Towing a track car

case_sensitive

Hi all,

At my last track day I had an overheating problem, and had it been more serious, I could have been stranded at Mondello in my daily driver. On the day I saw full-size cars being pulled by 'normal' diesels, including a Supra being pulled by a Golf TDI!
The dream is to have a car that's only for play, and ideally, I wouldn't have to tax or insurance it, not intending to drive it on the road.

So, I've looked into car transporters, but not only are they expensive, but I'd have to replace the towing car due to their weight. I'd need something heavy to pull 85% of big car transporter + load.
Plus, it wouldn't fit in most garages.

So I was looking into towing dollies; it looks appealing, essentially there are two types, one that raises the front wheel and pulls the towed car on its rear wheels, and the second type (http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/caraccessories/4603652) pulls the car by the front arms.

Would I need a Cat BE license to pull my car? Does there need to be a driver in the towed car? As the car is 'on' the road would it need NCT/tax/insurance?

At the moment my track day intended is front-wheel drive, but this may change, if the car is RWD or AWD, will I be able to pull it in neutral?

edit: further confusing things; Cat B license would appear to permit you to pull a trailer where the car + trailer + load is less than 3,500kg, which is entirely possible. 1400kg diesel motor pulls 1000kg car on a dolly with two wheels raised. Hmm

"
B
Vehicles (other than motorcycles, mopeds, work vehicles or land tractors) having a MAM1 not exceeding 3,500 kg, designed and constructed for the carriage of no more than eight passengers in addition to the driver.

The vehicle may tow a trailer (a) where the MAM of the trailer is not greater than 750 kg or (b) where the combined MAM of the towing vehicle and the trailer is not greater than 3,500 kg.

Quadricycles (other than those covered by AM) are also covered by this category.
"

CiniO

case_sensitive wrote: »

Hi all,

At my last track day I had an overheating problem, and had it been more serious, I could have been stranded at Mondello in my daily driver. On the day I saw full-size cars being pulled by 'normal' diesels, including a Supra being pulled by a Golf TDI!
The dream is to have a car that's only for play, and ideally, I wouldn't have to tax or insurance it, not intending to drive it on the road.

So, I've looked into car transporters, but not only are they expensive, but I'd have to replace the towing car due to their weight. I'd need something heavy to pull 85% of big car transporter + load.
Plus, it wouldn't fit in most garages.

So I was looking into towing dollies; it looks appealing, essentially there are two types, one that raises the front wheel and pulls the towed car on its rear wheels, and the second type (http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/caraccessories/4603652) pulls the car by the front arms.

Would I need a Cat BE license to pull my car? Does there need to be a driver in the towed car? As the car is 'on' the road would it need NCT/tax/insurance?

At the moment my track day intended is front-wheel drive, but this may change, if the car is RWD or AWD, will I be able to pull it in neutral?

I'm not sure about legal issues with towing with that kind of stuff. Personally I don't think it's a good idea.

What car do you have for everyday and what is the weight of the car you will be towing?

F.e. my Mazda 6 which weight 1300 unladen, has towing capacity of 1500kg.
1500kg is reasonable for car transporter and some nice small track car.

Obviously you'd need BE licence to tow it.

And i don't think there is any chance to tow AWD with rear wheels on the ground, unless you actually disconnect the shaft.

case_sensitive

My current daily driver is a 1038kg 1.7 Puma, and when we replace wifey's car with a family diesel, it'll be 1350-1500kg.

Long-term plan is to strip something and rebuild as locost-style track car, but if rwd or awd cars are such hassle to tow, I might just spend a few quid converting my Puma into a track day car.

When towing a rwd drive car, would leaving it *running*, in neutral keep the transmission happier?

aujopimur

Using a transporter is the best and only way to go, you could have insurance issues with towing a vehicle in the event of it breaking loose.
There's a big clampdown coming in the not too distant future with regard to towing trailers etc..
If you check with your insurer, you will find that they require any vehicle being towed using a rope or a tow frame or any similar device, that it be insured.

case_sensitive

Ahh the old insurer, always comes to the rescue.

shooter88

aujopimur wrote: »

Using a transporter is the best and only way to go, you could have insurance issues with towing a vehicle in the event of it breaking loose.
There's a big clampdown coming in the not too distant future with regard to towing trailers etc..
If you check with your insurer, you will find that they require any vehicle being towed using a rope or a tow frame or any similar device, that it be insured.

I'm pretty sure the law states that towing with rope or a frame the vehicle been towed mist be tax test and insurance..the only way is to trailer or truck.
Basically if the wheels touch the road it needs to be fully road worthy