#25. M atch in g m o to rh o m e an d trailer D ATA SH EET

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Emory Long
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D ATA SH EET #25 #2 5 To w ing w ith a m o to rh o m e T o w in g beh in d y o u r m o to rh o m e As of M arch 2 01 8 th e Departm en t for T ran sport h as w ith draw n, pen din g a review, its on

T h ou gh w e don 't en visage an y sign ifican t ch an ges to th e legal statu s of u sin g an A-fram e in th e U K, if w e do fin d an yth in g w e'll pu blish in du e cou rse.

1 D ATA SH EET #25 #2 5 To w ing w ith a m o to rh o m e T o w in g beh in d y o u r m o to rh o m e As of M arch th e Departm en t for T ran sport h as w ith draw n, pen din g a review, its on lin e advice th at clarifies its u n derstan din g of A-fram es an d th e law. Som e of th e advice given below is based on w h at w as pu blish ed. T h ou gh w e don 't en visage an y sign ifican t ch an ges to th e legal statu s of u sin g an A-fram e in th e U K, if w e do fin d an yth in g w e'll pu blish in du e cou rse. F or m an y cam pers a sign ifican t ch oice is w h eth er to tow a caravan or drive a m otorh om e, bu t tow in g w ith a m otorh om e can often en h an ce th e en joym en t of u sin g you r veh icle. W h ile a V W cam pervan provides a terrific daytim e base, for som e its accom m odation is too cram ped for th e even in gs, bu t w ith a sm all caravan in tow you can be com fortable at th e cam psite w h ile still en joyin g th e ben efits of a daytim e base an yw h ere. At th e opposite en d of th e scale, a large m otorh om e is fin e on th e cam psite bu t its size is lim itin g ou t an d abou t. T ow a sm all car to th e cam psite an d you r daytim e roam in g kn ow s n o bou n ds. Altern atively if you w ish to take a sm all boat or can oe on you r travels a sm all trailer can m ake th at possible. So the re a re m a ny go o d re a s o ns to to w, but the re a re a ls o s o m e dra w ba cks co nce rning re ve rs ing, re duce d s pe e d lim its a nd the de ta ile d le ga l co ns tra ints o f to w ing a tra ile r. This Da ta She e t is inte nde d to ra is e a w a re ne s s o f the is s ue s invo lve d in to w ing. M atch in g m o to rh o m e an d trailer Matching a tra ile r to a m o to rho m e is s im ila r to tha t o f ca r a nd ca ra va n. Y o u ne e d to e ns ure yo u o pe ra te w ithin the ca pa bility o f the to w ing ve hicle a nd the co nditio ns o f yo ur driving lice nce. De ta ils o f s uch m a tching ca n be fo und o n the Club's Da ta She e t 20 - Matching Ca r a nd Ca ra va n.

