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Tracked rammer


nb844

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I started a topic on here back at the start of the year asking how to go about getting more work. The general consensus was to keep going and wait for the work to come to me, well it did, and in a big way. Now I'm looking to expand as I just can't cope with my current set up. Have a meeting with the bank manager lined up for next week to discuss possible funding for a tracked rammer, what I want to know is how much money I need to ask for? Will £10,000-£15,000 buy a decent second hand rammer? What about buying a dumper and getting it converted myself? Also would really like to keep the weight down so I can tow it behind the truck, anyone converted a 1.5ton dumper?

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Speak to Andy at protech he has sold a lot of their evos and has part exchange machines which he refurbishes before selling, he can also put you in contact with Lombard finance cheap money to borrow at present and Lombard hold the machine as security. Remember to allow for a lightweight trailer to move one about and a vehicle that can tow the weight legally although I wonder how legal they are to tow with a pickup by the time they have mud on the tracks tools on board rockspike etc hope you get set up ok and well done for what you have achieved so far.

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Just heard, that someone has packed in fencing, they had been caught towing a protec on a lightweight trailer behind a L200. the second fine VOSA imposed was £2500.00.

Everyone weighs a machine dry, then fills it with fuel oil, then puts a rock spike on a load of gear on, then fills the truck, l

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Just heard, that someone has packed in fencing, they had been caught towing a protec on a lightweight trailer behind a L200. the second fine VOSA imposed was £2500.00.

Everyone weighs a machine dry, then fills it with fuel oil, then puts a rock spike on a load of gear on, then fills the truck, l

I think L200's have a max towing capacity of 2900kgs (depending on year), whereas the new Isuzu Dmax/land rovers will tow. 3500kg. A extra 600kgs towing capacity is the weight of a decent trailer. Surely if you are towing for your business you'd make sure that it's legal.

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Just heard, that someone has packed in fencing, they had been caught towing a protec on a lightweight trailer behind a L200. the second fine VOSA imposed was £2500.00.

Everyone weighs a machine dry, then fills it with fuel oil, then puts a rock spike on a load of gear on, then fills the truck, l

Was it the second time he was caught? I think I'm borderline and mine hasn't got a rock spike

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Exactly the reason we invested in the unimog and trailer, was always a concern as we were 250-300kg overweight with rg30 with rockspike on it and nothing else on trailer even with heavy duty 3500kg gvw defender and lightest ifor we could fit on. Get on a weighbridge boys, looking at prison if you kill someone in accident and your overweight, not worth it! Now we have bigger tracked knocker on loaded with posts ready and the digger for clearing & gates in one journey. It's all okay till the wheels come off...

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We have a Scania to carry two Brice HD180s. If you have an accident and are overloaded or insecurely loaded, you will probably be prosecuted for dangerous driving, if convicted it has an automatic 12 months prison sentence,

VOSA are now self funding, and will pull anything that looks iffy,

It ain't worth it !!! Get on the waigh bridge and make sure its legal !!!

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you know it never ceases to amaze me how often folk pull trailers overloaded, 

i used to work at a auction mart which holds implement and cxollective sales  on a monthly basis.

and i could near guarantee that 90% of the time folk were overloaded.

 

pulling 4-5 furrow reversible ploughs on 12 ft ifor williams trailers,

pallets of stone , etc.

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Got to be careful and as Steve says, get on weigh bridge. I am lucky as my old man has a weighbridge on his farm, so I can use it for free.

Towing and the law is such minefield now. If vosa wanted I have been informed they could pull most vehicles pulling a 3.5 tonne trailer and fine if required as by law, if your vehicle is not rated to tow 3.5 tonne, you should not be towing a trailer plated to that weight. I am not sure but it seems daft to me.

Also any vehicle with a kerb weight over 2100 kg(I think) should only be doing 50 on main roads and 60 on motorways and dual carriage ways. So many of the be larger pick ups such as ford ranger, could be potentially be fined for doing 60 on a normal a road. Again how would it stand in an accident. You could be prosecuted for dangerous driving as you are breaking the rules.

I understand there are rules for a reason and the roads need to be safe, but I think there should be some more guidance on it and also having larger vehicles like America that can tow more, without having to go,to the expense of an operators license etc. I would love a unimog, but I just don't know I could afford to run one.

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In America, we can operate a single vehicle without air brakes up to 26,000 GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) lbs without  a CDL. (Commercial Drivers License)  We can operate a tandem vehicle (Truck with Trailer) up to a combined GVWR of a whopping 12,500 lbs.  Keep in mind, that's the gross weight that the vehicle(s) is rated for, NOT what it actually weighs.  ANY air brake vehicle requires a CDL.  The pics I've posted with the new sliver colored RAM 5500 and trailer would have a combined GVWR of around 45,000 lbs.  I am most certainly required to have registered Department of Transportation numbers, an annual inspection on both the truck and trailer, and a Commercial Drivers License.  That said, I totally agree with Frontrow that we should all be able to drive to work every day without the looming threat of heavy fines and prison time.  Like building fence every day ain't torture enough!  Good news for me is,  Trump is supposed to get rid of all the red tape in the way of small business guys like us.  Yep.....That'll be the day.  LMAO

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Got to be careful and as Steve says, get on weigh bridge. I am lucky as my old man has a weighbridge on his farm, so I can use it for free.

Towing and the law is such minefield now. If vosa wanted I have been informed they could pull most vehicles pulling a 3.5 tonne trailer and fine if required as by law, if your vehicle is not rated to tow 3.5 tonne, you should not be towing a trailer plated to that weight. I am not sure but it seems daft to me.

Also any vehicle with a kerb weight over 2100 kg(I think) should only be doing 50 on main roads and 60 on motorways and dual carriage ways. So many of the be larger pick ups such as ford ranger, could be potentially be fined for doing 60 on a normal a road. Again how would it stand in an accident. You could be prosecuted for dangerous driving as you are breaking the rules.

I understand there are rules for a reason and the roads need to be safe, but I think there should be some more guidance on it and also having larger vehicles like America that can tow more, without having to go,to the expense of an operators license etc. I would love a unimog, but I just don't know I could afford to run one.

I think the rule about trailer plating has gone, but don't quote me on that. Do you tow yours with a Iveco daily?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Exactly the reason we invested in the unimog and trailer, was always a concern as we were 250-300kg overweight with rg30 with rockspike on it and nothing else on trailer even with heavy duty 3500kg gvw defender and lightest ifor we could fit on. Get on a weighbridge boys, looking at prison if you kill someone in accident and your overweight, not worth it! Now we have bigger tracked knocker on loaded with posts ready and the digger for clearing & gates in one journey. It's all okay till the wheels come off...

This is the reason i have gone for the initially more expensive route of tractor and thumper to start with, round our way traffic police and VOSA are fairly hot on trailers/loads/tachos and my long term view is that when funds allow the thumper can be replaced with a tracked machine with the tractor staying to move said machine. 

 

with regard to the trailer plaiting and vehicle towing capacity law i believe this is still current, around a year ago a local hire firm driver got in trouble for towing an empty 14ft 3.5t ifor behind a transit van.

 

Im waiting for them to bring in a law regarding towing with tractors/mogs etc. does seem a little ridiculous that you cant put an 2t trailer behind a 4x4 without doing a test but its fine to jump into a tractor with 18t grain trailer or similar behind 

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