Towing a 7

[RogerB]

I'm considering migrating to the South of France for the winter taking the 7 behind the sensible car. The dog won't fit in the 7.

Your thoughts on towing please - A frame or towing dolly, Ferry or tunnel, laws for towing in Fance ?

Roger.  

[TJG]

We regularly take the 7 on a trailer behind our motorhome on similar trips. I waded through lots of information and if I recall correctly the crunch is that if the "Trailer" (the 7) has a braking system then it must operate, that's when I bought the BJ trailer. I see lots of people using kit that doesn't satisfy the regs and apparently getting away with it though.

Tony

[Drumster]

AIUI in the U.K. A-frames and dollies are only allowed for the recovery of vehicles 

[Jonathan Kay]

A frame or towing dolly

A frame or towing dolly"A"-Frames and Dollies: DfT Information Sheet.

No idea about France, but if the answer doesn't appear here I'd ask the RAC.

Ferry or tunnel...

From Oxfordshire we use the long crossing to Caen or similar. There's a budget boat which is posh enough for us.

... migrating to the South of France for the winter... 

That's what it was invented for! There's a growing community of interest here... where are you considering?

Have you found the advice about breakdown cover from ADAC?

Jonathan

[Jim 123]

I know that some rear wheel drive differentials don't respond well to A frame/dolly towing over distance. Not the case with a FWD car.  It would be good if you can get feedback from a 7 owner who has towed the 7 with an A frame

[Drumster]

From The AA:

Towing on an A-frame

You can only use an A-frame or recovery dolly legally to recover a vehicle which has broken down.

If you tow a car that hasn't broken down using an A-frame or dolly, then the law treats the combination as a trailer which must meet the appropriate braking and lighting rules.

 

[RogerB]

Ok thanks Guys.

I'm now havering towards a single axle trailer.The Lider single axle up to 1300 kg gross looks good value and lightweight.

Has anyone experience of these ?

 

Roger

[Drumster]

Whilst single axles tow fine they are more prone to snaking. I think most people prefer the stability of a twin axle and the security of 2 wheels each side in case of a blowout. I've had both and wouldn't want to go back to a single axle to toe my pride and joy.

[Mark Durrant]

I agree with Chris and if you buy a good secondhand BJ Minno or similar it is unlikely to depreciate and will sell easily when you have finished with it.

[Dave Rayner]

Check out Phoenix Trailers of Bridgenorth, Shropshire, great value  

[Roger Ford]

I've had a blowout on a double-axle trailer and didn't even notice. Hate to think what would have happened with a single-axle one.

Get a Minno. Sport or Max models are best, but a little more expensive. Make sure it's got a fully-boarded bed - keeps the car cleaner and makes the trailer useful for lots of other things as well.

[elie boone]

I had a blow out on a very old single axle trailer and the only thing that happened was that is was slowing down on a fast rate. I tow with a Fountain single axle, it's as stable as a twin axle provided you get the balance right, more so than you would need on a twin axle. Had a massive acc. with a twin axle trailer with a jag V 12 on it towed by a Range Classic

[anthonym]

I wouldn't touch single axle with a barge pole. Never mind punctures (had none), blowouts (tyre delaminated on auto route - it was itself the spare, concluded many years in the sun had damaged the rubber), losing a wheel (twice!! the inner steel centre sheered out) and every time it being a double axle braked trailer make it a trivial occurrence: plus a lot of luck concerning where the lost wheels went. 

check the nose weight is appropriate - usually 75kg. Make sure the brakes actually work, check the shock absorber in the hitch mechanism - or get it checked, it's a matter of moments.

NEVER omit the extra safety connection (I forget the correct term), usually a wire that one also hooks around the hook so that if the trailer is disconnected it's brakes will automatically be applied and some hope of the trailer not heading off alone while you come to a halt.

Don't forget security: various horror stories in blatchat. I use the usual wheel lock bar, trailer hitch lock and then when not present add boron chain and suitable lock, a few hundred quid involved for that. 

if you buy a cheap BJ Minno Shuttle (I.E. COVERED)  (which means it will prob be over ten years old), there is a list of parts that will be tired and better replaced - like brakes. It's easy to think the brakes work when they don't.

AND CARRY A SPARE WHEEL!

fwiw - 17 years trailing all over Europe.

anthony

[Tom_Arundel]

To Elie Boone

Was that the one that went over the top of my car on the A5 some years ago??...Good effort if it was!

[elie boone]

No the acc happened in the Netherlands, and what I didn't know was that there was an V 12 block and crank in the boot. It was shocking to see how little strength there is in the roof structure of a Range Classic, the trailer was up side down behind on the grass next to the motorway and the Jag was on it's roof on the hard shoulder.

[Tom_Arundel]

It must be Jags and trailers. I was stopped in traffic on the A5, a guy driving the same as you, going much too fast came the other way, clipped the kerb and got the trailer into a tank slapper, trailer overtook the car hit a bollard and launched sideways over the top of us, cleared the cab of the 42 tonner behind us and embedded itself in the top of the truck...no one injured...A few inches or tenths of a second either way and there would have been bodies everywhere! 

[RogerB]

Ellie,

Am I missing something in the continuity between your posts No 12 &15 of this thread. They seem to contradict each other.So far you are the only one to recommend single axle ?

Roger.

[elie boone]

I had the acc with a twin axle trailer, the trailer was to short for the Jag ( I tought if I am carefull it would be ok ) and I didn't know there was an engine in the boot. When I entered the motorway there where massive gooves from the trucks on the 1 st lane witch provoked a bad tank slapper so I tried to go back to the hard shoulder to scrub off speed but to no avail. I used to tow rally cars with various single axle trailers and if your car is positioned right you are fine but you need to use the correct tyres on the trailer, mine has 13" wheels so if someone might be tempted to use car tyres but that is false economy. They do pitch up and down more than a twin axle but once you are familiar with this feel there is no problem, besides it's far more easy to manoeuvre a single axle trailer than a twin axle.

[anthonym]

4 wheel: jack/wind up the jockey wheel and it maneuvers just like, in fact becomes, a two wheel.

getting the balance right is important also for a 4 wheel - and iirc using 8 ply tyres not 4 ply.

I used to tow a two wheel, though boats not cars. Never had a problem. I think the large distances in mainland Europe make the difference here. A 4 wheel double axle braked (covered in my case) trailer offers choices a two wheel does not, not least continuing to travel as opposed to being halted without any choice. A spare wheel fixes that of course, but I don't recall seeing many two wheelers carrying a spare (plus suitable jack and brace because both may be different to the tow car).

if I were in the UK only, I guess two wheel not really an issue, never far from help, in English .. or Polish.

if I were in the EU generally I'd think twice about it. 

also depends what's doing the towing..