Trailer recovery from the AA

Tim M · 05 April 2006, 23:52

This is for referance really.....

I was towing a trailer from Portsmouth to Norfolk this afternoon. Just left Portsmouth when one of the trailer tyres blew out. I didn't have a spare (silly I know; will definatly carry one from now on!!) so called the AA. They turned up about 90 minutes later, and declared that they could not get a replacement wheel (by the time they arrived it was about 9pm) so they would take my trailer (on the back of a recovery lorry) to a destination of my choice. I was on my way home, some 200 miles away, so that is where the trailer headed. I've just arrived home, and am currently awaiting my trailer to arrive on the lorry.

I thought it was worth noting to any AA members on here that the AA will recover any trailer upto 8m long on any AA membership, to the level of membership you have (ie they will only take it home for you if you have relay) for free. Uselful if your brakes fail or your wheel drops off!

Also worth noting is that AA patrol drivers are normally very obliging, and I speak from experiance when I say they don't mind reocovering your RIB for you with their van! (Although it's probably not in the rule book)

Jolly good service!

John Kennett · 06 April 2006, 08:02

I've found that once you get an AA Patrol to you, they will do just about anything possible to sort you out. When I trashed my trailer a few years ago they arranged to take it from London to the manufacturer somewhere in the Midlands with no problem at all!

John

Michael S · 06 April 2006, 09:57

Had a similar experience last year at the start of a weeks holday. A bearing went on the way into Lymington. The AA recovered the trailor took it to the slip, slipped the boat from the back of the recovery truck and took the trailor to marina trailor park as it was by then getting late. They then came back in the morning and recovered it to a menders. I was really impressed as this could have seriously put the mockers on a weeks boating.

BTW noticed the other day that you can get a disount on membership if you're a member of the RYA.

Andy_Rs600 · 06 April 2006, 10:02

Last time i called on the AA i had a Defender 110 with huge roof rack on it, with 4.8m avon inflatable on it, and was towing a 7m boat. Wheel bearing went on the landy, so the patrol recovered the landy on the back of the truck, while towing the boat. Fantastic as always.

dogcatfish · 06 April 2006, 11:31

Guess you did well out of that membership fee! One thing that I have noticed in teaching is how clueless most RIB owners or other towing drivers are that they are in fact required by law to carry a spare wheel for any trailer that you carry. This won't help if the bearings fail, but something to be aware of none the less. Up here the police are more frequently stopping people with all types of trailer to check it over (condition, load, lighting and securing), and are using this opportunity to check spare wheels too.

codprawn · 06 April 2006, 12:09

I wonder if it is actually law - after all a car does NOT have to carry a spare - but IF you have one then the tyre must be legal.

Many cars these days don't even come with a spare - ferraris and even Mazda RX8s for example.

Tim M · 06 April 2006, 12:40

I have to say I didn't think it was law. I think its a damn good idea though; I'll certainly be carrying one from now-on!

CJL · 06 April 2006, 20:25

My golf and humber were recovered on the M6 by the AA patrol and the guy was a ribber!!

Needless to say he was more interested in the RIB than the problem with car but who can blame him!!

Chris

Paul Beaurain · 06 April 2006, 20:35

Hi

'they will recover any trailer up to 8m'

do you know where this measurement is taken to/from?

Is it the back of the trailer trailer lighting board as this is part of the trailer or the furthest back point on the rig?

For RAC 'Arrival' what is the length?

Thanks
Paul (probably over 8m) Beaurain

nugent · 06 April 2006, 20:54

when i wa srecoverd of the m5 this year due to car breakin down they told me trailer can be no more than 18ft, allthough they did tow all 7.5mtrs of mine, as he was a nice chap,
i think you have to go up to van/commercial cover for any thing bigger

some one elses miss fortune!!
http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=3037

Graham H · 06 April 2006, 21:57

If the trailer needs to be recovered its 5.5m because thats the length of the bed on the truck, but will tow any trailer up to 8m.
Graham

benc · 06 April 2006, 23:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham H

If the trailer needs to be recovered its 5.5m because thats the length of the bed on the truck, but will tow any trailer up to 8m.
Graham

Yeah, I had this problem when my bearings went on the trailer for my old fletcher arrow... the aa couldn't/wouldn't come out to even look to sort it because it was about 6m long.

