Warning... brakes on tow car

Not if it breaks😋

I see it as not being a tow car as not towing and should be called a towed car. 

Which is why a towed car is commonly known in the MH world as a Toad. 👍🏻

 This thread started as a warning. On the braking system of a tow car when NOT being towed.

A couple of replies have suggested a trailer as being a better option than towing a car. Someone, perhaps a newbie, could be reading this and think this is a good solution.

There are more than a few reasons why this is not the case, quite the opposite infact.

A tow car, on 4 wheels, one roughly at each corner will ALWAYS be more stable than a trailer.

Putting a car on a trailer raises the centre of gravity by AT LEAST 16 inches. (42 cm. Smallest trailer from Brian James)

Unlike a caravan, you cant move the weight around in a car on a trailer, so to achieve a correct nose weight you will need to have a trailer MUCH longer than the car being carried to allow for trim adjustment. Not doing so will invariable result in either a low or high nose weight. The only nose weight with a tow car is that of a portion of the A frame.

You will be adding at the VERY LEAST 450kg to the weight being towed. (again the smallest vehicle transport trailer from Brian james)

No pitching with a tow car.

No swaying (unless its a rear engined when this is possible)

Cant jack knife.

You will have another item, in the shape of the trailer to put somewhere when you arrive at a site or at home.

If you encounter a tight area, or want to park en-route you cannot easily reduce your overall vehicle length.

Lastly we have cost. A Frame, around £1200. New car transporter, smallest I could find £2200.

Except for going to Spain, a country, world renowned fot its vehicle development and technological expertise :-) . (Well they can make tortillas)

Arguments please?

You’re asking for an argument on CT! 😱😱😱

I'll argue that it is not a tow car. Will that do?😀

Unless a very small car(Smart) a twin axle trailer would be the sensible choice

 Swaying ? i have  followed a car on an Aframe

Except for going to Spain, a country, world renowned fot its vehicle development and technological expertise :-) . (Well they can make tortillas)

It's not only Spain, it's throughout Europe. It's just that the chances of getting caught in Spain are obviously higher than elsewhere.

It have yet to come across a car/A-frame combination that has been type approved. Not only that, but as likely as not, the type approval of the towed vehicle is null and void because the provisions for the attachment of the A-frame have not been approved by the car manufacturer.

Besides, the braking efficiency of the A-frame is questionable to say the least and, last not least, the attachment of the A-frame is operator sensitive. It is a potential safety hazard if not assembled correctly and there is no independent means of checking whether it was done so.

To the best of my knowledge, the A-frame/car combination doesn't fulfil the lighting requirements for a trailer. This applies in particular to the presence of front position lamps, front reflectors, side reflectors, rear triangular reflectors (unless integrated in the board to which the number plate is attached), possibly also the legally required reversing lamp.