Legalities of towing a Volvo 164 with a Mk 3 Astra/Pug 406
Discussion
As post title - I need to collect a Volvo 164 which is off the road, SORNed and not MoTed. The two most readily available tow vehicles are a Mk 3 Astra estate and a Pug 406 estate. Both myself and the owner of said tow vehicles passed our tests before 199whateveritwas that they changed all the towing regs. The owner of the tow vehicles is over 70 (though you wouldn't think it) and his licence goes up to cat B. Mine has C1/C1E etc.
Is it legal to tow the Volvo with a rope?
Is it legal to tow the Volvo on a dolly?
Is it legal to tow the Volvo on a four-wheel transporter?
If the answers to any of these are "no", would they become "yes" with a larger tow vehicle and if so how much larger?
I have a source which gives the "kerb weight" of a Volvo 164 as 2920lb and the "test weight" (which I think includes a driver) as 3260lb.
Is it legal to tow the Volvo with a rope?
Is it legal to tow the Volvo on a dolly?
Is it legal to tow the Volvo on a four-wheel transporter?
If the answers to any of these are "no", would they become "yes" with a larger tow vehicle and if so how much larger?
I have a source which gives the "kerb weight" of a Volvo 164 as 2920lb and the "test weight" (which I think includes a driver) as 3260lb.
It's certainly illegal to tow with a rope as the vehicle is on the road illegally.I don't know about towing with a dolly, but I suspect that's also illegal as the vehicle is still, technically 'on the road'.
With regard to towing with a trailer, if you have a 4-wheel trailer with a minimum wheelbase of a certain figure and brakes on all 4 trailer wheels, I think the max towing weight is as the weight shown in the towing vehicle's handbook, in which case a Peugeot 406 may be OK. Ideally a much heavier towing vehicle would be ideal.
Where are you based as I have a big 4-wheel trailer and a BMW 7-Series for towing it and I could help out for the cost of the petrol if it's not too far. I'm near Cambridge if that helps.
Anyway, with a big 4-wheel trailer the Pugeuot 406 may wel be fine. I had one years ago and it towed very well, except for pulling away uphill from a standing start in the wet, when the front wheels would spin a bit too much. The 164 is a heavy car!
With regard to towing with a trailer, if you have a 4-wheel trailer with a minimum wheelbase of a certain figure and brakes on all 4 trailer wheels, I think the max towing weight is as the weight shown in the towing vehicle's handbook, in which case a Peugeot 406 may be OK. Ideally a much heavier towing vehicle would be ideal.
Where are you based as I have a big 4-wheel trailer and a BMW 7-Series for towing it and I could help out for the cost of the petrol if it's not too far. I'm near Cambridge if that helps.
Anyway, with a big 4-wheel trailer the Pugeuot 406 may wel be fine. I had one years ago and it towed very well, except for pulling away uphill from a standing start in the wet, when the front wheels would spin a bit too much. The 164 is a heavy car!
The legality of the Volvo being on the road at all in any sense is easily sorted - I can insure it and get a written booking for an MoT - I'm going to put it through an MoT anyway, it does stand a significantly greater than zero chance of actually passing, and the distance it needs to be moved is about 50 miles by the map so it's not taking the piss too much.
Your offer of transport is very much appreciated but I'm not sure that it'll fit with your movements... I'm in Bedford, but the Volvo needs to be moved from Cirencester to Droitwich, so it's over 300 miles all told, and the date I've arranged is Wednesday the 15th. I can't ask you to take time off to help me out. I could be interested in hiring your trailer though since it sounds more suitable than anything else on my blag list
(Thinks... wrt hiring something heavy as a tow vehicle... is trailer cover likely to be a standard extra on the hire company's insurance? Ought to be, I'd have thought...)
The 164's not all that bad for weight, a Mondeo is a fair bit heavier! (Hmm... better possible tow vehicle?)