2 Y o u'll find a n e xpla na tio n o f the va rio us ve hicle w e ight te rm s us e d in the te xt in the de finitio ns pa ne l. P le a s e no te a ls o tha t the le ga l te rm fo r a m o to rho m e is - m o to r ca ra va n -, tho ugh w e us e the m o re co m m o nly us e d te rm (m o to rho m e ) he re. D riv in g licen se issu es De pe nding o n w he n yo u pa s s e d yo ur driving te s t diffe re nt rule s a pply re ga rding yo ur driving lice nce a nd Da ta She e t 40 (Driving Lice nce s ) ha s furthe r de ta ile d info rm a tio n a ro und the s e lim ita tio ns. N o sew eigh t an d to w bars N o s e w e ight is a s ignifica nt fa cto r in to w ing s ta bility a nd the N a tio na l Ca ra va n Council re co m m e nds a no s e w e ight o f a bo ut five to s e ve n pe r ce nt o f the w e ight o f the lo a de d tra ile r. So a lo a de d tra ile r w e ighing 1,000kg s ho uld ha ve a no s e w e ight o f no t le s s tha n 50kg. The no s e w e ight o f the tra ile r a pplie d o n to the to w ba ll m us t a ls o no t e xce e d the m o to rho m e m a nufa cture r's to w ba ll lim it. It s ho uld be no te d tha t the us e o f a cha s s is e xte ns io n o n a co a chbuilt m o to rho m e m a y re duce the pe rm is s ible no s e w e ight o rigina lly s pe cifie d by the ba s e ve hicle m a nufa cture r. W ith a lugga ge tra ile r o r ca ra va n, no s e w e ight ca n be a djus te d to (o r clo s e to ) the de s ira ble w e ight by A to wb ar b ein g fitted to a m o to rh o m e re lo ca ting kit fo re o r a ft o f the tra ile r a xle. W he re tra ile rs a re us e d to ca rry o ne la rge ite m s uch a s a bo a t o r ca r it is be s t to ha ve a purpo s e -m a de tra ile r w he re the tra ile r a xle is lo ca te d to give a de s ira ble no s e w e ight w ith tha t fixe d lo a d. W ha te ve r yo u to w, w he the r a no rm a l tra ile r o r ca r us ing a n A -fra m e, yo u w ill ne e d to e ns ure yo u ha ve a go o d to w ba r a nd to w ing e le ctrica l s ys te m fitte d. If yo u ha ve a re la tive ly re ce nt m o to rho m e it is like ly to ha ve be e n the s ubje ct o f Euro pe a n Type a ppro va l a nd a s s uch m us t ha ve a type -a ppro ve d to w ba r fitte d. B e fo re buying a tra ile r che ck to co nfirm tha t a s uita ble to w ba r is a va ila ble fo r yo ur m o to rho m e. So m e tim e s the re ca n be co m plica tio ns w ith unde rs lung w a te r ta nks o r o the r e quipm e nt im pe ding the s a tis fa cto ry fitting o f a to w ba r. A to w ba r fitte r s pe cia lis ing in m o to rho m e s is the re fo re re co m m e nde d, e s pe cia lly w he re a cha s s is e xte ns io n o r to w ba r ne e ds to be fa brica te d fo r the pa rticula r re quire m e nts o f yo ur m o to rho m e. B asic to w in g law issu es W he n to w ing yo u a re a uto m a tica lly re s tricte d to a m a xim um s pe e d o f 50m ph o n s ingle ca rria ge w a ys a nd 60m ph o n dua l ca rria ge w a ys a nd m o to rw a ys, e xce pt w he re a lo w e r ge ne ra l s pe e d lim it a pplie s. A ls o yo u a re no t pe rm itte d in the o uts ide la ne o f a m o to rw a y w he re the re a re thre e la ne s o r m o re.

The Road V e hicle s (Cons tructio n a nd U s e ) Re gula tio ns lim its yo u to to w ing a n unbra ke d tra ile r w ith a MAM no t e xce e ding 750kg o r ha lf the ke rbw e ight o f the to w ing ve

V e hicle m a nufa cture rs a ls o quo te to w ing lim its a nd the s e a re no rm a lly give n in the ve hicle ha ndbo o k.

3 The Road V e hicle s (Cons tructio n a nd U s e ) Re gula tio ns lim its yo u to to w ing a n unbra ke d tra ile r w ith a MAM no t e xce e ding 750kg o r ha lf the ke rbw e ight o f the to w ing ve hicle, w hiche ve r is le s s. W he re a tra ile r is fitte d w ith bra ke s, e ve n if the tra ile r do e s no t e xce e d 750kg, tho s e bra ke s m us t w o rk pro pe rly. V e hicle m a nufa cture rs a ls o quo te to w ing lim its a nd the s e a re no rm a lly give n in the ve hicle ha ndbo o k. If o nly o ne to w ing lim it is give n a s s um e it is fo r a bra ke d tra ile r. The be s t w a y to che ck the bra ke d tra ile r lim it A b as e veh icle weig h t p late n ex t to co n verto r's p late fo r a m o to rho m e is to ins pe ct the w e ight pla te o n the ve hicle. The w e ight pla te, w hich us ua lly a ls o ca rrie s the ve hicle 's V e hicle Ide ntifica tio n N um be r (V IN ), is no rm a lly lo ca te d unde r the bo nne t o r o n o ne o f the do o r pilla rs. Fo r co a chbuilt m o to rho m e s be s ure to us e the co nve rto r's pla te (o r A L-KO pla te w he re the ba s e ve hicle re a r cha s s is ha s be e n s ubs titute d w ith a n A L- KO cha s s is ) in ca s e the o rigina l s pe cifie d lo a dings a s indica te d o n the ba s e ve hicle m a nufa cture r's pla te ha ve be e n a m e nde d. The to p figure o n the pla te is the ve hicle 's Gro s s V e hicle W e ight (GV W ) a nd the s e co nd figure do w n is the gro s s tra in w e ight (GTW ). The GTW is the m a xim um co m bine d w e ight o f to w ing ve hicle a nd tra ile r tha t is pe rm itte d. The diffe re nce be tw e e n the GTW a nd GV W is yo ur to w ing lim it w he n the ve hicle is fully lo a de d. A typ ical u n b raked trailer Do no t be s urpris e d if the to w ing lim it give n by the co nve rto r is co ns ide ra bly le s s tha n the o rigina l ba s e ve hicle m a nufa cture r's lim it. This ca n be a re s ult o f the co nve rto r incre a s ing the o rigina l GV W o r the GTW ca n be re duce d due to re a r cha s s is e xte ns io ns. A ltho ugh the s e e xte ns io ns a re a de qua te fo r the ha bita tio n lo a d, the y o fte n ca nno t s us ta in the s a m e tra ile r lo a d a s the o rigina l s ho rt cha s s is. So m e tim e s the ba s e ve hicle 's o rigina l to w ing lim it is re duce d by ha lf o r m o re. A n unbra ke d tra ile r m us t ha ve a s e co nda ry co upling tha t w ill ke e p the tra ile r a tta che d to the to w ing ve hicle if the prim a ry co upling fa ils. B ra ke d tra ile rs up to 3,500kg m us t be fitte d w ith a bre a ka w a y ca ble tha t w ill o pe ra te the tra ile r bra ke s if the prim a ry co upling fa ils. A lte rna tive ly a bra ke d tra ile r up to 1,500kg m a y ha ve a s e co nda ry co upling (s uch a s a s tro ng cha in) fitte d. T o w in g a car u sin g an A -fram e The la w w he n to w ing a tra ditio na l tra ile r is re a s o na bly cle a r w he the r in the U K o r Euro pe. B ut to w a ca r be hind a m o to rho m e o n a n A -fra m e a nd the s itua tio n is no t s o cle a r.

