Grab lorrys for tree work

[Dean Lofthouse]

My original ( pre HGV) license was a 12.5 tonne gross licence, but I believe that it was for european style 7.5 tonne and drawbar rigs.

 

I thought I was old.

 

Passed my HGV2 in 1982:wave:

[Tree cutter Stu]

I don't know who you have in mind as the other drivers, Just bare in mind that anyone who passed their cat B car test after 1/1/1997 is limited to a vehicle of 3500kgs gross. So if it was me I'd aim at bigger wagon and if need train the right person to be the second driver.

 

Unless of course your employees have the older style licence with C1 7.5tonner already on them. Then it may make more sense to have the smaller one.

 

I know thats why im doing my HGV at the moment as im 25 and cant drive anything over 3,5 ton and tow anything over 750kg stupid law really. The stupid thing is when i passed my driving test when i was 18 a week lata i was driving a u1000 with grain trailer for a well knowen tree company.

[b101uk]

I was informed a while back that due to the age of my license (old paper jobby) and the particular time passed (early '91) that I have no weight restrictions upto 12 ton. It was a while ago, and I must admit the exact details are vague, I could do with contacting the person mentioned. But has anyone else heard of similar?

 

I am in the same boat as you, i cashed in my "B" test pass in oct 1988 so effectively got my full UK driving license then, every one who see's my licence think I have C1+E up to at lest 12000kg as there is no category restriction or upper weight limit specified on my license, it also states that i can also pull ANY single axel trailer (10000kg is the maximum weight for a single axle trailer) effectively giving 17.5t GTW witch was at the time in line with EU 7.5t drawbar rigs.

 

I have contacted the DVLA over this and was told that "they" retrospectively in 1998 placed a 107 (I think) category restriction on there computer so should I send my license back to them it would be changed to 8250kg (7500kg + 750kg trailer), however i was also told that if i had sent my license back on or before late 1992 I would have had grandfather rights to 12000kg GTW, however i told them that they never notified my of this change in writing so how was it to know this, so they said if i was to send a letter to them explaining that i never got a letter (that they never sent to any one anyway!) they would remove the retrospectively added category restriction to allow 12000kg GTW under the grandfather rights as a post 1992 appeal, however i said that that was totally unacceptable as my C1+E has no GTW limit other than the manufacture GTW of the 7500kg truck (towing unit is still 7500kg) witch was in line with the rest of the EU at the time & what it clearly states on my paper license and as I also stated to them retrospectively changing my license without notifying me has made me liable for conviction unfairly.

 

Anyway I haven’t got any further to resolving this yet as I am not going to accept the 12000kg GTW limit as I was legally towing more than that up to 1998 when the when the retrospectively added category restriction witch I think is highly illegal.

[madmatt]

I know thats why im doing my HGV at the moment as im 25 and cant drive anything over 3,5 ton and tow anything over 750kg stupid law really. The stupid thing is when i passed my driving test when i was 18 a week lata i was driving a u1000 with grain trailer for a well knowen tree company.

 

Well my employer paid for me to do the B+E trailer test so I can now drive a land rover and trailer outfit grossing 7 tons, yet I can't drive a 7.5 tonner?! which can be shorter and able to stop much quicker! its a crazy world!

[Log-ologist]

hi all im really been thinking of buying a 7.5ton grab truck for picking up wood, as smaller trucks can go overweight really easy.

 

I have already got a mog and i dont really want to get a hiab and trailer for that as its espensive.

 

Iv been looking on ebay and autotrader and have seen a few for around £7000 mark.

 

Has anyone got any comments on this or does anyone own a small grab truck. iI doesnt have to be 7.5 ton as im doing my hgv at the moment i was just thinking about if anyone eles had to drive it ???????:wave:

 

 

 

Ever thought about a forwarding trailer to tow behind the unimog. use it when you want or leave it at home. No road tax , operators licence or tests.

[Tree cutter Stu]

im not that keen on the forwarding trailer route as sometimes need to go on the motorway and they dont let tractors on the motorway.

 

when im working far away i leave the mog at home and take the towable chipper and transit.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mercedes-track-800-timber-crane-skidder-winch-trailer_W0QQitemZ160218985131QQihZ006QQcategoryZ108848QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

this is worth a look at if you have got a bit of money. mb track with grab and trailer

[bob]

the last 7.5 ton wagon with hiab we had was overloaded with 3 men in the cab and no load on overloaded on the front axle which is very common and the police were aware of this as we got pulled into every DOT mobile weight thingy now run 16 tonner

[Dean Lofthouse]

im not that keen on the forwarding trailer route as sometimes need to go on the motorway and they dont let tractors on the motorway.

 

when im working far away i leave the mog at home and take the towable chipper and transit.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mercedes-track-800-timber-crane-skidder-winch-trailer_W0QQitemZ160218985131QQihZ006QQcategoryZ108848QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

this is worth a look at if you have got a bit of money. mb track with grab and trailer

 

Plenty of pics of the winch I have to say ???

[Lee Winger]

modern lighter chasis of 7.5 tonners such as Cantors and Isuzus, and new lighter loaders/cranes will give you a payload of over 3 ton..

[Pete Mctree]

modern smaller chasis of 7.5 tonners and new lighter loaders/cranes will give you a payload of over 3 ton

 

I agree, but it also pushes the cost up markedly on an item that is not used everyday