Towing options for"buttercup"

[zinc2000]

Right gang need some advice please.

As some of you will know my aborted southbound trip has led me to reconsider the options for future such adventures.

So..do I go for trailer, towing dolly or A frame? :?

Trailer seems a bit excessive plus adds overall weight so will probably discount this option (unless of course I come across a really cheap car trailer)

Towing dolly seems like a lighter option for towing, plus it will be easier to store as it would fit in the garage whereas a trailer will need to occupy space in the drive.

A frame is most certainly the easiest to store but and here is the but...will it fit on the Puma as it is quite low at the front.

Towing a trailer is no problem for me, same applies to the dolly but I have never used an A frame before.

Any helpful suggestions welcome

 

[YOG]

Bit of a funny area, towing dollys and A frames. Lots of discussion on using these, as they (and the towed vehicle) are treated as a trailer. "Trailers having a combined axle mass not exceeding 750kg are not required to have brakes fitted. However, if the trailer (regardless of mass) is fitted with a braking system, then all brakes in that system must operate correctly."
Here's one of many links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-frames-and-dollies/a-frames-and-dollies

 

[zinc2000]

Thanks YOG, have just read all the regulations regarding towing dollies and A frames, my god its a nightmare as it seems that basically you can't :-(
Unless the dolly has overrun brakes (which most don't) or suspension (which most of them don't) you seem to be breaking the law, wonder how many policemen actually realise that?
So guess it will have to be a trailer then.....crap :-(

 

[trublustu]

Over the last four years I used an A frame to pull my track car about and have broken a good few dozen pumas, picking them up all over the place. Easy to tow and stable.
Only drawback is that you cant reverse. (and it isn`t braked)
This spring I bought a trailer.

The reason is the law.

Untill late 2016 they were perfectly legal up to 750kg.
(I knew I was always swinging the lead, but thought I could talk my way out of that one)
But last September. The rules tightened up.
Now ALL long wheel based trailers (axles over 1M apart) ANY weight, MUST have brakes directly operated by the tow vehicle (over run brakes are not acceptable for lwb)

This little directive has effectively banned A-frames and 99% of dollies.
The motorhome people are up in arms...

A regular copper might not know this.
But a traffic cop / traffic womble / VOSA probably would.

Your insurance company most certainly will.

So it`s trailer or transporter from now on.

 

[zinc2000]

Aye thats the way I see it as well most if not all A frame and dolly users appear to be doing so illegally and like you say, your average plod will not have a clue but VOSA.....well they have a direct line to the traffic commisioner who is not a nice person.
Problem with a trailer though is the trailer plus the puma then outdoes the towing capacity of me C-Max :-(

Sadly it means that unless I go down the route of aquiring a Transit or similar recovery truck "buttercup" may be confined to Scotland in the future :-(

 

[trublustu]

What`s the C-Max`s towing capacity?

 

[zinc2000]

According to official figures my C-Max can only tow 1200kg in total, it is only a 1.6 petrol, had it been the diesel it would have been quite a lot higher.

Puma apparently comes in at around 1000kg mark which does not give much room for the trailer as well

 

[stuvy]

Thing is if you upgrade to a diesel cmax you have extra space in the back for tools, kit etc

Buy a transit recovery truck and unless you have a double cab your limited with space. What a bout a cheap transit mk6 and a trailer then you have a crew van and loads of space for kit

Also upgrade to the s max 2.5 turbo.

Let me know if you need help with an imaginary shopping list in the future

 

[gingerdave]

Seems a bit extreme to go for towing options,I mean how many times a year would you need to tow it?Surely part of the experience of going to any meets is to drive there in the car.

 

[zinc2000]

I agree entirely gingerdave but sad thing is that as most meets I would want to go for ie FiTP next year it means a 900 mile round trip which is a big ask for a car which will only be used for short runs most of the time and I do not wish to break it.
I have looked at all the options and the most likely option will be the car remains in Scotland as I do not have the funds for trailer, it would have been nice to show it off occasionally but common sense has to prevail, it is currently sorned again until I can afford a new tank and chances are it will be next year before it reappears, annoying as I had worked really hard to get it back on the road this year but I guess thats cars for you.

 

[gingerdave]

I see.Then really if you just want to bring it to meets would probably make more sense to keep it sorn'd and don't even bother to mot/insure it.Then when you bring it out hire a good long distance trailer as some cheaper secondhand ones can be unreliable and not particularly relaxing to tow.Good luck.

 

[Frank]

[post]362974[/post] ...it would have been nice to show it off occasionally but common sense has to prevail,

Pity, I was going to suggest that an old Huey helicopter would make light work of that job.

 

[stuvy]

[post]362978[/post]

[post]362974[/post] ...it would have been nice to show it off occasionally but common sense has to prevail,

Pity, I was going to suggest that an old Huey helicopter would make light work of that job.

That's just stupid frank

A chinook has a faster cruising speed