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Message started by Dave Cotie on 08/18/9 at 14:47:00

Title: Towing Regulations - Tow Bar
Post by Dave Cotie on 08/18/9 at 14:47:00

I am lookng at options for towing my 82 Volvo 240 rally-X/TSD car. It is currently unlicensed.

For about a $150 I can pick-up a tow bar and 12V magnetic brake lights and flat tow it. This is about one weekend rental of cost of a tow dolly at U-Haul. My car is an MT and can be towed without damaging the tranny.

I have looked in the HTA and can't find anything that requires a vehicle to be licensed to be towed like this.

Anyone a towing expert - Ross?

Title: Re: Towing Regulations - Tow Bar
Post by jgardhouse on 08/18/9 at 14:55:13

I looked into it about a year ago.

The conclusion I drew was that it is treated as a piece of equipment under the HTA.
Like a rental cement mixer, generator or the super bright lights we use at tall pines.

If you're being safe with your towing and your equipment looks safe, I'd say you're unlikely to be bothered anyways.

I remember there being a thread on some offroad forum (Zuke related one comes to mind) that actually quoted the HTA.

Hope this helps.

Title: Re: Towing Regulations - Tow Bar
Post by dtompsett on 08/18/9 at 15:32:38

I used a towbar to tow my Fox to the ice races... and home from the ice races (slightly more bentup)... and then to rallyx. Never had an issue.

Because it was ice-raced, the brake lights got mounted in the back window... so I cheated and ran my tow-light wiring into those lights. When racing, the stock brakelight switch and running lights triggered the lights. For towing, I had a coil of wire in the engine bay that reached the tow vehicle... swap a connector inside the car, hookup the wire to the truck... and now my brakelights mounted in the rear deck became my towing lights.

Title: Re: Towing Regulations - Tow Bar
Post by rosswood on 08/19/9 at 06:20:52

Definitely cannot use a tow bar on the 400 series highways, but I believe it is allowed on others, although I have not researched the HTA to verify that and have not flat towed for a while. Last time I did I was pulled over by the O.P.P. on Hwy. 7 near Kaladar saying it was illegal, but after holding me there for half an hour while they searched through their books, they could not find it and let me carry on, saying they still 'thought' it was illegal.

You must have lights and proper safety chains.

Title: Re: Towing Regulations - Tow Bar
Post by dtompsett on 08/19/9 at 07:53:56

I see tons of motorhomes flat-towing vehicles behind them... and pretty sure I've seen them on 400 series highways.

One thing to consider... do you really want to flat-tow from North Bay to Bancroft all the time? What's the tow vehicle?

Title: Re: Towing Regulations - Tow Bar
Post by rosswood on 08/19/9 at 08:21:23

Doug is right re seeing tons of motorhomes. Guess unless it is specifically prohibited in the HTA, it is allowed.

Going back to the story of when the police pulled me over while towing, they had additional issues: (1) I was a passenger in the towed vehicle, which they thought was an issue in itself (2) I was doing the lights i.e. signals, brakes etc in the towed vehicle (3) had only one safety chain attached. They could not find any regulations against what I was doing.

However when I took a truck-driving course they taught differently: (1) must have two safety chains (2) safety chains must be crossed under the hitch (3) hooks on safety chains must have a lock on them (4) lights on towed vehicle must be run by the tow vehicle lights.

I have been pulled in by an MTO inspection team who supported all of that, but no one has ever shown me where to find it in the regulations of the HTA.

Title: Re: Towing Regulations - Tow Bar
Post by Dave Cotie on 08/19/9 at 21:00:04

dtompsett wrote on 08/19/9 at 07:53:56:

I have a 98 Ford Explorer. It is rated to tow approx. 5000 lbs. which should easily handle my Volvo 240 either on a dolly or flat towing. It is pretty well at the limit for the Volvo on a trailer.

The problem is that since the infamous Exploder - Firestone Tires debacle, U-haul refuses to rent trailers or dollys to the owners of any era of Explorer. U-haul is the only people in North Bay that rent dollys. I can borrow the F-I-L's Dakota, but I would rather use my own truck. Plus one weekend of dolly rental ($59 a day) would easily buy a tow bar, plus the 12 mag-mount towing lights.

I don't have any issues with flat-towing from NB to Bancroft and back. The only issue would be if I broke something on the car, but I think the risk of that on Rally-X is low. I have a spare set of tires that I could use for towing and then put the rally tires on for the Rally-X.

I have had a response via e-mail that indicated they preferred flat-towing over using a dolly.

Title: Re: Towing Regulations - Tow Bar
Post by Anthony_T on 08/19/9 at 21:24:44

I've flat towed numerous times between North Bay, Bancroft, Toronto, around the GTA too (400, 401,427), even to Maniwaki once. I've also used a tow dolly on a few occasions. I am sure the dolly has its advantages - I am guessing being easier on the car... Personally though, I prefer to flat tow. I find it easier then towing a empty dolly to where my car is, then driving or pulling it up the ramp and I don't have to tighten down straps along the trip. I use a fixed bar with tow lights & chains and I've not been pulled over or questioned.