Towing on a solid bar

[rochdale_williams]

What are the laws on these? Am going York dragway on the 12th for the last RWYB this year and haven't had time to do the Valvers MOT and the tax is out. Was just gonna drag it there on the solid bar as am poor with no trailer. Can this be done? (legally)

[Rich]

no because the valver will still be being towed on the public highway with all its wheels in contact with the floor so it needs to be taxed and tested i'm afraid (has to have all 4 wheels off the highway for it to be legal)

[rochdale_williams]

Balls. Look's like i need to get a tow bar on the focus pretty sharpish. Are a frame's legal for towing then?

[speed]

yes because the cars still on the road, you need a full trailer to tow it.

[Rich]

Are a frame's legal for towing then?

nope, not unless taxed and tested. Trailer only for your car im afraid

[Taylor]

Are a frame's legal for towing then?

nope, not unless taxed and tested. Trailer only for your car im afraid

im not sure of this.. we towed a nova to france and back on a A frame and that certainly didnt have any sort of MOT and was never going to get one

we got stoped by the police at dover and all fulled into them search sheds to check over our vehicles (SPL audio cars) they didnt mention anything about the A frame

[Rich]

did it have tax though? if it had neither i'm very surprised they didnt ask questions

[stevie_b]

Towing on a rope/bar/A-frame would be seen as the vehicle being kept or used on a public road. If it was a race car that had never been road registered then I'm not sure what the penalty is but ironically I would think it is a lot less than for a vehicle which is road registered and so has probably been SORNed where you could be charged with fraudulently declaring SORN and fined up to £5000 and/or imprisoned for 2 years!

[rochdale_williams]

All sorted, got a tow bar on my Focus today and have borrowed a trailer for next weekend. Need to stay legal really, can't afford anymore points or fines. Cheers guys

[stevie_b]

I doubt anyone would pick you up on it but just so that you are aware you might still be illegal with it on a trailer with that as a towcar. Even a smallish trailer that could take the load of a Clio probably weighs around 300kg. With the Clio on the back (another 980kg) you might be above the permitted legal towing limit for the Focus (should be in your handbook - it is only 1200kg on most models I think). You'll certainly be above the 85% towing load to car weight ratio that all trailer makers would recommend to avoid handling issues so take it very cautiously! Did you get your licence long enough ago that it already has category E entitlement on it as you might need that too if the trailer you borrow can carry the weight of the Focus?