Trailer inspections - GAAD!

newbury · Oct 25, 2014

In Virginia I need my trailer inspected annually - BUT MOST STATIONS INSIDE THE BELTWAY DON'T DO IT.

Last year I checked (over the telephone) with a number of surrounding stations, I've probably 6 within 2 miles. Finally found one that would inspect. Go there - at the end of inspection - whoops, they don't have any stickers, come back in a week!!! So I try driving to several nearby inspection stations - all no go.

So I trailer down thru Washington constant rush hour traffic the 25 miles round trip to Holly Acres, a marina/RV/trailer place.. Took about 2 hrs driving do to traffic.

This year I decide to be smart go directly to Holly Acres. Inspector fails my brake controller. A Tekonsha P3 that came w/ the truck. I ask if it's just on the wrong setting, I didn't have the manual and didn't remember diddly about it except after loading it might take adjusting. He's adamant that it will take a lot of debugging, bring it back. He had to go to lunch soon. On the way back (an hour do to traffic) I fiddle with the settings, he had it set at 2.

So I punch it up to about 7 and it locks the trailer brakes when applied manually. I call Holly Acres back asking if I can come back after noon. Nope. Maybe Saturday, maybe not. I download the manual, they suggest setting it at 6 for starters.

I hope the guy gets remedial training.

Took the trailer to where I went first last year, they had 1 sticker left and passed it immediately.

Got to move it to Mississippi.

kw22614 · Oct 25, 2014

Try Cornwell's in Manassas, across from the armory - next door to 'no longer' Dominion speedway. (Mabey call them first just to be sure)

downsizingnow48 · Oct 25, 2014

I used to have all trailer and vehicle inspections done by Callao Auto Repair. Fast, fair, nice people, totally reliable.

Diamondpilot · Oct 25, 2014

Time to register in Maine.....

Chris

ultrarunner · Oct 25, 2014

Sometimes it seems I spending half my time at vehicle inspections and we don't even have trailer inspections.

Know the feeling!

nap61 · Oct 26, 2014

Louisiana went to trailer inspections a few years ago. But this year, the legislature exempted some trailers (single axel, etc.)

Norm

handirifle · Oct 26, 2014

Thankfully we don't have those here in Ca. What a nightmare.

Hiltz · Oct 27, 2014

Might be cheaper to just pay the fine and not get a sticker.

orezok · Oct 27, 2014

Some times Cali gets it right. No inspection and $10 for 5 year registration (except annual fees on RV's).

Threepoint · Oct 27, 2014

newbury said:
In Virginia I need my trailer inspected annually - BUT MOST STATIONS INSIDE THE BELTWAY DON'T DO IT.
[snip].

Sounds like you hit a double whammy of bad luck and incompetence! But inside the Beltway is a pretty small area, and I assume you're already in VA. You shouldn't have to drive down to Holly Acres in Woodbridge. Plus, the I-95 corridor south of the Beltway is to be avoided at all costs in rush hour, which seems to start earlier and earlier these days.

I'd call some places in Fairfax County, especially the Springfield or Sterling area, where they're more accommodating to trucks and trailers. I even have my horse trailer and 14' landscape trailer inspected in McLean, and have never had a problem. No need to pull in a bay. I actually appreciate the fact that Virginia requires annual inspections. Too many folks out there in denial about the condition of their rigs. Good luck with this.

roadhunter · Oct 27, 2014

orezok said:
Some times Cali gets it right. No inspection and $10 for 5 year registration (except annual fees on RV's).

Even a blind hog finds an acorn occasionally.

newbury · Oct 27, 2014

Threepoint said:
Sounds like you hit a double whammy of bad luck and incompetence! But inside the Beltway is a pretty small area, and I assume you're already in VA. You shouldn't have to drive down to Holly Acres in Woodbridge. Plus, the I-95 corridor south of the Beltway is to be avoided at all costs in rush hour, which seems to start earlier and earlier these days. I'd call some places in Fairfax County, especially the Springfield or Sterling area, where they're more accommodating to trucks and trailers. I even have my horse trailer and 14' landscape trailer inspected in McLean, and have never had a problem. No need to pull in a bay. I actually appreciate the fact that Virginia requires annual inspections. Too many folks out there in denial about the condition of their rigs. Good luck with this.

