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General Which small trailer for Fiat 500?

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General Which small trailer for Fiat 500?

thisisburdett

thisisburdett

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Does anybody own/use a trailer to get their 500 about?

I live in the North but spend a lot of time living/working in London.
I was toying with the idea of driving my 500 down every now and then to run round the city in, but don't really want to subject it to 250 odd miles each way.

Then I thought I could pop it on a trailer and run it up and down as I please.

Any one else have any experience with this? Anything to look out for?

I'm hoping I could pick up a small car trailer and problem solved!

Thanks,
Dan.
 
For a well maintained car, 250 miles is naff all.

I used to quite frequently run that sort of distance in my Mk2 Punto. It wasn't so well maintained and usually survived the journey.

Then there's the question of what to do with the tow vehicle & trailer whilst pootling about in the 500
 
Well 500 mls in a classic 500 compared to the same journey in a Punto is a bit of a different story.

If you decide to go for a trailer option buy a Brian James one. They are a bit more expensive, but the resale value is always good. I never lost money on one of them. A small single axle one would do you fine as the 500 is light enough.
One like this:)
 
Why not buy a transit and put it in the back?
You will also then have a garage for it too while in London.
A simple ramp and tiedown loops on the floor should do it.
 
Cheapest, simplest and lightest would be an "A" frame.
Technically only legal for towing a broken down vehicle a short distance but only "technically".
I have one and it fits easily to my 500 using built in ratchet tensioners attached around the front spring. It tows behind my car on its own wheels and becomes magically self-steering. I wouldn't want to go very fast but you see them towed behind big campervans.
Check out Ebay and see what I mean.
 
I tow my 71 500l all over behind my motorhome using an A frame, perfectly legal according to VOSA as long as it is equipped with a working inertia braking system. I fitted my car with a bracket for the A frame, a bit complicated as there isn't really a chassis to bolt it to, needed to bolt to several body sections including the cab floor sections. I have also built up a trailer capable of carrying the car if it ever needs it.
 
I used a 5 x 10 plant trailer to tow my 500f back from Holland. Perfect size as the car just fitted and so was not towing any extra weight. Hardly knew it was even there
 

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fiat500 said:
Cheapest, simplest and lightest would be an "A" frame.
Technically only legal for towing a broken down vehicle a short distance but only "technically".
I have one and it fits easily to my 500 using built in ratchet tensioners attached around the front spring. It tows behind my car on its own wheels and becomes magically self-steering. I wouldn't want to go very fast but you see them towed behind big campervans.
Check out Ebay and see what I mean.
Click to expand...

How fast is too fast? :)
You reckon it would survive a trip down the slow lane on the M6/M1 ?
 
berkeleyman said:
I tow my 71 500l all over behind my motorhome using an A frame, perfectly legal according to VOSA as long as it is equipped with a working inertia braking system. I fitted my car with a bracket for the A frame, a bit complicated as there isn't really a chassis to bolt it to, needed to bolt to several body sections including the cab floor sections. I have also built up a trailer capable of carrying the car if it ever needs it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info! Perhaps this is the best method as I wouldn't have to then store a huge trailer too.
I don't suppose you have any pictures of it any action to hand do you?
Thanks again!
 
bannybus said:
I used a 5 x 10 plant trailer to tow my 500f back from Holland. Perfect size as the car just fitted and so was not towing any extra weight. Hardly knew it was even there
Click to expand...

That looks great! Can you remember where you picked that trailer up from?
 
I'll have to do a demo of the "A" frame.

You can go as fast as you legally can with a trailer, as the official line is that once secured to a vehicle it is a trailer. However, my meaning is that I have an irrational fear of something going wrong with the towed car and it affecting the tow car. That said, I have used it on a bigger, heavier car with no problems.

Connecting the brakes to the tow vehicle is the head-scratcher which should really be sorted for regular trips and to avoid getting lost in grey areas of the law. I have seen cars on Ebay which have been modified to have built-in lighting sockets so that their own lights can be used, but as you need the tow car's number plate you might as well have a trailer-board. I presume you can get remote servos to operate the towed cars' brakes.
 
fiat500 said:
I'll have to do a demo of the "A" frame.

You can go as fast as you legally can with a trailer, as the official line is that once secured to a vehicle it is a trailer. However, my meaning is that I have an irrational fear of something going wrong with the towed car and it affecting the tow car. That said, I have used it on a bigger, heavier car with no problems.

Connecting the brakes to the tow vehicle is the head-scratcher which should really be sorted for regular trips and to avoid getting lost in grey areas of the law. I have seen cars on Ebay which have been modified to have built-in lighting sockets so that their own lights can be used, but as you need the tow car's number plate you might as well have a trailer-board. I presume you can get remote servos to operate the towed cars' brakes.
Click to expand...

Argh, I hadn't thought of that, lights/brakes/reg.
Although I think this will be the best option for me, as storage of anything bigger would be a pain.

A demo would be great. Where did you pick up your A frame?
 
Usual source......
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-2-6-T...ccessories_Touring_Travel&hash=item33699e138c
Mine was a few years back so not the same firm or model. This is just a sample, there's lots of choice.
Demo pics tomorrow.
As long as you have a good trailerboard setup you would be safe and with such a light car as it is, you won't need brakes. The prob. is the technicality that as it does have brakes, these really should work.
 
Last edited:
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Hi Dan, I will try and find a photo of my 500L being towed behind our motorhome tomorrow, I think I have one on my I pad. My car is fitted with a trailer socket under the "bonnet" which plugs into the camper as a trailer would, so no trailer board needed. I was lucky enough to find my A frame at a car boot sale for £50, I contacted the manufacturers who offered to fit a bracket to my car for £650, but as I wasn't keen on letting them loose on my Fiat, and that at the time I owned a fabrication company, I designed and fitted my own bracket. At first I was a bit cautious regarding towing speed but after a few trips I became confident enough to cruise at 60mph, I just keep a check that the brakes / wheel bearings aren't overheating at our frequent "doggie walk" breaks. I have been towing the car to microcar rallies for 2 years now without issue. Good luck with whatever you decide on.
 
fiat500 said:
Usual source......
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-2-6-T...ccessories_Touring_Travel&hash=item33699e138c
Mine was a few years back so not the same firm or model. This is just a sample, there's lots of choice.
Demo pics tomorrow.
As long as you have a good trailerboard setup you would be safe and with such a light car as it is, you won't need brakes. The prob. is the technicality that as it does have brakes, these really should work.
Click to expand...

Nice one Peter! Thanks for all your help!!!
 
This post contains affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
berkeleyman said:
Hi Dan, I will try and find a photo of my 500L being towed behind our motorhome tomorrow, I think I have one on my I pad. My car is fitted with a trailer socket under the "bonnet" which plugs into the camper as a trailer would, so no trailer board needed. I was lucky enough to find my A frame at a car boot sale for £50, I contacted the manufacturers who offered to fit a bracket to my car for £650, but as I wasn't keen on letting them loose on my Fiat, and that at the time I owned a fabrication company, I designed and fitted my own bracket. At first I was a bit cautious regarding towing speed but after a few trips I became confident enough to cruise at 60mph, I just keep a check that the brakes / wheel bearings aren't overheating at our frequent "doggie walk" breaks. I have been towing the car to microcar rallies for 2 years now without issue. Good luck with whatever you decide on.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, a picture would be great if you've got one!

Not to seem too soft, but what is the bracket for? Also, does the trailer socket mean you are using the 500's brakes?
Thanks again.
 
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