Your offer of transport is very much appreciated but I'm not sure that it'll fit with your movements... I'm in Bedford, but the Volvo needs to be moved from Cirencester to Droitwich, so it's over 300 miles all told, and the date I've arranged is Wednesday the 15th. I can't ask you to take time off to help me out. I could be interested in hiring your trailer though since it sounds more suitable than anything else on my blag list
(Thinks... wrt hiring something heavy as a tow vehicle... is trailer cover likely to be a standard extra on the hire company's insurance? Ought to be, I'd have thought...) The 164's not all that bad for weight, a Mondeo is a fair bit heavier! (Hmm... better possible tow vehicle?)
Some bits and pieces on the proposed tow.
In the case Cobb v Whorton [1971] it was held that a motor vehicle remains a motor vehicle if it is towed by another vehicle.
The effect of this is that the towed vehicle has to have Insurance, Test Certificate and Excise Licence.
It will also have to conform to the requirements of Motor Vehicle (Con and Use) Regulations 1984
The person steering the towed vehicle if a rope is used can claim exemption from Driving Licence as a 'steersman' provided he is under the orders of a full licence holder for that type of vehicle. Speed limit has to be 5mph or less (S88(7) RTA 88).
Combination mentioned is restricted to:
Motorway 60 mph, Dual carriageway 60, other road 50
(Pass vehicle towing a trailer - Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 Schedule 6 Part 1) On said Motorway banned from right hand or offside lane of a Mway which has 3 or more lanes.
Noted that exemption from Excise and Test Certificate is mentioned provided vehicle is being taken to a pre=arranged test. (Vehicle Excise & Registration Act 1994 and Reg 6 (2)(a)(i) Motor Vehicles (Excise) Act 1981).
Whilst our learned friend Cooperman states that tow rope is not permitted I cannot find anything at law which bans such use. Indeed Reg 86 MV(CU) 86 mentions that every trailer drawn by a tow rope or chain this shall not exceed 4.5 metres or 1.5 metres unless chainm/rope marked in such a way as to be visible to others using the road.
Whilst I would question the suitability of towing some 50 miles by a rope or chain I would point out that Reg 100 Con and Use mentions that m/ vehicle and every trailer drawn shall at all times be such that no danger is caused or likely to be caused to any other person in or one the vehicle or trailer or road by reason of its condition or unsuitable purpose.
dvd
In the case Cobb v Whorton [1971] it was held that a motor vehicle remains a motor vehicle if it is towed by another vehicle.
The effect of this is that the towed vehicle has to have Insurance, Test Certificate and Excise Licence.
It will also have to conform to the requirements of Motor Vehicle (Con and Use) Regulations 1984
The person steering the towed vehicle if a rope is used can claim exemption from Driving Licence as a 'steersman' provided he is under the orders of a full licence holder for that type of vehicle. Speed limit has to be 5mph or less (S88(7) RTA 88).
Combination mentioned is restricted to:
Motorway 60 mph, Dual carriageway 60, other road 50
(Pass vehicle towing a trailer - Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 Schedule 6 Part 1) On said Motorway banned from right hand or offside lane of a Mway which has 3 or more lanes.
Noted that exemption from Excise and Test Certificate is mentioned provided vehicle is being taken to a pre=arranged test. (Vehicle Excise & Registration Act 1994 and Reg 6 (2)(a)(i) Motor Vehicles (Excise) Act 1981).
Whilst our learned friend Cooperman states that tow rope is not permitted I cannot find anything at law which bans such use. Indeed Reg 86 MV(CU) 86 mentions that every trailer drawn by a tow rope or chain this shall not exceed 4.5 metres or 1.5 metres unless chainm/rope marked in such a way as to be visible to others using the road.
Whilst I would question the suitability of towing some 50 miles by a rope or chain I would point out that Reg 100 Con and Use mentions that m/ vehicle and every trailer drawn shall at all times be such that no danger is caused or likely to be caused to any other person in or one the vehicle or trailer or road by reason of its condition or unsuitable purpose.
dvd
Cheers DVD... am now totally clear about the rope option! I too am not entirely happy with a 50 mile rope tow - especially as I'd be the driver of the towed vehicle Bit of a strain doing that for 50 miles. Wouldn't do it without a break, certainly. Nor as a 60mph blast up the M5, legal or not
I think Cooperman's rope legality objection was based on the Volvo not being MoTed/taxed/insured which is a point both you and I have covered
It's the dolly option I'm still not clear on... with the car half on a trailer and half on its own wheels what does it count as?
