Anyone use a towing dolly ?
Discussion
From the AA website.
Towing on an A-frame
An A-frame or recovery dolly can only be used legally to recover a vehicle which has broken down.
If you tow a car that hasn't broken down using an A-frame or dolly then the law treats the combination as a trailer which must meet the appropriate braking and lighting rules.
Trailers below 750kg don't have to be fitted with braking systems, but if a braking system is fitted to a trailer of any weight – as is clearly the case for a car – then the braking system must operate correctly. This is not possible for normal systems fitted to cars, particularly the brake servo, which would not be working unless the engine was running.
Towing on an A-frame
An A-frame or recovery dolly can only be used legally to recover a vehicle which has broken down.
If you tow a car that hasn't broken down using an A-frame or dolly then the law treats the combination as a trailer which must meet the appropriate braking and lighting rules.
Trailers below 750kg don't have to be fitted with braking systems, but if a braking system is fitted to a trailer of any weight – as is clearly the case for a car – then the braking system must operate correctly. This is not possible for normal systems fitted to cars, particularly the brake servo, which would not be working unless the engine was running.
The AA and RAC use them.....
Anyway, they ok to use. Mine is a bit of a bugger to assemble and dismantle. Reversing isn't easy compared to a trailer, as you have to change the position of the steering lockout pins. Stability at speed is fine, provided the car is properly strapped down, and the wheels in contact with the road are OK.
Mine is unbraked, but newer ones are braked. I haven't had any problems under braking. The ability to carry it in the car is a real bonus. Don't use an A frame as they can be lethal....
Anyway, they ok to use. Mine is a bit of a bugger to assemble and dismantle. Reversing isn't easy compared to a trailer, as you have to change the position of the steering lockout pins. Stability at speed is fine, provided the car is properly strapped down, and the wheels in contact with the road are OK.
Mine is unbraked, but newer ones are braked. I haven't had any problems under braking. The ability to carry it in the car is a real bonus. Don't use an A frame as they can be lethal....
We tow a car behind our RV as I simply can't be arsed to use a trailer. I've nowhere to store it and my brother has his stolen once to often. I can have the a-frame hooked up and ready to go in 3-4 minutes. Once you hook up an a-frame to a car it does become a trailer and subject to all of the trailer rules and regulations. Mine uses a normal overrun braking system that simply pulls on the brake pedal but there's a number of more sophisticated systems available (read more expensive!) We've been told repeatedly that the brakes won't work without the engine running, well, I'm sorry but they do it's just takes more pressure. A member of the RV Owners Club runs a MOT testing centre tested the brakes on his tow-car without servo assistance and it easily passed the test. Loads of people have told me it's illegal as the legislation says you must be able to reverse the trailer without leaving the towing vehicle. I've won a few bets by reversing.....6 inches. Nowhere in the rules or regs does it say how far you have to be able to tow.
the pips said:
Mine uses a normal overrun braking system
There y'go. Legal.the pips said:
Loads of people have told me it's illegal as the legislation says you must be able to reverse the trailer without leaving the towing vehicle. I've won a few bets by reversing.....6 inches. Nowhere in the rules or regs does it say how far you have to be able to tow.
Nowhere in the rules or regs does it say anything about not being able to get out of the tow vehicle - else my car trailer (non-auto-reverse hitch) would fail that test.https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car/towing-equipmen...
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
"The use of “dollies” is intended for the recovery of broken down vehicles, not for the transportation of a vehicle from “A” to “B”. Under Regulation 83 of C&U a motor car is permitted to tow two trailers when one of them is a towing implement and the other is secured to and either rests on or is
suspended from the implement.
When used for recovering broken down vehicles “dollies” are exempt from having an operational braking system fitted, provided that the towing vehicle is capable of meeting the minimum prescribed braking requirements for the combination. However, if “dollies” are used for the transportation of perfectly functioning vehicles they will need to be fitted with an operational braking system. Additionally the brakes on the wheels of the towed car which are in contact with the road must work and meet the specified 50% braking efficiency required for a trailer.
The dolly would also be required by Regulation 22 of C&U to be fitted with suspension.
Regulations 19 and 22 in C&U permit a broken down vehicle to be recovered without complying with these requirements. However, there is further legislation under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984that introduces a limitation on the maximum speed that the combination can be driven. This is 40mph on motorways and 20mph on other roads."
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
"The use of “dollies” is intended for the recovery of broken down vehicles, not for the transportation of a vehicle from “A” to “B”. Under Regulation 83 of C&U a motor car is permitted to tow two trailers when one of them is a towing implement and the other is secured to and either rests on or is
suspended from the implement.
When used for recovering broken down vehicles “dollies” are exempt from having an operational braking system fitted, provided that the towing vehicle is capable of meeting the minimum prescribed braking requirements for the combination. However, if “dollies” are used for the transportation of perfectly functioning vehicles they will need to be fitted with an operational braking system. Additionally the brakes on the wheels of the towed car which are in contact with the road must work and meet the specified 50% braking efficiency required for a trailer.
The dolly would also be required by Regulation 22 of C&U to be fitted with suspension.
Regulations 19 and 22 in C&U permit a broken down vehicle to be recovered without complying with these requirements. However, there is further legislation under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984that introduces a limitation on the maximum speed that the combination can be driven. This is 40mph on motorways and 20mph on other roads."
Riley Blue said:
How do owners of motor homes towing small cars on an A frame get away with it?
lighting and brake adaptations have to be performed on the car as well as some way of fitting the mandatory trailer reflectors unless you use a lightboard and just have the brake mods done .Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff