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Message started by overthehill on 07/10/10 at 17:32:13

Title: MTO rules on flat towing?
Post by overthehill on 07/10/10 at 17:32:13

Anybody knows the MTO rules for towing on a tow bar? Assuming that I use a proper tow bar, chains and lights, can I tow a little Tercel behind VW Golf :)? Or behind something a bit bigger? If you can, please reference any source material or experience in your answer rather than "I think yes/no, but don't really know..." ;D

Thanks,

Paul

Title: Re: MTO rules on flat towing?
Post by dtompsett on 07/11/10 at 07:48:56

I've flat-towed with a truck (F150). The nice part about flat towing is essentially no tongue weight. The concern I'd have flat-towing with a car like a Golf, is it's not that heavy. The tercel is likely to pull the back end around on anything other than pavement. The other concern is brakes.

Something a little heavier, like an Outback... I'd have no problem with. We used to dolly cars behind our Outback.

As for the MTO rules... no idea.

**to clarify... I flat-towed a non-plated, non-insured ice racer/rallyx car**

Title: Re: MTO rules on flat towing?
Post by Dave Cotie on 07/11/10 at 09:00:51

Paul, I asked this same question over a year ago. The conclusion seemed to be if the car is licensed okay, if it is not well then it may be the interpretation of police officer.

Once I get my 82 Volvo finished, I intend to flat-tow it to Bancroft for the rally-X.

Title: Re: MTO rules on flat towing?
Post by suprf1y on 07/12/10 at 15:55:05

I've towed with a towbar over thousands of km, and never had a problem. A cop never looked at me once, and none of the cars I was towing were licensed.

Title: Re: MTO rules on flat towing?
Post by Jeff_Hagan on 07/12/10 at 23:26:36

overthehill wrote on 07/10/10 at 17:32:13:

I don't really know ( ;)), but here are a few references that might be useful.

First, according to the Highway Traffic Act, a towed motor vehicle is not legally a trailer:

Quote:

“trailer” means a vehicle that is at any time drawn upon a highway by a motor vehicle, except an implement of husbandry, a mobile home, another motor vehicle or any device or apparatus not designed to transport persons or property, temporarily drawn, propelled or moved upon such highway, and except a side car attached to a motorcycle, and shall be considered a separate vehicle and not part of the motor vehicle by which it is drawn; (“remorque”)

IOW, in the HTA itself, anything that refers to "trailers" specifically wouldn't apply to your situation (though things that refer to "vehicles", "towed vehicles", "motor vehicles" or "vehicle combinations" would).

Also, the HTA says the following:

Quote:

Permit requirements

7. (1) No person shall drive a motor vehicle on a highway unless,

(a) there exists a currently validated permit for the vehicle;

(b) there are displayed on the vehicle, in the prescribed manner,

(i) number plates issued in accordance with the regulations showing the number of the permit issued for the vehicle, or

(ii) number plates described in subsection (7.2) if the vehicle is an historic vehicle and the Ministry has issued a currently validated permit for it; and

(c) evidence of the current validation of the permit is affixed, in the prescribed manner, to,

(i) one of the number plates mentioned in subclause (b) (i) displayed on the vehicle, or

(ii) to a mini-plate attached to the number plate exposed on the rear of the vehicle, if number plates described in subsection (7.2) are displayed on the vehicle. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 7 (1); 2000, c. 29, s. 1 (1).

Now... does flat-towing a car constitute "driving" the towed car? I don't know.

Something that may be useful to know, though: according to this guide from the MTO, a motor vehicle towed with a tow bar does not require trailer brakes (see p. 5).

In terms of GVWR, only the weight of the Golf itself and the tongue weight of the tow bar would count toward the GVW of the Golf. Your Golf's GVWR should be stamped on it somewhere (it's on a driver's door in my Caravan). Comparing the actual weight of the Golf (including any load, including the driver :) ) and the tongue weight of the tow bar (which I assume wouldn't be much) will tell you whether your combination's under the legal weight limit. However, whether the combination feels safe and stable on the road... that's something I can't tell you.