Bit of a random one, I need to be able to tow my track car and think the price of shonky trailers is stupid, seems that you have to pay £500 for a wreck. So was looking on ebay and came across these a frame things for towing. Was wondering if anyone has used them and if there suitable for low cars?

 

Yes used many but i'm pretty sure they are now illegal to use on the road!

 

Just checked, before youbuy one you best make sure it meets guide line for trailors as many are illegal

 

Also if its a track day car only(no tax) then it os illegal to use an a frame or any devise to tow a vehicle that is unroad worthy due to no tax or no insurance as it is in contact with a national road! Where as on a trailor it is not in contact with the road

 

Cheers for the replys mate, not gunna be able to do that then as the car isnt road legal.

 

tried to use one once, failed miserably, got a proper trailer instead

win

 

used them loads of times until the car I was towing pushed the back of our transit across the road got a trailer after that have you tried gumtree

 

Could be wrong but I think they're only allowed to be used for recovery purposes only too. So you could get in trouble for just transporting a car.

 

I towed a 306 gti all the way from Scotland back to Hartlepool with one you can't even tell the car is behind you, so easy to use. Oh I also got stopped by traffic police, the 306 had no tax, test etc and didn't do a thing.

 

the vehicle your towing has to be tax tested and in roadworthy condition as wheels touching floor same as tow dollies as 2 wheels touching floor

 

Used one for years and most cars that were on it didn't have tax, mot or sometimes both. Never been stopped once with it. Belongs to my friend who has also been up and down the country with it with no hassle. That's not to say its legal but never had any bother, think it would depend on the mood of the copper, as seems to be a grey area.

They take a bit of gettin used to, I've also had the towing car pushed sideways by the extra wait but drive to the road conditions and they are fine, also be sensible with what you are towing, and what with.

ie using a Mondeo to tow a Fiesta was fine, but don't try it the other way around!!!

 

its all the goverment and more amore crap they bring out my mate got done and points for tyres and slack battery on the car on a frame like towing with rope cant do it but years ago had to have it insured but ive used straight bar and insurance on vehicle at front covers vehicle being towed copper told me

 

then that copper was wrong mate

 

i have seen first hand what these heaps of shit are capable of ! i would never advise anyone to use one, get a dolly or a trailor is my advice.

 

i had car on back of my transit and fieasta with broke clutch and got stopped on vosa site were police the dole customs and enviroment agency were there as its common as hell up here and got away no probs my insurance covered car at back with it being a straight bar i do his braking and pulling away so its technically a trailer and same as an a frame or trailer

 

Even some dollys are illegal! Last year and even before that you could get away with using dollys/a frames but they are really cracking down now i certainly wouldnt risk it!

 

hmmmm you do his braking? if it is classed as a trailer anything over 750kg needs to be braked!!!!!

 

It's got brakes.
Unfortunately it needs someone to operate them and someone to steer..

 

As above, wether they are legal, or not, i have been all over the country with mine no bother.

 

this is off the government web site
A-frames and dollies

If you attach an A-frame to a car in order to tow it with a larger vehicle, the car plus A-frame counts as a trailer.
If you use a dolly to tow a broken-down vehicle, the dolly counts as a trailer.
In both cases the usual safety regulations for trailers apply

 

A frames trailers are an art to reverse, the bigger the trailer the easier it is. It's easier to drive an artic IMHO.

 

I use an A frame, its the type with a system to operate the towed vehicle brakes via a cable to the brake pedal. Really nice to tow with. I've towed my XR4x4 with my Sierra estate from Swindon to Coventry and back without incident. Recently towed my daughter's Fiesta about 15 miles with the estate as well. As the government website says, a vehicle being towed by an A frame counts as a trailer so does not need to be taxed, MOT'd or insured.

 

There for recovery only but tow very well! I have towed with the works one and a 3.5 ton ldv convoy loads of times and it always towed fault less

 

Such a grey area this,there was a thread not so long back where IMA guy had 6 points on his licence for towing an un insured,but taxed and tested vehicle on one of these yet as others have said above they've been pulled with no issues.
I watched one of those cop program's not so long back and the guy was towing a landrover with a rangerover in a big trailer and the cop asked him where his tacho was!!!
Apparently you need one if you do it for "reward",even things like your picking it up damaged to repair is considered reward and you can get done.

I have an absolutely cracking trailer,Czech built,strong,twin axle been all over the country never an issue,vosa never even glanced at it by Ross on wye.

I've always towed with 4x4's though so perhaps that helps?

 

+1

 

towing a range rover with a land rover would have been a combined weight of over 3.5 tons! So for work purpose I.e for higher and reward then your into tacho law