A-Frame (towing) plans

[Nj]

Anybody got a set of plans for making anm A frame? I'm not paying some buggr on ebay money for a pdf, especially if it's just got a picture of an A shape with labels for tow hitch and chains.
This doesn't hint that I have a serial 'buying broken Audis' problem. at all. honest.

cheers

[Animal Mother]

Buy a trailer, less hassle than having the A-frame break on the motorway, killing someone, and you are liable because it doesn't meet standards.

[Fat Audi 80]

True....

Good advice that.

Cheers

Steve.

[Nj]

really? are A frames liable to do that? I would have thought that an A frame or a trailer would just be as good or bad as it is made and maintained. Is it something in the design/physics?

[madpugger]

A frames arent really that dear for a new one. If you arent comfortable with the design and making of one i would suggest buying a proper one. A trailer is fine, if you need one, and have the room, plus if you go to look at a car and decide to buy it, the A frame will be in the boot, much less hassle

[Nj]

thanks mate, that was my thinking actually. I don't have anywhere to store a trailer, can't afford one and it's not as handy to throw in the boot.
I don't see a problem in getting someone I trust to weld one if it's the same kind of design as one I borrowed before. The way I see it a weld or a large ht nuts or bolt has to fail for the frame to come apart. Or the big ratchetts if there's no fail safe.
I can't find any tales of horror that suggest A frames are death traps. Am I missing something?

[mcandmar]

We used a-frames for years towing competition cars, never heard of one breaking but people have broken bolt on tow bars and lost cars over headges and brick walls.

I've towed cars with both a-frames and trailers and would prefer to use an a-frame given the choice, more stable than a trailer and less likely to move around on sidewinds or start swaying at speed. Down side is you need to adapt the car and have an a-frame made to suit, where as you can stick any car onto a trailer.

[madpugger]

My father has a bought one and also made a couple, so if you dont want to buy one for around £175 new (IIRC) then I can see what he would make you one for if you like.

[Nj]

We used a-frames for years towing competition cars, never heard of one breaking but people have broken bolt on tow bars and lost cars over headges and brick walls.

I've towed cars with both a-frames and trailers and would prefer to use an a-frame given the choice, more stable than a trailer and less likely to move around on sidewinds or start swaying at speed. Down side is you need to adapt the car and have an a-frame made to suit, where as you can stick any car onto a trailer.

Ah. So it's possibly the bolt on tow ball that could break? oh dear.
How do you ean about adapting the car by the way? The one I used before was adjustable and had a big J shaped bar on each leg of the frame to hook into the subframe and chains to wrap round before ratchetting up. The angle of the frame was adjustable with a cross bar that you bolt on.
Maybe it was a differnt kind of A frame?

cheers

[Acidburn]

I was thinking of getting one of these now that i've got a tow hook on the back of a tdi so might look into it, let me know how you get on.

[Nj]

No problem mate.

[madpugger]

Noel, and anyone else who is interested...

I spoke to my dad who said I was mistaken, what he actually built was a spec lift frame for the back of his merc 123 estate... I will let you ponder this for a while before i post pictures!!!

He does own an A frame and the reason that he did not make one is that they need certification that a trailer does not (as yet) need. So althought they could be made really easily, the cost of a new one is not worth it. His was £175/180 a few years ago and he seems to remember it was advertised in the back of scottish autotraders, but an internet search will find something... in fact hang on where you are while i look

...

...

http://www.towingaframe.co.uk/ --- £245 for 2.5T

I am sure a bit more digging would find cheaper.

Hope this helps, oh and I will try and remember to post a photo of the merc

[mcandmar]

I see what mean, like this http://www.towingaframe.co.uk/. ...dont like that at all.

Any i have used were made for the car and had two towing eyes mounted rigid to the front of the car. A-frame then slots over them and two pins go through. That way the bar it firmly mounted to the car and can only pivot up/down, the side to side movement etc is taken care of by the tow bar. Like i said this setup was used for competition cars, i.e. people who tow the same car every second weekend its worth getting made. If its a one off thing use a trailer.

And yes bolt on tow bars can break, usually happens to people going up hill. I know one guy who wrote off a full race MG Midget this way, tow bar broke and the car rolled backwards down a hill and into a wall. More likely to happen with a trailer as that adds even more weight to pull around.

Ah. So it's possibly the bolt on tow ball that could break? oh dear.
How do you ean about adapting the car by the way? The one I used before was adjustable and had a big J shaped bar on each leg of the frame to hook into the subframe and chains to wrap round before ratchetting up. The angle of the frame was adjustable with a cross bar that you bolt on.
Maybe it was a differnt kind of A frame?

cheers

[Cullam3n]

Don't you have a place where you can rent trailers? There are places here you can rent a trailer by day rate.

[madpugger]

This type of frame is fine, used amny times, they ratchet (via a chain) to the wishbones. The type, like this http://www.protowframes.co.uk/ I am not keen on due to the mounting points, IE the S2 only has one!, plus you are pulling the front of the chassis leg, not that that should matter, but i just feel the wishbones is where the power is usually taken when the car is driving...