tow truck legality help please

[c101 comando]

i am looking at buying an old tow truck its registered and taxed as a recovery vehicle so enjoys no mot and lower yearly tax.

i have looked in to insurance on a classic vehicle policy and my broker has happily quoted i have fully told them that it is a tow truck and they are totally happy to go ahead.

now they say that i can do this and also that i could use it to tow my own jeep and other vehicles to shows with it as long as i own them this would be suspended tow.

now this all sounds simple but to damn easy do i not need to change its tax group to plg ?and or get it unregistered as recovery?

i am not a trader of any kind or recovery operator..............a word or few from the wise would be of grate help

[Zero-Five-Two]

Hope this is of use. The truck should stay registered as a recovery truck because that is what it is built as. Even if it is only used as a private vehicle, it is still a wrecker

 

As far as towing goes, the insurance only gets complicated if you are towing for hire and reward, that means doing it for other people as a business. If you are only moving your own kit, no problem

 

It is even simple, and fairly cheap, for commercial users so long as they are only towing their own stuff. For example, a bus company who has their own wrecker for towing in their broken down buses, doesn't cost anymore than it would as a straight forward truck.

[c101 comando]

thanks for that i would not use it for any form of hire just as a very odd vehicle for my own use and taking my own stuff to shows and events

[cosrec]

I think you have just stepped into a minefield with this one. You can only tow broken down vehicles behind a recovery vehicle. Note you cant just remove the rotar arm say to disable it. In other words you cant disable it to cover yourself for the purpose of towing and then you couldnt take it to a show only to a place of repair or a scrap yard

Therefore i would go for PLG this may then mean you have to have MOT. Also to cover yourself doing lift and tow i would advise having the lifting equipment inspected and proof load tested and stability test done on it not as onerous or expensive as you think after that should be plain sailing. Or another way to go PLG wise is trailer or A bar but does you driving licence cover you for this. There is no need to unregester it as recovery vehicle just tax PLG. We have vehicles registered as recovery but on PLG so that we can move new vehicles non broken down vehicles about although it also means Tacho rules apply sorry if this is not wanted to hear but i think these are the facts. i guess antarmikes the guy to enlighten further with out going to a lawyer

Edited May 14, 2011 by cosrec

[c101 comando]

thanks for the info i hold hgv class 2 and the tow truck is dodge i tone yank pickup based from late 70s

[Simon Daymond]

I would have thought the only problem is that of the driver's licence, but my own view is that if not done for hire and reward it's the same as using any other private motor car to tow, i.e. if I tow my mate's car with mine, so I extend this to the militant if I have to tow anything, as in essence it's a PLG, but has free tax and no mot on the basis of it's age, and non-commercial use.

If you were to come a cropper, it would be with your insurance company, and if they are happy that the tow is private, I think that is it. I know others will say different, but I've done this for years with no ill effect.

I don't see what benefit it would offer whether the vehicle is tested, insured as a wrecker for commercial use and the driver suitably licensed, given that you are not using the vehicle commercially?

I always consider that if the worse happens, will my insurance pay out? If so, then I must be on the right side. If anything, you might find that it is the vehicle being towed who's insurance is invalidated? As I queried recently whether I could tow a FH70 behind the militant, and was told that it would be covered for third party claims, but not for damge to it unless I sought extra cover.

Edited May 14, 2011 by Simon Daymond
spelling

[c101 comando]

thanks again i dont see the licence problem myself as i used to work in the recovery industry years ago before i had class 2 and i used spec lifts in this clas with no problem

the limitation then for me was i could not use the spec lift on our slide back trucks at 7.5 tone

re the insurance i gave them the reg details and went to great length to tell them it was registered recovery and that i was nothing to do with the trade and it was for private use

[cosrec]

thanks again i dont see the licence problem myself as i used to work in the recovery industry years ago before i had class 2 and i used spec lifts in this clas with no problem

the limitation then for me was i could not use the spec lift on our slide back trucks at 7.5 tone

re the insurance i gave them the reg details and went to great length to tell them it was registered recovery and that i was nothing to do with the trade and it was for private use

The problem is if your taxed recovery and claiming MOT exemption because of this then you cant tow anything apart from disabled vehicles as i said. To go to shows etc you will have to be taxed PLG. Would you still have MOT exempt Status and you would have to comply with road regs regards towing as trailor

[c101 comando]

so the taxation class is the main problem ? does anyone know for sure if it was taxed plg would it lose its mot free status it would still be purpose built recovery vehicle

 

but basically there is nothing wrong with owning and using it

[cosrec]

so the taxation class is the main problem ? does anyone know for sure if it was taxed plg would it lose its mot free status it would still be purpose built recovery vehicle

 

but basically there is nothing wrong with owning and using it

there is nothing wrong in owning it and using it. The problems start with how you tax it if Recovery can only tow disabled vehicles not for fun or private use if PLG i cant think of any reason for having no MOT also please if doing suspend tow look at having some certification done on it may seem trivial but once something is lifted it gets insane to what you could be held responsible for if things go tits up.

Or you can ignore it all do what you think is right and hope insurance will pay when things go wrong blindly thinking insurance will cough up. when things go wrong insurance will try every thing they can to get out of paying. Ask Gary Hart he had 5 years to reflect on this after Selby Train Disaster

[FLUF]

Double check that a spec lift, under lift doesn't now come under the + E category on your licence, as some seem to say the broken down vehicle (or the vehicle) you are towing can be classed as a trailer meaning you would need +E. Although the regs use to say otherwise...

 

I think once you go PLG you will lose the MOT exemption as it is no long taxed under the recovery group where the exemption applies.

 

Is it not also a case of when towing a non broken down vehicle it should be done on a "O" licence if it's for hire or reward?

Edited May 15, 2011 by FLUF

[c101 comando]

many thanks to everyone who have given input on this the issue may have resolved itself i think it may have been sold verbally

so then if it did become available the best thing is change tax to plg a lifting inspection certification should not be needed as its a factory built truck so will have an info plate somewhere

licence class 1 ?? for under 7.5 tone i have normal trailer allowance due to my age despite my stunning youthful looks

[Gordon_M]

Not my specialist subject, though I do run across it now and again.

 

As a factory unit it will have been properly designed and tested when new, but to keep it valid it needs redone periodically.

 

If it was British and old spec it would be done to BS 7072, which includes regular visual examinations, and periodic re-test to factor above Safe Working Load limit followed by magnetic particle examination of the equipment joints for cracking. You'd probably be into replacement or retest of steel ropes / shackles, etc, etc.

 

Best not go there.

[N.O.S.]

there is nothing wrong in owning it and using it. The problems start with how you tax it if Recovery can only tow disabled vehicles not for fun or private use if PLG i cant think of any reason for having no MOT also please if doing suspend tow look at having some certification done on it may seem trivial but once something is lifted it gets insane to what you could be held responsible for if things go tits up.

Or you can ignore it all do what you think is right and hope insurance will pay when things go wrong blindly thinking insurance will cough up. when things go wrong insurance will try every thing they can to get out of paying. Ask Gary Hart he had 5 years to reflect on this after Selby Train Disaster

 

Just thought this post was worth repeating - says it all, and politely too!

 

:thumbsup::angel:

[c101 comando]

indeed it does and many thanks to all who have helped this far