Brian Kirby Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 This started as a question about legality of A frames outside UK. Whether it is easier to reverse a car on an A frame or on a trailer, therefore, seems a bit of a moot point. If the A frame is already of questionable legality, and seems likely to become illegal, possibly including within UK, the choice won't exist.If one is going to tow a car, on an A frame or a trailer, and one wants/needs ease of reversing, one needs to start by choosing a short motorhome with a minimal rear overhang. A long wheelbase vehicle towing a short wheelbase trailer is a sure recipe for difficult reversing. Give the long wheelbase vehicle a long overhang, and the problem is exacerbated.With the possible exception of PVCs, or similarly proportioned vehicles, no-one is going to find reversing their almost invisible towed car particularly easy, and even PVCs tend to be long relative to cars or car trailers.You should be fine if all you have to do is retract on your path for a few yards, but if you encounter a situation in which you have to execute a more complex manoeuvre over 25 or so yards, you'll have fun!Besides, this is all highly theoretical. In real life, few of us choose where/when we have to reverse. When we meet the oncoming leviathan, we have to yield, and that is where the fun starts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookback Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 I tow a car behind my motorhome. It is on an A Frame and has a jockey wheel attached. If there is any need to reverse the outfits. I lower the jockey wheel, uncouple the A Frame and the wife reverses the car. No problem :-D Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 lookback - 2010-10-30 6:04 PM I tow a car behind my motorhome. It is on an A Frame and has a jockey wheel attached. If there is any need to reverse the outfits. I lower the jockey wheel, uncouple the A Frame and the wife reverses the car. No problem :-D Ian This thread gets dafter by the day, bet you are popular in a busy situation, what if the wife does not drive? Why would anyone want to tow something that may be illegal. If you cannot manage with a scooter on a rack or a couple of push bikes then for goodness sake buy a caravan which you can reverse. In my motor racing days I towed a car behind on a trailor, pretty easy to reverse because I could see it, same with a car and caravan. These cars behind M/H are almost impossible because you cannot see them. My main reason for a M/H over a caravan is the spontaneity of it, the ability to change my mind and go where I please. You simply have to plan to much with a Caravan and sort out campsites in advance, you must do the same with a big outfit of M/H plus towed car. Why do you do it, sell the whole lot and buy a caravan. Before anyone states it I know we are all differant and do what suits us but surely we all use a little common sense when we make our decisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJP Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 peter - 2010-10-27 10:23 PM Not withstanding all the above. You still cannot reverse a car whilst attached to an A Frame.Which is still contrary to the Towing legislation. But.......would you even want to try and reverse one on a trailer, with limited rearward visibility. I certainly wouldn't. So the arguments re A Frame versus Trailer is purely academic as far as I'm concerned and I will be getting one in the not too distance future. You CAN reverse a motorhome with a car attached on an A frame! Towing legislation does not stipulate HOW FAR you have to reverse. So reversing as little as 1 metre complies with the current legislation IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 I'm not particularly comenting on the legality of a frames in respect of reversing. Rather the fact that the front wheels will go all over the place, because of the camber angle. Plus the fact that in many cases the car isn't visible either. It wouldn't stop me from using one though, I would simply unhook the car from the m/h. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 DJP - 2010-11-01 8:18 PM ..........You CAN reverse a motorhome with a car attached on an A frame! Towing legislation does not stipulate HOW FAR you have to reverse. So reversing as little as 1 metre complies with the current legislation IMO. Ho, ho, very clever! So try explaining that to the driver of a 40 tonne truck when you meet him in the middle of a twisting, narrow, village street. "Sorry mate, you'll have to reverse your rig, because mine will only do 1 metre, but it is legal."I'd guess most of us would plan our driving lives around never having to reverse, if we could. Reverse gear is for those unexpected and unplanned moments when two vehicles meet, but cannot pass. One must reverse to allow the other to continue.In some countries failure to reverse out of the path of vehicle with priority is an offence. Switzerland and Post Buses come to mind. Hmmmmmmm. Have fun! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 I quite agree that it is the responsibility of everyone who drives a trailer (of any kind) to be able to reverse that trailer when required - there are many (often entertaining) examples on every campsite of the lack of this very important skill and not many of them are cars on A-frames! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJP Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 Brian Kirby - 2010-11-01 11:35 PMDJP - 2010-11-01 8:18 PM ..........You CAN reverse a motorhome with a car attached on an A frame! Towing legislation does not stipulate HOW FAR you have to reverse. So reversing as little as 1 metre complies with the current legislation IMO. Ho, ho, very clever! So try explaining that to the driver of a 40 tonne truck when you meet him in the middle of a twisting, narrow, village street. "Sorry mate, you'll have to reverse your rig, because mine will only do 1 metre, but it is legal."I'd guess most of us would plan our driving lives around never having to reverse, if we could. Reverse gear is for those unexpected and unplanned moments when two vehicles meet, but cannot pass. One must reverse to allow the other to continue.In some countries failure to reverse out of the path of vehicle with priority is an offence. Switzerland and Post Buses come to mind. Hmmmmmmm. Have fun! :-)Mr Kirby. thank you for your praise :-D My post was in reply to this statement and this statement ONLYNot withstanding all the above. You still cannot reverse a car whilst attached to an A Frame.Which is still contrary to the Towing legislation. But.......would you even want to try Obviously in your scenario there could be a problem. Not in mine, as it would be a case of a quick unhitch and move both vehicles.I might also add that I could not tow my Smart on a trailer legally as the car + trailer would exceed my maximum permissable weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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