i say you need a hgv class 2 to drive a truck solo even if it is for show purposes without the fifth wheel(ie not available for work) my wife reckons she cud drive a truck without fifth wheel on a car licence as by grandfather rights she can drive a 7 1/2 tonner.
It grieves me to say this, but she is right. If she passed her car test before 1997, and if the tractor unit weighed less than 7.5 tonnes then she could drive it. It might have to have its taxation class changed first.
Do you have to remove the tow hitch from your car if you only have a B licence 
Can’t see how this is true. Surely a tractor unit weighs more than 7.5 tonnnes?
I know you can drive them on a C provisional, the place where I done my training had to do an assessment for class C in their artic (without the trailer) because one of the trucks went in to have some work done for MOT
hanson:
i say you need a hgv class 2 to drive a truck solo even if it is for show purposes without the fifth wheel(ie not available for work) my wife reckons she cud drive a truck without fifth wheel on a car licence as by grandfather rights she can drive a 7 1/2 tonner.
Lets deal with the fifth wheel bit first … it’s a myth … fifth wheel on or off = it don’t matter.
What does matter is firstly the plated weight or, if no plated weight, the actual weight of the vehicle.
This MUST be under 7.5 tonnes if being driven on a C1 licence or under 3.5 tonnes if on a B licence
chris_89:
Can’t see how this is true. Surely a tractor unit weighs more than 7.5 tonnnes?
There a few that actually weigh less than 7.5 but getting them downplated … I know nowt about getting things downrated etc
Big Brummie Macca:
I know you can drive them on a C provisional, the place where I done my training had to do an assessment for class C in their artic (without the trailer) because one of the trucks went in to have some work done for MOT
You can drive an artic unit on a C provisional but the usual rules apply as for any C vehicle = L plates fitted + supervising driver (over age 21 with C licence for at least 3 years) + correct insurance
can you settle a argument over driving unit onlt
onlT !! - you did my trick of hitting the T instead of the Y next to it didn’t you ? 
The [ZB] times I do that !!! 
chris_89:
Can’t see how this is true. Surely a tractor unit weighs more than 7.5 tonnnes?
Depends on the tractor unit, my FH12 6x2 tractor unit weighs about 8.5 tonnes, a 4x2 unit would weigh about a tonne less. You could get a road legal tractor unit to weigh off at less than 7,500 kg without much problem.
Then, if you had passed your car driving test before 1997, you could drive it, 7.5 tonnes is about the Maximum Authorised Mass, end of.
ROG:
Lets deal with the fifth wheel bit first … it’s a myth … fifth wheel on or off = it don’t matter.
It does in the sense that it weighs around 70kg and taking it off will get you a long way towards the “weigh-in”… but you are right in that the fifth wheel has no legal status nowadays. It used to, in determining if something was an “incomplete vehicle” but that Law changed sometime in the nineties.
Harry Monk:
… the fifth wheel has no legal status nowadays. It used to, in determining if something was an “incomplete vehicle” but that Law changed sometime in the nineties.
Thank Harry - I’ll remember that 
as it goes some way to explain the confusion that many have
A 7.5 tonne vehicle does NOT weigh 7.5 tonne does it, it’s the max gross weight, the max gross weight for a unit is more than 7.5 tonne is it not? Therefor you need a cat c licence to drive it surely
londonerupnorth:
A 7.5 tonne vehicle does NOT weigh 7.5 tonne does it, it’s the max gross weight, the max gross weight for a unit is more than 7.5 tonne is it not? Therefor you need a cat c licence to drive it surely
you are correct - It does need a C if the plated gross weight (MAM) is over 7.5 tonnes 
If the vehicle could be downrated to it’s actual weight then it could be less than 7.5 and driven on a C1 
So really then your Mrs is wrong. She can’t drive ANY tractor unit, only the ones that weight under 7.5 tonnes. Doesn’t mean that she’ll be ABLE to just jump in and drive it though
See if you can find her one with a 4 over 4 splitter and say ‘Off you go’
chris_89:
So really then your Mrs is wrong. She can’t drive ANY tractor unit, only the ones that weight under 7.5 tonnes. Doesn’t mean that she’ll be ABLE to just jump in and drive it thoughSee if you can find her one with a 4 over 4 splitter and say ‘Off you go’
ERF EC11 with an Eaton twin splitter, downrate to Private HGV, should be able to be driven on a car licence
I believe a 4x2 ERF day cab weighs less than 5 tonnes, you could deffo drive one of them on a pre-1997 car licence.
shuttlespanker:
ERF EC11 with an Eaton twin splitter, downrate to Private HGV, should be able to be driven on a car licence
Or that if you really want to take the ■■■■
Don’t even think I’d be able to drive that without being shown how to be fair 
Hi, I can add a bit to this, whilst I’m not a ‘trucker’ by trade, I do hold a C licence - I had to obtain it to drive my ERF tractor unit. I looked into all the alternatives but as I passed my car test in '99 there was no way to do it other than the proper way! My unit does not have a 5th wheel but is plated at 16ton gross weight still and the train weight is 32 ton as it has a big towing pin on the back. Of course I would need CE to make use of that.
I’m glad I did take the proper lessons and test though as it taught me so much more about driving in general and improved my driving no end. Mind you getting out of a Premium with synchromesh range change box and into the ERF with constant mesh Spicer splitter took a bit of adjusting to I never knew there were so many good tunes to be had 
I’m used to it now, but if I’m tired or not concentrating it does bite me in the arse occasionally!
Mark.
chris_89:
Can’t see how this is true. Surely a tractor unit weighs more than 7.5 tonnnes?
I am sure not this one
shuttlespanker:
ERF EC11 with an Eaton twin splitter, downrate to Private HGV, should be able to be driven on a car licence
Oh momma, yes please, I’d LOVE to get a drive of an ERF EC 