[peedee]

There is an easy way to manouver a tow car and attached "A Frame". Take a 3 to 4 foot length of rope and tie a hook to each end. Use this to hold the A Frame clear of the ground above tow ball height by looping it around the frame and hooking the ends under the car's bonnet.

"A Frame" held clear of the ground.

Hooks in position

You can now drive the car around to either, reverse the whole outfit with two drivers, park it or hook up. To hook up drive up to your motorhome so that the hitch is just above the ball. Apply the handbrake and remove the rope. If the hitch does not drop cleanly onto the ball, move the car slightly until it does.

"A Frame" in position

Before driving off, check :

Hitch is locked to ball
Brake cable is connected if it is a braked "A Frame"
Break away safety cable is connected to the motorhome
Car hand brake off
Car steering lock off, gear in neutral
Motorhome number plate fixed to tow car.
Check indiactor lights are working

Remember on the road, trailer law applies and off you go

peedee

 

[88932]

Good tip Peedee ---I will use it. Thanks ; coupled with the following it should make getting hitched a doddle
many first time A-Frame tow-ers forget that four wheels just cannot swivel like a C'van when hitching up, so my method of overcoming this is as follows:-

To drive the car up to the MH tow ball dead centre place two suckers
one dead centre at the back of the bonnet (or "hood" if you want it americanised !! :lol: )
then the other as near the front dead centre as can be seen by driver ,
lean over to a central position manoeuvre to line up the two suckers with the tow-ball and drive forward . works every time for me
My Missus tells me when I am near enough--bless her !!! :roll: :wink:
hope you dont mind my "add to " to your post

Bramley

 

[peedee]

Bramley,

Thanks for the additional tip although I leave the bonnet up and look through the gap between the bonnet lid and the car. Don't have any problem lining up but it is difficult to judge when you are exactly over the ball. Rarely get this right and have to let the car roll back to engage the ball. I don't do this manually, too risky if on a slight slope and prefer to do it from the driving seat once the rope has been unhooked.

It works for me and I have had to reverse the outfit twice now using this technique. Once on the Fort William to Malaig road when I met a caravan coming towards me :lol: The bus driver behind me was none to pleased at the delay but if it had been two caravans meeting they would still be there now! It would have had to be on the worst stretch where the road goes through a wooded rocky area. Anyone who has travelled this road will understand the difficulty. I had intend to get the ferry to Skye but it didn't run on a Sunday and I had to return down the same narrow road. This time I put the hazard lights on and had no problems at all :lol: I am off there again this year but I won't be taking the car this time. The other time was when I ended up a dead end road. (pre GPS days).

peedee

 

[88932]

Horses for courses eh Peedee?
only had to reverse once ---dead end about 20 yds. did it hitched up but was a nightmare ,got caught twice since but had enough room to do a 180 ---not that the car tyres thought much of that. the castoring just can't manage a full lock turn but drag sideways somewhat. ! :roll:
Your "Hitch-up" method will mean reversing out in future entrapments will be a doddle. hopefully Tom-tom will keep me in the clear

Bramley

 

[TonyHunt]

Anybody thought of experimenting with a lightweight jockey wheel on the A frame. Would be a simple job to drop the wheel in an emergency situation if the car had to be reversed in a hurry. The only drawback is the A frame would be that much heavier and bulkier to stow away when not in use.

 

[97541]

Jockey on A Frame

I met a chap called Clive at the Lincoln show, (I belive he had a 37' Damon Intruder, towing a Volvo 440?), anyway he had a small light weight JW on the A frame, which allowed him to set the height exactly, and drive straight to the back of his RV, where his wife stood ready to wind down the JW onto the ball, and hitch up. If I remember rightly, it also had a quick release device for removal and storage in the car boot.

 

[98452]

What an excellent guide on how it's done.

i have just had a similar frame fitted today but bought the jockey wheel option.

