Towing VS Towing

cormie

Hey, I always thought it was illegal to tow a vehicle on the open road with a tow rope and you needed a tow rod that would keep the distance between vehicles the same at all times. I rarely see these in use and most people I see being towed are using a rope. I was looking at these and they are a lot more compact than a tow rod, can supposedly tow up to 8 ton and also much longer as well as being flexible of course.

So although it's would be better for towing somebody out of an awkward position, is it still not to be used for towing on the open road does anyone know?

Any feedback appreciated

biko

Last I heard was from a thread in Emergency Services where a Traffic Garda said there no particular rules on rope vs bar.

On the other hand (I've heard) that a towed car counts as a trailer and thus needs to be rigidly affixed to the drawcar.

Then again I've yet to see actual sources, anything unsourced is hearsay.

CIP4

Op I have one in my car boot very similar to the one you linked with the shackles and all. I have thankfully never had to use it but for me it be more using it if I or someone was stuck in muck in a ditch or something. I personally wouldn't be mad on the idea of towing a car down the road with it not that I think it will break I'd just prefer the bar which I don't have but I would just use breakdown assist if I was broken down anyway. But then the bar would take up a lot of space in your boot.

grogi

cormie wrote: »

Any feedback appreciated

Never researched the issue in Ireland, but abroad you can tow on rod not longer than 3m or 4-6m tape.

savagethegoat

I thought it was only legal to tow to clear the road. Any method that results in an unbraked trailer is undesirabkle surely.

afaik, any car towed on it's own wheels needs tax and test

Stheno

Do you need to have a trailer licence to tow?

grogi

Stheno wrote: »

Do you need to have a trailer licence to tow?

If the combined maximum mass of the towing vehicle and the trailer is not greater than 3,500kg, then B is enough.

cormie

Thanks a lot for the replies folks. Interesting to see it's not very clear as to the specific rules on it.

I have breakdown assist so no issues there, but if I wanted for some reason to tow a car, even a short distance, on the open road, I'd like to know it's legal to do so with this rope. I know if a car isn't taxed etc, it needs to have the front two wheels not contacting the ground, either being on a hitch or a trailer, but in the case of a road legal car that's broken down, if you have somebody sitting in that while another tows it, would the rope be ok I wonder, or is there any issues with the action itself regardless of what's used to tow it?

grogi wrote: »

Never researched the issue in Ireland, but abroad you can tow on rod not longer than 3m or 4-6m tape.

When you say tape, do you mean rope like the one I linked to?

savagethegoat wrote: »

I thought it was only legal to tow to clear the road. Any method that results in an unbraked trailer is undesirabkle surely.

afaik, any car towed on it's own wheels needs tax and test

If there's somebody in the "trailer" hitting the brakes when need be is it different though I wonder?

TrailerBob

Towing another vehicle is a very grey area legally. Fine if it's a recovery dolly or the like, but if it's just pulling a car then there's very little written about it I believe. I use a heavy tow strap and 2 rated shackles like poster in the OP, and it has pulled all sorts (including large stuff I won't put up here for fear of offending someone)

Things I go by...
Never use a rope.. Ever. Person on the towed car should have a full license, and the brakes and steering should be fully functional - ie if they rely on engine power to function then it's not a good idea. If it can be done another way, then do it the other way.

I can't imagine the Gardai having a problem with it, once you're not towing it to Cork or that.

CiniO

I used a rope many times, but generally I'd be very wary to do it with someone not competent enough.
When I was younger (around 17) with few mates, we were towing each other around the city just for practice, so this paid off well for the future.

Best way to do it is to keep the tension on the rope at all times. Meaning, towing vehicle is accelerating when there is a need for acceleration, but towed vehicle is braking when there is a need to slow down. That way tension on a rope can be kept at all times. You need good understanding of road situation, and each others driving behaviour by both drivers to actually achieve that.

Problem of braked and steering being not functional without engine running is not entirely true.
No power steering doesn't mean you can't steer the same as if it was working.
And no brake assist, doesn't mean you can't achieve full braking force if you really step on a brake pedal strongly.

grogi

CiniO wrote: »

And no brake assist, doesn't mean you can't achieve full braking force if you really step on a brake pedal strongly.

But as you mentioned, it requires practice.

Someone who never broke before with the engine off will be very surprised about the amount of force required to push the pedal...

TrailerBob

CiniO wrote: »

I used a rope many times, but generally I'd be very wary to do it with someone not competent enough.

No power steering doesn't mean you can't steer the same as if it was working.
And no brake assist, doesn't mean you can't achieve full braking force if you really step on a brake pedal strongly.

Rope is just a bad idea, regardless of the competency of the person involved.

Yes you still have steering, never said you didn't, but no pas on a heavy car is a serious pain, if not dangerous, and likewise with no servo assist on something designed to have it. (Having lost both on a Passat on the Wicklow gap, - freak loss of aux drive belt and siezed servo.. I can speak from experience)

Most important thing when doing any of this, is that it is safe to do. I've seen guys towing with those elastic nylon ropes at 80kmh which certainly isn't a good idea.

