Gilles, can you help, please

[skorpio]

  Not strictly Le Mans related    but could do with your advice/knowledge/help finding out    please

  (Or anyone that knows for definite)
 
  I've got a beachbuggy which I want to tow behind my motorhome [sounds posh for an LDV don't it   ] intending to tow it to Le Mans then use it for transport instead of walking everywhere, was a bloody long way from BJ to anywhere last year.

  Question being is it legal to tow a car with a 2 wheel trailer {ie the front wheels on the trailer behind the LDV} in France ?  I'm talking of a proper job. Or does it have to be a full 4 wheel lift??

  Thanks in advance.

[Gilles]

No problem, It's legal to use a 2-wheel trailer to tow a car.

Just be careful when you'll use your buggy that you've the good passas and permits to have access to every place you want to ...

You can acces to campsite by foot without any pass, but if you drive a vehicle, you'll need a pass for each vehicle.

[skorpio]

  Thanks Gilles, much appreciated, ;Dthat's the first time someones been able to give me a definite answer  

[rcutler]

From what I know about towing car trailers is:-

It all depends on the weight. I can't imagine that the weight of the beach buggy is soo much that you need a 4 wheel trailer in the UK. The only thing I would check is whether or not it needs to be a braked trailer.
If yours is a two wheeled braked trailer I can't see you will have a problem.

[skorpio]

  It's not a trailer as such, what I'm looking at is a 2 wheel lift trailer [often referred to as  a towing dolly]  which just the buggy front wheels sit on with the rear wheels still on the road, is that a better description    If I have to get a full lift trailer I will, but as you rightly say, because of the buggys weight {or lack of;)} a 2 wheel braked trailer will be enough.

  Technically you can't Aframe a vehicle in the UK unless it's broken down, but A frames are no good anyway 'cause of the lack of weight

  What I need to know is wether or not a front wheel lift trailer is legal in France, don't want to take too many risks with Messiurs Gendarmes  

[Gilles]

I didn't understand your trailer was just a dolly   ...

... I gonna investigate with this new description of your bitza  

[skorpio]

  Thanks Gilles,  it wasn't a very good description was it  will wait to hear from you,  much appreciated  

[rcutler]

A frame are in fact LEGAL in the UK provided the regulations are adheared to with regard to weights and brakes.

My parents have an RV  which they two a siecento with. The car has two fittings welded to the chassis of the car to which an A-Frame fits to. All 4 wheels of the car are in motion when being towed though. Flexible ropes are only for breakdow retrieval and are very ILLEGAL on motorways or dual carriageways.
Not sure on the legalities of a two wheel pick up dolly system though. Police never pay attention until you are in an accident!

[Paddy_NL]

You can acces to campsite by foot without any pass, but if you drive a vehicle, you'll need a pass for each vehicle.

So basicly speaking we'll be f*cked the first few days.
We're bringing a 7 tonner for all the stuff, but also a motorbike in the back for the first few trips to the Arnage-Supermarche before the large lot comes.

Better try and make a deal with the gateman before I go out

[Gilles]

but you should pray the gateman not change before you return !!!  

[keithcuda]

Hey Scorpi, if its a VW based buggy look to get an A-Frame to tow it. Try VWHeritage website. heres the link.
http://www.vwheritage.com/publicRouter.cfm/loadPage/223/?cftoken=93376176&cfid=1681332

[Gilles]

In fact if you have a Uk-license plate you'll be allowed (only this week of the year) to drive almost everything as far as you respect speed limit and drive sober !  

[skorpio]

  Thanks Gilles, appreciate your time spent, always drive sober   and have no choice with speed limits when I'm towing with an LDV  

 keithcuda, the problem with A framing a b/buggy is the lack of wieght on the front wheels, you need it for the steering to operate, the only way to overcome is to deflate the tyres [they're only running 15 psi in  the 1st place ] then over any distance they tend to overheat    but thanks for the input and yes it is VW based  

[Bobblehat]

Skorpio are you back ond BSJ this year, if so not to close to the loos this time. What LDV do have, im a fellow LDV driver, not out of choice you understand. Well it was a choice but "in that it was the cheapest van around for the total load it could take". Look forward to seeing the buggy.

[skorpio]

  No, unfortunately I can't make it this year    circumstances    we're already making plans for next year though, that's already booked    won't be so close to loos though.
 
  Our LDV was the same, we decided on criteria, then looked at the bank balance, bad move, then got what we could afford, it's technically a freight rover 3.5t LWB hitop, with the 2.5 landrover engine.

  Means we can have a shower when we want, not when the queue allows it.  Plus we can carry more beer, bigger fridge, what more could a man want?

  We'll be in France at the same time, but something came up with friends over there and we're committed elsewhere.  I'll find a bar with a TV and will certainly be with you all in spirit, and looking forward to 2006.

  Probably go for BJ again, 'specially with the info from Gilles about the second vehicle pass, we enjoyed it down there, met a few peeps from here, and had a good time, was made better because of prior knowledge gained from this forum  

  Getting jealous now thinking about it    










 but 2006 will soon be here      I'll get a pic of the buggy up on here as soon as I get it sprayed up.