Towing help...

[Vausey]

I need some help.

ive got a astravan 2.0dti, and am wondering do i need to do my towing licence to just tow a striped out 2ltr nova on rather...
option 1. a dolly,
opt2: a frame.
opt3:car transporter trailer..

The astra van wheys about 1809kgs... maybe abit more with tools in and so on..

thanks rob

[Paul]

opt 1- recovery only
opt 2- no
opt 3- yes

[phazer]

Opt 3: Assuming you have the relevant category on your licence. Certain ones were removed from new drivers a while ago, if this is you then you'll have to pass a separate test.

[Vausey]

oh im 19 didnt pass my test till jan 2010

[Vausey]

opt 1- recovery only
opt 2- no
opt 3- yes



so op 1 i can if im using it to recover.. ( i will be using it to take my car to and from track days..?

op2 i can just use a a frame and not require the extra catagory.....

[Paul]

Dont quote me, im not 100% sure. But both of them are for recovery purposes only.

[Vausey]

Dont quote me, im not 100% sure. But both of them are for recovery purposes only.

Oh i see i think your correct tbh, Thus meaning i would be commiting an offence if i was to be towing it to a track day?

[General Baxter]

simple one here,

track car, when towing, if any wheel touches the floor it needs mot/tax/insurance for a start ;)

[Vausey]

just read its illagal to tow a track car with a aframe or dolly.

surley the dolly is a better gizmo than a full car trailer..

easy to store, smaller.. would surley be a better idea to have that atleast a little higer than the a frame ie the car being towed doesnt have to have mot, tax, insurance..

[General Baxter]

car being towed doesnt have to have mot, tax, insurance..


full trailer only then, which means extra trailer test,

dont worry its easy peesey, its like a mini hgv test lol

[Jack]

easy to store, smaller.. would surley be a better idea to have that atleast a little higer than the a frame ie the car being towed doesnt have to have mot, tax, insurance..
A dolly leaves the rear wheels on the road though - so the tow'ee (lol) will still need tax, MOT, insurance etc etc.

[Gareth_C]

I didn't think dollies and a frames were illegal due to the old biddies using them to drag smart cars behind there tin campervans

[Paul]

Smarts are under 750kg, put it behind and it becomes a trailer, which doesnt have to be braked.

[Vausey]

Could i get my nova to whey less than 750 kg?

[phazer]

Even if you could you'll still need the towing category on your licence. You can't do any of hte options above irrespective of the legality or otherwise as you don't have the correct licence to start with. You'll have to do the additional test I'm afraid.

[Welsh Dan]

We'd need more information to tell you properly. Here's what I worked out for my mondeo and how I worked it out: http://www.pngclub.com/forum/showthread.php?138441-Towing-cars-on-trailers&p=1441970&viewfull=1#post1441970

If we take it that I could tow a trailer with a MAM of 1465KG, then I could use one of the first 4 trailers from >>this brochure (http://www.brianjames.co.uk/pdf/BJT_UK_2011_3CLUBMAN_web_1.pdf)<< and carry a car weighing up to 1000KG. All on my class B license.

What are the Gross Laden Weight and Maximum Train Weight figures for your Astravan please?

[Vausey]

My Gross is 1809kg not sure of mam bare with me

[L14MNP]

I need some help.

ive got a astravan 2.0dti, and am wondering do i need to do my towing licence to just tow a striped out 2ltr nova on rather...
option 1. a dolly,
opt2: a frame.
opt3:car transporter trailer..

The astra van wheys about 1809kgs... maybe abit more with tools in and so on..

thanks rob

[I've used this joke before]Likin your style bro![/I've used this joke before]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BcfaEx0bAQs/SwDwZ2pZcVI/AAAAAAAAAq4/T5ZMTG_arqI/s1600/sucp_0709_16_z%252B1969_chevy_nova_z28%252Bfront_v iew.jpg

Personally, I wouldn't trailer it too far with the Astra van. it just doesn't 'look' right. Not 100% on the legalities of this, but I'm pretty shure you will be over the limit. A frame and dolly are intended for recovery only.

[Paul]

Get the nova to weigh less than 750kg, then get it re-plated. Before you have your B+E license its all done off plated weights. The maximum Possible load you can put on the trailer, the maximum weight you can load the astra van with.

[Hobbit]

Opt 3: Assuming you have the relevant category on your licence. Certain ones were removed from new drivers a while ago, if this is you then you'll have to pass a separate test.

not completely true, the law state... (in simple terms as mam's and shizzle just get confusing)

You can only carry 750kg trailer on a class B licence on the back of a 3.5t tow car/van allowing the train weight (the loaded car and the loaded tailer) of 4.25t

You can exceed a 750kg trailer as long as the gross weight (max weight/maximum on the plates) of the trailer is less than the unladen weight of the tow car (about 1100kg for an astra van at a guess) and that the total gross train weight (see above) is less than 3.5t

so astra van 1100kg + loaded trailer 1050kg = 2150kg then add you and all the crap in the back of the van to get the gross train (also known as gross combined weight) and hope its under the gross for the van :thumb:

to be honest to tow a track car without a trailer licence a bigger family car like an omege/vectra would be better :)

From DVLA website (http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/CaravansTrailersCommercialVehicles/DG_10013073)

[phazer]

Coolio. So what was the point of removing the BE category from the licence? The picture on mine is of a car and trailer. Have they reworked the rules recently or something?

I've got loads of groups of categories on my licence but my wife only has three groups. Confusing. Muchly.

[Hobbit]

same rules as when they stopped handing out 7.5t, mini bus and trailer entitlements in 97, guess it stops you passing your car test and jumping in a loaded transit van with a 3t trailer the same day lol

[phazer]

Makes sense I suppose :thumb: I've always been amused at what you are allowed to drive, like a mower or steam roller without any additional training lol

[Hobbit]

When I passed my class 2 hgv I could jump in a 28t truck but couldn't put a decent sized trailer on the back of a transit. Also even now I can pull 35t trailer on the back of lucy poppy but if I went out and got my bus licence I couldn't pull a trailer without a separate trailer test ;wtf:

Another good one used to be cranes, you could drive those huge things with terrible blind spots everywhere, sitting on the wrong side and you only did a crane test :wtf: I believe they've changed that now.

[bazil]

I didn't think dollies and a frames were illegal due to the old biddies using them to drag smart cars behind there tin campervans

The old biddies have there smart car insured, taxed and mot'd plus the towed weight is much less than the empty weight of said camper,

Op, check with your insurance company about cover when towing, my van is covered to tow a trailer and said trailer ( or dolly ) is insured 3rd party so if a wipe someone out with the trailer I'm fine, also if your van insurance does not cover towing and you crash due to trailer snaking then you may find your insurance will not pay out,