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UNECE Regulation
13
5.2.2.2 Trailers of category
O2 shall be eqipped with a service braking system either of the
continuous or semi-continuous or of the inertia (overrun) type.
The latter type shall be permitted only for centre axle trailers.
2.12 "Inertia (or
overrun) braking" means braking by utilizing the forces generated
by the trailer's moving up on the towing vehicle.
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Smart-Tow complies with current
and known forthcoming legislation:
It energises the towed vehicle’s own power brakes, ensuring
the efficiency is as intended by the original manufacturer of the
car.
It can be towed by ANY suitable tow vehicle equipped with
50mm 12N tow hitch and is not limited to only one modified tow
vehicle
It is dual sensing and will only brake when the brakes in the Motorhome
are applied, therefore it can reverse freely without drag.
In the event of breakaway, the Smart-Tow safety feature will come
into play, the safety cable will pull the breakaway pin out of the
breakaway switch, and the emergency power brakes will automatically
be applied.
It does not have any control/sensing devices illegally mounted in
the towing vehicle cab
As Smart-Tow does not utilise the
forces generated by the trailer moving up on the towing vehicle
it is not affected by 5.2.2.2 of Regulation 13
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Am
I legal in the UK?
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Note on A-Frames,
issued by the Department of Transport
When an "A" frame is attached
to a vehicle (e.g. a motor car) and towed by a motor vehicle (e.g.
motorhome) we believe the "A" frame and car become a
single unit and as such are classified in legislation as a trailer.
As a consequence the car and A-frame are required to meet the
technical requirements for trailers when used on the road in Great
Britain. These requirements are contained within the Road Vehicles
(Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (SI 1986/1078) as amended
(C&U) and the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 (SI
1989/1796) as amended (RVLR).
Trailers having a combined axle mass not exceeding 750kg are not
required to have brakes fitted. However, if the trailer (regardless
of mass) is fitted with a braking system, then all brakes in
that system must operate correctly. The regulations do not
include design constraints on how this should be achieved but,
for example, it could be met by direct linking of the trailer
brakes to the brake system of the towing vehicle or by automatic
inertia (overrun) operation via the towing hitch. Inertia systems
can only be used for trailers with a maximum combined axle mass
of 3500kg.
Regulations 15 and 16 set out the braking requirements - including
minimum braking efficiencies for trailer brakes. Subject to certain
age exemptions, the regulation requires the braking system to
comply with the construction, fitting and performance requirements
of European Community Directive 71/320/EEC along with its various
amending Directives. The most recent consolidated directive is
98/12/EC. Alternatively the braking system can comply with the
corresponding UNECE Regulation No.13.09.
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In addition, C&U Regulation 18
requires the braking system to be maintained in good and efficient
working order. If the brakes of the towing vehicle do not directly
operate the trailer brakes the use of an inertia (overrun) system
is acceptable. If the trailer braking system has power assistance
(i.e. servo or full power) it is likely that this assistance will
be required while in motion to meet the required braking efficiencies.
This is because once the vacuum reservoir is depleted it is possible
that the brakes will not meet the braking efficiency. To prevent
the trailer being used illegally a remote vacuum pump, powered from
the tow vehicle, could be installed to recharge the reservoir,
alternatively a source could be made available from the tow vehicle.
From 1 October 1988 the inertia braking system was required to allow
the trailer to be reversed by the towing vehicle without imposing
a sustained drag and such devices used for this purpose must
engage and disengage automatically. This will be very difficult
to achieve on an "A" frame using an inertia (overrun)
device.
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Am
I legal Abroad?
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Vienna
Convention on Road Traffic 08Nov1968
A vehicle is said to be "in international traffic"
in the territory of a State if:
1. It is owned by
a natural or legal person normally resident outside that State;
2. It is not registered in that State; and
3. It is temporarily imported into that State;
provided, however,
that a Contracting Party may refuse to regard as being "in
international traffic" a vehicle which has remained in its
territory for more than one year without a substantial interruption,
the duration of which may be fixed by that Contracting Party.
