FLAT TOWING BEHIND AN RV

The truth about

WORDS JULIETTE REMFREY, IMAGES VARIOUS

We’ve put together a comprehensive guide to answer ALL your questions!

Many a road user has raised their fist to grumble at a car that appears to be following an RV way too closely, only to realise the alleged tailgater is being towed on its wheels. If you’ve ever considered doing it yourself, you’ll realise that flat towing draws strong opinions when the subject is raised. Flat towing offers many benefits but before I get into why you might choose to flat tow over other alternatives and the best vehicles to tow, I will explain what flat towing is and settle the debate about its legality across Australia’s states and territories.

Image credit: Aidan Schurr

Image credit: Chris Malikoff

WHAT IS FLAT TOWING?
In simple terms, ‘flat’ or ‘A-Frame’ towing refers to towing a vehicle with all wheels on the ground via a triangle or ‘A’ shaped frame that connects the tow vehicle’s towbar to the front of the towed vehicle’s structural frame. The A-Frame is typically short, and the two vehicles close together. Not all cars support flat towing, but more on that later. Here’s a bit of trivia for you; the towed vehicle is commonly referred to as a toad. Hopefully you still find a Prince Charming among the options!

IS FLAT TOWING LEGAL IN AUSTRALIA?
Yes, flat towing with an A-Frame is legal in every state and territory of Australia. The rules about flat towing vary slightly between the states and territories, because this is Australia, and it would be far too simple to have a universal system *rolls eyes*. In all cases, the A-Frame and associated components must comply with Australian Design Rule (ADR) 62 Mechanical Connections between Vehicles, but the rules on engineering sign-off and operating the towed vehicle’s brakes vary, and NSW/ACT rules are substantially different to the rest of the states and territories.

Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM):
The maximum a rigid vehicle can weigh including its own weight and payload; accessories, cargo, fuel, driver and passengers. The tow vehicle and towed vehicle each have their own separate GVM.

Note: You won’t have a driver or passengers in the towed vehicle, but don’t think about loading it to the hilt as you may exceed the towed vehicle’s GVM, A-Frame and tow vehicle towbar ratings, the tow vehicle’s maximum tow rating, and the GCM of the combined set-up. It’s just not worth it and your insurance companies are likely to take a dim view in the event of a claim.

Gross Combination Mass (GCM):
The GVMs of the tow vehicle and towed vehicle plus A-Frame set-up combined; must not exceed the manufacturer of the tow vehicle’s maximum GCM.

Unladen mass:
A vehicle’s weight with fluids in a condition ready to drive with minimal fuel, but without any payload (accessories, cargo, driver* and passengers). Otherwise known as Tare weight. *varies between manufacturers.

Laden mass:
Refers to fully laden in this context. See GVM definition.

3.5:1 tow mass ratio as it applies to braking:
The 3.5:1 tow mass ratio applies if you plan to tow an un-braked vehicle.

• If the unladen mass of the tow vehicle exceeds 3.5 times the laden mass of the towed vehicle, the driver does not need control of the towed vehicle’s brakes from the tow vehicle (with exceptions – see info below).
• If the unladen mass of the tow vehicle is less than 3.5 times the laden mass of the towed vehicle, the driver must have control of the towed vehicle’s brakes from the driver’s seat of the tow vehicle (with exceptions – see info below).
  

The following table highlights rules for flat towing a vehicle up to 4500kg GVM, current at December 2019. You should always check with your road authority for the most current rules and call them directly if you don’t understand your obligations.

Note: Unless otherwise required (NSW is the exception), all states and territories accept cable/manual override brakes at a minimum when brakes are required. However, in many cases electric brakes are a better choice. Speak with an expert to determine the best brakes for your proposed set-up based on the size and weights of both vehicles.

