does anybody know if you need a towing license,(for newer drivers that have to sit the exam ) to drive a recovery truck with a spec lift????

just thinking of upgrading my fleet , but 2 lads are only in their 20's so dont have towing on there licences

thanks

 

depends if they need a class 3 to do their jobs or not

as far as im aware, calss 3 will allow them to tow, but i'm not sure if there haven't been more upgrades to the list of things you need to take a seperate test for since then

 

cud just do with getting a truck now and wud be handy if they can drive it

 

You might get an answer on here: (registration required)

http://www.recoveryegroup.co.uk/Foru...et=default.asp

/

 

IIRC you can tow a trailer that doesnt weigh more than 750 kg laden, I did my trailer test as i used to work in a body shop and fell into to above entioned catergory for people who passed here test after 1997 and Occasionally i drove a shogun with a bryan james transporter on the back.

Dont know if it matters as the spec is part of the truck isnt it??

Slightly off subject thjough but one of the other lads told me if you were driving the 7.5 tonne tilt and slide and you put a caravan on the tow hitch to pull behind that you had to have a hgv artic licence??
Not 100% sure if i beleive him

 

Yes thats correct.your vehicle cant weight more than 8.25 ton in total on a normal car license!

 

but is that on the later tested licenses?
thought you could only drive 3.5 unles you did your class 3?

 

Can you tell me what the test involes, and what can you drive with the test passed, how much does it cost? Do you know if you take the 7.5 tonne test can you then drive a car and tralier?

 

No you dont take the 7.5 tonne test, tottally different thing that is.

You take your car to a lorry testing station and have them make sure its fit for towing etc and that the car is heavy enough to tow the desired trailer,
You cant tow more than 75% of your cars weight iirc,
They ask you to hook up a caravan and ask you various related questions along the way. You do a few manouveres in the test centre area where they asses weather your ok to go on the road,
Then you go out with the for about half hour whilst towing a caravan they supplied in my case You return to test centre, Get asked more towing related question, Then tell give you the good or bad news.

I didnt know until that point that if your car is permanent 4wd you can tow more weight,
Found this out later from a mate who works for envoironent agency as they were all being issued with Land rover 110's rather than the nissans they had been using

they