Over-run A-Frames

Our integral A-frame: 

Manufactured as a purpose made 'A' Frame, from precision laser cut components using grade 304 STAINLESS STEEL, this did away with the bulky, heavy and frankly agricultural proprietary trailer unit, incorporating all the components within an elegant STAINLESS STEEL tube (having manufactured stainless steel roof racks and glass carriers for a number of years previously, as well as being born and bred in Sheffield, obviously stainless steel was the logical choice). 
  

The resulting 'A' Frame, with its aerospace quality 'tig' welding is not only visually elegant, but is also far more compact, very much lighter, does not require a jockey wheel just a simple to use hold-up strap, and its ergonomic design means it is easy to handle and couple up, with no clumsy bars etc. to fiddle into place. 
  With a weight of just 12kg - approx 12.5kg (15kg in heavy duty format), it contrasts markedly with other manufacturers (of overrun 'A' Frames), whose products weigh between 20kg and a hernia inducing 32kg, and that doesn't include their necessary jockey wheels!!!


Our budget A-frame:

In addition to our 'integral' A-frame, we also produce a simpler 'budget' frame, based on a proprietary hitch. this is a little heavier (19kg) and tows up to 850kg the folded length is 1100mm All the internals, brake cable electrics are the same as our previous 'integral' system.
Beauty is, however, more than skin deep, safety is of course of vital importance. In order to cut corners many converters either remove the crash beam (on the towed car), and replace it with a lump of tube or channel which doesn't follow the profile of the bumper, and does away with the carefully designed shaped padding provided by the vehicle manufacturer, thereby increasing the severity of damage in an accident, and massively increasing the likelihood of injury to any pedestrian in the unfortunate event of a collision.

Worse still, some companies simply attach the frame to the vehicles existing crash beam, easily spotted by that extra hole cut through your bumper!!! Despite the fact that NO VEHCLE MANUFACTURER WILL APPROVE THIS PRACTISE.

In our opinion, the only correct (read safe), way is to provide a separate tow frame fitted inside and behind the line of the crash beam and bolted (never welded) to strong points on the vehicle body and/or suitable reinforcement being incorporated, if necessary. This is the system adopted by tow-bar manufacturers who are, of course, subject to testing, and should, therefore know what is necessary.

Obviously this costs (us) significantly more, but strangely, most other companies charge more than we do – draw your own conclusions.

Attached to our tow beam, we fit our unique, purpose made STAINLESS STEEL bobbins, these terminate inside the line of the body, accessed through the grille, fitting the bearing type eyeballs into them, when required, takes a matter of seconds, and they are covered by neat plastic caps when not in use.

Once again, the 'Bodgers' will fit permanently fixed eyeballs or bars sticking out in front of the car, you should note that this can lead to a hefty fine, LICENSE ENDORSEMENT AND MOT TEST FAILURE. To make things fit more elegantly, we manufacture a range of different jaw widths so that we can design the 'A' Frame to suit the car.

Rather than cobble up a brake cable using a cheap and unsatisfactory trailer brake cable, our brake cables are purpose made, in house to ensure correct fitting, they are made from  special super flexible cables (with STAINLESS STEEL inner cable) to enable the neatest possible installation, a 'running eye' on the brake pedal attachment bracket means no fiddling about to disconnect the cable when you are driving the car, not towing.
Finally!! the electrical connections to work the towed car's lights – this usually consists of a 'flying socket' fitted under the bonnet or a top specification 13 pin socket is recessed into the grille or mounted behind a removable number plate. This is plugged into the wiring on the 'A' Frame which in turn is plugged into the socket on the towing vehicle.

The wiring connects into the vehicles wiring loom, all connections being soldered – NO SCOTCH LOCKS OR CRIMPS HERE – In some cases, where brake lamps work without the ignition, we incorporate relay(s) to ensure that the car's brake lamps cannot be fed from the car's battery unless the ignition is switched on. Where dual voltage bulbs are fitted, we need and do fit resistors. In some cases e.g. Vauxhall Adam, which uses dual intensity L.E.D.'s we need to incorporate our top secret 'wizz bang' circuitry, we can even do cars with KEYLESS IGNITION!!!
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