Best A frame for a Smart ForTwo

Dare_Devil_Dennis

Dare_Devil_Dennis

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We have just bought a 2016 Smart ForTwo and wondered what the best A frame would be to use.

Ease of use / storage
Cost

Thanks

Dennis
 
Double check if it can be a-framed, there seems to be some debate about it.
 
@Minxy Girl beat me to it.
If the car is a 453 (the latest version) from about 2015 on the 6 speed automatic, not the robotised one, it cannot be flat towed.
The modern 6 speed manual MUST NOT be flat towed either.
I’ve been down this road
 
Nov 2016 1.0 manual. Could be a trailer then.

I’ll check with the dealer

Thanks for the advice.

Dennis

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My error, the manual is 5 speed, the auto is 6.
 
Another consideration - if you intend taking it to Spain you'll definitely need a trailer to be legal.
 
Will have a storage problem with a trailer (unless there is a dismantlable one out there).
 
Dare_Devil_Dennis said:
Will have a storage problem with a trailer (unless there is a dismantlable one out there).
Click to expand...
There are some folding ones that can be doubled up and stood on end I believe, but they aren't cheap. :( You could instead look at storing a trailer away from home.

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These two threads on the American Smart Car forum suggest they the 453 manual can not be towed. (They call A frames Flat towing).
It is something to do with the transmission being lubricated by an oil pump when the engine is running, and without this you are limited to 30 miles at 30 mph.
However as you suggest, check with Smart directly as they will know.

This company
https://www.lnbleisure.co.uk/index.php/6/
Says they CAN convert a 453 manual for A frame, but I have no experience of them. It MAY be worth speaking to them and asking what they do to get around Smarts advice regarding the lubrication.
 
I use the smart tow system on my Skoda citigo and have towed it for 13000 miles, but even in France they are getting a bit funny about it, i also have a smart car on a smart trailer for the Europe, they sell a-frame systems and trailers, and they will fit your a-frame on your drive
http://www.smart-tow.com/towframe.htm
 
My Information is that ONLY the OLDER Smarts can be flat towed. As for trailers, I saw one at a show (Malvern?) that can be folded up and will store.? I "Think" the asking price was north of £2k though?, compared to say a Brian James at circa £1500, new. Even S-H they make over a Grand, usually. I did look at fabricating a DIY, "custom" narrow trailer which would store in a space beside my House. Estimated it would cost about £700/£800 to do properly.

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PeteH said:
My Information is that ONLY the OLDER Smarts can be flat towed. As for trailers, I saw one at a show (Malvern?) that can be folded up and will store.? I "Think" the asking price was north of £2k though?, compared to say a Brian James at circa £1500, new. Even S-H they make over a Grand, usually. I did look at fabricating a DIY, "custom" narrow trailer which would store in a space beside my House. Estimated it would cost about £700/£800 to do properly.
Click to expand...
£2k is not far off what you would pay for the better A frames, so a folding trailer for the same price might be a better option in this case, as the OPwill lose money if he has to change the car.
 
Mr Chrysalis said:
£2k is not far off what you would pay for the better A frames, so a folding trailer for the same price might be a better option in this case, as the OPwill lose money if he has to change the car.
Click to expand...

Never Paid a New Price(y). Second hand "Caratow" frame. Just get the conversion parts from "Caratow", same frame on 7 cars so far!. ( I am a Yorkshireman!:D2 HOW much!).
 
This is all great stuff, thanks.

We didn’t buy the Smart to use it to tow. In fact my Autosleepers Stanton does not have towing limits specified so towing as it stands is not legal. It would need to be re-plated by SV-tech and a tow bar fitted. (Which I will do)

We bought the car as a little run-around for my wife, but I would like to exploit it eventually. Hence the question.

Your answers and suggestions are all most helpful and informative.

The car is the latest model and off the cuff, the Mercedes dealer did not know about the towing restrictions. He is going back to his Tech People for a definitive answer from Mercedes

Like the idea of a folding trailer. Thanks

Dennis
 
I contacted Mercedes head office re. towing the automatic smartie as I had discovered, by I think @Minxy Girl, that American smarties could be towed, with clear instructions in their owners handbook on how to do it.
Mercedes stated that they would not sanction European smarties to be flat towed, they wouldn’t honour the warranty.
They did not say that it couldn’t be done, just that they wouldn’t recommend.
You could check the American smartie site and download their version of the handbook, and check for yourself. The biggy with the conversion is ensuring the battery is completely isolated during towing.
 
