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Trailer V Dolly


Guest WALFY

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After been looking for a nice trailer for some time now to transport my 90 around it struck me that if you can get a dolly for the front axle, Why can't you get a dolly/cradle for the rear axle? Would you have to join them together with box section? Do both axles have to be braked? What would the legality of doing such a project be?

Just pondering the idea as the prices of trailers seems to fluctuate on a weekly basis.

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After been looking for a nice trailer for some time now to transport my 90 around it struck me that if you can get a dolly for the front axle, Why can't you get a dolly/cradle for the rear axle? Would you have to join them together with box section? Do both axles have to be braked? What would the legality of doing such a project be?

Just pondering the idea as the prices of trailers seems to fluctuate on a weekly basis.

My disco broke down once while my wife was down in the west country and that was recovered by a spec lift truck which carried a fold up 4 wheel dolly. It was a simple construction all held together with ratchet straps and steel pins. the lorry reversed it into the workshops like you would a normal trailer.

It looked an expensive set up but did the job as good as any trailer.

I was impressed but I have the space for my trailer and also I carry my spares and general stuff on the trailer which doubles up as a big bench while competing.

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Guest diesel_jim
After been looking for a nice trailer for some time now to transport my 90 around it struck me that if you can get a dolly for the front axle, Why can't you get a dolly/cradle for the rear axle? Would you have to join them together with box section? Do both axles have to be braked? What would the legality of doing such a project be?

Just pondering the idea as the prices of trailers seems to fluctuate on a weekly basis.

IF you were to "join" the front and rear dolly together, then wouldn't it (in theory) become a trailer... albiet a light one with no bed, but still a trailer nonetheless.

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The regs are quite clear.

And the answer is that you cannot tow a car other than for recovery to a safe place using a dolly or A-frame. The one exception to this - by virtue of its weight - would appear to be the French made AIXAM car.

Anything over 750kgs (including the weight of the trailer) must be braked. And no dollies or A-frames comply.

So you need a trailer. And for weights over 750kg the trailer must have brakes which act on its own wheels.

http://www.ttas.co.uk/towsafe.cartransport.html

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when i worked for a company who made trailers

we used to make a dolly that was fully legal to tow a car everyday

it was fully braked with it's own steering, lights and a socket to plug a light board on the car you are towing, it used to tow like it car and dolly like one trailer

we sold a lot of them but sadly the company closed 7 years ago so dont know if theres many left

I do remember that thay used to cost £1250+vat new but for towing cars thay were good i used to use it to tow my old car about.

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we used to make a dolly that was fully legal to tow a car everyday

it was fully braked with it's own steering, lights and a socket to plug a light board on the car you are towing,

I guess that the law must have changed then as the law now requires that all wheels of a trailer over 750kg GVW are braked and are ineffective when reversing. In the case of a dolly or A-frame the car plus dolly/A-frame constitutes a trailer and so the car wheels which are in contact with the road must be braked in line with the regs. The exception being in the case of recovery operators recovering cars off motorways etc. to a place of safety.

Chris

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...........And no dollies or A-frames comply.......

My neighbour tows a Micra behind his motor home using an A frame.

All electrics for indicators, side lights and brake lights are connected through to the Micra and the brakes themselves are connected using dry break quick release hydraulic fittings.

I assume this then makes it legal so could be done for any towed vehicle.

Steve

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My neighbour tows a Micra behind his motor home using an A frame.

All electrics for indicators, side lights and brake lights are connected through to the Micra and the brakes themselves are connected using dry break quick release hydraulic fittings.

I assume this then makes it legal so could be done for any towed vehicle.

Steve

How does it comply with the auto reverse requirement?

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How does it comply with the auto reverse requirement?

Not sure what that is exactly but assume that as the brakes do not work in 'over-run' like a trailer brake in as much as they are applied by the towing vehicles brakes then they will not be on when reversing unless the tow vehicle applies its brakes.

Steve

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I guess that the law must have changed then as the law now requires that all wheels of a trailer over 750kg GVW are braked and are ineffective when reversing. In the case of a dolly or A-frame the car plus dolly/A-frame constitutes a trailer and so the car wheels which are in contact with the road must be braked in line with the regs. The exception being in the case of recovery operators recovering cars off motorways etc. to a place of safety.

Chris

you may be right it was 7 years ago.

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My neighbour tows a Micra behind his motor home using an A frame.

All electrics for indicators, side lights and brake lights are connected through to the Micra and the brakes themselves are connected using dry break quick release hydraulic fittings.

I assume this then makes it legal so could be done for any towed vehicle.

Steve

From memory I thought I'd heard that was illegal,

A quick check on the net found this:

A-frames may be offered with a braking system that applies the car's brakes. These do not conform to the law as the car then becomes a "braked trailer" and has to conform to European Directives contained within the Construction and Use Regulations. It does not conform to the European Directive 71/320/EEC and amendments regarding braking requirements in any way. The use of this A-frame for transportation is illegal. It is still OK for use to recover a vehicle to a place of safety.
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This is a touchy subject...

I know of sevral people who tow, using a-frames, a car behind their motorhome. On the front of the car is a socket, wired into the lights on the back to operate in conjunction with the motorhome, then there is a unit which is fitted into the drivers footwell (removable) which brakes the car for you in conjunction with the motorhome (Brake Buddy) and although american plenty of people import it.

However, there is an interesting discussion here which says it is illegal although no-one has ever been successfully prosecuted - yet!

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Hello , First post so be kind.... :unsure:

Just thought id say that i work on a farm where we have got two big 35ft dolly trailer that we bring straw bales in on. Both have got rear Hydralic brake and lights and as im aware of they are 100% road legal. We have had them for years and we have never had any trouble with vosa , Police or the like.

Heres a picture aswell.....

post-11107-1219744557_thumb.jpg

Charlie

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Welcome Charlie.

I expect that there are different rules for farmers, just as there are for showmen. I have to say, with all due respect to farmers, I have seen some pretty ropey trailers behind tractors!

Chris

Haven't we all Chris!

I can vividly remember haymaking on a cousin's farm back in the late 80's / early 90's - he had a dolly trailer almost identical to the one that Charlie (farmerboi) pictured - loaded up about the same - on the back of a 90... :o

No lights / brakes either....

Matt

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Matt

Where's your sense of adventure. Brakes and lights are for the law abiders not for farmers :P:P . Well none that operate round here at the moment. What with the harvesting season here, they seem to busy to throw a lightboard on the back of anything they tow. Notice the lack of the word trailer in that statement

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Hello , First post so be kind.... :unsure:

Just thought id say that i work on a farm where we have got two big 35ft dolly trailer that we bring straw bales in on. Both have got rear Hydralic brake and lights and as im aware of they are 100% road legal. We have had them for years and we have never had any trouble with vosa , Police or the like.

Heres a picture aswell.....

post-11107-1219744557_thumb.jpg

Charlie

most farm trailers are a gray area as most police don't know what is and isn't alowed i know 3or4 farmer that have had problems at the vosa site by J27 M5. we were alwes getting pulled when we had a lorry, try not to take the tractors that way.

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