anybody know about towing with an a-frame

[big davey]

can anybody tell me can you tow a car with no tax and mot by using an a-frame or does it have to be taxed and m.o.t as i have been told its just the same towing a trailer but i don,t want to get done of the law.

[Byff]

The towed vehicle must have Road Tax.

I used to pull an off roader on an A frame, but once the tax ran out, I had to switch to a trailer.

Another thing to consider is the vehicle weight, you may have to connect a braking device if it's a regular thing, but for a one off, I would risk it. Mate of mine adapted the handbrake to work from the towing hitch and it worked really well.

[big davey]

thanks so i better buy a trailer instead cheers.

[GreenV8S]

It's legal to move the vehicle from a place of danger (hence used by AA etc) but since the towed vehicle remains on the road it has to be road legal in its own right. Since the towed car also qualifies as a trailer (and is inevitably over the unbraked trailer limit) it is not legal to use it for general towing (i.e. not removing the vehicle from place of danger) unless you have a braked a-frame.

[big davey]

save all the hassel i will just buy a braked trailer as i think a tow dolly will be the same as an a-frame the car will need to be taxed and some cars i buy don,t have tax

[DMR]

The car only needs to be taxed if all four wheels are in contact with the road.....ie if the two front wheels are off the road, as with some versions of towing dolly, then the towed vehicle does not have to be taxed.

[Stu R]

over 750kg has to be braked these days iirc.

[GreenV8S]

DMR said:

The car only needs to be taxed if all four wheels are in contact with the road.....ie if the two front wheels are off the road, as with some versions of towing dolly, then the towed vehicle does not have to be taxed.

How sure are you about that? The version I heard is that it has to be taxed unless all four wheels are off the road.

[DMR]

GreenV8S said:

DMR said:

The car only needs to be taxed if all four wheels are in contact with the road.....ie if the two front wheels are off the road, as with some versions of towing dolly, then the towed vehicle does not have to be taxed.

How sure are you about that? The version I heard is that it has to be taxed unless all four wheels are off the road.

I purchased an A frame towing dolly from a company that supplies motor trade recovery companys etc and they told me the above,also said it was a bit of a grey area and he doubted most police officers would know the exact law and he had never heard of anyone ,customers or otherwise,ever being prosecuted.
Other than that speak to a solicitor,I think the first half hour is free!

[big davey]

some say its ok some say its not so i will just buy a braked trailer then i know am ok thanks for all the answers cheers.

[chrisg120]

big davey said:

can anybody tell me can you tow a car with no tax and mot by using an a-frame or does it have to be taxed and m.o.t as i have been told its just the same towing a trailer but i don,t want to get done of the law.

Hi, As a manufacturer of a frames for the last ten years I can answer this question.

The towed vehicle doe not have to be taxed or insured.

I would also like to state that nearly everything you read online about a frames is totally incorrect and is just people saying what they've heard read or whatever.

There is nothing written down in any law book even mentioning aframes.

In this country things are considered legal unless the is a law saying they are not.

If anyone can show me ( in a law book, not what they've heard online or down the pub ) I will send them an aframe for free. ( I wont be holding my breath! )

www.towingaframe.co.uk
www.mobilityscootercarriers.co.uk

[bomb]

chrisg120 said:

Hi, As a manufacturer of a frames for the last ten years I can answer this question.


If anyone wants to listen to me down the pub, I will do this for free. (plenty of free beer)

www.towingaframe.co.uk
www.mobilityscootercarriers.co.uk

Chris ~ I'd like to take you up on your offer to 'learn', ( FREE PUB VISIT), about towing.

I'm a keen student and can drink loads.......

Tell me when to turn up for the lesson. ( admittedly, I have slightly ammended your text with my own interpretation of what you really meant to say).

Cheers,

Bomb.

Edited by bomb on Monday 16th March 23:35

[Jamz]

Ill ask when i go in for my Towing Test next Tuesday...alhought the Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) wills till apply to anything you tow, so with most cars (appart from lets say a kit car) you will be well over the limit for a non braked trailer!

Edited by Jamz on Tuesday 17th March 12:45

[grahamw48]

Towing test ?

What's that all about then ?

[Jamz]

If you passed your test after 97, you need to take a towing test to tow anything over 750kg

As i passed my test back in 2004, i need to take a towing test to tow my track car

[grahamw48]

Jeezuz

Sometimes I'm glad I'm old....was towing stuff all over the country when I was 18 !

Damm all this H & S crap.

I blame it all on women drivers.

[Wedg1e]

grahamw48 said:

Jeezuz

Sometimes I'm glad I'm old....was towing stuff all over the country when I was 18 !

Damm all this H & S crap.

I blame it all on women drivers.

You think that's bad: one of our guys went to hire a 7.5-tonner to move house and was told that he couldn't unless he could produce his 'tail-lift certificate'... a test to press buttons FFS.
He had to make do with a LWB Iveco van instead and make three times as many trips.

[grahamw48]

Well, I'm licensed to drive these:



28ft wide though, so may be limited to motorways.

[Jamz]

What made ma laugh was that HGV drivers also have to take a towing test to tow a car trailer, even though they can tow a massive trailer

[grahamw48]

These laws are made by tits who work in offices and drive Micras below 40mph everywhere.