What's the disadvantages of towing a car?

Kups

Kups

Joined
Feb 23, 2021
Posts
1,277
Likes collected
2,096
Location
BURY ST. EDMUNDS
Funster No
79,383
MH
Adria Coral 670 SLT
Exp
Since 2002
We've had great fun electric biking but being realistic about our physical capability we're considering selling them and converting my wife's Toyota to a tow car, already have the tow bar installed. I can hire a bike if I need one.
We know the advantages of a tow car. So what are the disadvantages? Is it OK to stay on an aire with a tow car for instance? All comments gratefully accepted.
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
It seems that Europe might at last be slowly catching up with UK as regards use of A-frames but hoping their regulatory authorities might take a similar stance as ours might be too optimistic methinks.
 
Upvote 0
the1andonly said:
Forget the bit about unbraked trailer ,thats been covered.
The reason why most MX5s are not towable is because theres no structure at the front end, nothing to attach to and pull. Early models could be flat towed.
Click to expand...
I'm just finding that out from others as well, bah, not fair.
 
Upvote 0
Minor hitch in our plans, the car we were going to use is an automatic and a hybrid as well. Been advised that automatics cannot be towed, have to go on a trailer.
Plan B time!
 
Upvote 0
Kups said:
We've had great fun electric biking but being realistic about our physical capability we're considering selling them and converting my wife's Toyota to a tow car, already have the tow bar installed. I can hire a bike if I need one.
We know the advantages of a tow car. So what are the disadvantages? Is it OK to stay on an aire with a tow car for instance? All comments gratefully accepted.
Click to expand...
I have the Tow-Bars to Towcars electronic conversion and have found it to be excellent. First rate company to deal with and excellent standard of workmanship.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
Upvote 0
minesapint said:
Hi, check out this site it is on Facebook, ((A Frames not Trailers in Europe)) and has much information about towing in Europe, many people are now A framing in Europe and the systems are even being built and fitted in Europe.
As for towing our car around we rarely leave home without it, we had a A frame system fitted by Tow A Frame ((https://towaframecom.business.site/)). We chose it because it is much lighter than previous overide braking system a frames we had used on our earlier toads.
The electronic braking system is excellent you do not feel any snatching on the brakes from the car at all, just steady braking.
Hope this helps.

​


View attachment 774284 View attachment 774285
Click to expand...
I’ve said before on here, that site is run by a guy who has his own version of regulations, both in the U.K. and Europe!
as such, it’s full of misinformation!
 
Upvote 0
offagen said:
It seems that Europe might at last be slowly catching up with UK as regards use of A-frames but hoping their regulatory authorities might take a similar stance as ours might be too optimistic methinks.
Click to expand...
There is no change in Europe regarding the use of a-frames, read my post #62. It explains the role of the UNECE.
Europe as a whole has no say in the regulations, though the UNECE regs allow individual nations to have their own versions…

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
Conniedriving said:
Only because he would not let you join the group
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t join his group if it was the only one on FB. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to see who the admin was until his daughter volunteered the info… 🙄

He was kicked out of a proper a-frame group because of his attitude and comments!

Log in to Facebook

Log in to Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family and people you know.
www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
 
Upvote 0
TonyEmm said:
There is no change in Europe regarding the use of a-frames
Click to expand...
The change I referred to was seeing A-frames appearing more and more behind European registered motorhomes. Yes, still a small number compared to the UK but steadily growing.
TonyEmm said:
read my post #62.
Click to expand...
I had, so there was no need for you to repeat yourself.
TonyEmm said:
It explains the role of the UNECE.
Europe as a whole has no say in the regulations, though the UNECE regs allow individual nations to have their own versions…
Click to expand...
If you had actually read my post you would have seen that I expressed scepticism that European countries will relax the regulations (despite them having the option to, in your own words, "have their own versions").

You come across in your posts as quite self-righteous and that is really not a character trait to be proud of.
 
Upvote 0
TonyEmm said:
I wouldn’t join his group if it was the only one on FB. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to see who the admin was until his daughter volunteered the info… 🙄

He was kicked out of a proper a-frame group because of his attitude and comments!

Log in to Facebook

Log in to Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family and people you know.
www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
Click to expand...
Everyone who disagrees who with what you say gets kicked out
 
Upvote 1
Conniedriving said:
Everyone who disagrees who with what you say gets kicked out
Click to expand...
Everyone is free to disagree with anything I say, it’s about how they do it!
When folk get abusive, then admin (who isn’t me) steps in and puts them in line. Repeat offenders are removed.

No-one wants to see abuse and offensive comments in any group/forum.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
Clive Mott said:
We are also motorcyclists and now her indoors has given up solo riding I built a sidecar.
Click to expand...
Can't decide which image is correct ... "Wallace and Gromett" or the "Two Fat Ladies"!
😆
 
Upvote 0
Five pages and IMHO the only useful information is that the type of A frame with telescopic arms and electronic braking is easiest to use.
When we moved from a caravan to an American RV, we were one of the earliest in the UK to use an A frame, one of the first ones Alan Bee of Car-a-Tow made. 20 years of towing to Spain with no problems, although I admit since then circumstances have changed insofar that the Spanish authorities started to enforce a law they always had that one vehicle couldn't tow another.
Like most things in life everybody is entitled to make their own decisions within reason.

Our reasons today are health issues using bikes, and having two large dogs, coupled with the fact that we still like to remain in one place for 3/4 days occasionally. The only thing that will change is that I'm finding it very difficult to handle the weight of the Car-a-Tow and will change it for a light weight one.

Not wishing to be rude, but I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in other peoples opinions of what I do or don't do
 
Upvote 0
I just don’t see the point of towing a car behind a motorhome, with a big rig like that you would have to mainly use a campsite so you might as well get a small caravan to tow behind the car.
 
Upvote 0
spigot said:
I just don’t see the point of towing a car behind a motorhome, with a big rig like that you would have to mainly use a campsite so you might as well get a small caravan to tow behind the car.
Click to expand...
The justification is that you can choose whether or not to tow your car. Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't. It depends on where we are going and for how long.

Caravanners don't have that flexibility. The caravan can't go anywhere by itself.

Also, towing a car behind the motorhome doesn't limit us to campsites. In the UK we use more THSs, rallies and off-grid club meets than we do campsites.
 
Upvote 0
Steve and Denise said:
I find the Lnb quite good but when uncoupled the bayonet fittings to the car do turn 90 degrees so can come out, that said I have found popping a 30x20 box section through the two joints allows this with no problems.
Click to expand...
I’ve heard exactly that problem this last week in a FB group… Apparently, it’s not an issue with Towaframe’s system https://towaframeltd.co.uk/ which is the nearest competitor in design….
I’m guessing it’s due to the twin articulated joints at the bayonet fittings, coupled with a flexible connection at the apex of the triangle. Careful checking is needed before driving off to ensure the towing pins are properly located!
 
Upvote 0

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top