That may be because McLean is the borders of the "ritzy horsey people". Although I've lived at the same house for 30 years (and the area for about 40) I have virtually ZERO first hand experience with "rush hour" traffic. My commute was always about 1.2 miles and took 3 to 5 minutes door to door, depending if I got a red light.

I called several places in the Springfield area and they said they didn't or wouldn't inspect a trailer. Holly Acres was a sure thing for getting it inspected, if the inspector had known what he was doing.

In Mississippi a 12 mile trip might take 15 minutes and rush hour is 4 cars at a stop sign. In Northern Virginia rush hour traffic only occurs between 00:00 and 24:00, Sunday thru Saturday.

The Fred · Oct 27, 2014

The inspector didn't know what he was doing but neither did you. You drove that far with literally no trailer brakes as you had the wrong setting. Might be ok on a normal stop but not on any panic stop.

I usually take a minute or two to check the brakes before I leave the yard, different trailers and weights mean different settings. I inspect trailers for my state and I am kind of fussy but every one gets the axles jacked up and bearings checked for looseness, dry sounds and the brakes checked at that time.

Every time I see a broken down trailer on the side of the road with someone fooling with bearings or a flat tire I feel good that I actually check things for the customer.

A month ago I was at a trailer only shop on a Saturday morning when a gent walked through the front door and asked for a trailer inspection for a trailer he had just bought from a person that had not used it in 5 years. The shopkeeper simply wrote a sticker and gave it to the customer, charged him the fee and stated "have a nice day". Now there is no way for either one of these guys to know if the trailer was even safe or not.

Just another opinion, Fred

s219 · Oct 27, 2014

I sometimes let my VA trailer inspection lapse as I can go months with only towing around on my property. If I have to pickup a load and drive on the roads, I will get it inspected, otherwise it's a guarantee I'll get ticketed (local police eyeball my trailer any time I pass by -- they know exactly where to look for stickers, so I assume it must be a common infraction). The place near me schedules it like a car inspection and takes about 20-30 minutes. It's a formality, since I make sure all lights/brakes/backup work before I leave my driveway.

Gary Fowler · Oct 27, 2014

Just license it in Arkansas, one time license plate good forever, NO inspections for vehicles or trailers.

tractorshopper · Oct 27, 2014

Here in SC, we don't have to register trailers or get inspections. I guess there's some good and bad in this. The good is that we don't have additional taxes, etc, the bad, is that there could be some dangerous trailers on the road.

The problem for us is that if you want a tag, you need to register it when you buy it or pay back taxes to when that time was if you do it later. Most trailer owners here don't even know the origin of their trailers if bought used (like me). To drive in another state that does require registration is the only time you'd register one here. Even still, there are no inspections on them. If you do drive to other states and need to register yours, then you pay property tax on them, so there isn't much incentive to do so.

Threepoint · Oct 27, 2014

newbury said:
[snip] Although I've lived at the same house for 30 years (and the area for about 40) I have virtually ZERO first hand experience with "rush hour" traffic. My commute was always about 1.2 miles and took 3 to 5 minutes door to door, depending if I got a red light.
[snip]

Uh oh. Not many of us can say that. Payback time.

orezok · Oct 27, 2014

roadhunter said:
Even a blind hog finds an acorn occasionally.

I don't know about blind hogs or acorns, so why don't you enlighten us about trailer inspection and registration in Nebraska!

TravisD · Oct 27, 2014

I thought VA offered a "Permanent" trailer tag as an option? Does that still require inspection?

But yeah, like the guy up there ^^ said - register it in Maine and forget about it...

newbury · Oct 27, 2014

TravisD said:
I thought VA offered a "Permanent" trailer tag as an option? Does that still require inspection?

But yeah, like the guy up there ^^ said - register it in Maine and forget about it...

Yes, they do, I've Permanent plates, inspected yearly. Maine requires inspection on trailers over 7,001 lbs., my GVWR is 12,000.