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Re: Anybody know the laws on towing dolly's

Phil Kingdom
I would have thought a rigid draw bar would be a better bet than a dolly.


But it still needs the brakes to work on the 'trailer'. or it does if you want to be within the law.

I have used A-bars to tow all sorts of cars totalling thousands of miles. Usually at about 55 mph but up to 70 at times - higher speeds mainly up hill. Always with the towed car brakes not operative.

All highly illegal.

Re: Anybody know the laws on towing dolly's

andrew34ruby
Phil Kingdom
I would have thought a rigid draw bar would be a better bet than a dolly.


But it still needs the brakes to work on the 'trailer'. or it does if you want to be within the law.

I have used A-bars to tow all sorts of cars totalling thousands of miles. Usually at about 55 mph but up to 70 at times - higher speeds mainly up hill. Always with the towed car brakes not operative.

All highly illegal.



I wonder how those folk with the motor homes with a 'dead' car in tow on a rigid tow bar manage then?…. surely they are not illegal?….. or do they have some system that allows the towed cars brakes to work when the gin palace doing the towing applies it's brakes?

Re: Anybody know the laws on towing dolly's

Hi Mike,

I'm one of those with a foot in both the A7 and gin palace camp

"A" framing has, and I suspect will always be a grey area in the UK. It is not strictly speaking legal but it hasn't been declared illegal either so basically it is tolerated. It is looked at differently in other European countries like Spain where it is considered illegal.

The premise of towing a car with an "A" frame is that the car becomes a trailer when being towed so it must comply with towing law. This means that the car must display the number plate of the towing vehicle, lights must work in conjunction with the towing vehicle, reflective triangles must be display at the rear of the car (trailer) and the brakes must work in conjunction with the towing vehicle. This can be achieved either by an overrun type system (like a caravan) or with a fully electronic system.

Trailer law says that any trailer over 750kg must have brakes fitted but even if a trailer is under 750kg then any brakes that are fitted must be operational. This would mean that an A7 could be A framed but a method of braking it would have to be found.

Phil

Location: South Wales

Re: Anybody know the laws on towing dolly's

Is there any technical reason from the A7 side of things why it would not be wise to tow using an A frame or dolly. I was thinking about possible damage to the drive train or chassis for instance.

Regards Ian.

Location: Worksop Notts

Re: Anybody know the laws on towing dolly's

Ian Bennett
Is there any technical reason from the A7 side of things why it would not be wise to tow using an A frame or dolly. I was thinking about possible damage to the drive train or chassis for instance.

Regards Ian.


I can't see a technical problem tow a A7, but it depends what speed. Remember the rear wheel bearings, diff, prop-shaft, and gearbox mainshaft are all spinning round. If anything did start to fail you wouldn't hear it and damage could be catastrophic.

I was once towing a Vauxhall Chevette like this and at the destination found the gearbox was smashed into a dozen pieces, with oil on the inside of the windows.

Re: Anybody know the laws on towing dolly's

Reckless Rat
Actually Hedd I'm sure that the legislation regarding kerb weight relates to the manufacturers stated figures of the unladen vehicle, with full tank of fuel and any tools such as jack, wheelbrace, spare wheel etc. Loading it up with luggage, passengers and anything else does not alter the LEGAL kerb weight in order to tow a heavier trailer.

Therefore for unbraked trailers (ie dolly plus A7) the towing vehicles unladen weight must be at least twice the weight of the towed trailer and that the trailer,(ie car and dolly) whether laden or not, together must not exceed 750kg.

At the end of the day, safety is what it's all about. Personally I wouldn't tow my A7 on a dolly unless it was absolutely necessary and there was no alternative.


I understand that there is case law that sets the precedent that it is the actual weight as measured at the kerb during the act of towin
There was some issue with a number of different ways various manufacturers defined kerb weight differently