Only sightly OT: Towing a car

Jun 17, 2017 11 Replies

Hi all,



What's the name of that frame that is used to give cars a suspended tow? I can't find any hits on ebay or youtube or anywhere. It's kind of like a little crane jib that hoists the towed vehicle's two front wheels off the ground so you can tow cars with the steering lock jammed on. You often see 'em on the back of Land Rover truck cabs, for example. Any ideas? I need to hire one!



chris, x.


I'm not doubting you, just scratching my head as to how you could use what you describe once you've hired it. Do you have a truck or similar to which to bolt it?

FWLIW I have known people hire a tow dolly to move cars which can't be steered. But IIRC you need to watch weights 'cos it then counts as a trailer.

For proper tow trucks they use a "spectacle lift", but for towing behind an ordinary vehicle, the only ones I've noticed leave all 4 of the towed car's wheels on the ground, so no use with a stuck steering lock.

Someone had a car "drop off" one of the A-frame/dolly type outside my house a few years ago, I offered my bottle and trolley jacks, but we still had a bugger of a job shifting it, eventually got it cleart and the chap dropped round a crate of beer the next day :-)

Well I really cannot say, but you obviously suffer the same typong issued that Id o, so maybe that iswhy you get no hits? :-) Brian

Perhaps he is a finance company and needs to repossess a car?

Brian

I believe that the term A-frame is also used to describe what a large camper van type vehicle might use to tow a small car running on its own wheels.

Yes - an A frame is what we used to tow cars while filming in them. Where you couldn't trust the talent to drive and act together. Beauty is it doesn't lift the car off the ground in any way - like say a low loader. But the steering must be free to turn..

Harvey-Frost, but I'm not sure they are road-legal now. Certainly not seen one in use for a long while.

In article , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

And the brakes must be connected to the towing vehicle otherwise it counts as an unbraked trailer = max tow weight 750kg.

AIUI an A frame tows with the towed vehicles wheels on the ground, a dolly lifts the front wheels clear.

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