Topic: legal towing regs (Read 6250 times)

4 landies · « **on:** January 17, 2006, 07:26:19 »

does anybody know if I can tow my rangie on a two wheel dolly when it has no tax or MOT. unsure of regulations , if somebody could clarify for me would be appreciated

hobbit · « **Reply #1 on:** January 17, 2006, 08:54:06 »

Dunno about the law side of it, but the rangy is a 4wd vehicle dont think a tow with two wheels off the deck would work some how

As a general rule though if you could ie by removing a prop shaft, I think they are meant for recovery or short distance work, I'm sure someone else can elaborate on the actuals, but I dragged my lightweight last year on it and not the best was feels a bit high up and unsteady

s.stirley · « **Reply #2 on:** January 17, 2006, 13:45:31 »

You _can_ tow a vehicle with no tax or MoT on a dolly, it counts as a trailer. However this means it falls under C&U regs for trailers (decent tyres, repeater lights etc) and can only be up to 750Kg *unbraked*. This means that about the only thing you can tow on a dolly is something like my old mini cooper !

However it doesn't say how the brakes can be operated, so I believe that if you had a brake operator in the towed vehicle you should be legally towing the Rangy. You could of course tow with a bar or rope with someone in the towed vehicle, so long as it's not moving under its own power it doesn't need tax or MoT. However the rules on bar/rope towing have been tightened and you're strictly only supposed to do it for simple recovery - ie. to next junction or similar.

I'm sure you can 4-wheel tow any of the big 4wd Landies too, just pop the transfer box in neutral and nothing is connected anywhere.

HTH, Simon

hobbit · « **Reply #3 on:** January 17, 2006, 21:55:49 »

The pop in to neutral on the transfer box dont work on the series that I do know, in fact it puts it into 4wd, but not tried it on a permanent 4wd ie rangy/disco/defender

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #4 on:** January 19, 2006, 17:06:21 »

The C&U regs DO cover brakes and no car brakes will comply with them so you cannot use a car's brakes as trailer brakes unless the car predated the 1986 C&U regs. If you have a dolly with 1 pair of brakes rated at over 2 tonnes then you are fine, otherwise you are not.

James.Harwood · « **Reply #5 on:** January 28, 2006, 21:00:31 »

This is a slightly grey one, i think on an A frame you can only tow a vehicle with no tax or mot up to 3/4 of towing vehicle's weight, and still have it classed as a trailer, although any trailer over 3/4 ton must be braked. Makes it difficult with a range rover as they weigh about 2 ton.

hobbit · « **Reply #6 on:** January 29, 2006, 10:39:34 »

Rulings on a-frames have changed somewhat I believe, so actually towing with them has become scarce, I think as recovery type use you can, but not really meant to be used on a long journey

However you will still see some of these large campers a framing a smaller car behind them, so again it sounds like you pays your money and takes your chances, and hope you dont come across a traffic cop having a bad day

LOFTY · « **Reply #7 on:** January 29, 2006, 18:02:31 »

My father has a camper, and use to tow a fiat behind it with a A frame, so all 4 wheels are on the ground, BUT, there was a special brake conversion so when the camper braked, it applied the cars brakes, it was a very clever setup.

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #8 on:** January 29, 2006, 20:11:48 »

Quote from: "LOFTY"

My father has a camper, and use to tow a fiat behind it with a A frame, so all 4 wheels are on the ground, BUT, there was a special brake conversion so when the camper braked, it applied the cars brakes, it was a very clever setup.

But not legal!

adaward · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2006, 20:57:26 »

Hi. I have a rangy which weighs almost 3 ton. i also have a Warrior rear engined buggy, v8 rangy based.off road, no tax no mot. i wanted to tow with a solid a frame to comp safari meets. i went to the police and showed and explained my idea.
they came back with the following. i can tow with an a frame so long as when i braked the brakes on the buggy also worked, all 4. they showed me a device they have for an a frame which fits in the car and pushes the brake pedal. i never questioned the servo not working!.. however my buggy has an hydraulic handbrake which works all four disc brakes. so my idea was to have this operate when i hit the brakes. the police said a trailer board on the rear, legal mudgards and legal tyres completed the job. i also asked for the sergants name and number incase i got stopped.
he apparently is the man who advises other bobbies on traffic law in our area. he said if i get stopped tell the policeman to call in to him.
ps i have lost interest in the buggy whilst overhauling it and it is for sale.

if i can just get my road rangy daily driver legal i might be more confident.

remember. no matter where you go, there you are.
Ada.

