be braked, quite how you would effectively do this on a vehicle being towed with an A frame im not sure. If you need to look into making a device to make the vehicle braked then i'd say it would be just as easy to hire a trailer short term or buy one long term. Imo, do it right, use a safe and secure A frame that is well built, obviously use a trailer board and have your rig 100% Ive seen plenty of dangerous homemade towing rigs over the years, ive also seen plenty of great ones but if you dont want the hassle of getting stopped, or being dragged across the coals when you do, make sure your belt and braces with a good setup.

 

[Coog]

I don't think it needs MOT'd or taxed because it's classed as a trailer.

 

[FM155]

Done a bit of a-framing recently and know a couple of guys in england who use them to pick up all manner of project cars after late night drunken ebay bids. The towed car is classed as a trailer and does not need mot tax or insurance as long as a trailer board displaying the towing cars registration is displayed. Tyres, lights (trailerboard only) and towing weights have to be within limits but as has been said it is a bit of a grey area regarding braked weight. A lot of cops dont really know the detail of the law on a-framing which is understandable because its not that common so the results when or if you get stopped can vary wildly. Key rule is common sense, make sure your overall weights are right and keep the speeds down to avoid attracting undue attention.
There are a couple of good threads on retro-rides about a-framing as there are a few dedicated tat collectors on there...

 

[pablo]

I thought A-frames were illegal as the "trailer" isnt braked?

 

[Coog]

Can be used for recovery purposes, Pablo. Sure the RAC/AA and loads of other recovery companies use them.

 

[pablo]

do theirs not have 2 wheels and are braked?

 

[pablo]

like so:

 

[Coog]

Yeah but all 'trailer' wheels in contact with the road need to be braked. The RAC/AA ones will only be braked on the front dolly wheels.

 

[56oval]

If they are recovering from a breakdown, dollies do not have to be braked.

 

[pablo]

with an A frame though none are braked.

 

[56oval]

see my first post pablo



http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consu...n/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_200824.pdf

 

[stevieturbo]

do theirs not have 2 wheels and are braked?

Yes they do.

Which technically isnt fully braked as Coog says. But you can be fairly sure the AA/RAC will have had theirs made to comply with any rules, or they might have some sort of exclusion to allow them for recovery. They do have a 62 mile range limit for using them though. Not a big deal here, but does force limitations on the mainland before full flat bed must be used.

Any A frame etc should be considered emergency use only at best though even if the "trailer" was sub 750kgs. That in itself rules out almost every car.

Although I think there is a clause somewhere that if the trailer is less than half the tow vehicle weight...it may not need to be braked.

 

[Cruising R32]

see my first post pablo http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consu...n/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_200824.pdf
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consu...n/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_200824.pdf

Cheers for that link, interesting reading and answered a lot of questions.