Kevan said:
I use the smart tow system on my Skoda citigo and have towed it for 13000 miles, but even in France they are getting a bit funny about it, i also have a smart car on a smart trailer for the Europe, they sell a-frame systems and trailers, and they will fit your a-frame on your drive
http://www.smart-tow.com/towframe.htm
Click to expand...
I have one of these trailers which i brought 2nd hand year before last, the one i have has a 10ft bed so can take most small cars including the smarts. The trailer has also been fitted with a motormover which is a god send not just for moving it on sites but for me just to get it to the point that i can hook it up to the back of the motorhome with ease as i live on a hill and cannot get the motorhome down our drive so i have to connect it all up on the road. I also had a towbar fitted to my smart but again this is purely just to move the trailer around when onsite as the smart has no legal towing capacity although some say it can take 450kgs but i take that with a pinch of salt. It is all about making my life easier and although i would like an A Frame to use here in the UK the prices of some are more than the trailer and motormover combined and then you cant even use it abroad. We store ours in a storage yard as originally i got the space for the motorhome but dont think that will fit now that i have the new one (8.5m) so i leave the car on the back in the space and get it when required as only 4 miles away. The actual trailer itself has been faultless with only 1 issue which is the jockey wheel as this ios very hard to move it with it on as i think somehow it is damaged but i have a new one now which is a heavy duty one which came yesterday which looks much better quality.

It does make us 40ft in length though when towing which so far i have not had any issues but for some it will just be too much.

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zac said:
I have one of these trailers which i brought 2nd hand year before last, the one i have has a 10ft bed so can take most small cars including the smarts. The trailer has also been fitted with a motormover which is a god send not just for moving it on sites but for me just to get it to the point that i can hook it up to the back of the motorhome with ease as i live on a hill and cannot get the motorhome down our drive so i have to connect it all up on the road. I also had a towbar fitted to my smart but again this is purely just to move the trailer around when onsite as the smart has no legal towing capacity although some say it can take 450kgs but i take that with a pinch of salt. It is all about making my life easier and although i would like an A Frame to use here in the UK the prices of some are more than the trailer and motormover combined and then you cant even use it abroad. We store ours in a storage yard as originally i got the space for the motorhome but dont think that will fit now that i have the new one (8.5m) so i leave the car on the back in the space and get it when required as only 4 miles away. The actual trailer itself has been faultless with only 1 issue which is the jockey wheel as this ios very hard to move it with it on as i think somehow it is damaged but i have a new one now which is a heavy duty one which came yesterday which looks much better quality.

It does make us 40ft in length though when towing which so far i have not had any issues but for some it will just be too much.
Click to expand...

Also have tow bar and mover,
IMG_0038.JPG
 
zac said:
I have one of these trailers which i brought 2nd hand year before last, the one i have has a 10ft bed so can take most small cars including the smarts. The trailer has also been fitted with a motormover which is a god send not just for moving it on sites but for me just to get it to the point that i can hook it up to the back of the motorhome with ease as i live on a hill and cannot get the motorhome down our drive so i have to connect it all up on the road. I also had a towbar fitted to my smart but again this is purely just to move the trailer around when onsite as the smart has no legal towing capacity although some say it can take 450kgs but i take that with a pinch of salt. It is all about making my life easier and although i would like an A Frame to use here in the UK the prices of some are more than the trailer and motormover combined and then you cant even use it abroad. We store ours in a storage yard as originally i got the space for the motorhome but dont think that will fit now that i have the new one (8.5m) so i leave the car on the back in the space and get it when required as only 4 miles away. The actual trailer itself has been faultless with only 1 issue which is the jockey wheel as this ios very hard to move it with it on as i think somehow it is damaged but i have a new one now which is a heavy duty one which came yesterday which looks much better quality.

It does make us 40ft in length though when towing which so far i have not had any issues but for some it will just be too much.
Click to expand...
Do you have photos of your trailer?
 
The Dotties said:
@Minxy Girl beat me to it.
If the car is a 453 (the latest version) from about 2015 on the 6 speed automatic, not the robotised one, it cannot be flat towed.
The modern 6 speed manual MUST NOT be flat towed either.
I’ve been down this road
Click to expand...
Im interested in this, where does the info come from that you cant tow a Smart on an A-bar.?
Armitage Trailers Yorkshire seem to offer a product!

Need to know.......
 
You can quite happily tow a roboticised Smartie, pre about 2015.
The newer automatic 6 speed car cannot be towed as the gearbox continues to turn, there is no true neutral. The earlier robot gearboxes have a true neutral.
There is more info st #12 and again at #19

The modern 5 speed manual cannot be towed at all.

The posts above will point you to the American sites, which are worth a read.
 
The Dotties said:
You can quite happily tow a roboticised Smartie, pre about 2015.
The newer automatic 6 speed car cannot be towed as the gearbox continues to turn, there is no true neutral. The earlier robot gearboxes have a true neutral.
There is more info st #12 and again at #19

The modern 5 speed manual cannot be towed at all.

The posts above will point you to the American sites, which are worth a read.
Click to expand...
Sorry, but I am sure that is not correct
 

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