Fulltimers with toads on trailers - advice please

[maz]

Having explored all sorts of ‘interesting‘ alternatives, we are now considering doing the ‘sensible’ thing and towing a small car on a trailer. Would like to ask those of you who fulltime: how does this affect your insurance? Is it outrageously expensive to get a small car insured if it is permanently towed around behind a motorhome?

Also, to any of you who tow a toad on a trailer (whether fulltimers or not): how difficult/tedious is it to keep getting the toad on and off the trailer?

 

[ChrisSue]

Looking forward to following this thread as it is something we have considered for life post work

 

[scally]

I used to do that with my trike proper pain parking the empty trailer. Now ,i use a single pocket spec for the front wheel. If you keep the trailer alongside and park on it, is shouldn't be a problem like that

 

[teddybear]

Towed a trailer for about 12 years never had a problem getting on sites or Aires.
Some sites in Portugal want to charge extra for trailer but car was free .
So used to unload outside ,lock trailer,then drive car in.

 

[maz]

I used to do that with my trike proper pain parking the empty trailer. Now ,i use a single pocket spec for the front wheel. If you keep the trailer alongside and park on it, is shouldn't be a problem like that

Thank you but I’m afraid I don’t understand really understand what you’ve said. Is a ‘single pocket spec’ something like an A-frame? We would want to use the car abroad as well as in the UK, hence the need for a trailer.

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[maz]

Towed a trailer for about 12 years never had a problem getting on sites or Aires.
Some sites in Portugal want to charge extra for trailer but car was free .
So used to unload outside ,lock trailer,then drive car in.

Presumably if you used a trailer for 12 years it wasn’t too onerous loading and unloading the car?

 

[scally]

Thank you but I’m afraid I don’t understand really understand what you’ve said. Is a ‘single pocket spec’ something like an A-frame? We would want to use the car abroad as well as in the UK, hence the need for a trailer.

No a spec lift is what is on recovery vehicles to lift front wheel off the ground and tow 4 wheel vehicles. I only have a single front wheel so I use a single wheel pocket frame to tow with the front wheel off the ground. Hope that explains it better

 

[Speve]

We tow our car on a trailer it’s a Fiat Panda 4 x 4 It’s very easy loading and strapping down if you have the right ratchet straps etc and once you get used to towing you won’t know it on the back.
we have a Phoenix car transporter twin axle very easy to move around when unhitched

 

[teddybear]

Maz most of time loading and unloading was no problem only twice did have real problem. Once when I missed sign for a detour owing to collapse of a bridge.
The second time was more of a problem when l had choice of a farm track or the exit road to a motorway. Had to unload, then turn van,car,and trailer separately.then reload.
After that episode did have a motor mover fitted to trailer, which was very useful in quite a few occasions for parking up.

 

[maz]

No a spec lift is what is on recovery vehicles to lift front wheel off the ground and tow 4 wheel vehicles. I only have a single front wheel so I use a single wheel pocket frame to tow with the front wheel off the ground. Hope that explains it better

Ah, thank you. I can envisage that now.

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[maz]

We tow our car on a trailer it’s a Fiat Panda 4 x 4 It’s very easy loading and strapping down if you have the right ratchet straps etc and once you get used to towing you won’t know it on the back.
we have a Phoenix car transporter twin axle very easy to move around when unhitchedView attachment 501449

We are thinking of a 2nd generation Smart car on as small a trailer as possible, to keep weight down.

 

[tonyidle]

We are thinking of a 2nd generation Smart car on as small a trailer as possible, to keep weight down.

What I do too.

 

[Grummyb]

Loading and unloading the car on the trailer will be a pain in the bum for the first 4 or 5 times then it will just become second nature, I train drivers to load and unload car transporters and they have to hang their head out the drivers window so they can see the front wheel as it goes onto the trailer and you can practice doing that before you have a trailer by trying to drive along a straight line like car oark parking bays while hanging out the window

 

[maz]

What I do too.

What trailer do you use, please?

 

[tonyidle]

What trailer do you use, please?

I have two at the moment. The first is Brian James Bantam that fit our first two Smarts. The second is a Bantam Trailers that is a little wider and longer to fit the latest (wider and longer) Smarts. Both single axle. Both bought s/h.