The re ha s be e n s o m e de ba te a ro und Dire ctive 71/320/EEC a nd U N ECE Re gula tio n 13 co nce rning bra king s ys te m type -a ppro va l, ho w e ve r this o nly re la te s to ne w ve hicle

The De pa rtm e nt fo r tra ns po rt (DfT) s ta te s - The re is no ha rm o nis e d EU le gis la tio n co nce rning the type -a ppro va l o f A -fra m e s a nd the y ca nno t be co ns ide re d a s ve

4 The re ha s be e n s o m e de ba te a ro und Dire ctive 71/320/EEC a nd U N ECE Re gula tio n 13 co nce rning bra king s ys te m type -a ppro va l, ho w e ve r this o nly re la te s to ne w ve hicle s. Moto r ve hicle s a nd tra ile rs a re w ithin the s co pe o f the s e te chnica l re gula tio ns but A -fra m e de vice s a re no t. The De pa rtm e nt fo r tra ns po rt (DfT) s ta te s - The re is no ha rm o nis e d EU le gis la tio n co nce rning the type -a ppro va l o f A -fra m e s a nd the y ca nno t be co ns ide re d a s ve hicle s in the co nte xt o f the le gis la tio n a s the y m e re ly fo rm a link be tw e e n tw o ve hicle s. H o w e ve r, fo r m a ny ye a rs the DfT w a s cle a r tha t the us e o f de vice s s uch a s A -fra m e s, s pe cta cle lifts a nd do llie s w e re inte nde d o nly fo r the purpo s e s o f re co ve ry o f bro ke n do w n ve hicle s. The DfT's info rm a tio n s he e t o n this s ubje ct w a s w ithdra w n fo r re vie w in March H o w e ve r w he n publis he d it s ta te d: W e be lie ve the A -fra m e a nd ca r be co m e a s ingle unit a nd a s s uch a re cla s s ifie d in le gis la tio n a s a tra ile r. It is o ur unde rs ta nding tha t the us e o f A -fra m e s to to w ca rs be hind o the r ve hicle s is le ga l (in the U K) pro vide d the bra king a nd lighting re quire m e nts a re m e t. H o w e ve r o n the Contine nt m o s t co untrie s s till s e e it a s a re co ve ry to o l a nd the DfT be lie ve s the V ie nna A m icro car b ein g to wed b y a m o to rh o m e Conve ntio n 1968 o n Road Tra ffic ca nno t be us e d a s a de fe nce in dis pute s be ca us e the A -fra m e w o uld no t ha ve be e n fo rs e e n a t the tim e o f the Conve ntio n. The re fo re the Club s tro ngly a dvis e s yo u a bide by the lo ca l la w s fo r e a ch co untry yo u tra ve l thro ugh. In pra ctice this m e a ns putting the ca r o n a tra ile r. A num be r o f Club m e m be rs to w ing w ith A -fra m e s o n the co ntine nt ha ve be e n s to ppe d by lo ca l po lice. In s e ve ra l ca s e s in Spa in, po lice o ffice rs ha ve ins is te d o n the de co upling o f the A -fra m e a nd s e pa ra te tra ve lling, s o be pre pa re d fo r yo ur pa rtne r o r tra ve lling co m pa nio n to drive the ca r if re que s te d. Lighting is o ne is s ue tha t ca n be la rge ly re s o lve d by a co nne ctio n to the m o to rho m e e le ctrics s o a ll the ca r's no rm a l ro a d lights functio n co rre ctly. The re gula tio ns re quire a tra ile r to dis pla y tw o re d tria ngula r re fle cto rs - w hich a re o fte n o ve rlo o ke d - a nd a ls o to dis pla y the num be r pla te o f the to w ing ve hicle. B ra king re quire m e nts a re no t s o e a s y to co m ply w ith a s m a ny A -fra m e s ys te m s us e a re la tive ly s im ple o ve rrun (a ls o kno w n a s a n ine rtia ) bra king s ys te m, a s us e d o n ca ra va ns, to o pe ra te the ca r's bra ke s. The DfT co m m e nts o n its s he e t: If the tra ile r bra king s ys te m ha s po w e r a s s is ta nce it is like ly tha t this a s s is ta nce w ill be re quire d w hile in m o tio n to m e e t the re quire d bra king e fficie ncie s.