A combination of vehicles
is said to be "in international traffic" if at least
one of the vehicles in the combination conforms to the above definition.
Subject to the exceptions
provided for in Annex 1 to this Convention, Contracting Parties shall
be bound to admit to their territories in international traffic
motor vehicles and trailers which fulfil the conditions laid down
in Chapter III of this Convention and whose drivers fulfil the conditions
laid down in Chapter IV; they shall also be bound to recognize registration
certificates issued in accordance with the provisions of Chapter III
as prima facie evidence that the vehicles to which they refer fulfil
the conditions laid down in the said Chapter III
Article 36
Every registered trailer in international traffic shall display its
registration number at the rear. Where a motor vehicle draws one or
more trailers, the sole trailer or the last trailer, if not registered,
shall display the registration number of the drawing vehicle.
Article 37
Every trailer coupled to a motor vehicle and required under Article
36 of this Convention to display a registration number at the rear
shall also display at the rear, either separately from its registration
plate or incorporated into it, the distinguishing sign of the State
where the registration number was assigned. The
provisions of this paragraph shall be applicable even if the trailer
is registered in a State other than the State of registration of the
motor vehicle to which it is coupled; if the trailer is not registered,
it shall display at the rear the distinguishing sign of the State
of registration of the drawing vehicle except when it is travelling
in that State.
Annex 5
Every trailer shall be equipped at the rear with at least two red
reflex-reflectors. These reflex-reflectors shall have the shape of
an equilateral triangle with one vertex uppermost and one side horizontal.
No signal lamp shall be placed inside the triangle. When illuminated
by the driving, passing or fog lamps of another vehicle, the reflex-reflectors
shall be visible to the driver of that vehicle at night in clear weather
Annex 5, Chapter 1, Section B, refers to Trailer Braking -
See DoT UK requirements above. |
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Can
I tow my Smart?
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"The
smart fortwo is designed to be flat towed with all four wheels on
the ground. Your smart center can assist you with the procedures
to allow for flat towing. In addition, the car can be carried on
a flat bed."
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Letter
from Smart UK regarding flat towing a Smart fortwo.
14Jan2010
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From:
Motorhomefun.co.uk |
YES You can tow a Smart Car.
I have towed mine for thousands of miles without any problems. What
you MUST do is make sure it is in neutral as you can get a FALSE
neutral and it is still in gear.
What I do once the A Frame is connected to Motorhome is:
- put gear leaver in neutral
- check that the gear selection symbol on the dash is on N
- If not, put foot on foot brake and move gear selector to Neutral
again
- Once you have the N symbol on the dash start engine to make sure
it is in neutral
( Wont start if not in neutral.)
- Turn off and take the key OUT as this locks the gear selector
in Neutral
- Make sure hand brake is off and do not lock the doors otherwise
the alarm will go off when towing.
It is also worth checking the level of engine oil before you tow
on an A Frame.
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DO NOT TOW YOUR
CAR IN GEAR SERIOUS DAMAGE WILL RESULT
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Towball
Height
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The EC Directive 94/20/EC states
that the towball height should be between 350 and 420mm with the
vehicle in the 'laden' condition. Laden condition may have been
defined (by the manufacturer) as either fully laden (the maximum
technically permitted mass of the vehicle as shown in the vehicle
handbook), or, conventionally laden (defined as 68.5kg per specified
passenger seat and 6.5kg of luggage per specified passenger and
located in the centre of the luggage storage area). Alternatively,
the towball may be at the height or height range specified by the
vehicle manufacturer in the homologation documents and possibly
the vehicle handbook.
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The information supplied
on this site is from various independent resources and is our best understanding
of the current situation.
However we do not warrant information from independent
sources as accurate and we do not accept any liability for such accuracy,
correctness, usage or any other reliance whatsoever.
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