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Unless they have added something to operate the brakes, definitely not legal.
Something like this required:
https://unibrake.co.uk/towing-a-frame-with-power-assisted-brakes/
Towing Advice
- Thread starter nevillen
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Something like this required:
https://unibrake.co.uk/towing-a-frame-with-power-assisted-brakes/
Datatek
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As far as I'm aware, A frames are illegal except for recovery, but as you say the motorhome crowd use them all the time and here at least the Gendarmes seem to turn a blind eye, but I do wonder about insurance.
badfluffy
Well-Known Member
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i was thinking along the lines of it not being recovery on motorway, remember a good few years ago of the banger guys using a frames to take their cars to meets until there was a big purge by police
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pretty sure the brakes dont need to work on the towed vehicle if using a solid bar to tow with. a car is not a trailer, even when being towed
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Yes they do. If towed vehicle has all 4 wheels on the ground, in UK it must be road legal, regardless of whether a rope or bar is used.
Gov.uk specifically calls out a-frames as well, and considers these the same as trailers, i.e. must have working brake systems.
That said, I have an A-frame but mostly only used it for recovering small hatchbacks locally & never had any hassle. Recovered an automatic Vectra once from Ferndown to Langley (M27, M3 & M25), and never had police stop me, but that was 20 years ago.
With all the cuts you would probably have to be doing something stupid to get stopped, or they simply had nothing better to do!
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i understood the rules/regs are all centred around running a breakdown/recovery business, not a private individual would would typically be recovering a car a short distance and low speed
Datatek
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Sorry but they do.
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From an insurance site: If the car's wheels make contact with the road, it needs to be insured. Even if it's broken down, there's still a chance the car could be involved in an accident in transit, with car insurance you're protecting against these events.
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rules must have changed. last time i checked.. long time ago.. i think it was RAC said.. its not advisable and keep speed below 15mph
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Mind you, they also say that engine braking damages your car, so maybe their other pages spout rubbish too
norseman
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Just to throw yet another spanner into the works 
Any trailer (or anything classed as such) must have brakes on all wheels in contact with the road.
I suspect that the reason that the plod usually turns a blind eye to the various 'towing' offences being committed is because they don't really want the paperwork .. but there can come a time when they have nothing better to do.
Any trailer (or anything classed as such) must have brakes on all wheels in contact with the road.
I suspect that the reason that the plod usually turns a blind eye to the various 'towing' offences being committed is because they don't really want the paperwork .. but there can come a time when they have nothing better to do.
Datatek
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Only trailers over 750kg require brakesJust to throw yet another spanner into the works
Any trailer (or anything classed as such) must have brakes on all wheels in contact with the road.
I suspect that the reason that the plod usually turns a blind eye to the various 'towing' offences being committed is because they don't really want the paperwork .. but there can come a time when they have nothing better to do.
Turboman
Mab An Gov
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I suspect it is because most of them haven't got a clue about the regs. and as you say, don't want lots of paperwork and a court case with a possible no result.Just to throw yet another spanner into the works
Any trailer (or anything classed as such) must have brakes on all wheels in contact with the road.
I suspect that the reason that the plod usually turns a blind eye to the various 'towing' offences being committed is because they don't really want the paperwork .. but there can come a time when they have nothing better to do.
When I used to deliver cattle to market with my trailer, there were plenty of trailers parked outside attached to vehicles that obviously couldn't tow trailers that weight legally.
Plod often attended the market, for various reasons including assisting with diesel dipping.
But I never heard of anyone getting nicked for trailer related offences.
Turboman
Mab An Gov
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I see plenty of motorhomes with small cars on A frames on the roads in the UK, and also lots of trailers on the motorway and A roads going way over the legal speeds.
Never seen any of either pulled over, but that isn't to say it doesn't happen.
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And a car isn't classed as a trailer, though it has the same limitations ie the weight you're allowed to tow
Datatek
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Unless it's on an A frame? when it is in effect a trailer.
Well, finally got to tow the restoration project out of the container, it is an old rolls Corniche not a Bentley! Pulled it out no probelem, easy peasy, then towed it a mile and managed to 're;ocate' it dpwn a steep slope in front of a house with a massive glass window. All very good, unfortunately on the way back home I was behind some plonker who was driving at 5mph in an electric car who then panicked when the police pulled up in front of him and closed the road. He then reversed almost hitting me, so I had to pull backwards and then very foolishly forgot to check the near side of the Rangey and ended up totalling the passenger door, what a P.I.T.A! Anyway am picking up a replacement door on Tuesday, same colour with all the gubbins with it. Be careful when you do favours AND remember some of the old codgers that drive old RR's can be really stupid!
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stemac33
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Ouch!
We did say get it trailerd by a proffesional...weve had discussions on here before about damage when helping others...
You are SO right, do favours at your own Peril! Should have hired a professional....
