A Frame

I have towed all over Europe towing a car on an A Frame with the exception of Spain where they are clearly not tolerated without any issue.

We no longer take the car to Europe as we prefer the freedom of aires / stellplatz etc.

I tow the car all over the UK where I have never experienced an issue. If you want any advice on A Frames I would suggest you talk with the expert who in my opinion is Graeme the MD of Towbars to Towcars in Grimsby. A company I have dealt with for a number of years and have converted a few cars for me. I would never have handed over my 3 day old Mercedes SLK for conversation to anyone but him. He did a great job, it was a challenge but they had the technical ability to overcome all the challenges the Mercedes threw at them, like the GPS selects which side the fog light should be on depending which country you are in, or the auto application of the handbrake if the car starts to roll (or be towed) whilst the engine is not switched on and all 4 wheels are on the ground.

They are an extremely experienced company and a pleasure to do business with.

http://www.tow-bars2tow-cars.co.uk

Hi

Good post from Stewart above.

I towed my ford ka for 6 years behind a chieftain, mostly in UK but also winters chasing the sun. Far easier than a trailer. On two separate winters in Spain I've been stopped and fined and had to separate the car from van, and I know several of folk who have been treated the same. Whether you've been given bits of paper from the a frame fitter deeming it legal is irrelevant when the Guardia Civil Trafico stop you and decide it's not. If you're not fluent in the language of the country you're stopped in and familiar with their beaurocracy, it's not worth it.

I've seen quite a few French and Italians this winter here in Spain towing with a frames and still quite a few Brits, hey for me it's once bitten.

Same old chestnut, the problem is that they are neither legal or illegal, hence it's up to the local copper to make a call. Most if not all will turn a blind eye, except importantly in Spain.

The fitting companies chose to use the argument if they are not illegal then they are legal, which is not strictly the case, but it suites them.

Frankly I like A-frames, (even though it's almost impossible to reverse them), however I'm not prepared to take the risk, so I use a proper car trailer and have never had the slightest problem..

Towing with an A-frame in the UK is not a problem, I have been doing it for nearly 20 years without issue. It's a different story over the water though and I wouldn't recommend it. Putting a car on a trailer has its own issues not least loss of payload and overloading of the rear axle.

disagree with H B about reversing, I was able to reverse my Yaris perfectly, with the help of a twin reversing camera.

my set-up was a Car-a-tow system, worked perfectly for several years until we downsized to a PVC.

i didnt have the tow capacity for my car and a trailer, so A-frame it had to be. Never took it abroad. Insurance with the club for both car and motorhome ensured fully comprehensive at ALL times.

recommend it.

I can reverse with the TB2TC system without issue and they have a video on their website showing it being done.

The issue with reversing is with the older over-rum braking A Frames which are becoming less common due to the physical weight and size issues. I think more and more are changing over to the electronic systems.

With regard to legality within the UK DVLA have given there opinion that provided the car complies with trailer design and construction regulations they have no issue. However, as we are all aware legality is the opinion of a court. To date I have never heard of anyone being charged with regard to the use of an A Frame in the UK hence no test case.

Please lets not open the legal illegal debate again, it has been done thousands of times and we all know there is no definitive answer only the UK courts can decide :-)

 YES YES YES ,you can reverse with an " A " frame !! I've put it on C.T many times after perfecting it with my Smart behind the Autocruise.Place a pair of strong 'bungies' (expanders) ,one each round the steering spokes and clipped to perhaps the seat base.Normal reversing is then possible ,just like any trailer .Been there ,Done it ,left ,right ,or straight !! NO PROBLEM. !!

                      TRY IT & SEE .

But doesn't Trailer Design and Construction Regs. state the trailer (ie A framed Car) should have the ability to reverse without intervention. Unless the bungees are constantly in place, which I'm not sure if they are, would the method comply.

If you have to jump out the van and attach the bungee straps I think that would be out with compliance of said regs, but I'm no expert, just my interpretation.

I also assume this is an electronic A Frame we are talking about, conventional over-run systems would apply the brakes of the car as soon as you go into reverse, hence the school of thought to no longer be in compliance with the DVLA stated regs

Regardless of wether the bungee's are in place or not when being towed,the car still travels following the towing vehicle,as would a boat ,luggage,horse box or caravan.All wheels would follow,and did when i used this system.The 'A' frame i used (by Car-a-Tow of Poole) was not an electronic one ,but a standard model.The overrun brake would only operate/come on if the tow hitch parted from the tow ball thereby pulling the brake on in the towed car.Very unlikely ,unless there was a serious accident ,and either vehicle turned over.

From what i have seen boat trailers don't even have an attached breakaway wire.Until the instigation of M.O.Ts for caravans and trailers ,i can't see anything changing !!

I completely agree triky,  my Car-a-tow system also allowed towed car to be reversed , did it numerous times without the brakes of the car locking on ? Dont know exactly how it works ? But it did? Brakes worked fine when going forwards. 

I couldnt afford the electronic system, all in my Car-a-tow system cost me  850 pounds.,  650 for car to be fitted with a tow frame., and 200  for a nearly new A-frame off of E-bay. Yes, it was heavy to carry about but it was very robust and strong, no worries of it failing.