Towing a classic with an A frame?
Discussion
If I wanted to tow a Morris Minor, 775kgs, using one of these
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SOLO-SINGLE-PERSON-RECO...
Would that be legal?
I understand it would be classified as a trailer, but over 750kgs, so should be braked, but of course it wouldn't be.
Seems they have sold a lot of them. Suggests they are legal?
(The car in question has no engine or box, suggesting that might creep me under the 750lgs limit!)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SOLO-SINGLE-PERSON-RECO...
Would that be legal?
I understand it would be classified as a trailer, but over 750kgs, so should be braked, but of course it wouldn't be.
Seems they have sold a lot of them. Suggests they are legal?
(The car in question has no engine or box, suggesting that might creep me under the 750lgs limit!)
Huntsman said:
If I wanted to tow a Morris Minor, 775kgs, using one of these
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SOLO-SINGLE-PERSON-RECO...
Would that be legal?
I understand it would be classified as a trailer, but over 750kgs, so should be braked, but of course it wouldn't be.
Seems they have sold a lot of them. Suggests they are legal?
(The car in question has no engine or box, suggesting that might creep me under the 750lgs limit!)
Not legal no, as you say over 750kg needs to be braked.https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SOLO-SINGLE-PERSON-RECO...
Would that be legal?
I understand it would be classified as a trailer, but over 750kgs, so should be braked, but of course it wouldn't be.
Seems they have sold a lot of them. Suggests they are legal?
(The car in question has no engine or box, suggesting that might creep me under the 750lgs limit!)
However, if no engine/box then as you say, that would likely put it under the 750kg limit.........????
aeropilot said:
Not legal no, as you say over 750kg needs to be braked.
The 750kg is also based on the MAM of the trailer, not the kerb weight.Oh, and if brakes are fitted to any trailer wheels, all wheels must be braked, regardless of MAM.
The other way of looking at is as an emergency recovery - which is how the AA etc use A-frames. The towed car must be legal, and there's a cap on speed and distance.
Use a trailer.
Technically if he fits an A frame which provides a mechanism for applying the brakes of the towed vehicle to the required efficiency then the OP would be OK, unless the rules have changed yet again.
The advantage you have with the Moggy Minor is that the brakes are not servo assisted iirc. This avoids the usual issue that even if the braking system can apply sufficient force to the brake pedal then the vacuum reservoir is soon exhausted and the braking efficiency drops. They get round this by having a powered pump for the servo. So you may be able to use a simpler version which uses a simple mechanical overrun connection, e.g. caratow.
That gets you to the next problem, price. The caratow is the order of 1300 ish, the ones which sort out the servo assistance and fancy braking systems, e.g. smart-tow they are much more expensive, maybe 2000 and up. Ifor Williams have an unused CT115 car transporter for sale for 1450. Much easier to reverse too. Plus no argy bargy with plod if you tow overseas.
The advantage you have with the Moggy Minor is that the brakes are not servo assisted iirc. This avoids the usual issue that even if the braking system can apply sufficient force to the brake pedal then the vacuum reservoir is soon exhausted and the braking efficiency drops. They get round this by having a powered pump for the servo. So you may be able to use a simpler version which uses a simple mechanical overrun connection, e.g. caratow.
That gets you to the next problem, price. The caratow is the order of 1300 ish, the ones which sort out the servo assistance and fancy braking systems, e.g. smart-tow they are much more expensive, maybe 2000 and up. Ifor Williams have an unused CT115 car transporter for sale for 1450. Much easier to reverse too. Plus no argy bargy with plod if you tow overseas.
TooMany2cvs said:
The 750kg is also based on the MAM of the trailer, not the kerb weight.
Oh, and if brakes are fitted to any trailer wheels, all wheels must be braked, regardless of MAM.
The other way of looking at is as an emergency recovery - which is how the AA etc use A-frames. The towed car must be legal, and there's a cap on speed and distance.
Use a trailer.
Do the AA use these? The closest I have seen is spec lifts, which lift the front wheels off the ground entirely. Surely you would also need a board with tail lights and registration too?Oh, and if brakes are fitted to any trailer wheels, all wheels must be braked, regardless of MAM.
The other way of looking at is as an emergency recovery - which is how the AA etc use A-frames. The towed car must be legal, and there's a cap on speed and distance.
Use a trailer.
I do not intend to break the law, whatever i do will be legal, I'm 47, my days of illegally shifting old bangers are long gone.
Realistically I'm not going to get the brakes working on a 70 year old Morris minor to tow it 50 miles. Which it seems, means I need a trailer.
My van has a towbar, its a tiny 1.3cdti Combo, it seems only allowed to two 1000kgs and I can't see how I can keep a Moggy and trailer under that limit.
I could get a towbar fitted to Mrs H's CR-V, then hire a trailer.
Or just put the job on Shipley - the problem with that is cost, as it has to go on the IOW ferry, so more time (=money)
Realistically I'm not going to get the brakes working on a 70 year old Morris minor to tow it 50 miles. Which it seems, means I need a trailer.
My van has a towbar, its a tiny 1.3cdti Combo, it seems only allowed to two 1000kgs and I can't see how I can keep a Moggy and trailer under that limit.
I could get a towbar fitted to Mrs H's CR-V, then hire a trailer.
Or just put the job on Shipley - the problem with that is cost, as it has to go on the IOW ferry, so more time (=money)
If it's a one off, as opposed to regular use, then you can hire a 3.5t self drive beavertail transporter (up to 1500kg load) for 105 quid a day round by us. I'm sure they have other depots. Ok the IoW and ferry shenanigans makes it all a bit more expensive perhaps, but that's normal for you I guess.
Applaud the I'm old enough to want to be legal and not risking moving cars about in a shonky fashion approach.
Applaud the I'm old enough to want to be legal and not risking moving cars about in a shonky fashion approach.
FiF said:
If it's a one off, as opposed to regular use, then you can hire a 3.5t self drive beavertail transporter (up to 1500kg load) for 105 quid a day round by us. I'm sure they have other depots
That would be my way of doing it as well, probably same cost (maybe cheaper/) as buying/fitting tow bar and hiring a trailer, and less hassle.FiF said:
Ok the IoW and ferry shenanigans makes it all a bit more expensive perhaps, but that's normal for you I guess.
Applaud the I'm old enough to want to be legal and not risking moving cars about in a shonky fashion approach.
Yep, ferry quite normal for us!Applaud the I'm old enough to want to be legal and not risking moving cars about in a shonky fashion approach.
Regarding the shonky fashion....
When I started pissing about with old cars in the late 80's, we did all sorts, including sitting on a milk crate in a Vauxhall Viva GT while my mate towed it with an 850 mini....
Yes, those were the days...back in the 70's
Towed a mates E type with my MG Midget
Towed an Imp at 70 on a short rope behind another Imp
Drove my MG Midget back about 20+ miles, inc through the Tyne Tunnel, after an autotest, with no brakes. Pulling up at the pay booth, me and passenger both opened the doors and stuck our legs out while pulling on the handbrake. The look on the face of the guy in the pay booth was a picture. Same operation at my mates driveway wasn't quite as successful as we landed on the garden.
Towed a mates E type with my MG Midget
Towed an Imp at 70 on a short rope behind another Imp
Drove my MG Midget back about 20+ miles, inc through the Tyne Tunnel, after an autotest, with no brakes. Pulling up at the pay booth, me and passenger both opened the doors and stuck our legs out while pulling on the handbrake. The look on the face of the guy in the pay booth was a picture. Same operation at my mates driveway wasn't quite as successful as we landed on the garden.
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