small car (1 Viewer)

[chesterfield hooligan]

Hi everyone I am looking to tow a car on a trailer behind our van, I have a 1300kg trailer could someone advise me which car to get I have had a Smart car and was looking for something a little larger cheer's everyone

 

[Reallyretired]

We tow a Chevrolet Matiz, 4 seats 5 doors and only a little heavier than a Smart car.

 

[haganap]

gotta be a Panda....

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[Chris]

What do you do with the trailer when you arrive on site?

 

[old-mo]

Peugeot 107... 3 or 5 door. & only £20 a year road tax.. :thumb:

We have just bought one..

 

[old-mo]

What do you do with the trailer when you arrive on site?

If there is no room on your pitch,, park it in the car park with a "Wheel Lock" and hitchlock...

Most pitches have room for a car so leave trailer on pitch and park car on trailer.. :thumb:

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[johnpengers]

What do you do with the trailer when you arrive on site?

Park it up and stick a hitch lock or wheel lock on it.Usually room at the back of the motorhome.

Regards, John P:thumb:

 

[Chris]

If there is no room on your pitch,, park it in the car park with a "Wheel Lock" and hitchlock...

Most pitches have room for a car so leave trailer on pitch and park car on trailer.. :thumb:

Thanks. Is it easy to get the car on and off the trailer?

 

[johnpengers]

If there is no room on your pitch,, park it in the car park with a "Wheel Lock" and hitchlock...

Most pitches have room for a car so leave trailer on pitch and park car on trailer.. :thumb:[/QUOTE

You can type quicker than me Mo!!!!!

Regards, John P:thumb:

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[old-mo]

Thanks. Is it easy to get the car on and off the trailer?

"Yes".. as long as the ramps are square, it will come off the same as it went on, just make sure you dont move the steering wheel.... "straight line is the way to go"on and off.

Just have someone stood by as a precaution... once you have done it a few times it will come as second nature with out help.. Practice makes perfect.. :thumb:

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

Hi thank you for your quick reply's I have fitted a full width ramp in order to load and unload motorbikes, so a small car would be no problem our van make's us look like pikie's anyway

 

[old-mo]

Hi thank you for your quick reply's I have fitted a full width ramp in order to load and unload motorbikes, so a small car would be no problem our van make's us look like pikie's anyway

Looks like you are sorted..:thumb:

Just make sure the strap/ratchets are over the back of the tyre/wheel when tightening down and not just resting on the top of the tyre... and check you have not got them across brake pipes..

The best type are the heavy duty ratchet ones with Spreaders ..

When we first started (Many years ago) I used to have the strap across the top of the tyre and on numerous occassions I was hooted and flashed at and told a couple of straps where hanging off.

Still wonder to this day how they worked loose, even ratcheting them down till the tyre looked flat,,, but I suppose it was due to movement and bounce.. oh:

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[darklord]

Ive seen a some proper dangerous "securing" when it comes to cars on trailers. I spent ten year on recovery, and have had everything from a mini to a tanker on a trailer or load bed.

The first thing to remember, is that you are SUPPOSED to continually check the load, not just strap it and forget it (even pro's have to).
The correct positioning of the straps, is at "ten to two", this means that there is equal force pulling down, as there is pulling to the front and rear, all four wheels should be tied down after the handbrake has been applied and the gearbox put in drive.
Trailer suspension is a compromise, between wheel size, trailer height, number of wheels etc, so more of the road conditions will be transmitted to the car on it, this WILL cause it to move, and "wriggle" free of its lashing. If you look at all four by fours, they all have "tie down points" that some idiots think are for towing...they are not, they are for securing the BODY once the wheels have been secured, because as the are higher, and have longer suspension travel, the "wriggle" effect is magnified enormously.

The law, says that any load you carry should have restraints that can stop 100% of the weight of the load moving forward, and 50% to the side or rear, translatingthis into common sense.....if you have to do an emergency stop at 60mph, do you want your toad to join you in the cabin?
My own prefference, is to have, on the deck of a trailer, a "chock" that the car is driven up to, this should be at leat a third of the heght of the tyre.
You can then have the front wheels pulled toward the chock by the straps, and use the rear straps to stop the car moving forward.
Due the the compact size of most "toads" it may not be practical to find somewhere to stop the body bouncing, but at the very least, the towing eye could be attached, and that used to lock the front of the body down.

A bit of gentle driving, relaxed braking, and a camera constantly showing the trailer, are all wise moves.