Going, going.......finally gone

[Novanick1]

So my old Nova has now gone, sold for the rather princely sum of 310 quid. Not bad considering its been rotting away for years and with hardly any originality left. Sold to a lady in Peterborough who bought it as a surprise for her son, fitting really, considering how i acquired it. So on Thursday of last week her "friend" came down to pick it up.

 

He had something called an A frame, something which i have never seen nor heard of before. Rather interesting bit of kit actually however (as the pics show) completely useless on this car. He was explaining how it worked, apparently in the front wishbone of the car there are some holes, in which some chains go through which means the car can have all 4 wheels on the ground but can go round corners with nobody in the vehicle thats being towed, in theory. The problem with my car is that the front wishbones didn't have the holes needed, according to the "friend". 

 

However he assured us that he will make it work by simply hooking them round the wishbone.

 

 

 

 

 

So it went on, and it looked pretty stable so we connected everything and it was on its way, 200 miles up to Peterborough, goodbye old Nova.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hold on.......

 

Thats not right...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It made it the best part of 10 yards up up to the end of my street before it went kaput. What happened was the chains that had "cleverly" been hooked around the wishbone instead of through it, was blocking both the front tyres, great.

 

 

 

 

To work it was trying to find a solution, but we gave up.

 

 

 

 

 

Back down again it was for the little Nova, belching fumes into our faces (baring in mind that was the first time its driven in about 4 years).

 

 

 

 

To the internet to try and find a suitable trailer to tow it and luckily was 40 mins before i had to go to work, we found one that was about 15 miles away.

 

 

 

 

Finally, we were getting somewhere. We got it on no problem and away it went. The young lad drove it all the way up to its now home only to drive all the way back down to bring the trailer back.

 

All i can do now is hope that it doesn't get trashed or crushed and move on to bigger and better things.

 

[garbaldy]

The chains do go around the bottom arm so not sure what the guy was on about, it looks like a cheap copy A frame so maybe not ideal, novas are nice and light to frame as well.

At least it's gone anyway

[dieselassist]

...they must have secured the A frame arseways for it to uncouple itself completely; I had one side of an A-frame uncouple from a mk1 golf I was draggin 70 miles home, but this was due to it being attached on a hill, by the 'over enthusiastically  helpful' seller  n 100 yards from the sellers house, it sort of jack knifed on me... which was scary...

 

you can adjust the 'width' of the a-frame to wishbone attachment points via the centre bar thingey... even attaching the chains round the wishbones, rather than through them, wont cause such an uncoupling episode, in my experience; as you say sometimes either no holes in the wishbones or a hole way too small for the chain thickness, so round the wishbone it goes....

[Novanick1]

The chains do go around the bottom arm so not sure what the guy was on about, it looks like a cheap copy A frame so maybe not ideal, novas are nice and light to frame as well.

At least it's gone anyway

 

...they must have secured the A frame arseways for it to uncouple itself completely; I had one side of an A-frame uncouple from a mk1 golf I was draggin 70 miles home, but this was due to it being attached on a hill, by the 'over enthusiastically  helpful' seller  n 100 yards from the sellers house, it sort of jack knifed on me... which was scary...

 

you can adjust the 'width' of the a-frame to wishbone attachment points via the centre bar thingey... even attaching the chains round the wishbones, rather than through them, wont cause such an uncoupling episode, in my experience; as you say sometimes either no holes in the wishbones or a hole way too small for the chain thickness, so round the wishbone it goes....

Indeed, i had no idea on how they are supposed to work, however it looked like a handy bit of kit. It must of been a copy or something because it didn't look all too stable, i must admit i wouldn't of used his to drag a car 200 miles

[dieselassist]

...they do work though; Ive only ever dragged 'dead duck' cars 100 miles MAX home; and on one occasion I got a right telling off by the motorway cops for 'unchained' trailor (no safety chain to tow hitch); they told me to 'go and stay at a hotel for the night' and get a transporter to scoop this lot up in the morning- it was rush hour and I was 200 yards from the slip road exit, I was about to take... naturally I ignored the 'instructions' n just waited till got dark n carried on A frameing the heap home...