LOFTY · « **Reply #10 on:** February 02, 2006, 21:03:38 »

RRB, all 4 wheels on the car where applied, therefore legal, as it acts as a trailer, but the main reason for being 100% legal, the little Fiat i believe was below 750 kg empty, so in actual fact, didnt require brakes at all. But my father still had the special adaptor fitted.

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #11 on:** February 02, 2006, 23:39:42 »

Nope, I don't think so, It's below 750kg MAM, not unladen and the braking system has to comply with the 1986 C&U regulations which it does not. Be very careful with this sort of thing, the only time anyone looks very hard at it will be when the insurance company is trying to get out of paying up.

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #12 on:** February 02, 2006, 23:43:57 »

Quote from: "adaward"

Hi. I have a rangy which weighs almost 3 ton.

Crikey :shock: I thought mine was heavy! you'd better check that as the manufacturer's MAM is also legally enforceable.

I'm interested in the policeman's interpretation of the rules, as strictly speaking your buggy is not legal as a trailer (see above) so what year was the buggy built/registered as this does have a bearing on whether the C&U regs apply.

blackbob · « **Reply #13 on:** February 04, 2006, 17:57:58 »

:( according to the EU you cant use a frames cos all vehicles are over 750kg but the AA do it all the time and they have a brake system for over rum but it never works properly and it still dont meet EU regs. I also have been a framing for 20+years and never been stoped i have towed my beach buggy and my series three all be it behind a dodge s56 bus and i will be towing my rangie on an a frame also

hobbit · « **Reply #14 on:** February 04, 2006, 18:15:16 »

Noticed the AA use rigid straight bars a lot now, for local removal though, then call a transporter for removal

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #15 on:** February 05, 2006, 01:48:36 »

Interstingly, I heard today that when the SORN regs were introduced it became impossible to class anything with an engine as a trailer.......

As for the AA, there is a provision in the law to 'bend' the rules if recovering a break-down to a place of safety.

blackbob · « **Reply #16 on:** February 05, 2006, 10:11:15 »

:D if you buy a vehicle with a sorn on it you can tow it as the sorn is invalid when you change ownership

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #17 on:** February 06, 2006, 01:06:29 »

I think you missed my point, if it has an engine it must be taxed under the SORN rules whereas before it couold be counted as a trailer.

adaward · « **Reply #18 on:** February 06, 2006, 13:31:37 »

Ahh. yes, engines in a vehicle. the first cop said it was a mechanically propelled vehicle and must be road legal (tax etc). the buggy has never been regestered. never been on the road, not designed for the road, i think this may be where my buggy escapes the law a bit. and becomes a trailer. the police man in authority came back with what i said before. also my towing rangy weighs almost 3 ton now, which helps towing a buggy less than 2 ton. cannot comment on ex road cars.

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #19 on:** February 07, 2006, 14:11:03 »

So it could be that your buggy isn't really a car at all, I wouoldn't like to put it to the test though, you're lucky in having a copper you can go back to.

As for your Rangie, are you sure it weighs that much, if so you have a problem there, the manufactuer's MAM is legally engorceable, and it's 2 1/2 tonne for a Rangie.

blackbob · « **Reply #20 on:** February 07, 2006, 17:33:26 »

never been stoped while a baring but did have a citroen ax comeadrift on hailing island used the back of bus to stop it at 30mph the front of the car distorted a tad :oops: :oops:

adaward · « **Reply #21 on:** February 08, 2006, 21:43:27 »

interesting point about the MAM on my rangy. yes on a weigh bridge with me in it with full tank 2976 kg.
i swapped the v8 for a daihatsu 2.8 turbo (stiil got the v8 just in case)
when i dropped the engine off the hoist onto the engine mounts it totally squashed the springs, straight to the bump stops.
i used the corner weight gauges from work (race weigh pads) and measured the weight distribution. then got some springs all around ,and small spacers to correct the ride height.
also i was wondering, what is the law regarding towing a rangy on a trailer with another rangy. surely the towing weight exceeds the tow car weight. any ideas?.
Ada

blackbob · « **Reply #22 on:** February 09, 2006, 17:45:09 »

:D its shoud be ok as long as the over run brakes work on the trailer if not you go strait on at rounderbouts

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AuthorTopic: legal towing regs (Read 6250 times)