n re a rw a rd m o tio n is ins tiga te d. Ca rs do no t ha ve s uch s ys te m s.

5 The re a re a ls o co nce rns a bo ut the a bility to re ve rs e a ca r o n a n A -fra m e w he n us ing a n ine rtia bra king s ys te m. Tra ditio na l bra ke d tra ile rs ca n be re ve rs e d w itho ut pro ble m be ca us e the y ha ve a uto -re ve rs ing s ys te m s in the w he e l hubs tha t e na ble the bra ke s to co lla ps e w he n re a rw a rd m o tio n is ins tiga te d. Ca rs do no t ha ve s uch s ys te m s. The DfT info rm a tio n s he e t s ta te s : Fro m 1 O cto be r 1988 the ine rtia bra king s ys te m w a s re quire d to a llo w the tra ile r to be re ve rs e d by the to w ing ve hicle w itho ut im po s ing a s us ta ine d dra g a nd s uch de vice s us e d fo r this purpo s e m us t e nga ge a nd dis e nga ge a uto m a tica lly. This w ill be ve ry difficult to a chie ve o n a n A -fra m e us ing a n ine rtia (o ve rrun) de vice. A typ ical b raked trailer h itch with b reakaway cab le So m e ine rtia -bra ke d A -fra m e s upplie rs cla im te s ting ha s pro ve d the ir s ys te m m e e ts the ne ce s s a ry bra king fo rce re gula tio ns a nd a rgue tha t ca rs o n ine rtia -bra ke d A -fra m e s ca n be re ve rs e d w itho ut the ne e d to m a nua lly o pe ra te a ny m e cha nis m. O ne s upplie r s a ys : It ta ke s a little s kill, but w ith ca re, ge ntle re ve rs ing ca n be s ucce s s fully a chie ve d. In the pa s t fe w ye a rs s o m e A -fra m e s upplie rs ha ve im ple m e nte d de s igns to o pe ra te the ca r's bra king s ys te m s, including the po w e r a s s is ta nce s ys te m us ing e le ctrica l po w e r fro m the to w ing m o to rho m e. Supplie rs cla im the s e e le ctrica l s ys te m s pro vide the re quire d bra king e fficie ncy a nd a llo w tro uble -fre e re ve rs ing a s the ca r's bra king o pe ra tio n de pe nds o n the m o to rho m e 's bra ke s. To a vo id a ll the a bo ve te chnica l pro ble m s re la ting to bra king re quire m e nts, s o m e ca m pe rs ha ve a rgue d the bra king re quire m e nts fo r A -fra m e to w ing o f ca rs ca n be a vo ide d by us ing a lightw e ight m icro ca r w he re the GV W do e s no t e xce e d 750kg. The a rgum e nt go e s tha t w ith a GV W (including A -fra m e ) o f le s s tha n 750kg, the unit ca n be co ns ide re d a s a n unbra ke d tra ile r. H o w e ve r, if a bra king s ys te m is fitte d the n the re gula tio ns re quire a ll the bra ke s to o pe ra te co rre ctly a nd the m icro ca r w ill ha ve bra ke s. W hile the DfT ha s s e t o ut its inte rpre ta tio n o f the S m art cars fitted with A - fram es d es ig n ed fo r u s e with b rakin g s ys tem s re gula tio ns, it ha s de cla re d it is una ble to give a n a utho ritive inte rpre ta tio n o f the la w a s this is a m a tte r fo r the co urts to de cide. A s fa r a s the Club is a w a re, no o ne ha s ye t be e n ta ke n co urt in the U K fo r to w ing a ca r us ing a bra ke d A -fra m e. A s the re is no m a nda to ry te s ting re gim e in pla ce, it is do w n to individua l m a nufa cture rs to e ns ure the ir pro ducts m e e t the s ta tuto ry re quire m e nts. If yo u de cide to purcha s e a n A -fra m e it w o uld be w is e to s e e k w ritte n a s s ura nce fro m yo ur s upplie r tha t it co m plie s w ith the re gula tio ns a s la id o ut by the DfT. If yo u do go do w n the A -fra m e ro ute, che ck yo ur ca r ca n be to w e d. So m e ca rs, e s pe cia lly a uto m a tics, ca n ha ve the ir tra ns m is s io n s ys te m da m a ge d by be ing to w e d. A ls o info rm yo ur ins ura nce co m pa ny fo r bo th the ca r a nd yo ur m o to rho m e a nd che ck it is ha ppy w ith the a rra nge m e nts, e s pe cia lly if yo u inte nd to us e the o utfit o uts ide the U K. A nd re m e m be r, re ve rs ing w ith a s m a ll to w e d tra ile r is no to rio us ly difficult, e s pe cia lly w he n it is o ut o f s ight. U s ing a re a r vie w ca m e ra ca n be he lpful. Such ca m e ra s a re no w re a dily a va ila ble a s a n a fte rm a rke t a cce s s o ry. If yo u ha ve fe e dba ck o n o ur ne w fo rm a t D a ta she e t, ple a se le t us kno w, using o ur sho rt Fe e dba ck Fo rm.

