Towing A Car

[Keefyboy]

We're thinking of towing a car behind a motorhome, but we 're now wondering if it's such a good idea as we see so few cars being towed on the road.

Our concern is that quite a number of campsites are out of town and if we wanted to visit places locally it would mean taking the motorhome which seems a bit impractical.

Another thing is, towing the car wouldn't be a problem, but I can see that problems may arise when reversing.

 

[pappajohn]

Reversing is your biggest problem.
Very slowly in a straight line may be possible but that's where it ends
Steering geometry will alway steer the wheels the opposite way around a corner in reverse and if you have over run (cable) braking the brakes will be applied due to imposed drag.
Anyone saying they can reverse an A frame needs to post a video of themselves doing it round a corner over at least 20 meters...... I won't hald my breath waiting.

 

[Rockcrawler]

We tow a car for that very reason, there have been quite a few debates on here about why people tow cars, I like to have the option.

 

[pappajohn]

It could also be said reversing will never be a problem....
Unplug the electrics, unhitch the A frame and tie up, start the engine and reverse wherever you want.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

We are new to towing a car on an a frame and it is a game changer (in a positive way)
Reversing is an issue but unhitching is a piece of cake

Pick the right car
Pick the right a frame

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[Larrynwin]

We have towed a car for several years in U.K. with no problem only ever having to unhitch once .
We use an a frame with an inertia RVi brake unit which allows reversing , obviously limited by car steering but a shuffle can normally get you out of trouble.
A piece of cake

BTW I have a jockey wheel on the a frame which means I can move the car on site and drive accurately onto motorhome towball.

 

[Keefyboy]

Cheshirecat57, Is there a frame that you would recommend or are there various types that suit different motorhomes?

 

[Rockcrawler]

When you reverse with an A frame the car will go in the same direction as the motorhome unlike a trailer

 

[TCG]

we tow a car on an A Frame, i will now wait for the usual brigade to tell be to buy a caravan
we think its great to have the freedom to go anywhere we want without have to lug an 8 metre van behind us. and do so 3 times a year in France
after many years of tugging a caravan, this combination fits the bill, the dog is wagging the tail and not the other way around, as it is with tugging

 

[Cheshirecat57]

More around the Car choice, but need to check towing-limit of potential MoHo
Have you got that far yet?
Do you already have a car that is in the plan? ( ie your existing #2/#3 car)

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[DuxDeluxe]

We are new to towing a car on an a frame and it is a game changer (in a positive way)
Reversing is an issue but unhitching is a piece of cake

Pick the right car
Pick the right a frame

Seconded

 

[Cheshirecat57]

we tow a car on an A Frame, i will now wait for the usual brigade to tell be to buy a caravan
we think its great to have the freedom to go anywhere we want without have to lug an 8 metre van behind us. and do so 3 times a year in France
after many years of tugging a caravan, this combination fits the bill, the dog is wagging the tail and not the other way around, as it is with tugging

AGREE- We go away a lot and to lots of different places- we will sometimes be with, sometimes without Toad

I could NEVER leave the Caravan behind could I?

 

[Larrynwin]

Another advantage of towing a car if you are near your weight limit use the car as a trailer.

 

[TCG]

Keefy Boy
we had ours from LNB leisure, not Cheep circa 2k for full electronic braking with light on dashboard in motorhome to tell you when brakes in toad are on. great system and i can hitch up from scratch in under 4 mins including checks

 

[jdk62]

Keefy Boy
we had ours from LNB leisure, not Cheep circa 2k for full electronic braking with light on dashboard in motorhome to tell you when brakes in toad are on. great system and i can hitch up from scratch in under 4 mins including checks

We have the same system fitted to our Skoda CityGo. The assisted braking works a treat.

Has opended up a whole load of places that we couldnt get to with the Moho.

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[138go]

We’ve considered this but decided in the end that we don’t need to. What we do, is have electric cycles. This works really well for us abroad and for some places here. If we decide we really could do with a car, I drive the car to wherever we’re going. This made economic sense to us. We don’t always need a car and when we do, we have one paid for, taxed and insured.

Mrs QFour

 

[Zoppydog]

We have a Panda with A frame. We purchased from tow-bars-2-tow cars...it’s a great system and easy to hitch up...we use our car a lot when we are away. It means we can set up and travel about the whole area...
Due to health reasons we will be selling both the Motorhome and the car..