Esel

TrailerBob wrote: »

Never use a rope.. Ever.

Why? I have a rope with shackles, bought as a tow rope. Never plan to tow anything other than a car.

Certainly 'any old rope' is a recipe for disaster.

I accept that the tape / strap linked by Cormie has a higher breaking strain.

TrailerBob

Yeah, I meant just tying off a normal rope - they get frayed, plus are not designed for the 'shock' loading that you often get with towing cars, unless you've practiced as much as CiniO

cormie

Some good info here. Surprised to see it's a grey area, I was sure a tow rod (no slack) was a legal requirement for road towing.

And when each of you are mentioning a "rope" you don't mean the strap I linked to in the OP but more a regular rope rope?

K.Flyer

Another point is that the person controlling / steering the towed vehicle, must have a licence for that vehicle.

TrailerBob

Nope, your strap in the link would be grand.. it looks very similar to mine..




This is rope, which is bad, and it should go back to the shed for doing ordinary things

blackbox

I have a tow rod that I bought in Lidl several years ago.

Only use occasionally, but it's a great thing to have when you need to get a non-runner somewhere.

I find using a rope or strap just too stressful on drivers of both vehicles and wouldn't do it any more.

Esel

cormie wrote: »

And when each of you are mentioning a "rope" you don't mean the strap I linked to in the OP but more a regular rope rope?

There is no such thing as regular rope rope!

There are many types of construction / diameter / static and dynamic (loading / breaking strain) / purpose. All ropes are normally roundy.

Same goes for tape (aka strap). Not roundy, but flat.

Be very aware that any knot (in rope or tape) will materially reduce strength - by up to or more than 35%. This is why tape is stitched, and rope is spliced. Both methods entail the minimum reduction in strength.

For critical applications, storage, handling, damage and contamination are vital.

No tangles/extra knots, no UV exposure, no visible damage, no contamination (battery acid, brake fluid, sand/grit, oil etc). Age is a factor as well, as is repeated shock loading.

So use it properly, store it safely, inspect it regularly, replace it if necessary.

If you really have to knot rope or tape to join it, know what you are doing! - which knots to use etc. Once loaded, especially in a towing situation, knots can be very difficult or impossible to open.

What Cinio said about maintaining tension and avoiding shock loading is very important.

cormie

blackbox wrote: »

I have a tow rod that I bought in Lidl several years ago.

Only use occasionally, but it's a great thing to have when you need to get a non-runner somewhere.

I find using a rope or strap just too stressful on drivers of both vehicles and wouldn't do it any more.

I think I have that same one in one of the van actually I've never really been stressed any time I've towed before, just take it easy slow.


Thanks Esel, never knew that about tying a knot in rope/tape/strap reducing the strength so much

I'm trying to think, is there any situation where you'd need to make the likes of the 4m rope in the OP shorter and if so, what's the best way to make it shorter without destroying it or putting any knots in it.

Esel

cormie wrote: »

Thanks Esel, never knew that about tying a knot in rope/tape/strap reducing the strength so much

I'm trying to think, is there any situation where you'd need to make the likes of the 4m rope in the OP shorter and if so, what's the best way to make it shorter without destroying it or putting any knots in it.

Firstly, the one in the OP is not a rope! It's the other thing.

Can't see why one would want / need to shorten a custom-made tow-strap (or rope). They have been designed / specified by engineers. Four metres is short enough!

Unless you want to weaponise it - in which case fold in half, wrap around your hand leaving the shackles hanging free and flail away! :eek:

Also, be very aware that if the rope / tape (strap) fails under load ( especially shock load) one or both parts will whip around carrying a huge amount of energy. No-one should be in this danger zone ever. Loss of body part(s) can result. If there is an observer giving directions, have them stand way back.

Also, remember that 'keeping tension' thing that Cinio said? One thing to watch out for is: if the vehicles are stopped for any reason (junction etc.) and tension is maintained, anyone or anything passing between them is going to encounter that taut line.

A person walking into it will go down face / hands first *instantly*. So, bear this in mind, and consider (this is the job of the person in the towed vehicle) rolling forward to put the rope / tape(strap) on the ground to avoid this possibility.

The towing vehicle driver should be aware this might happen, so that when pulling off again they very slowly take up the slack again.

cormie

Oops, sorry I said rope by mistake when referring to the one I linked to in the OP

Yeah I was trying to think of some reason you may want the strap (that's my word choice over tape as it's the same kind of material/stitching/shape/design as is on all my ratchet straps) shortened but can't think of any now. I'll probably just get the ones in the OP so. Seem like they'd do me for almost anything.

5500

blackbox wrote: »

I have a tow rod that I bought in Lidl several years ago.

Only use occasionally, but it's a great thing to have when you need to get a non-runner somewhere.

I find using a rope or strap just too stressful on drivers of both vehicles and wouldn't do it any more.

Have the same one myself that I bought many moons ago, one of my bar's is a bit bent so wouldn't mind a new one but it definitely removes some of the stress compared to using a strap, definitely one of the better lidl buy's that's hidden in a corner of the shed