6 A - fram e co n n ecto rs b ein g fitted to th e fro n t o f a car to b e to wed (co u rtes y S m art T o w)

7 G lo ssary U n laden W eigh t T he w e ight of a v e hic le w he n not c a rry ing a load a nd e xc luding fue l Kerbw eigh t or M ass In Run n in g O rder (M IRO ) T his is de fine d in Europe a n Dire c t iv e 95/48/EC a s - t he ma ss of t he v e hic le w it h body w ork in running orde r (inc luding c oola nt, oils fue l, t ools spa re w he e l a nd driv e r) M axim um Auth orised M ass (M AM ) M a ximum Gross W e ight (M GW ) or Gross V e hic le W e ight (GV W ) T he ma ximum a v e hic le or t ra ile r is a llow e d t o w e igh w he n fully loade d Gross Train W eigh t (GT W ) T he ma ximum a llow e d c ombine d w e ight of t ow ing v e hic le a nd t ra ile r pe rmit t e d Tow in g Lim it T he ma ximum pe rmissible t ra ile r w e ight quot e d by t he t ow ing v e hic le ma nufa c t ure r (usua lly quot e d for a v e hic le w he n t ow ing up a one in e ight hill) C o ntacts The Ca m ping a nd Ca ra va nning Club T he Camping a nd Cara v a nning Club Gre e nfie lds House, W e st w ood W a y, Cov e nt ry CV4 8JH Tel: o r De pa rtm e nt fo r Tra ns po rt info rm a tio n s he e t, A Fra m e s a nd Dollie s W a tling Engine e rs Tel: Tow -Trus t Tel: W itte r Tow ba r Tel: A -fra m e s a nd ca r tra ns po rte r tra ile rs Tel: Ca r tra ns po rte r tra ile rs Tel:

#52. an d cars th at to w D ATA SH EET

#52. an d cars th at to w D ATA SH EET D ATA SH EET #52 #52 Susp ensio n M o d ifi catio ns S u spen sio n m o dificatio n s fo r m o to rh o m es an d cars th at to w In th e past, it w as som etim es recom m en ded th at a car's rear su spen