[DJP]

Do you tow a Smart car on a A frame?
Had any problms with gearbox or anything else?
How many miles have you towed your Smart car?
What is the furthest you have towed it without driving it in between?
Various comments in poll section say damage may occur if you tow a Smart car on a A frame so I would be grateful of any experiences before having A frame fitted.
Thanks

 

[DJP]

Questions, questions, questions for EDDIE

Hi Eddie
Whilst towing:-
Do you leave the gear lever over to the right or the left?
Keys in or out of ignition? If in, in which posiion?
Do you lock the doors or do they self lock?(If keys are not in ignition)
I assume it is unbraked?
Do you use a trailer/lighting board?

Sorry for all the questions but it's a case of need to know!
Thanks in anticipation

Dennis

 

[DJP]

Smart A Frame

Eddie
Thanks for prompt reply.
I am going up to Towtal !st July for fitting etc. I have not come across Brake Buddy before. I assume it applies the brakes in the Smart? Was it extra or included in the price? I am paying about £795 for tow bar and A frame and lights.
Sorry for more questions
Dennis

 

[DJP]

Towing on A frame legality

Hi Scotjimland

I have looked into this recently and found this on Towtal website

When attached with a fixed towing frame the car is considered to be a
trailer and is subject to trailer regulations covered by the official
Construction and Use Regulations. A number of EEC Directives
apply to U.K. trailer regulations. A car on tow with a fixed towing
device is defined as a steerable multi-axle trailer.

Dennis

 

[DJP]

Smart A frame Again!

Eddie
Thanks again.
Towtal tell me an unbraked A frame is ok as the Smart (Pulse) weighs in at 720kg with 75% fuel load and no passengers. :?

Dennis

 

[DJP]

Smart on an A

Hi Gewity
Been through everything you have and still looking :?
I have searched many web sites including all MH sites and Smart sites and cannot find ANYONE who has actually had a mechanical problem whilst towing on an A frame
The legal side is still a grey area, but at the moment leaning to the legal side in UK and Europe. The Towtal website gives lots of info and documents to convince various law enforcement agencies that A frame towing is legal as long as the lighting rquirement is complied with.
Again I cannot find anybody who has been prosecuted for A frame towing.
So that is the route I am going. .........................for now anyway.

Enjoy the MH and Smart

Dennis

 

[DJP]

Smart A Frame

Yes it is very much a grey area. I understand your post on unladen v gross weight.
It's a bit like having a Ferrari capable of 200mph and only being able to drive at 70mph.
I would never tow Smart with anything in it and IF stopped would request to be taken to nearest weighbridge to prove the trailer I am towing, unbraked, is in fact under the permissable towing capacity and see where we go from there.

Since my last post I have had the towbar and A frame fitted to the Smart by Towtal in Stoke on Trent.

I would also point out from your post

I have a motor home and want to tow a Fiat Seicento behind it using an A-frame. This car has a kerb weight under 750 kg so am I legal with this outfit? Sorry no is the answer. The law regards this as an unbraked trailer and you are allowed to tow up to 750 kg Gross Trailer Weight

States You are allowed to tow up to 750kg gross trailer weight and that's what I am doing

 

[DJP]

Doubts? not me!

Quote
"From the above I hope it is clear that we believe the use of "A" frames to tow cars behind other vehicles is legal provided the braking and lighting requirements are met. However, while this is our understanding of the meaning of the Regulations, it is only the Courts which can reach a definitive interpretation of the law.

Alan Mendelson
Primary Safety Branch
Department for Transport"

Un Quote

These are the UK regs, Im still looking for the directive from the EU

Same regs I assume as we are part of EU?

 

[DJP]

A Frame

We currently store MH on a secure compound and the Smart at home in a garage. We just don't have room for a trailer as well

Hi DJP,
I hope that you are right but you seem to be ignoring the following,

"The figure you have to use is the car's Gross Vehicle Weight or Maximum Permitted Weight. This is usually at least 300 - 400 kg more than the kerb weight"

Err well yes officer you do have a point there
I will fit one when I get home :twisted:

 

[DJP]

Fuel consumption

Our MH is still fairly low mileage and is still loosening up, so it is difficlut to say. I will say that the consumption did not drop from previous trips without Smart and we have not done any trips recently, without the Smart .
So it either makes no diference or there has been an improvement which we have not yet enjoyed! I hope this makes sense!
My thought is that the difference, if any would be marginal. The Smart weighs in at 750kg and is 3' behind the MH so not attracting any wind resistance to the frontal area. If it costs 1 or 2 mpg it's still worth it. When touring around off site at 50mpg in the Smart as opposed to sub 20mpg in MH (if around small towns villages) it has got to be worth doing! AND the mileage does not go up on the Smart whilst being towed :twisted:

 

[DJP]

Insurance

Like many things in life OK until something goes wrong, the test would be if an insurance company would pay out in the event of an accident if it was illegal to tow on a A frame in that country where the incident occurred.

I informed my insurance companies (Smart and MH) before going to france Spain and Andorra

NO problem they said!

The ONLY advantage of a trailer over an A frame is you CAN reverse the MH and Trailer whilst coupled. You can't do that with an A Frame