'A' Frame or Tow Dolly - Have you ever used one ?

Silvera · 01-11-2003 5:59pm #1

Have you ever used an 'A' Frame or Towing Dolly to tow a car ?

'A' Frame

Towing Dolly

gs39t · 01-11-2003 6:04pm

Can they be used with an automatic?? I remember something about you cant tow an automatic car because it'll mess up the autobox (of course im referring to a RWD car using one of those)

JabbaTheHut · 02-11-2003 12:50am

Yep.Don't use this towing method on automatics.There is a pump in the gearbox to lubricate all the clutches and workings in it,which is powered by the engine when it's running.You'll damage the box if you do.
If you really have to tow automatics like this,run the engine while towing,or have the trailing axle on the ground,with the driven ones off the ground.

I used both methods,but thought both were illegal at this stage.Personally,I felt more in control with the towing dolly.

Silvera · 03-11-2003 7:17pm

I've also used both, and while the dolly was probably the safer option, the A frame was so handy - pop it in your boot and away you go!

From what I understand, both are allowed for vehicle recovery only, i.e. not for transportation (as that requires you to have overrun brakes on ALL wheels of any trailer. A car attached via an A Frame or Dolly is a trailer. Actually with a dolly, it is classed as two trailers !).

Recovery is classed as "recovery to the nearest 'place of safety' "
i.e. after you pass the nearest 'place of safety' it is classed as transportation - and so requires a car transporter trailer.
(Recovery Companies are exempt from these regs).

Saw a guy driving a US type pickup recently towing a Yaris (with an A Frame) on the outside lane of the M50, he must have been doing at least 70mph !

That wasn't you by any chance, JabbaTheHut ?

JabbaTheHut · 03-11-2003 11:40pm

Lol. No. Although,I wouldn't mind owning a US style pick-up

Silvera · 05-11-2003 7:29pm

Fair enough Jabba

Silvera · 05-11-2003 7:31pm

Wouldn't mind having one myself either

- it was one of those US twin-cab twin-rear-wheels pickup trucks.

Actually, speaking of the US - it is actually fully legal over there to use either an 'A' Frame or Towing Dolly for transportation !

A lot of people over there use them to tow their cars behind motorhomes or when moving home (i.e. tow behind rented self-drive removal van).

US Towing Dolly.

www.towdollies.com

Silvera.

Silvera · 09-11-2003 6:25pm

Anyone else here ever use one ?

'A' Frame or Tow Dolly - Have you ever used one ?

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