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Mon Nov 22, 2010 9:16 pm

im curious to know if in california you can tow a sandrail or any other vehicle using a tow bar?

i know i see them behind toy campers with tow bars but is it legal to tow with an suv?

Mon Nov 22, 2010 9:25 pm

From what I recall, if any of the wheels of the vehicle being towed are touching the road, that vehicle must be registered. If it isn't registered, it has to be on a full trailer. I could be wrong but it's what I seem to remember.

Mon Nov 22, 2010 9:54 pm

zuhaelter_82 wrote: From what I recall, if any of the wheels of the vehicle being towed are touching the road, that vehicle must be registered. If it isn't registered, it has to be on a full trailer. I could be wrong but it's what I seem to remember.

im going to second that. i seem to remember that you can register a off road vehicle as a trailer for towing Purposes. but thats a big maybe

best think to do is call CA DMV sometimes, you may even get the right answer :wink:

Mon Nov 22, 2010 10:09 pm

haha yeah the lady i talked to was very reluctant to tell me anything about towing, she recommended i call the highway patrol i think it was!

i might call them tomorrow, unless someone tells me they do tow with a tow bar!

Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:10 am

speedtrash wrote: im curious to know if in california you can tow a sandrail or any other vehicle using a tow bar?

i know i see them behind toy campers with tow bars but is it legal to tow with an suv?

Towing:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d13/vc29003.htm

Max speed while towing:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22406.htm

Registration:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d03/vc4000.htm

Take the body out of the trunk:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21712.htm

Damn, the CA DMV thinks of everything...

Raymond

Tue Nov 23, 2010 2:36 pm

speedtrash wrote: haha yeah the lady i talked to was very reluctant to tell me anything about towing, she recommended i call the highway patrol i think it was!

i might call them tomorrow, unless someone tells me they do tow with a tow bar!

i use a towbar all the time here in Calif when i go pick up a bug never had any issues, just make sure there taillight are visible on the tow rig and you have at least running lights on the car your towing. Technically your supposed to have running, turn and brake lights on the car your actually pulling, but i have had a few hwy cops tell me if you at least have running lights and the lights on your tow rig ar visible from behind for turn and braking there ok with it, i pull with a 05 Dodge dually so its pretty wide and the lights are present.
i didnt find any info on the vehicle having to be registered to tow on the calif dmv site, maybe that was something in the past, but i have had a few cops over time come up and usually ask me about the VW im pulling and thats where the few comments came up about flat towing the car. bottom line i have never been hasseled.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/lov/lovd13.htm

Tue Nov 23, 2010 2:47 pm

Raymond73 wrote: speedtrash wrote: im curious to know if in california you can tow a sandrail or any other vehicle using a tow bar?

i know i see them behind toy campers with tow bars but is it legal to tow with an suv?

Towing:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d13/vc29003.htm

Max speed while towing:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22406.htm

Registration:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d03/vc4000.htm

Take the body out of the trunk:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21712.htm

Damn, the CA DMV thinks of everything...

Raymond See section F. Pretty clearly states that a vehichle needs to be currently reg'd to tow, or have a DMV permit to tow, exception being law enforcement ordered towing by a tow service. I know that a fully trailered vehichle doesn't apply here.

Tue Nov 23, 2010 5:10 pm

Dave24 wrote: Raymond73 wrote: speedtrash wrote: im curious to know if in california you can tow a sandrail or any other vehicle using a tow bar?

i know i see them behind toy campers with tow bars but is it legal to tow with an suv?

Towing:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d13/vc29003.htm

Max speed while towing:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22406.htm

Registration:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d03/vc4000.htm

Take the body out of the trunk:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21712.htm

Damn, the CA DMV thinks of everything...

