A-Frame Towing Europe

Are you really expecting CAMC to take on Europe?

Sorry but European law is unlikely to be changed by a few whimperings from CAMC. Anyway, once we're no longer part of the EU they won't even need to listen to the UK.

Without going over the issue in detail all over again, the biggest stumbling block is that the unit consisting of the A-frame and the car is treated as a trailer, as there are no provisions in the law (not even in the UK) which specifically cover A-frames. With the introduction of whole vehicle type approval requirements for trailers such a unit would have to be type approved, not individually as an A-frame, nor the car, which has its own type approval, but as one complete unit. Fact is that no-one has ever gone through such an approval process. Until such time, A-frames are illegal. Full stop.

A further issue is that the towed vehicle requires anchorage points for the attachment of the A-frame which are usually a permanent fixture. These amount to a technical modification which could affect frontal impact and pedestrian protection performance when the A-frame is not attached and consequently they, too, would have to be approved individually.

Then there is always the issue of trailers having to be registered in their own right with their own number plate in most countries on the Continent. This would mean that the car which is registered anyway would have to be registered, taxed and insured again as a trailer when the A-frame is attached.

In view of such hurdles, the chances of A-frames being legalised elsewhere are just about nil.

I still prefer to use a properly designed car transporter, less risk to the car, easier to manoeuvre, 100% legal everywhere, no restriction on the towed car (except weight of course). Downside is naturally the storage on a site though I've rarely had any issues, and the weight of the trailer which eats into the towing margin.

I'd have serious reservations with an arrangement like that. For a start, with the need to crawl under the vehicle to attach the A-frame there is always a danger of not having done the fasteners up properly and there is no way of performing a quick visual check afterwards. Secondly, I wonder whether the car manufacturer would approve. If the car is ever towed over a speed bump, for example, the jolt could affect its suspension geometry.

You're right. I haven't used one. The thought of a chain wrapped around the lower radius arm frightens me though, even if the chain is enclosed in a sleeve to protect the radius arms from damage. Surely one would still have to get under the car to see whether the ratchet straps are tight? Without a dedicated attachment point, can't the chain slip and foul the front suspension pivot joints or worse, the brake pipes or brake hoses to the front wheels if the straps aren't done up tight enough? I'd certainly like to see one up close.

How does the arrangement apply the brakes on the towed vehicle?

Ah takes me back

If I read this correctly' its all down to what you call it and what it's used for Is it an A frame or a Dolly?

From the manufactures adverts they seem to use the word Dolly in the description to get round the grey area of the Law?

Like this one rated at 3.5 ton A Frame Dolly

You need to see one 

Stability is just one issue of many. There are other aspects of safety which need to be addressed before A-frame towing can be considered a viable solution without any reservation and I suspect that no-one is going to invest time and money to regulate such a system in view of the low volumes involved and certainly not on the Continent.

My opinion is that towing a car over a long distance either by rope, or A frame, is not a kind thing to do to a car.

To my way of thinking that the gears, synchromesh, and clutch are all driven onto the back edge of the gearing. When driven normally the drive train is used as designed, clutch gearbox, wheels,  Not in reverse. It seems a recipe for silver oil, not that gearbox oil is changed much nowadays.

Add in the rubbing of the brakes, and associated friction surfaces, Using a trailer seems a better choice, if you have the sufficient capacity for car and trailer.

rgds

The legality referred to by the DOT statement is only their opinion. There is no law specifically covering the use of A-frames, nor has any court reached a verdict, so it remains a grey area in the UK.

The April 2013 breakpoint only refers to the need for the complete A-frame plus car unit to be type approved as a trailer. To my knowledge, no manufacturer has gone through such type approval procedure. Note that any modifications to the towcar to provide anchorage points for an A-frame would affect its type approval as well and that was already in effect before April 2013. It is not sufficient just to show that such modifications don't change the appearance of the car, as the above response suggests. Structual modifications under the surface also need to taken into account.

I can't see where there is a case for taking the issue up in 'European law', whatever that means. A decision probably wouldn't be reached before Brexit anyway, and it's anybody's guess what the situation will be like afterwards.

One would hope that they made the owner aware of this in the handbook?

I did, in my explanation try to take a generic approach which is the case generally, but as you point out there is always an exception as I said with some of the smaller autos. 

Either way, it's not an issue I will have to consider because I prefer to just un hitch and set up for the duration of our stay leaving us the car to use. But we all like different things