Towing a car

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wilkobob
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Towing a car

Post by wilkobob »

Right, I have a problem of moving a car which is not MoT'd, not taxed. It has working rear lights, good tyres, but is in a state. It needs to be moved about 3 miles via back/country roads from a workshop yard to my driveway.
I dont have access to a dolly or a trailer. I do however have a straight bar, and someone to sit in and steer. Is this legal? Is it any more legal if I mount a trailer board on the back of the car with my number plate on it? Possibly also with an "on tow" sign in the rear window.
A tow rope cannot be used as the car has no servicable foot brake at present (does have a hand brake).
Anyone have any more suggestions as to moving the vehicle, at minimal cost?
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fastandfurryous
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Post by fastandfurryous »

Going by the utter letter of the law, as the vehicle is registered, then it must either have Tax, MOT and valid insurance, or not be on the road. The ONLY way you can legally move this car is to put it on a trailer with all 4 wheels OFF the road.
However. That is taking it to the letter of the law. A more realistic approach is to look at what is safe, and what is in keeping with the spirit of the law.
There are a few options:
* Tow on a rope. Highly unsafe, as you have mentioned (billy no-brakes)
* Tow on a pole. Safer, but in my opinion still dangerous. I've towed a car with no brakes on a pole before and I am NEVER doing it again. The tow car just gets pushed around all over the place under braking.
* Tow on a front lift. Safer than on a pole, but still iffy, as they rarely have brakes, and the legal maximum for trailer towing without brakes is 750Kg. It's 750Kg for a damn good reason, and I won't tow anything over about 500-600KG without brakes any more.
* Tow on a "flat" tow (A-frame). Safer again, but unlawful for the same reason about brakes as above.
* Tow on a flatbed trailer. The only safe option. BUT. The average car on the average flatbed is probably the better part of 2 tonnes, which is way over the maximum towing limit for most cars.
Don't know what else to suggest. Is there a trailer rental place near you that rent's by the hour? The other place to enquire is your local pikey scrapyard, as they often have flatbed trailers, and for a tenner would hire it to you for a couple of hours.
I often tow other cars on the road on a "flat" tow A-frame, but I have made my own with a mechanism that uses the towed car's brakes to work like trailer brakes. This makes it legal, but the car on tow still has to have Tax/MOT to make it properly legal.
jeremy
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Post by jeremy »

I've found it surprisingly cheap to get a specialist to do the job for you - can be found in freeads etc, or maybe some friendly trader can recommend you the guy he uses.
Jeremy
Stinkwheel
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Post by Stinkwheel »

I've used the a- frame method as mentioned above with a-series citroens, works a treat but im guessing that a 2cv Is not too heavy for the 750kg rule. Not all have been road legal cars though, no plod has ever taken an interest though.
rbruce1314
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Post by rbruce1314 »

I once got a Fiesta towed for 1 1/2 miles in a hilly urban area with no brakes. By keeping the towrope tight using the handbrake we negotiated 2 roundabouts and a traffic light successfully. Not for the fainthearted or inexperienced and probably not legal, but needs must, as they say.
Stinkwheel
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Post by Stinkwheel »

hmmm did the person in the fiesta(yourself?) need change of trousers afterwards?
Id have left it where it died, it was a fiesta after all
martyhopkirk

Post by martyhopkirk »

Pulled a Mk 3 fiasco off the motorway with a Laguna and a rope - NEVER again.
Flatbed would be safer - but If I were you (or rather you were me) I would risk the bar.
dan.2cv
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Post by dan.2cv »

Shortly after I passed my test, my metro broke down . Got towed home with a rope and I was so scared about running into the back of my mate, he towed me the 3 miles home with what must have been half applied brakes all the way. It stank when I got out!!
DoubleChevron
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Post by DoubleChevron »

Do you have a friend with a 4wd ?? They usually weight enough that they'll tow most other cars on a decent tandem axle trailers.
I've used my CX several times to tow DS/CX's, but if caught it's not legal as 850kg+ for the empy trailer + 1.5tons for the DS ===== far more than a CX can legally tow (however it tows it exceptionally well).
seeya,
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Paulmi16
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Post by Paulmi16 »

Probably the pole option for me, done when the roads a quiet, but someone I know with his flatbed charges £30 for a local piggyback, which does seem a lot for 3 miles, but sometimes its better to be safe than sorry. Our local trailer hire charges £35 for 24 hours with no half day rates. It all depends on have brave you're feeling.
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Post by oilyspanner »

Towed the Volcane 80 miles on a pole when I bought it, it did have brakes though, the BX coped totally with it, even got it up to about 75 on an open bit, we did choose a quiet sunday afternoon though[:D]
I have used flat A frames before and found them excellent.
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rbruce1314
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Post by rbruce1314 »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Stinkwheel</i>

hmmm did the person in the fiesta(yourself?) need change of trousers afterwards?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Yes it was me in the towed car, and no there were no dramas. Mind you I have been towed by all sorts of people in all sorts of cars over the years and prefer to be 'on the back' since that way you are in far more control of things[:D][:D][:D].'JUST KEEP THE TOWROPE TIGHT STUPID[;)][;)][;)][;)][;)]'
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born2die
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Post by born2die »

got a tow from the law once piece of rope attatched to the back of a 4x4 then driven like a loon 3 miles and a few roundabouts later my nerves where shattered. use the bar I would say.
James.UK
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Post by James.UK »

Borrow an automatic to tow with if possible.. Use the bar.. engage the handbrake a couple of notches, (more on a downhill stretch) sort a simple system of clear hand signals that you both understand, pick a quiet time traffic wise, and travel very slowly.. 20-30 mins and it's over.. Large drink time? [:D] [^]
Happy towing and good luck ....
wilkobob
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Post by wilkobob »

Right, had a go today, but not much luck. The brakes were seized on. Got them freed off eventually, then got beaten by the heat. Will probably do it with the bar when I next get a chance.
Cheers
Simon
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