Advice please: Towing a car with a motorhome

[krunchkin]

Any advice appreciated. I believe the rules have changed? Would a Fiat Ducato sized motorhome like this - http://www.tyresave.co.uk/alloyvan.html be allowed to tow a BMW e36 on a trailer or A frame on a normal license?

[LouD86]

It really depends on the vehicles train weight, and the chassis. Worth checking the vehicle itself.

[TooMany2cvs]

Trailer - depends entirely on weight.
A-frame with overrun brakes hooked to the towed car - again, weight.
Unbraked A-frame - nope.

The fact it's a motorhome (and a BMW) makes no difference.

[krunchkin]

sorry for naivety - but can you safely tow a BMW on an A frame - given that it's going to be rolling on the drive wheels?

BAsically I have an e36 track car that we want to tow to circuits behind my dad's motorhome. My understanding is that if you passed your test before 1997 it is ok for up to 8 tonnes on a standard license.

The van weighs 3 1/2 tonnes. The beemer has been stripped out and weighs much less than a standard one would.

Again - any advice gratefully received.

[krunchkin]

I should add we are on a budget as we are not hardcore track heads. We go and have fun once a month or less - so if we could do it with an A frame rather than buying a 2k trailer then that would be better.

[Sixpackpert]

My inlaws have just done this with their motorhome and a Micra.

The went with an A-frame but it is a full install that operates the brakes on the car when the brakes are applied in the camper. They did this to pass legislation on the continent that has outlawed A-frame towing without braking the towed vehicle. They spend time in France every year. It was not cheap but it does cover all bases and the electrics can be moved onto different cars...at a cost.

I can ask them for information if you like?

[Roo]

I thought the vehicle being towed had to be road legal as it's being "used" on the road.

[Sixpackpert]

Roo said:

I thought the vehicle being towed had to be road legal as it's being "used" on the road.

This as well, I should think.

[magooagain]

Does the camper allready have a tow bar? If not it will need a professional to make and install one as the camper may have an extended chassis which will need a few calculations worked out.

[geeks]

A trailer is by far the better bet bearing in mind its a trackday car, imagine if you have an off....

They can be hired for as little as £25 a day, ensure you get one plated at 1600 then any E36 from the Compact to the touring can be loaded on, also the police will not care about the weight of the car once stripped but the kerb weight from the factory.

[krunchkin]

Roo said:

I thought the vehicle being towed had to be road legal as it's being "used" on the road.

it is road legal - thanks to my excellent mechanic. Full MOT and tax and insurance

[Sixpackpert]

The cost of the conversion for the A-Frame is about the same as a car trailer for a small car, they looked into both options. The in-laws went with the conversion instead as they have nowhere to store a trailer when it is not needed.

[rallycross]

Don't do it!

For some reason when I see these motorised caravans crawling along with their car attached to the rear it makes me want to scream GET OFF THE ROAD!

[krunchkin]

rallycross said:

Don't do it!

For some reason when I see these motorised caravans crawling along with their car attached to the rear it makes me want to scream GET OFF THE ROAD!

i'll shed a tear for you when I'm slamming the BMW around Oulton Park

[Henry Fiddleton]

Plenty of people at club races seem to tow cars on the back of motor homes no problem...

[TooMany2cvs]

Sixpackpert said:

The went with an A-frame but it is a full install that operates the brakes on the car when the brakes are applied in the camper. They did this to pass legislation on the continent that has outlawed A-frame towing without braking the towed vehicle.

So no different to the UK, then...

You CANNOT tow anything with a MAM of 750kg+ unless ALL the trailer wheels on the road are automatically braked by the tow vehicle. If you're claiming your car-plus-A-frame is a trailer, then check the MAM of the A-frame and the GVW of the car. Unless both are <750kg, you're legally stuffed. For perspective, the GVW of a 2cv is about a ton.

The ONLY exception to that is an "emergency recovery" of a fully road-legal but broken down car, and that's got heavy restrictions on maximum speed. It's that simple.

For a track car, I'd have thought the arguments in favour of a trailer were even stronger, given the chances of it getting broken or bent.

[krunchkin]

ok - so I think we have concluded a trailer is the answer, and hiring one when required is the cheapest option. The question remains - can my dad (license passed in the 1970s) - legally tow a trailer with a BMW on it behind his motorhome on a standard license?

[rallycross]

krunchkin said:

ok - so I think we have concluded a trailer is the answer, and hiring one when required is the cheapest option. The question remains - can my dad (license passed in the 1970s) - legally tow a trailer with a BMW on it behind his motorhome on a standard license?

The answer is yes.

[krunchkin]

thanks all. some great advice here

[red_slr]

For track work a trailer is a must. The time will come when you will need it! Getting the recovery truck to drop the remains directly on your trailer will be the only good bit of the day!

Re the motorhome itself. Any idea which engine / gearbox combo it is?
The newer Fiats are known for very weak gearboxes. Older stuff 2006 and older are a bit better.