Chat & Social > The Bar - General Chat
Towing frames
Wireless:
--- Quote from: henryandlesley on September 09, 2008, 19:12:13 ---ok then how many of us have used an aframe/towing dolly rope or what ever I know for one it will be nearly all of us i for one has used aframes towing dollies ropes chains towing bars you name it i might have tried so come on then be honest about it how many has used something what they should not have like for towing. All it is some pen pusher who has nothing better to do than come up with these things and ban them same as the bull bars they was thinking about banning them but did it work NO
--- End quote ---
I've never used an A-Frame or Towing Dolly, I always use a proper roadworthy trailer on which to move vehicles.
Went to pick up a trailer one day to help out a friend, we were going to borrow from a commercial firm (owner was prepared to let us use it), to use it to move a VW Splitty Camper (broken transmission). When we turned up there was a VW Bay Camper on it, the owner had used it that day, but the state of the trailer was lethal;
Odd sized tyres, bald tyres (no spare), damaged wheel and tyre sidewall, no mud guards, no jockey wheel or stand, no lights (all broken) with no electrics, and no brakes or handbrake, very rusty, and only a single axle on the trailer.
Remember, this was a commercial trailer used by a business daily...needless to say I had to disappoint everyone by not attaching it to the back of my Disco.
redhand:
--- Quote from: Tommo on September 09, 2008, 22:16:30 ---
"When an "A" frame is attached to a vehicle (e.g. a motor car) and towed by a motor vehicle (e.g. motorhome) we believe the "A" frame and car become a single unit and as such are classified in legislation as a trailer."
So, if you have a car that weighs under 750KG's, attach an a frame, and make sure it meets trailer legislation and lighting regs (ie trailer board) and the towing vehicle weighs more than 1500kgs (double the towing weight) then you are ok. The gross weight of the car is not relevant because it is now classed as a trailer, and it has no brakes, so by default its MAM is 750kgs. It dosent need to have tax and test because its classed as a trailer.
No doubt there will be somthing in the trailer regulations to catch you out if you look hard enough.
--- End quote ---
Yes there is. It is not the actual weight of the trailer that is counted but the Maximum weight the trailer is rated to carry that is counted somewhere on your SJ there will be a plate. with kerb weight and GVW (Gross vehicle weight) or MAM as it is known as now. It is the MAM that defines whether or not your "trailer" needs brakes. Also if a trailer has brakes. Regardless of it's weight all those brakes must work and meet C&U regulations. Currently there is nothing on the market that does. If you get stopped and use the excuse that "you are recoving a broken down vehicle" then it must have T&T otherwise it has obviously been used on a public road without T&T
Mudlark:
--- Quote from: redhand on September 10, 2008, 09:10:58 ---
--- Quote from: Tommo on September 09, 2008, 22:16:30 ---
"When an "A" frame is attached to a vehicle (e.g. a motor car) and towed by a motor vehicle (e.g. motorhome) we believe the "A" frame and car become a single unit and as such are classified in legislation as a trailer."
So, if you have a car that weighs under 750KG's, attach an a frame, and make sure it meets trailer legislation and lighting regs (ie trailer board) and the towing vehicle weighs more than 1500kgs (double the towing weight) then you are ok. The gross weight of the car is not relevant because it is now classed as a trailer, and it has no brakes, so by default its MAM is 750kgs. It dosent need to have tax and test because its classed as a trailer.
No doubt there will be somthing in the trailer regulations to catch you out if you look hard enough.
--- End quote ---
Yes there is. It is not the actual weight of the trailer that is counted but the Maximum weight the trailer is rated to carry that is counted somewhere on your SJ there will be a plate. with kerb weight and GVW (Gross vehicle weight) or MAM as it is known as now. It is the MAM that defines whether or not your "trailer" needs brakes. Also if a trailer has brakes. Regardless of it's weight all those brakes must work and meet C&U regulations. Currently there is nothing on the market that does. If you get stopped and use the excuse that "you are recoving a broken down vehicle" then it must have T&T otherwise it has obviously been used on a public road without T&T
--- End quote ---
But there is a braking system on the A-frame market that operates all the brakes on the towed vehicle
redhand:
--- Quote from: Mudlark on September 10, 2008, 09:39:27 ---
But there is a braking system on the A-frame market that operates all the brakes on the towed vehicle
--- End quote ---
Yes there is but it does not meet C&U regulations. and because the servo isn't operating on the towed vehicle the braking efficiency is reduced. So it doesn't meet minimum braking efficiencies anymore. Believe me I have had this conversation too many times not to know what I'm on about. Towing a car/4x4/van etc on an Aframe will mean you are breaking some rule, regulation or law. Unless you're recovering a vehicle to a place of safety. My brother worked for a recovery company for 12years, I've emailed Police, Vosa & various other bodies researching whether it can ever be legal to use an a frame to tow a vehicle with and everything I have found says it can't be done.
Mudlark:
--- Quote from: redhand on September 10, 2008, 10:32:45 ---
--- Quote from: Mudlark on September 10, 2008, 09:39:27 ---
But there is a braking system on the A-frame market that operates all the brakes on the towed vehicle
--- End quote ---
Yes there is but it does not meet C&U regulations. and because the servo isn't operating on the towed vehicle the braking efficiency is reduced. So it doesn't meet minimum braking efficiencies anymore. Believe me I have had this conversation too many times not to know what I'm on about. Towing a car/4x4/van etc on an Aframe will mean you are breaking some rule, regulation or law. Unless you're recovering a vehicle to a place of safety. My brother worked for a recovery company for 12years, I've emailed Police, Vosa & various other bodies researching whether it can ever be legal to use an a frame to tow a vehicle with and everything I have found says it can't be done.
--- End quote ---
It would also depend on the age of the towed vehicle (turned into a trailer) as to what law applies as well — older trailers not being subject to the same regs?
plus with the braking system you were using a vacuum pump on the servo were you not?
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