towing

[61austinseven]

Has anyone used a towing a frame to move there mini around.
Where is it best to pull from near the hubs or by the sub frame mounting point.
Thanks

[captain]

I think it is no longer legal to do this using a A frame a trailer is the only option,just been down this road and have had to purchase a trailer,and fit a tow bar to my motorhome,at a great expense

[miniminor]

We have an A frame which attaches to the front subframe just below the front mounting points. It's years old but works a treat. The Mini follows along behind the Discovery like it's not even there

[LMM76C]

And I used to tow a rally RS2000 on an A frame with a standard road RS2000 at 80 mph on the continent - but, as has already been posted above, the UK nanny state no longer allows it other than for registered recovery operators.

(and, to be honest, it could be lethal in the wet at 15mph on a roundabout)

[zippypinhead]

Well, I've used a tow bar (a frame) tow dolly, and a trailer over the years. I currently have a lightweight aluminum trailer towing with a Scoobie Forester. Questions come up so often, I made up this word doc:

Tow Bars vs. Tow Dollies vs. Trailer for towing a Mini or Moke
Tow Bar (A Frame)-All four wheels of the towed vehicle are on the ground.
More wear ‘n tear on the towed vehicle’s wheel bearings/tires.
If something happens to the suspension/bearings, you’re pretty much stuck
Cannot be reversed.
At times, after a sharp turn, the front wheels can oscillate back ‘n forth until you slow or stop.
No brakes.
You have to either hang temporary lights or re-wire the towed vehicle for lights.
Tow Bar (A frame) is easily stowed when not in use.

Tow Dolly-Front wheels of towed vehicle are off the ground.
More wear ‘n tear on the towed vehicle’s rear wheel bearings/tires.
If something happens to the rear suspension/bearings, you’re pretty much stuck.
Cannot be reversed.
No brakes. (at least on the tow dolly I owned)
Tow dolly is a bit more bother to stow when not in use.

Trailer-All four wheels of the towed vehicle are off the ground.
More wear ‘n tear on the towing vehicle.
If something happens to the trailer’s bearings/suspension, you’re pretty much stuck.
Can be reversed.
Can, and should, have brakes.
Stowing a trailer when not in use can be an issue.

[1071 S]

I remember "A framing" a Mini back from Chicago back to DC at a somewhat illegal average speed. No sweat - with Volvo turbo we were doing 70 mph by the time you reached the end of the merge ramp...

I did blow a rear tyre on the Mini - but that was 15 years later (same tyre...)

It is illegal where I come from, but - apart from the no reversing rule - I can't see why...

Cheers, Ian

[LMM76C]

Even before the more recent changes in the UK that have effectively banned A frame towing by the public, it was usually illegal because the towed vehicle was legally an unbraked trailer and thus subject to severe weight restrictions that made nearly all instances over legal weight.
We got round this by having someone sitting in the A-frame towed car to "kiss" the brakes when the towing vehicle's brake lights went on. It had to be someone who was really on the ball....
In winter, they could even start the engine occasionally to get the heater working...

[guru_1071]

i think if VOSA pulled someone a framing a car with someone else sat in it to press the brakes, you would probably win some sort of award nowadays!

it certainly wouldnt end well for you thats for sure....


in the uk there is only one way to be 100% safe and sure that you are legal is to tow the car on a proper braked trailer. (with a decent sized tow car and the correct licence (for all you youngsters!)

anything else is at best case a 'grey area' or at worse case plain illegal.

its just not worth the risk nowadays....

the days of towing rusty un-moted minis home behind another mini (with jump leads going from the battery of the tow car to the starter solonoid of the towed car so the lights worked are over......

(actually, the last time i did this trick was towing a xj40 jag behind a range rover, we had three sets of jumpleads attached to each other cable going from the front of the rangie, to the battery in the jag engine bay - just to try and keep the jag running so its brakes and servo worked - it was all done on a private road officer )

[zippypinhead]

Years ago, a friend called as his MGB had left him stranded in the middle of a snow storm. He was only a few blocks from home so I went to retrive him with a tow strap.
Everything was going along just fine until that sharp right turn.... I turned and he didn't... he wound up in the ditch.
Turns out he had the keys in his pocket and couldn't grab 'em quick enough to unlock the steering column.

[pad4]

woldent agree with the increased wear n tear on the tow vehicle - as long as you do have a proper tow vehicle thats big n strong enough to pull it - makes no difference on the back of my pajero , auto box 3.5 ltr so it dont really feel it, plus with a trailer on i dont tent do drive it quite as hard

although im sure a 1.2 stick shift focus would blow up after a bit


pd

[turbochargedstu]

really chuffed i bought a decent a frame 18 months ago to tow my mini.