New sawmill coming next month - need to sort out towing issues

[Big J]

My new Logmaster LM2 comes next month (final tests are being conducted at the moment) and I need to sort out the towing so that I can do mobile work. I will have the biggest mobile mill on the road in Scotland, and want to take advantage of that.

 

This is the mill in question:

 

Log Master

 

 

It is 11.4m long, 2.55m wide, 3.3m tall and weighs 2.8 tonnes. It is therefor too long to tow on a 3.5 tonne licence.

 

The logical position is to get a ag-registered Unimog. I understand that 100km from base is allowed, but am aware that many travel further. Is this another area of the law that is as clear as mud?

 

Additionally, the trailer is not legal for general towing in the UK as the brakes are US hydraulic surge type with manual engagement for reversing (slip a pin in or it locks the wheels). This is obviously a no no for normal vehicles towing, but a brief read into agricultural towing law doesn't say anything about trailer brakes. Given that it only weighs 2.8 tonnes, as I understand it, it doesn't even need brakes.

 

This is desperately confusing to someone who has only got a B+E licence and hasn't operated anything else.

 

Any clarification would be hugely appreciated. Whilst a Unimog is obviously an expensive vehicle to buy and operate, it means no O licence, no C1+E licence, no tacho, no MOT, no Tax, no 6 weekly VOSA checks, no 12 weekly service intervals and hopefully no trailer alterations.

 

Jonathan

[Le Sanglier]

Out of curiosity why not a ordinary 7.5 tonner? they are as cheap as chips. Is it a access/4wd thing? They cannot be that much bother and represent a huge saving on a mog.

[Big J]

Because of a few issues:

 

* Overall train length cannot exceed 18m. The choice of 7.5t vehicles that are less than 6.6m overall length is limited.

 

* Would need to sit C1+E licence - that is a week of lost earnings and about a £1000 for the course and test.

 

* Need O licence - several hundred pounds as I understand it

 

* Need MOT

 

* Need Tax

 

* Need regular VOSA inspections, as well as documented 12 weekly servicing (as I understand it)

 

* No 4WD, and the short wheel base of the Unimog is appealing.

 

* Potential to mount crane on Unimog to assist with sawmill loading when out on contract.

 

I did start with a Mercedes Vario 814d in mind, but the advantages of a Unimog started to stack up. I am open to any suggestion that gets me out on the road with my mill economically.

[Le Sanglier]

Because of a few issues:

 

* Overall train length cannot exceed 18m. The choice of 7.5t vehicles that are less than 6.6m overall length is limited.

 

* Would need to sit C1+E licence - that is a week of lost earnings and about a £1000 for the course and test.

 

* Need O licence - several hundred pounds as I understand it

 

* Need MOT

 

* Need Tax

 

* Need regular VOSA inspections, as well as documented 12 weekly servicing (as I understand it)

 

* No 4WD, and the short wheel base of the Unimog is appealing.

 

* Potential to mount crane on Unimog to assist with sawmill loading when out on contract.

 

I did start with a Mercedes Vario 814d in mind, but the advantages of a Unimog started to stack up. I am open to any suggestion that gets me out on the road with my mill economically.

Fair enough, it's the price of unimogs that makes me catch my breath.

[treequip]

Swap the axle for a road legal one and put a fold in the bed to reduce the length while towing.

 

Then tow it with a 3500kg vehicle

[Big J]

Swap the axle for a road legal one and put a fold in the bed to reduce the length while towing.

 

Then tow it with a 3500kg vehicle

 

Can't put a fold in the bed - we did explore that option.

[kernowstu]

Not being rude or disrespectful but why did you buy the mill if you cant tow it ?

[gensetsteve]

JCB fastrak or mb trak with roof mount crane worth considering

[Tom D]

It would be far cheaper to modify the mill and then tow it with your nav.

 

Looking at the pic, simply chop the deck just behind the rear axle, then put a hinge in, just fold it up for transport.

If you then slide the head over the axle you should be able to keep the nose weight sensible. If its a yank / canadian machine its probably heavy built and would easily take the modification by a good engineer.

 

Trust me, running any ag vehicle on the road means long distances at max revs foot to the floor, so unless you get a vehicle with low hours / miles you are asking for trouble. and a low hours low miles mog will cost you £30k and up which is 20 times more than it would cost to modify the mill.

 

Edit: why can't it be folded, I know some good engineers who I bet could do it...

[gensetsteve]

Not being rude or disrespectful but why did you buy the mill if you cant tow it ?

 

Because I would imagine these things just have to be done. My best business decisions were made with heart and absolutely no common sense. By the time you have made a for and against list it has sold.