Page 1 of 1

A Frame for Club Use in Bristol Area.

Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 9:02 pm
by heathy12
Just bought an A frame to transport my traveller back from my Garage.

Image

Very handy piece of kit and sooooo easy to use. Ive had the problems of getting cars back home for years renting trailers and the hassle of getting them back on time...not to mention the costs!!

So Thought i'd pop this for use by club members up here and do something ive been hoping someone else did for years! :lol:

Before anyone posts (Theres always one!) - Im not a trader, im not financially gaining from this (Although some beer tokens wouldn't go amiss) and im not advertising services.

Just trying to help out other owners which is what the spirit of this club is all about! I'd hate to see it sat in my garage gathering dust when someones in need.

PM or email me if your interested, ive left it down at my garage in exmouth for the moment so wont actually have it back again in Bristol for a few weeks but if your planning a move then let me know!

Ad :D

Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 10:34 pm
by Sidney'61
Looks interesting, as the wheels are all still on the road does the car therefore still need to be MOTed in order for you to tow it like that?

Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 11:42 pm
by millerman
Often best to do the job and ask questions after!!

Heathy very good of you to to offer this to members.

Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:03 pm
by heathy12
millerman wrote:Often best to do the job and ask questions after!!

Heathy very good of you to to offer this to members.
My way of thinking!! :wink:

My case was a needs must and was transporting to the garage for the MOT and some bits. Its motorway legal to tow and it tows like a dream, ive got a Vivaro Van and its load is 3 tonnes so a Minors fine, wouldn't have know it was there!

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 11:14 pm
by rayofleamington
Hmmm - I thought these were now not legal......
And yes - the towed car would need to be fully legal in all respects.
Trailer regulations allow an unbraked trailer up to 750 kg. To meet trailer regs you'd need a lighting board with working fog light (due to width) and you need a safety cable to cope with the towed weight (not a useless breakable cable).
Tow vehicle has to be rated for the weight of unbraked trailer and you have to have the required category on your license.

You would also need to reduce the weight of the Minor to make it under 750kg. If the towed car was roadworthy in ALL aspects then you can be fined if the car is not taxed! Working handbrake, solid structure, and steering and legal tyres are a must. Sharp (rotten) bodywork is not allowed.

If for example engine and gearbox were removed from a Minor and the tow car allows up to 750kg unbraked trailer, your license and insurance are correct, then PC plod would be hard pushed to give you anything other than a hard time (unless they are a real nerdy expert on towing regs). Trailer construction regs require the hitch to be plated if made since ~2000. I'd avoid the issue but if brought up then remember that the car is older than 2000...

If you travel through Warwickshire, bear in mind that the police here do regular spot check on ALL towing vehicles - often on the M40. and they have a hit rate that is very high! (usually due to trailer plate infringements but also due to excess weight). Despite the fact it is very hard to find the actual rules, lack of knowledge is not an acceptable excuse to break the rules as far as the police are concerned.
One of our trailers at work was impounded this year - we were lucky that I'd researched towing rules over the last 2 years as they came in and did a spot check on site to see what other towing we did! We'd already implemented new policies due to finding out more of the very hard to find rules :roll: We also got the impounded trailer back as they were sure it was a previous owner who had tampered with the plate].

I also have an A-frame but for the above reasons I'm careful about lending it out!


[getting off topic now] Using a braked A-frame (available and sometimes used to tow a small car behind a massive camper van) can also fall foul of the rules as there are new clauses for reversing lock / brake desing that are not met by the towed car :-?
Manual reversing locks are no longer allowed (still allowed on old trailers). All the trailer wheels need to be braked using leading shoes to allow reversing. Any trailing shoes (like on the rear of most cars) would not meet this rule so the car wouldn't meet UK braked trailer rules.

Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 9:19 pm
by heathy12
Still got this if it helps anyone out.

Just thought i'd keep this at the top!

Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:25 pm
by bmcecosse
Camper vans I see these days - tow their little 'run-about cars' on proper trailers, with all 4 wheels off the ground. There's a good reason - A frames are NOT legal!

Re: A Frame for Club Use in Bristol Area.

Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 4:04 am
by polo2k
Hi there, is this still on offer?