Car Transporters (Trailer Type)

jolly_roger187 · Jan 15, 2006

I was looking at a car transporters for getting my 205 about, but have you seen the price on the things??

Im having none of it and plan to get the welder out and knock one up in the future when the cars done. has anyone made one before, or know where i can get some plans?

Please post any info, materials, costs ect.

cheers

neil · Jan 15, 2006

ive got some towing dolly plans somewhere if thats any use, ive also got
a dolly for sale at 200.00. cheers,

neil.

Hitch · Jan 15, 2006

The last one i made was from scratch, no plans.
Its easy. The main thing to remember is the position of the axles so you dont put to much nose load on the hitch.
Also if you plan on using ramps, make sur you have legs that you can drop down to prevent the trailer from rocking when you drive up.

nellway · Jan 15, 2006

Car trailer

A guy I knew on Hayling Island bought an old twin axle caravan and made a trailer from the chassis - the problem with that method of course, is that the axles need to be legnthened to allow for the width of the car.

I have hired one in the past. There's a saying on the Aston Martin Owners club forum - if it flies, floats or f***s it's cheaper to hire....
:twisted:

^neo^ · Jan 24, 2006

If you buy everything from new you're looking at around £1000 for all the running gear, lights, tow hitch, wheels & steel.

Then a good weekend with a decent welding set to stick it all together

malcolm · Jan 24, 2006

I would go the eBay route: http://motors.search.ebay.co.uk/car...2QQfmcZ1QQfromZR8QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsacatZ9800

Let someone else build the thing.

tomslik · Dec 16, 2007

Plans

I too would appreciate any no cost plans for a car hauler. I would even try that car dollie plan. Much appreciated.

peterd51 · Dec 16, 2007

Hi,

for a 205 a caravan chassis should be more than enough for the job...

it's not a big car, is it?

Depending on the weight of the car you may even get away with single axle but I'd probably go for a twin.

Buy two cheap caravans, strip out and sell the kitchens, beds, etc. Also sell one set of lights, tow hitch. Cut the front off one chassis and the back off the other and join them together.

Old caravans should be cheap to buy now and selling the bits and pieces in the spring when people are looking for ugrades for the coming summer it should cost very little to get a decent working transporter.

And if you wanted to sell the trailer later you'd make lots of dosh on it.

Regards
Peter

dcocks · Dec 16, 2007

Hi
I have looking for a home a 10.5x5 trailer it has a ramped tail gate and sides that could be cut off easy enough
it does need 1 of the hubs sorting out as ceased up, think it can carry a couple of tons. It is a pro build trailer bout 7 years old
I'am open to offers not looking for much for it all it needs is a bit of work on it
cheers David
ps will put some pics on monday if i remember

Wozzaaah · Dec 16, 2007

peterd51 said:
Hi,

for a 205 a caravan chassis should be more than enough for the job...

it's not a big car, is it?

Depending on the weight of the car you may even get away with single axle but I'd probably go for a twin.

Buy two cheap caravans, strip out and sell the kitchens, beds, etc. Also sell one set of lights, tow hitch. Cut the front off one chassis and the back off the other and join them together.

Old caravans should be cheap to buy now and selling the bits and pieces in the spring when people are looking for ugrades for the coming summer it should cost very little to get a decent working transporter.

And if you wanted to sell the trailer later you'd make lots of dosh on it.

Regards
Peter

I don't think it's a 205 Peter, the poster has resurrected a 2 year old thread :laughing:

.

Tomslik, I don't know how readily available caravan chassis' are in Canada, maybe try to find an old livestock trailer to adapt, they're usually twin axle. I'm not sure about the laws on towing dollies in Canada but over here, AFAIK the vehicle being towed STILL has to be taxed as it's effectively still being used on public roads.

irondarren · Dec 16, 2007

I look ages ago at building a nice multi purpose trailer, car transporter etc etc. The suspension units with hubs wernt that bad in price, but what costs the money is the coupling, a braked unit is over £250 for a reasonable one

tomslik · Dec 17, 2007

I can tow with a dollie although I preffer a trailer. I certainly dont mind spending money on detailed plans but I would have to be able to look through many many plans to see if it suits my need so I d go broke. So ill make do with a freebee. As for brakes , princessauto sells axels with elecrtic brakes for a reasonable amount. And I buy, own and haul VW golfs.
Thanks

peterd51 · Dec 17, 2007

Hi,

I know the towing laws have changed and I'm not up to date on dollies now...

when I last checked they could only be used for 'recovery' of 'broken down vehicle'.

Basically as long as the car doesn't start then it's OK to carry it.

The two wheels on the road have to be legal but as long as the engine doesn't start then it's a four wheeled trailer and so no tax or MOT required. The insurance of the car being towed is derived form the towing vehicle.

As far as I can tell the only change in the new law was that the dolly has to be braked.

Regards
Peter

Wozzaaah · Dec 17, 2007

Yes Peter, you're semi correct, I got this from the NTTA website;
An A-frame or dolly can only be used to recover a broken down vehicle to a place of safety. Transporting a car is, therefore, illegal. A-frames may be offered with a braking system that applies the car's brakes. These do not conform to the law as the car then becomes a "braked trailer" and has to conform to European Directives contained within the Construction and Use Regulations. It does not conform to the European Directive 71/320/EEC and amendments regarding braking requirements in any way. The use of this A-frame for transportation is illegal. It is still OK for use to recover a vehicle to a place of safety.

And another towing site describes using A-frames in more layman's terms; Basically you are ONLY allowed to get the vehicle from a hazardous area to the nearest 'safe area', once you proceed past that first safe area, it then becomes 'transporting' not 'recovering' and is therefore illegal.

peterd51 · Dec 17, 2007

Hi,

thanks for the update...

it's now a lot more 'regulated' than it was!

Regards
Peter

Wozzaaah · Dec 17, 2007

I was always led to believe A-frames were perfectly legal as long as the car that was being transported had road tax. I didn't think about the 750kg rule. It seems the only legal way to use an a-frame is if it's mounted on a proper tow-truck, those aren't strictly a-frames or dollies though as they don't have wheels, they're hydraulically operated.

tomslik · Dec 17, 2007

I am not sure but there doesnt seem to be as many regulation here and in fact I have seen many family cars being hauled with a dollie behind motor-homes. Anyway I am looking for some PLANS. Anybody, anything that moves vehicles in any way...? Thanks

Car Transporters (Trailer Type)

jolly_roger187

Member

neil

Member

Hitch

Moderator

nellway

Member

^neo^

Member

malcolm

& Clementine the Cat

tomslik

New Member

peterd51

happy to be here!

dcocks

Member

Wozzaaah

The wizard of woz

irondarren

Member

tomslik

New Member

peterd51

happy to be here!

Wozzaaah

The wizard of woz

peterd51

happy to be here!

Wozzaaah

The wizard of woz

tomslik

New Member