In the end I had to call oakmount recovery - which cost me nearly 180quid to get back a few miles to my house! - if it wasnt being 6pm on a sunday, i'd have left the boat there and went to buy new bearings... if I ever do long distances with my trailer for the rib I have now, I will be sure to take a spares box with bearings and grease! (as well as the spare wheel of course)

John Kennett · 07 April 2006, 07:37

Actually, I did have a less than helpful experience with the AA when a trailer bearing collapsed in the way up to Scotland. They wouldn't help at all because it was the trailer bearing, and wouldn't recover us either.

Ended up spending the night in a camp site nearby until someone could get a set of bearings to me.

Everyone should carry a spare set of bearings for their trailer. Even if you haven't a clue what to do with them, having the parts at hand means that just about any mechanic can get you on the road again.

John

Jon penrith · 08 April 2006, 15:22

Earlier comment in this thread about it being law to carry a spare trailer wheel is incorrect though it is obviously good practise.Law concerning this may well be different in Scotland but not rest of UK.Wheels in use on the trailer are subject to the same laws as those governing your car.I.E tread depth etc.

Poly · 08 April 2006, 15:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon penrith

Earlier comment in this thread about it being law to carry a spare trailer wheel is incorrect though it is obviously good practise.Law concerning this may well be different in Scotland but not rest of UK.Wheels in use on the trailer are subject to the same laws as those governing your car.I.E tread depth etc.

IT IS NOT a legal requirement to carry a trailer spare in Scotland either. Not sure why DOGCATFISH believes that it is... ...it never ceases to amaze me the amount of p*sh some people get in their heads and then try to tell everyone else - and it always seems to be "its the law" that is the explanation.

dogcatfish · 10 April 2006, 11:20

Yep. I realised soon after posting that i could not find anything on it being the law to carry a spare. Where the hell did I hear that from? Anyway, apologies for the mistake, but I guess my point remains the same, as with most others. And like mentioned before, a spare bearing is also infinately useful, I have been in convoy with a trailer (not boat) that overheated and welded the two halfes of the bearing together. Not a pretty sight.

Tim M · 18 April 2006, 17:32

After all the nice things I said, DO NOT JOIN THE AA!

We have family membership; my father pays for it (been a member since 1977) and it covers him me and my mother. Well, when my trailer wheel blew out two weeks ago, we were informed that that was the last of our five callouts for the year. Fair enough. Well, today a letter arrived informing us that we may NOT renew our membership and are effectivly banned from the AA for ever. The reason being we've called them out ten times in the last two years. I think this is absolty outragious!

codprawn · 18 April 2006, 17:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim M

After all the nice things I said, DO NOT JOIN THE AA!

We have family membership; my father pays for it (been a member since 1977) and it covers him me and my mother. Well, when my trailer wheel blew out two weeks ago, we were informed that that was the last of our five callouts for the year. Fair enough. Well, today a letter arrived informing us that we may NOT renew our membership and are effectivly banned from the AA for ever. The reason being we've called them out ten times in the last two years. I think this is absolty outragious!

How many times since 1977???

Tim M · 18 April 2006, 17:41

God knows.

The stupid thing is, both my parents have a car warrentee through the AA. Whenever something goes wrong with the car, you HAVE to call the AA man out to come and give you a piece of paper which says its broken. Stupid things like the air conditioning or whatever.

qcamel · 18 April 2006, 22:39

I have just joined to specifically cover my trailer as the car has manufacturers warranty and I have in writing that the AA no longer consider trailer length to be an issue, the only factor now is that it must be less than 3.5 tonnes. Apparently it changed this year.

Ollie