Towing a car

The substantial steel frame, certainly gives me more confidence being Inside the car, than the tin it replaced, as i said it is all contained under the bodywork, so no projecting Bull bar,

Personally, i would fit such a frame in the rear as well if i could, I prefer Non- crumple zones to crumple zones, and after seeing cars rear ended by HGVs whoses drivers were not attentive, an armoured Humvee would be an ideal vehicle for UK roads.

Unfortunately the front towing eyes on cars are not designed for long term towing and the sideways pressures that A- frame towing produces and just tacking on another on the other side, does not a sturdy towing platform make. A few cars have broken this extra towing eye off, causing the car to break away. Far better with a proper towing frame securely bolted to the chassis of the car.   NCAP or not.

I have to disagree. Towbars to Towcars do strengthen the towing eye to take into consideration the extra stresses you mention. They have modified thousands of cars and I alone have towed using the system for close onto 50,000 miles in 5 years. To date not one of there systems has parted or cars broken away. Remember their systems have gone through strenuous off road testing

Taken from their website:

 Millbrook testing: 

Attached image from testing at Millbrook proved that the towed cars stability actually increased under heavy braking when the Tow-Bars 2 Tow-Cars electronic system was activated.

Tested at 60kmh and 80kmh. Mean Fully Developed Deceleration (m/s2) plotted against pedal effort in dN. 

Millbrook is one of Europes leading locations for the development and demonstration of every type of land vehicle, from motorcycles and passenger cars to heavy commercial, military and off-road vehicles. The Tow-Bars 2 Tow-Cars electronically braked A-frame was sent on an intensive testing programme to ensure that the braking system fitted complied with all laws. The system had to meet the 50% braking efficiency test: it passed with flying colours, easily achieving this goal.

Destruction testing:

The aim of this test was to put the system "through the mill" ensuring all parts could handle the toughest abuse possible. A Toyota Aygo with the Tow-Bars 2 Tow-Cars conversion was taken to the Kirton Lindsey off-road course behind a Mitsubishi L200 4x4. The off-road course is usually used to put extreme 4x4 vehicles through their paces. After a full day of being towed around the course using our electronically braked A-frame the Toyota Aygo was disconnected and driven home with the A-frame performing perfectly. This proved beyond all doubt that our sturdy A-frame system will take any gruelling punishment.

NCAP rating is data insurers use when working premiums. To have an accident where you have not declared the vehicle has been altered could and would most probably have serious consequences. Something anyone doing should consider.

As regards towing with Aframes we do in the UK however as we winter in Spain they do not like it and we have met a few Motorhomers who have been stopped and fined and heard of one who had to leave his car and had to buy a trailer as he was solo and had no one to drive the car seperately, as others have said they will not allow it here and apparently only tolerate it in the other countries. Any other info is available on the Motorhome facts forum were it is often discussed.

As regards towing with Aframes we do in the UK however as we winter in Spain they do not like it and we have met a few Motorhomers who have been stopped and fined and heard of one who had to leave his car and had to buy a trailer as he was solo and had no one to drive the car seperately, as others have said they will not allow it here and apparently only tolerate it in the other countries. Any other info is available on the Motorhome facts forum were it is often discussed.

Can be done for a lot less, for an overrun system, but they are heavier to carry about, but just as safe

We got our A-frame from Armitage trailers in Leeds its the over run system but works fine we have towed our 107 thousands of miles and never had an issue Armitage put a new fromt cross member on our car and converted it to take the frame all for £900 great deal and a good compaby to deal with