Raymond See section F. Pretty clearly states that a vehichle needs to be currently reg'd to tow, or have a DMV permit to tow, exception being law enforcement ordered towing by a tow service. I know that a fully trailered vehichle doesn't apply here.

honestly with all the cars you see being towned out here to you think anyone really gets a permit?, hell I cant count on two hand how many cars I have flat towed that didnt even have plates on them and never got hasseled, i guess its still a requirement and on the books, but not enforced much, because i can think of many times while towing and getting passed by a cop and making sure it was not going over the bullshit 55mph law out here in Calif, although 62-63mph is about the max most hwy cops will tolerate before they consider pulling you over, as they used to say: "eight your skatin' nine your mine".... [-X

Tue Nov 23, 2010 6:47 pm

It's pretty simple, if the tires touch the road the law requires the vehicle or trailer be registered.

Tue Nov 23, 2010 8:49 pm

Sweet... My lazy ass didn't want to look it up but glad to see I was right 8)

Tue Nov 23, 2010 10:47 pm

You can get a one-day use pass at the DMV for towing a vehicle with expired registration. I've done it before. I think it is around $5 (much less than a possible fine). It's a small placard that you fill out and stick on the window of the vehicle that is on the tow dolly. If you get pulled over for having an un-registered vehicle on the road, the officer can't cite you for it.

Wed Nov 24, 2010 12:03 am

ANSAracingb wrote: You can get a one-day use pass at the DMV for towing a vehicle with expired registration. I've done it before. I think it is around $5 (much less than a possible fine). It's a small placard that you fill out and stick on the window of the vehicle that is on the tow dolly. If you get pulled over for having an un-registered vehicle on the road, the officer can't cite you for it.
those used to be free :cry:

Wed Nov 24, 2010 6:32 am

free + inflation = 5 bucks

Wed Nov 24, 2010 11:03 am

norcalmike wrote: ANSAracingb wrote: You can get a one-day use pass at the DMV for towing a vehicle with expired registration. I've done it before. I think it is around $5 (much less than a possible fine). It's a small placard that you fill out and stick on the window of the vehicle that is on the tow dolly. If you get pulled over for having an un-registered vehicle on the road, the officer can't cite you for it.
those used to be free :cry: They still are free. You can only get 3 per year per vehicle.

Wed Nov 24, 2010 12:13 pm

Dave24 wrote: norcalmike wrote: ANSAracingb wrote: You can get a one-day use pass at the DMV for towing a vehicle with expired registration. I've done it before. I think it is around $5 (much less than a possible fine). It's a small placard that you fill out and stick on the window of the vehicle that is on the tow dolly. If you get pulled over for having an un-registered vehicle on the road, the officer can't cite you for it.
those used to be free :cry: They still are free. You can only get 3 per year per vehicle.

Aw man, I got hosed! I was charged $5 for mine. ](*,)

Wed Nov 24, 2010 1:32 pm

The DMV ... consistantly inconsistant :lol: . Charged me $35 for YOM plate transfer. It is actually $45. Sent me a supplemental bill a bit later.

Thu Nov 25, 2010 6:31 pm

What nobody told this person is the SAFETY CHAINS..
see this..

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d13/vc29004.htm

Please know that allot of people are not using them..use the wrong size hitch and the wrong size ball..

Yes they even use DUCT TAPE and people are getting killed....

They are not using the Safety Pin and a Locking Device on the Hitch.

See www.dangeroustrailers.org and take note that California is one of the worst state.

We even have 8 States that do not have a SAFETY CHAIN LAW.

We even have people who are putting hitches on SMART CARS it is on the site

The point is people do not have the right to tow and have it come loose and kill people who are behind.

I ask....would you secure your child in a Child Safety Seat using Duct Tape?

The Wrong size safety seat? Rusted Safety Seat....a Homemade Safety Seat..

Then why do we allow people to build a "homemade Trailer" and expect it to go 55, 65, 75 with no testing.

Use a hitch system that has not been updated since the 1950.....and have no testing standards.

Look at how many lives have been lost.

Wed Dec 01, 2010 10:21 pm

One tip: As an Idahoan, 55mph means 70. In California, towing at 70 means about $650...