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[maz]

I have two at the moment. The first is Brian James Bantam that fit our first two Smarts. The second is a Bantam Trailers that is a little wider and longer to fit the latest (wider and longer) Smarts. Both single axle. Both bought s/h.

Thank you. We will look into the Bantams.

 

[David and Sally]

Woodford do a good range of car trailers.

The Lightweight Flatbed Trailer | Woodford Professional Vehicle Transportation

The Woodford Lightweight trailer range is ideal for transporting small lightweight vehicles and is commonly used by motorsport enthusiasts.

www.woodfordtrailers.com

 

[Speve]

We are thinking of a 2nd generation Smart car on as small a trailer as possible, to keep weight down.

Our trailer with car on is approx 1600 kgvan fully loaded for three month trip approx 4000 kg.
GVTW 6000 kg so have a bit of wiggle room

 

[TonyEmm]

Having explored all sorts of ‘interesting‘ alternatives, we are now considering doing the ‘sensible’ thing and towing a small car on a trailer. Would like to ask those of you who fulltime: how does this affect your insurance? Is it outrageously expensive to get a small car insured if it is permanently towed around behind a motorhome?

Also, to any of you who tow a toad on a trailer (whether fulltimers or not): how difficult/tedious is it to keep getting the toad on and off the trailer?

I’m on my 1/3rd MoHo... Towed Renault Clio’s behind our Hymer S660 on a lightweight tilt deck car transporter. No Issues! Getting the noseweight correct is vital for stability but once you’ve done it, just fit chocks to the deck then drive up to them every time.
use ratchet straps adapted to fit on the wheels/tyres (commonly available) and if you have alloys, pad the outside of the wheels. We just used redundant cushions...
Insurance shouldn’t be an issue, the car has is it’s own insurance cover, the trailer can be insured separately (but doesn’t need to be) as it’s covered 1/3rd party anyway while attached to the MoHo (provided you informed the Moho’s insurers that you are towing). If you want it covered fully comp, there is specialist insurance available via the NTTA.

NTTA Trailer Insurance

www.nttainsurance.co.uk

Trailer storage may be an issue for some, but (unlike A-frames) there is no need for expensive mods every time you change a vehicle. Trailers are legal everywhere, including Spain and so on!

 

[Ukbandit]

Ah, thank you. I can envisage that now.

That set up is still illegal in Spain etc. When towing all wheels have to be off the ground, only recovery vehicles are allowed to use them.

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[The Welsh Wizard]

Now some out there might think that what I am posting is done out of envy but why would you want to spend so much money on purchasing a Motorhome to which you add a trailer and car?
The phrase “ taking everything including the kitchen sink” springs to mind. There are too many out there who have to do it all. Why didn’t you just buy a bigger tow car and attach a large caravan.
I personally am getting fed up with arriving at sites to find pitches overcrowded with trailers, additional cars , inflatable dinghies and wind breakers pegged out to define the individual’s pitch and often encroaching across other people’s pitches. The whole idea of owning a Motorhome to travel extensively is becoming lost . What is wrong with using a push bike( even an electric one) , walking or using public transport? Or is the later below some people? It is not out of envy that I am posting this it is but out of sheer frustration as to why people have to have more and more when it should be quite simple. Buy a Motorhome travel, stop for a few days -move on. Buy a Caravan pitch up for a week or fortnight -travel around. Why do some have to have both?
Now I have vented I’m sure I will get many responses both for or against my views. Let’s debate it further

 

[maz]

Let’s debate it further

If you want to debate it further, fine - but start your own thread in which to do it rather than hijacking mine. Thank you.

 

[The Welsh Wizard]

Have I hit a raw nerve then??

 

[maz]

I’m on my 1/3rd MoHo... Towed Renault Clio’s behind our Hymer S660 on a lightweight tilt deck car transporter. No Issues! Getting the noseweight correct is vital for stability but once you’ve done it, just fit chocks to the deck then drive up to them every time.
use ratchet straps adapted to fit on the wheels/tyres (commonly available) and if you have alloys, pad the outside of the wheels. We just used redundant cushions...
Insurance shouldn’t be an issue, the car has is it’s own insurance cover, the trailer can be insured separately (but doesn’t need to be) as it’s covered 1/3rd party anyway while attached to the MoHo (provided you informed the Moho’s insurers that you are towing). If you want it covered fully comp, there is specialist insurance available via the NTTA.

