Making an A-frame

Hi,
I have read several articles about A-frames, I am living in Belgium and over here you cannot buy such things.
On the internet I have searched for plans to make one, but could not find them.
So I am going to make one myself, but I have no idea what the measures are.
Is it possible that someone can give me some measures or tell me where I can find a plan or perhaps does have a plan.
Thank you very much.
Gr. Jea

Thank you Matt for you quick answer, but I am looking for real A-frame, the one you can fold together and does have chains.( when folded together I think it is about 1 meter long)

ah yes sorry my bad

Problem is I think I read they were illegal in europe (certainly in NL, probably ok in UK?) so that might be why you can't find any plans.

Dave

DaveCool said:

Problem is I think I read they were illegal in europe (certainly in NL, probably ok in UK?) so that might be why you can't find any plans.

Dave

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Not illegal per se, but should ONLY be used for emergency recovery, ie recovering a broken down vehicle to a nearby garage.

tux said:

Not illegal per se, but should ONLY be used for emergency recovery, ie recovering a broken down vehicle to a nearby garage.

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i think you're only allowed to get to a place of safety with them, which basically means to the nearest services or the net motorway / dual carriageway exit. that said, so long as you're doing it sensibly - i.e. lighting board, on tow sign, both number plates visible from the rear etc then you *probably* won't have a problem, in the uk at least. i've used one to retrieve a polo from Middlesbrough and bring i back to Swindon and didn't have any bother from dibble all the way down. we i have 2 traffic cars sat behind us for a while - once on the A1 and once on the M1, i guess they were just checking us out for tax, insurance etc, neither one pulled us over

Would the vehicle that's being towed steer easily (keys in ignition) when the leading vehicle turns? Just can't picture it.

Yes it does. The triangulation of the two side arms & the third member (the car) means that it cant go any where but follow the tow hitch.

You do get some forces applied to the rear of the tow car if you try to turn to fast or to tight. On a slipy road that can cause the rear of the tow car to step out.

I've seen a few mobile homes on motorways towing Cinquecento size cars with A frames so they are not just for recovery purposes unless they are all doing it illegally. I know there are wheeled towing dollies that lift the front wheels off the road which are only classed as emergency measures. Found a link and there are different types, here braked and emergency recovery only.

1. Does the car on A-frame has to have valid road tax?
2. Has anyone been stopped by police while towing?
3. Will it cause any damage to manual gearbox in the car been towed over a long distance?

Now, check this out.

I've used the 1 man dollies to tow minis about the country with sucess in the past. I'm not sure about how legal they are(I always removed the rotor arm to make sure it was broken down!!)

They do seem a common sight behing motorhomes, although some of them are braked.

I'm not sure if the same braking rules apply for trailers(ie under 750kg and no brakes required)

ive seen the AA or RAC use these A frames so must be legal also to tow a car with no road tax legally all 4 wheels must be off the floor ie a full lift is required (i looked into this a while ago with the traffic police)

I've seen a few mobile homes on motorways towing Cinquecento size cars with A frames

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They are Microcars that they tow and they are very light (under 450kgs) they also they have CVT auto transmission so they can be towed without problems associated with towing other autos
I believe there is a maximum weight limit that can be towed on a mobile home, which is why they use lightweight Microcars

Andy

Normsthename said:

They are Microcars that they tow and they are very light (under 450kgs) they also they have CVT auto transmission so they can be towed without problems associated with towing other autos
I believe there is a maximum weight limit that can be towed on a mobile home, which is why they use lightweight Microcars

Andy

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No, they are ***** size cars, I've seen a few of them actually with my own eyes and the cars are real, not like Aixam micro crap, cars such as Smart, Corsas, Micras, *****ys, Lupos and Atoz being pulled along by motorhomes. Here. I tow a trailer tent myself and use Caravan and Camping Club sites at least 6 times a year and see a lot of the motorhomes with cars attached. I am familiar with car makes and models as well.

Unless the driver has their HGV / PSV they are limited to a max of 750kg for the trailer / car. Even with brakes. If the motor home is over 3500kg (which it will be).

Been doing some googling & it now seems that that info is out of date.

As long as the total combo is less than 8250kg for some one with an old licence its ok IF the a frame has the necessary linked brakes.

I know its an old thread but its important.

towing a manual car in neutral is totally safe

yes I've been stopped several times.... on newer cars trailer must have all lights inc fogs, fogs not required on older tow vehicles.

towing on "a frame" is legal only if towed weight is under 750kg e.g. aixam / microcar / seicento..... its the actual towed weight that counts in uk according to vosa BUT in europe its the "design gvw" that counts so seicento etc is not allowed.

most of europ does NOT allow a frames.#

braked A frames count as unbraked as the brakes are not controlled directly by the towing vehicle via airline/ hydraulics etc. (vosa / dept transport ruling)

vehicles on an A frame MUST be taxed, mot and insured.... the aixam / microcar / ligier are a moot point since they are light enough to be considered trailers in their own right... HOWEVER this needs a test case to prove in law... vosa etc sit on the fence with no decision either way.. they say its down to the inspector / police involved "at the time"

in UK (ONLY UK) A frames are legal for the "recovery of a broken down vehicle to a place of safety".... it is Illegal to pick up a vehicle from a motorway unless a recognised recovery operator... its also illegal to tow a broken down vehicle on a motorway (despite what you see as common practice) so it is illegal to go past a motorway exit.. in law you must leave at the first exit although the last time I was pulled up for this was in the 60s..... the AA and RAC are recognised recovery services so are allowed to use A frames.

the snooper said:

ive seen the AA or RAC use these A frames so must be legal also to tow a car with no road tax legally all 4 wheels must be off the floor ie a full lift is required (i looked into this a while ago with the traffic police)

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legal for recovery only AA ones are braked

motor homes and A frames very very grey area illegal in most of Europe

in Spain a few Motor-homers have been told to uncouple the car and drive it or have it impounded

The law see's them as a trailer upon a trailer so both the dolly and the vehicle have to have brakes that function whilst being towed.

In general you get away with recovery to the nearest safe place. Removing the rotor arm makes no difference as to how far you can tow it.

Rob.

http://towingaframe.co.uk/

Will sell you plans