 

the A frame actually belongs to a mate of mine, who drags really decrepit looking heaps of shit home via the A frame, n never gets into bother.... he had 'magnetic' stick on tail-lights as part of the 'A frame kit' when bought... the tailgate he wanged them on was so rusty and full of filler, they detached completely at 40 mph, and smashed to bits in front of a lorry that was up his tail... ...of course he stopped on the hardshoulder n walked back to retrieved 'wat was left of said tail-lamps'....

[NorthernMonkey]

If you attach the straps/chains around the wishbones too close to the wheels, it'll be fine until you try to take a corner when it'll invariably try to detach itself and jackknife the entire outfit. *allegedly.

By narrowing the track of the arms and fastening them to the wishbones nearer to the chassis mounting end, it can go around corners ok and tends to work rather efficiently.

Just don't forget to take the steering lock of the towed vehicle....personally, never seen that done either*

[Novanick1]

...they do work though; Ive only ever dragged 'dead duck' cars 100 miles MAX home; and on one occasion I got a right telling off by the motorway cops for 'unchained' trailor (no safety chain to tow hitch); they told me to 'go and stay at a hotel for the night' and get a transporter to scoop this lot up in the morning- it was rush hour and I was 200 yards from the slip road exit, I was about to take... naturally I ignored the 'instructions' n just waited till got dark n carried on A frameing the heap home...

 

the A frame actually belongs to a mate of mine, who drags really decrepit looking heaps of shit home via the A frame, n never gets into bother.... he had 'magnetic' stick on tail-lights as part of the 'A frame kit' when bought... the tailgate he wanged them on was so rusty and full of filler, they detached completely at 40 mph, and smashed to bits in front of a lorry that was up his tail... ...of course he stopped on the hardshoulder n walked back to retrieved 'wat was left of said tail-lamps'....

 

How do they effect your vehicle though? i cant imagine its too healthy on your clutch

[dieselassist]

...I wouldn't tow with anything 'small engined', but once you get going , its no real problem for the clutch... the car on the A frame can push you on, if your towing with a light enough car, especially if you brake suddenly or HARD; ....I have a Discovery 1 at the moment n A framed my MGB home - all of 3.5 miles; you'd nearly 'forget' lol there was anything attached/you were towing another car behind...

[Novanick1]

...I wouldn't tow with anything 'small engined', but once you get going , its no real problem for the clutch... the car on the A frame can push you on, if your towing with a light enough car, especially if you brake suddenly or HARD; ....I have a Discovery 1 at the moment n A framed my MGB home - all of 3.5 miles; you'd nearly 'forget' lol there was anything attached/you were towing another car behind...

 

Indeed, im sure if we got it fitted correctly, he would of had no trouble as the Nova is a light little thing

[garbaldy]

They are perfectly safe if you drive with your brain in gear, my record for A frameing is 240 miles but a few members on here have driven many more without incident. My frame has a slight bend in the reinforced bar due to lending to a friend who framed a Luton van with it, not recommended.

[Novanick1]

They are perfectly safe if you drive with your brain in gear, my record for A frameing is 240 miles but a few members on here have driven many more without incident. My frame has a slight bend in the reinforced bar due to lending to a friend who framed a Luton van with it, not recommended.

 

So not good for dragging heavy vehicles im guessing lol

[Novanick1]

Would an A frame be any good at towing some like a Carlton or a Rover 800?

[oldcars]

Would an A frame be any good at towing some like a Carlton or a Rover 800?

I would guess it depends on whats pulling either car.

 

What the score with a frames, do you have to go with the maximum unbraked weight your car/van can pull to stay legal?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

That looks like a cheap ass A-frame, with a pressed tin coupling as used for those wanky 75kg garden trailers they sell in Halfords.

 

I think he’ll have had the legs of the A set too far apart letting them rub on the tyres. He could have adjusted that out if he’d had a clue what he was doing!

 

A-frames are basically not legal. But they are pretty safe if used sensibly, I.e. properly lit, with a decent weight balance between tower and towee.

[nigel bickle]

With Boll, there

 

I have A framed all over Europe, (as have a few here) from tiny to huge, ( read Gaz m24, or a Peugeot j7 for example). with very few issues. I do now own several a frames , one in the boot of each tow car, just in case...

 

I own a 4 wheeled dolly and an old single axle car trailer as well, but still default to the A frame every time, whatever the law seems to feel.

 

Set up properly, used sensibly, it's the most sensible towing option, with the lowest centre of gravity, and the widest spaced wheels.

