From A frame to trailer (1 Viewer)

[TCG]

I stand corrected I thought it was law.
But anyone that tows 2200kg with something weighing 1750kg is an idiot .......i towed caravans for years but I wouldn't have been that stoopid.

in that case most tuggers are idiots as even the best tow car available "the range rover"only has a kerb weight of 2083kg. manufacturers state on the V5 the maximum braked trailer you are allowed to tow, on the jeep GC and the discovery it is 3500kg, there are some caravans out there that weigh in at 2500kg and can be legally towed by either of the two cars mentioned

 

[Ninjabob]

The problem for tuggers and Caravan Manufacturers is that cars are getting lighter and towing a decent size caravan with anything other than a 4x4 is becoming difficult within the law. More and more tuggers are towing 100% of the vehicle weight using the AL-KO Anti-Snake Trailer Control (ATC) systems fitted to most new vans.

A 3500kg Motorhome towing a SMART on a decent A Frame is an extremely stable combination IMHO.

 

[zac]

I have tackled a similar problem recently. I have had a tow bar fitted to the Smart. https://www.smart-stuff.parts/smart-fortwo-towbar-530. Its not for road use but is really useful for parking the trailer. We have found parking is not a problem but a bit of a challenge if you don't have a means of pushing the trailer mechanically onto grass or gravel. Even when its empty it a bit of a struggle and we are not getting any younger.

I have also purchased a remote control 'tractor' to move the trailer into a parking position. I bought this before coming across the tow bar so would suggest the tow bar is the better option - and cheaper. http://kronings.com/language/com/home/products/camper-trolley/. Available in the UK.

I have a woodford trailer with a motor mover fitted and now i have also fitted the same as you a towbar on the back of the smart just to move the trailer greater distances if required although to date i have not needed to do this. As far as i am concerned i have now covered all angles and can move car/trailer how i want and with ease. Also hitching up is a breeze with the motormovers as get somewhere near and use the movers to hitch up, very simple and no struggling or bumps/dents/pulled backs etc trying to move the trailer closer by hand. Works for us but it is not cheap to get to this point so a lot will depend on how much you want to spend. For us it was about how stressless i could make it without spending huge amounts of money, which i did anyway lol.

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[maxi77]

I stand corrected I thought it was law.
But anyone that tows 2200kg with something weighing 1750kg is an idiot .......i towed caravans for years but I wouldn't have been that stoopid.

That means the cat manufactures are even more stupid for plating the vehicles to tow that load. The reality is that the vehicles are made to tow these weights, even my CRV has an snti snake system and it is bloody effective. Weight balance is not the over riding factor as vehicle construction also has an impact. For example the permitted nose weight on a Discovery is much more than a normal car and that alone changes the stability balance.

 

[Minxy]

I have tackled a similar problem recently. I have had a tow bar fitted to the Smart. https://www.smart-stuff.parts/smart-fortwo-towbar-530. Its not for road use but is really useful for parking the trailer.

As long as you can convince the UK policeman that it isn't for 'road use'.

Further to my earlier reply I have retained the towbar on the smart even though we no longer tow it as it is sometimes useful to attach a bike rack to . And it stops some idiots parking too close

It's not illegal to fit a towbar to a Smart car - it is allowed so that if you want to add a towball mounted bike rack etc you can, you just cannot tow a trailer of any sort.

 

[Littlewheels]

And in the meantime the OP would like to know how he’ll get along Parking it on Sites

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[GWAYGWAY]

The answer is to get an ordinary twin wheel white transit, and a twin axle Hobby caravan , plenty of parking for you then village greens, car parks, industrial estates and nobody bothers you.

 

[gus-lopez]

It's not illegal to fit a towbar to a Smart car - it is allowed so that if you want to add a towball mounted bike rack etc you can, you just cannot tow a trailer of any sort.

It is if the vehicle is not fitted with factory installed mounting points; Which normally any small vehicle that has no towing weight on the plate does not come with.
What then makes it illegal is drilling the chassis to install & fit one.

 

[Mr Chrysalis]

Further to my earlier reply I have retained the towbar on the smart even though we no longer tow it as it is sometimes useful to attach a bike rack to . And it stops some idiots parking too close

....and gives some protection from a rear end shunt!

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[Mr Chrysalis]

What does the law say about the use of an A-frame AND trailer (or tandem trailers)?
My toad has a towball and I have often wondered if there's anything to stop someone from towing something else with a car on an A-frame. You may be able to enjoy the best of all worlds: Motorhome with car and caravan!
I don't know how well they'd behave around sharp corners, though. And other road users might be taken by surprise.

Might be a good way to stretch the toad!

 

[Mikeco]

I have a Citroën C1 which cannot tow anything, however Westfalier do a towbar kit which fixes on somewhere underneath and will enable me to stick a tow ball mounted bike rack onto it to carry two bikes.

 

[teddybear]

Used to have an Auto , but sold it because could not have towbar fitted so couldn't take bikes out with it

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[Minxy]

It is if the vehicle is not fitted with factory installed mounting points; Which normally any small vehicle that has no towing weight on the plate does not come with.
What then makes it illegal is drilling the chassis to install & fit one.

Some info here:

http://www.smart-tow.com/towing.htm

It appears that the 450 is a definite no-no regarding towing anything but the 451 was permitted to tow a light-weight trailer, don't know about the new 453 ForTwo though.

If someone ONLY wants to be able to put bikes on the back of a Smart ForTwo there are purpose made mounting points for this - they are under the 2 round blanking plates in the rear bumper, eg:

 

[Lafant]

Thanks guys. All your comments are really useful. And humorous . I suppose we need to choose sites with decent access roads. Roll on spring and our next continental adventure!

 

[Lafant]

Something else just came to mind - we need to insure it! The A frame is less of a problem in that respect.

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