NTTA Trailer Insurance

www.nttainsurance.co.uk

Trailer storage may be an issue for some, but (unlike A-frames) there is no need for expensive mods every time you change a vehicle. Trailers are legal everywhere, including Spain and so on!

Thank you for your helpful reply.

Re insurance: it’s the fulltiming aspect that affects things here. Fulltiming insurance for a van is around 2 to 3 times more than for ‘normal’ leisure use, so I was interested to see by how much fulltimers premiums were increased if towing a car.

 

[Catpirate]

I am thinking of buying a trailer and car combination. My daughter is wheelchair bound and so cycling is not an option. Walking is obviously an option for shorter distances (provided it is not to hilly). Public transport can be unreliable and often not able to accept a wheelchair (taxis even rarer and charge much greater prices for wheelchair users)

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[ukfetchfan]

We have had a Brian James A Max twin axle trailer for 8years that carries our Hyundai i10. It is easy to load and unload the car - especially if there are two of you - so one can give directions (saves leaning out the window to see where the wheels are going) Strapping down is easy once you learn how the ratchets have to be threaded. On our travels through Belgium, Austria, Germany & Switzerland we have found almost every site charges for the trailer, even though the trailer is stored on your pitch. Just occasionally the rules state you must leave the trailer in a separate car parking area. To reduce the size of the trailer we had ours built with a folding towbar that locks in a vertical position. This reduces the length of the trailer on the pitch and also helps with security.
in Switzerland the trailer needs its own vignette for the motorways, which is stuck on the trailer.
A motor mover would be a great idea as sometimes we do find ours quite hard to manually move around.
Make sure you’re looking your best on arrival at your Campsite as people love to watch you load and unload the car. Think they are secretly hoping it will all go wrong!! A bit like watching Formula 1 and waiting for the crashes!

 

[minesapint]

Having explored all sorts of ‘interesting‘ alternatives, we are now considering doing the ‘sensible’ thing and towing a small car on a trailer. Would like to ask those of you who fulltime: how does this affect your insurance? Is it outrageously expensive to get a small car insured if it is permanently towed around behind a motorhome?

Also, to any of you who tow a toad on a trailer (whether fulltimers or not): how difficult/tedious is it to keep getting the toad on and off the trailer?

Hi, In the UK we use a TowAframe, A frame arrangement, it takes just minutes to hook up. If we are going foreign we leave the car at home the cost of it on the ferry is dearer than using taxis whilst we are away.

 

[maz]

Hi, In the UK we use a TowAframe, A frame arrangement, it takes just minutes to hook up. If we are going foreign we leave the car at home the cost of it on the ferry is dearer than using taxis whilst we are away.

Agreed, an A-frame would be much simpler and easier but as fulltimers we don’t have a home to leave the car at, even if we wanted to. Also we go abroad for months at a time so the cost of taking a trailer on the Eurotunnel is negligible compared to the use we would gain from having a car with us.

 

[Catpirate]

As a result of seeing posts that refer to "If it has Tyres or Testicles" or if it has "If it has Tyres or Tits" being troublesome I have decided to remove the tyres from the MoHo in an effort to reduce problems. Also I recently ordered a car with electric windows and was amazed (and disappointed) to find that they were made of glass.

 

[Gromett]

Have I hit a raw nerve then??

I doubt it. maz is very easy going. Your comment was just not relevant and you don't know the circumstances.

Some of us fulltimers move around a lot and have larger vans. When going to an out of the way place for a prolonged stay, having a car could be extremely useful as the motorhome is not really practical and push bikes even electric ones are not great for big shopping trips.
Caravans are not really practical for fulltimers who on the whole move on regularly but tend to stay put over the winter months due to grass pitched campsite being closed.

If you want a debate on this, why not start a fresh thread. I am sure you will get your wish in spades.

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