 

But it'll be a twonk like that who hurts someone, and gets them all banned . Sad

[dave21478]

As above and above.

 

A-frames are for winnars but are a recipe for death if you dont know what you are doing, as this guy clearly didnt.

 

 

If he couldnt even hook the bloody thing on.....Jesus I dread to think what would have happened if it had held long enough for him to get a bit of speed up.

 

[Andrew353w]

I've "A" framed loads of stuff and they're a very useful item! The main reason I like using them instead of trailering is that once you've moved said item of Autoshite you can put the A frame in the car's boot & whizz off, job done! With a trailer you're still towing something, even when the item's been dropped off. Against that the pulled vehicle has to be roadworthy, whereas anything on a trailer can be in any state!

 

The combination in the photos (2 litre Carlton pulling a Nova) would be a perfect A frame job. 

 

The coupling of the A frame's the important bit-towing is easy! The rigid bars slow the towed vehicle and the chains pull it. The chains are held tight against the subframe of the pulled car by the straps, which are tightened with the ratchets. Steering lock and handbrake off & start rolling!

 

Legally speaking the towed vehicle must not weigh more then 750Kg if it's unmarked, but if you drive c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y you'll not have any problems!

[Novanick1]

That looks like a cheap ass A-frame, with a pressed tin coupling as used for those wanky 75kg garden trailers they sell in Halfords.

 

I think he’ll have had the legs of the A set too far apart letting them rub on the tyres. He could have adjusted that out if he’d had a clue what he was doing!

 

A-frames are basically not legal. But they are pretty safe if used sensibly, I.e. properly lit, with a decent weight balance between tower and towee.

 

Indeed he did not, a super nice bloke tho but the kindest way to describe him is "not the sharpest tool in the shed".

 

 

 

 

own a 4 wheeled dolly and an old single axle car trailer as well, but still default to the A frame every time, whatever the law seems to feel.

 

We suggested to the guy who came to pick it up that he should get a 4 wheel dolly. We had one several years ago and we had no trouble with it.

[beko1987]

Nothing goes wrong with a framing, thats a phackt...

 

Wheres that picture again..

[EssDeeWon]

What I like about that is the bloke is clearly having abit of a mare trying to A-Frame the Nova away but Nick is standing there with his camera out to capture the footage for us shiters! 

 

"2 secs mate I just need to capture this whole debacle for Autoshite then I will be over to give you a hand"

 

[michael1703]

I doubt the guy had B+E either so he was lucky to get a trailer

[Novanick1]

What I like about that is the bloke is clearly having abit of a mare trying to A-Frame the Nova away but Nick is standing there with his camera out to capture the footage for us shiters! 

 

"2 secs mate I just need to capture this whole debacle for Autoshite then I will be over to give you a hand"

 

 

You are 100% correct!

[Station]

It says on either the DVLA or VOSA website that anything attached to an a frame is treated as a trailer.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

What I like about that is the bloke is clearly having abit of a mare trying to A-Frame the Nova away but Nick is standing there with his camera out to capture the footage for us shiters! 

 

"2 secs mate I just need to capture this whole debacle for Autoshite then I will be over to give you a hand"

 

 

The master of the genre:

 

[catsinthewelder]

The chap who bought my camper turned up with a borrowed a-frame and no real idea what to do with it.  It was obviously really helpful* that the pineapple wagon had a rather different front end set up to what any form of instructions may have helped with so we just hitched it on where it looked right and gave it a few low speed laps of the estate to check it out.

 

He'd turned up with a 3.5t van so it towed fine and I assume he made it back 120 miles or so back without incident as I didn't have VOSA bashing the door down afterwards.

[HH-R]

Should have filmed it for £250 from Jeremy Beadle. (Shouldn't it have increased over the years with inflation?)

[Novanick1]

The master of the genre:

 

 

My favorite quote "does the back wheel rise? No, Front?" 

 

These people should not be allowed to operate such a device

[sloth]

phwoar, nova 4 dr. i am wet.

[worldofceri]

Safe to say anyone who would fit those lights to their Vectra should not be trusted to use an A-frame.

 

PS.  Saw some A-frame action on the A14 earlier (or was it yesterday?) - Talbot coachbuilt camper towed by some sort of Korean faux-roader.

[Novanick1]

Safe to say anyone who would fit those lights to their Vectra should not be trusted to use an A-frame.

 

Stereotypes exist for a reason