HGV Question

[Highlander1]

You will alway's need at least class 3 to drive with single axle rear or class 2 for twin rear axles now they give you wee pictures onthe card licence to help you along.

[MattF]

Just on a complete aside JB, what types of place usually supply/stock phosphoric acid, for the rust removal/curing thing?

[Stumpy Doofleer]

Wait till the wife sees the new weekend run around

I could always drive it for you

[da SLUG man]

You will alway's need at least class 3 to drive with single axle rear or class 2 for twin rear axles now they give you wee pictures onthe card licence to help you along.

ooh, they've changed the categories now...
E= trailer... so

B is up to 3500kg can tow small trailer
B+E is a bit bigger trailer
C1 is 3500kg-7500kg
C1+E as above with a trailer
C is over 7500kg (usually up to 32000kg 8 wheel rigid) (class2)
C+E is the over 7500kg with a trailer (class1)


think those chassis cab transits come under C1+E (class3)

[da SLUG man]

Just on a complete aside JB, what types of place usually supply/stock phosphoric acid, for the rust removal/curing thing?

we get our Hydrochloric acid from a place in high wycombe... they ask all sorts of questions before they'll sell it. (have to check you're not gonna put it in the bath with the wife!!)

i can get the number if you like??

[24Seven]

think those chassis cab transits come under C1+E (class3)

They may well do, it's a mine field tbh, I have a class 1 and I'm confused

[Slugsie]

A mate of mine who is an ex trucker is often telling me of his exploits. Including the time he was asked to move a tractor unit from one yard to another. He had the fifth wheel reversed, and thus claimed that it was no longer capable of towing a trailer, and therefore could be classed as a car. He drove it down the motorway at 70mph(+ ) in the outside lane. Cops pulled him obviously, but he argued that because of the fifth wheel change he was allowed to do that so they let him on his way.

My car license is the older type, so I'm allowed to drive up to 7.5 tonnes on that. Plus I have technically passed my HGV Class II (passed before I was 21 with the T.A.) so I should be able to drive a tractor unit no problems.

Wonder what work would think if I drove that Peterbilt into the car park. The Surf already winds one of the managers up.

[Highlander1]

Just on a complete aside JB, what types of place usually supply/stock phosphoric acid, for the rust removal/curing thing?

Go to a water treatment plant or chemical plant and if you tell them you are looking to purchase in bulk they may give you a free sample I did. Although it is an acid it isn't as harmfull as some on the market your fingers don't drop off if you spill it well not right away.

I have 1/2 gallon left after using it for years. I first went to Halfasurds and bought a load of treatments jenolite, trustan
and a few others. I coated 1/2 a length of steel and left 1/2 exposed all winter outside the rust came back on all the steel. After a bit of research i realised it's the phosphoric acid that does the job so I coated 1/2 in phos amd spent 6 months over the winter giving it a spray with salt water the result was fenominal. No rust on the coated phos piece.

I sprayed an entire bare body shell of my Sunbeam in 1992 and saw it had wonthe concourse master class again the owner hasn't touched it since I restored it all those years ago so the phos works.

Cheers JB

Ps back to the truck licence mine used to be a wee brown book then a piece of paper and now this confusing pile of shite we have now.

I have my class 1 still and go out now and then to keep my hand in but when my lass passed her test could i find out about towing a trailer behind the car it took 4 weeks to get the information DVLA did not have a clue nor the traffic police. I finally got the answer that having passed her test this Jan she can tow my trailer which has gross amx of 2 tonnes provided she it towing it below the authorised max which is 3.5 tonnes combined with trailer and car. So if the car weight was 2 tonnes and the trailer was 1/2 full with max weight loaded of 1.5 tonnes she could drive it. If the trailer was full and car was 1.5 tonnes she would need to have provisional trailer entitlement and have l plates displayed.

why does this gov make things so ###### complex.

[M35A2]

The short answer is you can drive a tractor unit on a car licence if you have and do the following.


The tractor unit with a full tank of fuel and driver (this is defined at a certain weight which I don't know off hand) needs to weigh less than 7.5 tonnes.

The 5th wheel needs to be removed, and all the fixing points for the 5th wheel need to be welded over so that a 5th wheel cannot be fixed onto the chassis.

The truck then needs to be re-plated for the revised weight and will need to be registered as a private HGV.

You need to possess the correct licence, IE you have to have the 7.5 ton cat on your licence.


