Toady/traier observation (1 Viewer)

[darklord]

I was out the other night, and I saw a MH with toad, sometime later, funnily enough, I saw a merc sprinter spec lift recovery vehicle. Now for those of you not botherd about these things, a "spec lift" vehicle has the frame at the back that lifts both the front wheels of a vehicle, I have use dthem, very usefull, and interestingly enough (factoid) exempt from MOT.

My question or point is, the spec lift, tows the vehicle, WITHOUT any adaption to the brakes, the brakes on the spec lift are not "upgraded"....so it can tow a vehicle over 750kgs, without any braking, up to the gross train weight of the towing vehicle.............why?????????

 

[johnp10]

I was out the other night, and I saw a MH with toad, sometime later, funnily enough, I saw a merc sprinter spec lift recovery vehicle. Now for those of you not botherd about these things, a "spec lift" vehicle has the frame at the back that lifts both the front wheels of a vehicle, I have use dthem, very usefull, and interestingly enough (factoid) exempt from MOT.

My question or point is, the spec lift, tows the vehicle, WITHOUT any adaption to the brakes, the brakes on the spec lift are not "upgraded"....so it can tow a vehicle over 750kgs, without any braking, up to the gross train weight of the towing vehicle.............why?????????

You know the answer to this one!
The device constitutes a "recovery dolly", and as such can be used to transport a disabled vehicle to a place of repair.

 

[dave newell]

Because they are limited to 30mph on all but dual carriageways where they are allowed the dizzying velocity of 40mph.

D.

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[pappajohn]

You know the answer to this one!
The device constitutes a "recovery dolly", and as such can be used to transport a disabled vehicle to a place of repair ONLY.

:Sad:


not 100% sure but i think the law is similar to taking an untaxed and untested vehicle for MOT....you are allowed to take said vehicle for test but only directly to the place of test......the law doesn't state how far away this can be, only it must be a direct journey.

if i'm correct you could book the imaginary 'repair' at a workshop near where you want to go then spec the toad..... only downside, you need to have correct insurance and the m/h would need registering as a commercial goods carrying vehicle with all that entails....speed limits, tachograph etcoh:

when i did recovery work i took a motorhome from Scarborough to Warwick on the spec frame of a (i think) merc D407

 

[darklord]

Methinks a call to The Institute Of Vehicle Recovery for some legal definitions on varying techniques will be interesting.

 

[dazzer]

I think to fit one to a m/h would have serious issues with weight limits not to mention the cost of fuel lugging all that lot round everytime you turn the key.

Im pretty sure they cost a fortune as well!!!

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[vwalan]

like dazzer says the extra weight carried on th back end is quite alot, even without the weight of the front of the car. construction and use defines a breakdown vehicle as a vehicle with permanantly mounted appparatus designed for lifting one disabled vehicle and not equiped to carry a load unless for use while carrying a disabled vehicle. or there abouts . there is speed restrictions etc . but specialised recovery vehicles are tacho exempt.
not a good idea on the back of a camper.
the best way is get a c+e licence.
or get a 5er .
this is the way forward . some of us know it makes sense.

 

[rainbow chasers]

It is because the spec lift is permanently attached to the tow vehicle, thus the 'trailer' is deemed part of the tow vehicle and not a trailer. The key factors here, are that it is permanently attached. Any vehicle 'on or resting upon' a vehicle or trailer becomes part of that vehicle. ( ie; resting on a spec would become part of the recovery truck - resting on a trailer, part of the trailer)

A dolly is different as it is a trailer in its' own right as it is not permanently attached. As a trailer, what ever is 'on or resting upon' becomes part of the trailer itself as the 'vehicle' and doesnot include the towing vehicle - thus it comes under trailer laws with brakes etc.

 

[slobadoberbob]

For once everyone else has answered the question

For once, everyone has answered the question.. great.

It seems the membership is learning the law or what you can and cannot do.

But there is always someone that wants to try to duck it or dodge it.

Bob

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[darklord]

And according to "those that know", the membership is right, even the MOT testing rules state that the phrase "permanently attached" is the crucial one, so anything NOT built with the spec frame on, and regisstered as a recovery vehicle on the V5, would not qualify.
As said, the weight involved would prohibit any use for other applications,......it was just an interesting point, and was equally interesting discussing the answer:thumb:

 

[slobadoberbob]

it is all in the words

And according to "those that know", the membership is right, even the MOT testing rules state that the phrase "permanently attached" is the crucial one, so anything NOT built with the spec frame on, and regisstered as a recovery vehicle on the V5, would not qualify.
As said, the weight involved would prohibit any use for other applications,......it was just an interesting point, and was equally interesting discussing the answer:thumb:

As always it is in the words.... a different take on a perenial issue of how to pull or tow a car behind a motorhome.. you are not the first, and I suspect the last to think of that one. But as see a lot of people are aware of the words that define what is or is not a wrecker / breakdown truck and or what is a trailer. At least this one is an easy issue to deal with unlike the toad.

Bob

 

[aba]

so is an ezetow unit classed as a trailer or part of the motorhome????

www.ezetow.co.uk

????????

or should i say could it be classed as part of the motorhome????

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[vwalan]

i can only think if a very light car was the toad and all 4 wheels were on dolly wheels it could be towed with no brakes . have seen some recovery,s done on them .never done one myself but have seen them advertised in recovery mags . dont know how far you could go either.

just googled intertrade engineering . possibly the longest a frame makers in the uk. they do a collapsable trailer dollie . wonder if a similar axle set up could be fixed to the rear wheels ?it would then not be fitted with brakes .light car ought to be under 750kg.
just a thought. the car wheels wouldnt be touching the ground .

 

[aba]

i see where you are coming from alan but getting said car and dolly combination under the 750kg brake limit will be very difficult i can think of only 1 car at the moment that would be under that and that is the aixam.

technically the q-pod that jaws has should have a connection to its brakes just because they are there they have to work.

 

[vwalan]

i still use an unbraked frame on recovery work. also have an harvey frost ambulance. (mobile hoist)thats braked but still the rear wheels arent braked.
my aframe is one of the first intertrade did with the big pads to rest on the front bumper . not so good on modern cars .
best get a 5er dont have to pull a car then hee hee.

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