 

[Cheshirecat57]

Keefy Boy
we had ours from LNB leisure, not Cheep circa 2k for full electronic braking with light on dashboard in motorhome to tell you when brakes in toad are on. great system and i can hitch up from scratch in under 4 mins including checks

Mine's LNB Leisure as well ( it's now £2700 but my Toad has very complicated electrics) { key-less entry and ignition, radar in front bumper for AEB etc}. Some suppliers would not touch it because of that (CaraTow for example)
IMHO it's the best one with the best braking system

 

[Cheshirecat57]

We have a Panda with A frame. We purchased from tow-bars-2-tow cars...it’s a great system and easy to hitch up...we use our car a lot when we are away. It means we can set up and travel about the whole area...
Due to health reasons we will be selling both the Motorhome and the car..

Sad to hear, hope all works out ok
CC57

 

[Keefyboy]

These comments are really helpful as we haven't bought a motorhome yet, but if we decide to tow a car will be part of the budget. Thank you.

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[Rapphil]

Re opening this thread I have, although said I never would, been thinking of a frame on Fiat 500 and looking at different frames. Some seem a lot lighter and simpler, without bar in front of grill just eyes,? also some have the Electrics through bonnet lid, ?wonder if extra electric box if necessary and sometimes extra things to go wrong.?
regarding reversing there is an impressive video on Towbars2towcars anyone tried it like they show. Thanks for any comments.

 

[Mr Chrysalis]

Re opening this thread I have, although said I never would, been thinking of a frame on Fiat 500 and looking at different frames. Some seem a lot lighter and simpler, without bar in front of grill just eyes,? also some have the Electrics through bonnet lid, ?wonder if extra electric box if necessary and sometimes extra things to go wrong.?
regarding reversing there is an impressive video on Towbars2towcars anyone tried it like they show. Thanks for any comments.

We have a fiat 500 sport on a TC2TB frame. We bought the car complete with frame from them, and they also fitted the warning light in the Moho dash. It is a great combination

 

[Rapphil]

Thanks for reply, can you reverse it?

 

[robnchris]

For the price of setting up a tow bar, towing frame or trailer, plus cost of car to be towed and running costs surely it's easier to just hire a car when required.
They will even deliver it to you and when your are finished with it they take it away, no worries about towing or reversing etc etc.

We have been amazed at some of the very small (in length) motorhomes we have seen towing a car, Our Apache is 24ft long and apart from height barriers generally don't have a problem driving into towns, supermarkets etc.

 

[Rapphil]

does The cable come out of the bonnet or is there socket in grill?

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[Mr Chrysalis]

Thanks for reply, can you reverse it?

As others have said, for a short distance in a straight line, preferably downhill. Anything else I unhitch it.

 

[Rapphil]

For the price of setting up a tow bar, towing frame or trailer, plus cost of car to be towed and running costs surely it's easier to just hire a car when required.
They will even deliver it to you and when your are finished with it they take it away, no worries about towing or reversing etc etc.

We have been amazed at some of the very small (in length) motorhomes we have seen towing a car, Our Apache is 24ft long and apart from height barriers generally don't have a problem driving into towns, supermarkets etc.

Have hired on most trips but I always get paranoid about damaging it or where we park it although I know insurance is supposed to cover it . Hirers always seem to give us new cars and I rather have one that doesn’t matter so much, scratches always seem to appear after initial inspection when the hirer goes away .im sure they cover them with a crayon!Also have a dog so don’t declare that and take lots of covers and hoover, generally not allowed in hire cars as they say next person might be allergic to dog hairs!
Might not take on all trips but would like option but to some extent I agree with your comments.

 

[Mr Chrysalis]

does The cable come out of the bonnet or is there socket in grill?

There is a socket in the grill, also a break away cable ring. They supply an electric cable with 2 plugs and the break away cable. They use the existing towing socket on the right and fit a matched one in the left. The 2 tow eyes screw into those and the frame mounts on to it, held in by split pins. They also supply a number plate frame and a number plate that you can interchange simply, and a tow car sign with triangles that hangs inside the rear windows

 

[Rapphil]

Thanks for reply, socket in grill sounds much better. Is light in Motorhome essential or just a really good idea!

 

[Mr Chrysalis]

Thanks for reply, socket in grill sounds much better. Is light in Motorhome essential or just a really good idea!

Not essential, but they will need to check your towbar electrics anyway to ensure it is compatible (it should be). So my thinking was that they might as well put the light in. It does warn you if something goes wrong.