a-frame towing

bones · Post by **bones** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:38 pm

hi all, ive been thinking of getting an a-frame for towing my car about when needed, it says you do not have to have an m,o,t or tax or insurance on the vehicle you are towing, is this true,

rich, ok that doesnt sound right, the car thats being towed doesnt need to be mot,d or taxed or insured, that sounds better,

ian.stewart · Post by **ian.stewart** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:47 pm

I think the vehical being towed is clasified as a trailer, but you do have to rn a trailer board and lights, Or as my mate has done, hard wired a trailer socket undrt the front wing of his racecar, clips his frame onto the car, puts a numberplate on the car and off he goes,
You must however maintain the towed vehical as if its a traler, including having legal tires fitted.

bones · Post by **bones** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:53 pm

ok thanks Ian, i will have to order one then, ive got insurance ,mot, and tax for thr range rover in may and cant afford to do the rover aswell just yet thanks again,

rich

r2d2hp · Post by **r2d2hp** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:53 pm

I was told the vehicle has to road legal as all 4 wheels are on the road.

Some useful inks

http://www.ukmotorhomes.net/a-frames.shtml
http://www.ntta.co.uk/faq/default.htm

bones · Post by **bones** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:08 pm

ok now im confused, which isnt hard to do, i sore a car being towed by an a-frame which had no lights or windows in it, it had a light board on the back, and a company that makes them says the car being towed doesnt need to be mot,d or taxed or insured.

rich. and thanks for the links,

r2d2hp · Post by **r2d2hp** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:19 pm

This maybe of interest as well

http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/Recovery-A-fr ... 0005253846

stevieturbo · Post by **stevieturbo** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 11:06 pm

If a car is on the Queens highway...at all. It needs MOT, tax and insurance.

A lot of it sounds silly, but thats how it is.

Doesnt matter if its a wreck, with no wheels, no trim, no engine etc etc.....if its on the road, its still deemed to be a motor vehicle requring insurance etc.

And if the cocks in power have their way, soon they will require every vehcile to have insurance, no matter where it is, or what state its in.

F**king joke.

disco_al · Post by **disco_al** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:50 am

a-frames are technically only supposed to be used for short recovery work, and as such towing a car from home to track is not technically recovery.

also, as it is technically classed as a trailer, if it weighs over 750kg, it needs to be able to brake on it's own, as per the trailer regulations.

IIRC only two small micro cars sold in the UK are under 750kg in weight.

HairbearTE · Post by **HairbearTE** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:06 pm

We followed some guys up to shakey last weekend for the run what ya brung and they were towing an escort with a A-frame on the motorway. I won't say the were all over the place but it did look a little uncomfortable. They had hooked up a light board but it wasn't working!

Ian Anderson · Post by **Ian Anderson** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 9:31 pm

Talking of a frames

I used to A frame my Formula V in Zimbabwe a number of years ago.

Yes I had a trailer board attached to the roll over bar but no insurance tax or anything. (Trailers had to have a separate number plate and tax disc - not the same number as your car)

I got stopped ny the police about 6 times and they all wanted to see the race car - never even asked if it was a legal way to tow. One lot even insisted I fire up the engine so they could hear it!

But then the 7th time I got stopped the guy asked the question and I said no it is not a car it is a trailer. Properly attached and with trailer lights.
So he was OK with that till he saw nu number plate - he then asked where the number plate was and I said but it is a race car not a trailer and race cars do not have bumber plates.

I think I had by then confused the sh1t out of him so he just said please carry on but keep your speed down - the original thing he stopped me for was the speed I was doing - about 80mph on a 60 zone (the Capri sat at a comfortable 80) - only once I stopped did he realise the Formula V was on tow.

Lucky escape untill 2 days later when I rolled the V at about 90 mph on the track - try and A frame a bent car home - it does not work!

Ian