What a confusing jumble of rules! You might be wondering what happens when you cross borders. The good news is, if the set-up is legal in the state or territory it is registered, you can legally tow it anywhere in Australia and the rules of your state or territory govern what you can do. It’s a good idea to keep a print-out of the rules and any certificates and approvals in the vehicles to prove your set-up is legal in your state or territory. If you have a motorhome or bus registered in one state, and the towed vehicle in another (a very common scenario), the rules from the strictest state apply to the whole set-up and that’s where you should seek the necessary approvals, except for Western Australia where the entire set-up and both vehicles must be approved and registered in WA.

It is important to note that engineering certification is not transferable, therefore if you change A-Frames, motorhome/bus and/or towed vehicle the set-up must be recertified. Likewise, if you buy second-hand parts they will need to be serviced and re-certified.

PROS

• You can use the motorhome or bus as a base and have a car to go into town and explore places the bus or motorhome couldn’t have reached. If you’ve chosen to tow a 4X4 you can get off the beaten track.
• There is less weight than a trailer, resulting in better fuel economy and less of a strain on hills. It can be more fuel efficient than a car towing a large caravan.
• The set-up tucks up close behind the motorhome or bus so there is less drag. Depending on size of the motorhome or bus, many people have reported only an extra 1-2L/100km fuel consumption. You can’t complain about that for the extra convenience!
• It is legal in all states and territories of Australia, whereas use of ‘dolly’ or ‘gypsy’ trailers may not be.
• Most people find it easier to hook a vehicle up to an A-Frame rather than getting it on a trailer.
• You have one less insurance and registration to pay than if you were to use a trailer.
• You have less tyres to replace.
• You have one less thing to find a parking spot for at home and in caravan parks.
• People won’t know you’re away from the motorhome or bus like they would if there was an empty trailer left at the site.

CONS

• Some small motorhomes and buses won’t have the tow rating nor GCM to tow anything more than a very small car. This is often the case with newer front-wheel-drive motorhomes. Be sure to speak to experts and do your research before committing to buy either vehicle.
• With the last Suzuki Grand Vitaras being made in 2018, no manufacturer selling in Australia supports their vehicles being towed with an A-Frame. If any part of the vehicle a manufacturer could be argued might be affected by flat towing (i.e. the gearbox/transmission), then warranty may not cover these parts. This may be a consideration if you have new car warranty remaining on the proposed towed vehicle.
• You must be able to disconnect the driveline – either as a manual gearbox in neutral and/or with a transfer case that can switch to neutral to disconnect the entire driveline. Your current vehicle may not be suitable for this task.
• There are limited cars that baseplates are manufactured for off-the-shelf, but custom base plates can be made at an additional cost.
• You have to stop every 300km or so to start the engine of the towed vehicle so you don’t drain the battery. To get around this, consider adding a battery charging system via an Anderson plug.
• The odometer of the towed vehicle likely won’t register the trip, but you’ll still be wearing out tyres, suspension components and brakes at a similar rate to if you were driving it.
• The initial set-up tends to be more expensive than a cheap car trailer.
• You can’t reverse the combined vehicles any considerable distance as you’ll soon find the towed vehicle’s steering following the path of least resistance and going to full lock dragging the tyres. Therefore, you need to plan ahead about where you’ll stop or unhitch the towed vehicle. The videos below demonstrate the point nicely.

DO I NEED A DIFFERENT LICENCE TO FLAT TOW?
No. If your current licence covers driving the motorhome or bus, you can tow up to the maximum GCM set by manufacturer of the motorhome or bus. On a car licence, that is up to 4500kg GVM on the motorhome or bus, and the GCM of the combined set-up, subject to the conditions of your licence in your state or territory.

WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF FLAT TOWING?
Now that we’ve clarified it's legal to flat tow, let’s consider some reasons for and against flat towing. This is not an exhaustive list and, in the end, what’s important to you won’t necessarily be important to someone else.

Reversing an A-Frame under control

Motorhome reversing a car on an A-Frame around a corner