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Towing a car

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:15 pm
by quinnw
I've seen a lot of motorhomes tow a small car for de-camping, so:

a) i presume the Bongo would have enough torque to tow something small (C1, 107, etc.)

b) anyone know of a suitable device? I have seen permanent fixtures to the bumper / chassis of tow car Image but would like a temporary option (like the AA / RAC use).

c) Any (known) legal issues?

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:03 pm
by crazy uncle gray g
:roll: Here you go for starters, not cheap but totally illegal it would seem, if the laws where fully applied :arrow:
http://www.trailers.co.uk Then click car transporters, then car dolly.
Hope this helps, CrAzY

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:53 pm
by Mr Halibut
A C1 is something like 900kg kerb weight? I tow a Caravan that is between 950 and 1340kg (depending on if its empty or fully loaded) and considering the wind resistance of a huge white slab it tows it with ease.

The disadvantage is you have to keep to the legal max towing speeds rather then fly past at 85 like some of these huge campers do and upset my caravan and leave it wriggling about.

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:05 pm
by Mr Halibut
Alternatively a lighter vehicle would be the ariel Atom weighing in at less than 500kg!

Image

Not to mention 0-60 in 3 seconds

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:33 pm
by paul9
these are strong enough to tow most cars.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/A-FRAME-TOWING-DO ... dZViewItem

Re: Towing a car

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:47 pm
by trevd01
quinnw wrote:I've seen a lot of motorhomes tow a small car for de-camping, so:

a) i presume the Bongo would have enough torque to tow something small (C1, 107, etc.)

b) anyone know of a suitable device? I have seen permanent fixtures to the bumper / chassis of tow car Image but would like a temporary option (like the AA / RAC use).

c) Any (known) legal issues?
This is a wind up, right?

The idea of towing a car behind a motorhome is because once you have arrived on holiday, your motorhome is too big to park when you go to town etc.

The advantage of the Bongo is that it is a campervan - smaller than most campervans in fact - and will go anywhere a car will go (other than multi-storey carparks).

Get a Range Rover and tow the Bongo! :twisted:

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:44 pm
by scanner
crazy uncle gray g wrote::roll: Here you go for starters, not cheap but totally legal :arrow:
http://www.trailers.co.uk Then click car transporters, then car dolly.
Hope this helps, CrAzY
There is a lot of debate about this is the motorhome forums and the legality of any towing arrangement
where all 4 wheels are not off the ground is dubious - UNLESS - it is for the purpose of recovery
after an accident or breakdown when completely different regulations apply.

The general opinion is that "A" frames where the car is towed on all 4 wheels are totally illegal except for recovery purposes.
The dolly as shown is really getting into the big grey area between "A" frames and full trailers.

Note that they say "Supplied to RAC and other leading companies" - for recovery use??

towing car

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:57 pm
by tedpippa
Hi Quinnw,
Firstly i must agree that you don't need to tow a car because of the size of the Bongo ,secondly if you do the car is then classed as a trailer and trailer towing rules apply i.e if the trailer weighs more than 750kg it MUST HAVE OPERATIONAL BRAKES ,if not it is ILLEGAL TO TOW. We used to have a 33ft American ant towed with an a frame that worked the brakes but this cost over £800! yes it can be done but at a cost. As they say- the choice is yours but personally we wouldn't bother
regards
Dave

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:00 pm
by crazy uncle gray g
:roll: Just found this, interesting reading :arrow:
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/articles/view.asp?id=18

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:05 pm
by scanner
The situation regarding enforcement could change at any time and, as a result, the only safe way to transport another vehicle behind a motorhome is on a car transporter trailer. Play safe! Don’t take the risk!
This is the bit that matters.

Re: Towing a car

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:08 pm
by bighairypict
trevd01 wrote: Get a Range Rover and tow the Bongo! :twisted:
Or a caravan :twisted: :twisted:

check some of these postings

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... hp?t=19208

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:09 pm
by crazy uncle gray g
scanner wrote:

This is the bit that matters.
Cheers scanner, you will notice I have edited in RED my first post :wink:

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:33 pm
by mister munkey
If I were to tow anything, I'd like it to be a second Bongo behind mine.

Maybe a nice contrasting white one.


8)

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:39 pm
by scanner
With all these Bongos getting written off at the front I'm seriously thinking about buying one, chopping the front off and making a matching trailer.

All I need is the bit out of the middle of a bendy bus and I could have a Bendy Bongo.

Ohh the choices of where to put the awning and being able to just unhitch the back bit when going off for the day.

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:46 pm
by mister munkey
scanner wrote:With all these Bongos getting written off at the front I'm seriously thinking about buying one, chopping the front off and making a matching trailer.
Genius!!