Bit of a strain doing that for 50 miles. Wouldn't do it without a break, certainly. Nor as a 60mph blast up the M5, legal or not I think Cooperman's rope legality objection was based on the Volvo not being MoTed/taxed/insured which is a point both you and I have covered
It's the dolly option I'm still not clear on... with the car half on a trailer and half on its own wheels what does it count as?
The biggest potential disaster of my life nearly happened when I was being towed in a Lotus Cortina rally car with a broken gearbox back to the Luton area from N. Wales by a guy in an MGB on a 9ft rope. It was early on a Sunday morning, just getting light, and the driver of the tow car fell asleep at 60 mph on the M1 near Watford Gap. I woke up my buddy who was asleep in the passenger seat of the Cortina because i thought he would want to see the accident! What I did was to wait until the MGB drifted into the middle lane, then I sharply tapped the brakes and continued braking smoothly, sounded the horns (air horns) and flashed the lights. The MGB driver woke up, swerved across all the lanes and finally stopped on the hard shoulder. I think he was more shaken than I was as I had had time to think about it and choose the course of action. In the end it was OK, but my friend then drove the MGB and the MGB's owener had a sleep.
Since then I've never liked rope towing, although I did once tow a works Ford Escort 120 miles across Sweden after the Swedish Rally on a very short rope all on snow and ice to get the boat home. Not very pleasant.
Since then I've never liked rope towing, although I did once tow a works Ford Escort 120 miles across Sweden after the Swedish Rally on a very short rope all on snow and ice to get the boat home. Not very pleasant.
Ouch... sounds like a lucky escape...
Can't say I'm too keen on rope towing myself... seems kind of daft that it's apparently the easiest method to make legal.
DVD - cheers, have looked on VOSA website but it's utterly useless so I've emailed them, hope they come up with something useful.
Can't say I'm too keen on rope towing myself... seems kind of daft that it's apparently the easiest method to make legal.
DVD - cheers, have looked on VOSA website but it's utterly useless
so I've emailed them, hope they come up with something useful. I believe the MOT/Tax/Insurance rules apply if any part of the vehicle is touching the road. Therefore a towing dolly would not be legal unless the car was Taxed/Insured/MOTed.
I think the BiB would look down on someone towing a car to an MOT with a rope or dolly. If its going for an MOT why should it need to be towed rather than driven, particularly if the towing requires a second driver/steersman.
I also believe some towing dollys are only legal to be used to recover a vehicle to the nearest safe refuge.
I think the BiB would look down on someone towing a car to an MOT with a rope or dolly. If its going for an MOT why should it need to be towed rather than driven, particularly if the towing requires a second driver/steersman.
I also believe some towing dollys are only legal to be used to recover a vehicle to the nearest safe refuge.
Pah it's only a few miles 
We towed a car 1500km's across Muaritania & Senegal to the Gambia on appalling roads due to their laws not allowing us to abandon the car. Fine & improsonment was on the cards.
Still I would'nt suggest towing with anything small as it'll just blow up/overheat/kill the clutch sooner or later
We towed a car 1500km's across Muaritania & Senegal to the Gambia on appalling roads due to their laws not allowing us to abandon the car. Fine & improsonment was on the cards.
Still I would'nt suggest towing with anything small as it'll just blow up/overheat/kill the clutch sooner or later
elwe said:
Your car should be road worthy when presented for an MOT.
If the MOT station can't get your car in their brake test rollers, they are out of action, or they don't have the weight of your car they do an old fashioned brake test actually out on the road.
If the MOT station can't get your car in their brake test rollers, they are out of action, or they don't have the weight of your car they do an old fashioned brake test actually out on the road.
It was driveable, just not at any speed or for any distance. It didn't stop the MoT man doing the road-type brake test, and it passed the MoT.
That was after I collected it and checked it over, though, which I did eventually by hiring a man with a trailer; this turned out to be just as cheap as hiring the tow vehicle and trailer myself and paying for the fuel.
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