An example is the Bedford MK/MJ 4 tonner Army trucks. These are a Cat C (HGV2) vehicle in standard form. They are fitted with additional springs on the rear axle for them to carry 4 tonnes off road (hence the 4 tonner title). If you remove these springs it brings the weight down to the 7.5 tonne limit. You can then re-plate the truck as a 7.5 ton private HGV and drive on a car licence. My mate is a traffic copper who is also an instructor with the Army Cadets. He owns one of these trucks and drives it on a car licence as the additional springs are removed. However you MUST NOT carry absolutely any goods in the back otherwise you are then using it as a goods vehicle and this will then need to be registered as such and will also require an operators licence.



I accept no responsibility whatsoever for the accuracy of this information. It's use is entirely at your own risk.

[Tiger]

The short answer is you can drive a tractor unit on a car licence if you have and do the following.


The tractor unit with a full tank of fuel and driver (this is defined at a certain weight which I don't know off hand) needs to weigh less than 7.5 tonnes.

The 5th wheel needs to be removed, and all the fixing points for the 5th wheel need to be welded over so that a 5th wheel cannot be fixed onto the chassis.

The truck then needs to be re-plated for the revised weight and will need to be registered as a private HGV.

You need to possess the correct licence, IE you have to have the 7.5 ton cat on your licence.


An example is the Bedford MK/MJ 4 tonner Army trucks. These are a Cat C (HGV2) vehicle in standard form. They are fitted with additional springs on the rear axle for them to carry 4 tonnes off road (hence the 4 tonner title). If you remove these springs it brings the weight down to the 7.5 tonne limit. You can then re-plate the truck as a 7.5 ton private HGV and drive on a car licence. My mate is a traffic copper who is also an instructor with the Army Cadets. He owns one of these trucks and drives it on a car licence as the additional springs are removed. However you MUST NOT carry absolutely any goods in the back otherwise you are then using it as a goods vehicle and this will then need to be registered as such and will also require an operators licence.



I accept no responsibility whatsoever for the accuracy of this information. It's use is entirely at your own risk.

I presume you mean 14 ton and LGV ??

[M35A2]

I presume you mean 14 ton and LGV ??

If you are referring to the Bedford, no I don't mean 14 ton. The Bedford MJ/MK is called a 4 tonner for the reason I stated, it can carry 4 tonnes off road. The total vehicle weight is obviously more, they are not called Bedford 14 tonners unless you are referring to the TM, which comes in 8 and 14 tonnes (off road capabilities) This site can help you see what I mean.

http://www.armedforces.co.uk/army/listings/l0146.html



As for the LGV, I prefer to use HGV as that's the English description before we had to change to suit european rules.

[Predictable Bob]

Being a bit picky ......

In the good old days the MK was HGV3 as it only had two axles, HGV2 had 3 or more.

When I learnt to drive I did a couple of hours in a TK, then a couple of days in an MK finishing off with a couple of weeks in an AEC 10T - a great idea pushbike to HGV2 !

When they changed the licensing system I ended up with "C + E (Drawbar trailers only)"

I let it lapse a few years ago cos I really couldn't see me using it

[Highlander1]

Being a bit picky ......

In the good old days the MK was HGV3 as it only had two axles, HGV2 had 3 or more.

When I learnt to drive I did a couple of hours in a TK, then a couple of days in an MK finishing off with a couple of weeks in an AEC 10T - a great idea pushbike to HGV2 !

When they changed the licensing system I ended up with "C + E (Drawbar trailers only)"

I let it lapse a few years ago cos I really couldn't see me using it

My Mrs let her HGV lapse I'd never let mine go just in case it is so bloodi expensive to resit now adays.

Cheers JB

[Predictable Bob]

My theory was that I'd be better off on the dole than trying to compete with Eastern European trucker rates (Not to mention that nobody with any sense would employ an HGV driver that hadn't driven one since 1985 !)

[Highlander1]

My theory was that I'd be better off on the dole than trying to compete with Eastern European trucker rates (Not to mention that nobody with any sense would employ an HGV driver that hadn't driven one since 1985 !)

I know what you mean mate, I keep my hand in driving for local hauliers once in a while.

Even after having done nearly 500,000 miles on artics. Having a break for a few years does nearly catch me out sometimes. The single track road at Mallaig to Arisaig is a challenge.

The bridges are so low I need to drop the suspension on the rear of the truck, get the top of the 40ft trailer through and judge it to then raise the back suspension in time to allow the rear of the trailer through and women think they are the only ones who can multi task.

I love it but couldn't be saddled full time 11pm home on a friday and a 3am start on Monday took all the fun along with mobile phones.

Cheers JB