peterpeter Posted November 24, 2003 Posted November 24, 2003 I am thinking about getting a towing dolly to transport my westy on wet track days. Anyone have any experience with these?? Are they any good or..crap?? Anyone got one or know where I can get one. Problem is Space is short in my garage. Quote
Paul Ash Posted November 24, 2003 Posted November 24, 2003 Not strictly legal, as they are only for recovering a vehicle if broken down, back to home or a garage. So quite how mr plod would view this if you were using it like a trailer I dont know, but worth considering Quote
Blatman Posted November 24, 2003 Posted November 24, 2003 Not worth considering, 'cos in a worst case scenario (an accident), an insurance company, and the fuzz, will look at the legality of your vehicle. Unless you can prove precicely why you had your car on a dolly, you'll probably find your insurance invalid........ Quote
peterpeter Posted November 24, 2003 Author Posted November 24, 2003 are there any mini trailers possible then??? Quote
Blatman Posted November 24, 2003 Posted November 24, 2003 Describe "mini trailers"......what are your requirements? Quote
felters Posted November 25, 2003 Posted November 25, 2003 Someone will correct me I'm sure but the smallest "proper" trailer that a Westy will fit on is probably the Minno from Brian James. Quote
simoke Posted November 25, 2003 Posted November 25, 2003 Woodford Trailers do a very good Minno alternative, slightly cheaper as well. Quote
Turbo Tommo Posted November 25, 2003 Posted November 25, 2003 A Frames are an option, good ones found here Quote
david.c Posted November 25, 2003 Posted November 25, 2003 Hey they look pretty good are they road legal or do they fall foul of the law. David Quote
Turbo Tommo Posted November 25, 2003 Posted November 25, 2003 Apparantly you can get them braked and unbraked (uses the vehicle brakes) as anything towed over 600kg needs to be braked. There is a certain amount of controversy and they are certainly not popular with the Spanish police. Advantages...very light and compact, stable towing Disadvantages....knock a wheel off at a sprint/trackday and you're as b*******ed as if you drove it there! Quote
DAVE O Posted November 25, 2003 Posted November 25, 2003 The A-Frames turn your car into a trailer. You would need to check on your weights for braked/unbraked trailers also lighting etc. Also you would need a point of fixing to the westie - I'm not sure where it would attach - but I wouldn't want to be towing mine with connections on the wishbones, It can't do them much good with prolonged use. Dave O. Quote
7SE Posted November 25, 2003 Posted November 25, 2003 I knew someone who towed their Westfield using an A-frame. It was a lot simpler than the stuff on the web link above. It was basically an A-frame fabricated out of angle iron, with a towing cup on the front. IIRC it attached to the Wesfield at the front wishbone mounts. I can't recall if he had a couple of brackets welded onto the chassis or something bolted on with the wishbone bolts. Sort of L-shaped with holes in each side of the L, the frame being bolted to this bracket. Very simple and effective, although it acquired fatigue cracks in the A-frame over time. I don't think that the Westfield was braked, not that it seemed to deter him from M-way+ speeds Quote
Richard Posted November 25, 2003 Posted November 25, 2003 I forwarded this subject to a guy I know in the Dax owners club as he was looking at this option a few weeks ago. Here's his reply to the original posting [TTAS are the Trailer and Towing Advisory Service. This came off their website www.ttas.co.uk The law considers any towed vehicle to be a "trailer". Thus a vehicle being towed with the aid of either an "A" frame or a towing dolly, is considered to be a trailer unit. If the weight of the trailer unit exceeds either 750 kg, or ½ the weight of the towing vehicle, or the towing vehicle manufacturers stated unbraked towing capacity, whichever is least; then it is required to be fitted with brakes that operate on all wheels. TTAS is not aware of an "A" frame unit that is able to effectively apply the brakes of the towed vehicle. A towing dolly may be equipped with brakes, but only on it's own wheels, the other axle of the vehicle mounted on it will not have operable brakes - so by definition it is not a braked trailer - and should never exceed either 750 kg, or ½ the weight of the towing vehicle, or the towing vehicle manufacturers stated unbraked towing capacity, whichever is least. Legislation does allow for the recovery of a vehicle, from a position where it constitutes a hazard, to a safe-haven. However, to proceed beyond the first safe-haven becomes transport, as opposed to recovery. In this instance a car transporter trailer is required, whereby the entire vehicle is carried upon the trailer (or towed vehicle) the trailers axle(s) being equipped with the requisite brakes. There is an exception to the foregoing in relation to the legitimate use of recovery equipment by recognised Vehicle Recovery Operators, whose vehicles will usually be taxed accordingly.] Don't know whether this helps or not: Quote
peterpeter Posted November 25, 2003 Author Posted November 25, 2003 The type of trailer I was after was similar to a half-flat bed where the beck wheels are still on the ground and the front wheels and engine area are up on the bed. looks like the dolly is out. The smallest woodford is 8"8 by 5"5 That might be ok. Thanks for all the help. Quote
Mark Stanton Posted November 25, 2003 Posted November 25, 2003 Small trailers are the Woodford or Brian James Minno or PRG in Cheshire who are sometimes available to cater for a "special" unit Quote
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