Many thanks Peedee :wink: :wink:

 

[100512]

I have just putchased a jocky wheel for £19 that can be easily removed from the A frame, it works fine for me but I like this method too.

Thanks very much for writing it up and taking the photos, I think its a great idea.

 

[des]

Excellent post!

des

 

[peedee]

I have just putchased a jocky wheel for £19 that can be easily removed from the A frame, it works fine for me but I like this method too.

It never occurred to me to fit a jockey wheel, it is also a good idea but it would make the frame heavier and more difficult to store. I keep the bit of rope permanently under the drivers seat.

peedee

 

[100512]

I have just putchased a jocky wheel for £19 that can be easily removed from the A frame, it works fine for me but I like this method too.

It never occurred to me to fit a jockey wheel, it is also a good idea but it would make the frame heavier and more difficult to store. I keep the bit of rope permanently under the drivers seat.

peedee

It didnt occur to me either untill a read a post on this board. It is fitted with a clamp so as I can remove it very quickly if I need or want to. Id say it can be removed or installed in less than 30 Seconds.

Never the less I think your idea is a great one. Thanks again.

 

[des]

Chris Cox welded my JW mount onto the A-Frame for me. Virtually no additional weight. 30 seconds to fit/remove. However, I think your rope idea great. When driving with the JW down on gravel, tends to stick in the gravel. Really needs a bigger wheel. But it works!

des

 

[TonyHunt]

I went the Jockey wheel route and it has to be the easiest to use. It bolted straight on to our Car-A-Tow frame, the bolt holes were already there for it.Petes rope idea is also good but involves having to stop and open and close the bonnet etc which all takes time if you need to manoever in a hurry. Storage whilst in camp couldnt be easier, even with the J/Wheel attached it fits neatly on the floor in the front passenger side of our fiat once I have swivelled the passenger seat round. Behind the seat like that you dont even know its there. Beats having to leave it under the van to get pinched or in the way in the back of the car.

 

[104014]

Moving your car when fitted with an A frame

I simply bought a telescopic jockey wheel and mounted it to the side of the A frame, brilliant to hitch up with - just like a caravan, you can also drive the car to and from the tow bar.

 

[TonyHunt]

Have been using mine now for quite a while now with the jockey wheel and can honestly say there just isnt anything easier. Like I said in an earlier post the A frame with jockey wheel attached folds up and stores while on site in the passenger side of our fiat ducato M/H in front of the seat without any hassle. Using the jockey wheel to hook up single handed is also a piece of cake. Just drive the car forward with the J/W set so that the tow hitch just rides over the tow ball, stop the car get out and wind the jockey wheel down, job done. I have it off to a fine art now.

 

[MicknPat]

In the American forum http://www.rvforum.net/ they have a library for good tips and information such as this.

Would it be possible for a library to be introduced to the MHF's forum then the moderators or members would have somewhere to direct new members (and a few old ones) to answer some of the repeated questions or FAQ's?

 

[100734]

Further to the rope idea its what I use but with a slightly different approach.
I have a webbing strap permantly attached to a useful bolt under the bonnet rolled up and tucked away when not needed.
I unroll it and bring out from under the back of the bonnet and then over the top of the bonnet to the A frame. useful as you can adjust it to what height you want the A Frame ie tow bar level when hitching up or fully up if you are just manouvering the car.
When the car is hitched either tie it to the A Frame or put it through the window of the car. Its there instantly when you need to drop the car off and you dont need to open the bonnet until you are finished with the A Frame.

Dave

 

[brenbo]

Many thanks to you all, once again I find a wealth of experience is available on this forum!

I find the idea of supporting the A frame on a rope an excellent idea, I didn't like the thought of my wife standing between the mhome and the car during this excercise!

 

[aikidomo]

I use a Jocky Wheel
Clive

 

[aikidomo]

I use a Jocky wheel.
I drive it up and drop it on the Hitch.
Clive