Trailer Inspection??

[Gomez]

This is a bit of a public service announcement.

I know ignorance is no excuse, but I recently learned that Pennsylvania requires annual inspection of all trailer with a GWR of 3000# or more. I was notified of this by a polite State Trooper near Harrisburg in writing and he only charged my the low training fee of $108.

Is this something new, or are they just starting to enforce it?
I have several friends with boat and travel trailers and they had never heard of the inspection requirements.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I am not a resident of PA, but I brought a boat home from there in 2004 and I had to have a inspection on it. It weighed just shy of 16,000# I am not sure of the cut off but I do remember the requirement of a inspection for my travel home when buying a new boat and trailer from a dealer in PA.

Chris

 

[redharley]

Trailer inspections have been in Pa. for a long time,I have an inspection lic.to inspect trailers in pa for over 30 yr's.I do not know when it started but before that if that info is any help.I am quite sure it won't impress the officer.Here in Pa if a trailer's Reg. weight is over 3000lbs then a annual inspection is required.A lot of owner's either forget to get their trailer's inspected or see how many yr's they can get away with it thus saving them the 20 buck inspection fee.But as ou stated 1 brief lesson cost $108, so if you can dodge it for 5 yr's, your even again.If it makes you fell better some of your education cost go to fixing the roads.

 

[wushaw]

The same goes for here in Texas also except it's 4500lbs. There are exemptions though like farm, military...etc

It's one of those laws that is not enforced and most folks don't know about it so they don't get it, also most inspection stations don't even do it so finding one is rather difficult.

 

[Gomez]

Thanks for the replies.

I found a few places that will do the trailer inspection.
I'm wondering what the inspection involves.

I am assuming they check the lights, brake/tire wear, overall roadworthy
condition.

Do they apply a controller signal to check the brakes as well?

One thing my trailer does not have is the breakaway battery (if that's the correct term). Is that something I'd have to add to pass?

 

[bigshovel]

I am in PA and own 3 different trailers. 1 has brakes 7000lb needs inspected. Other 2 are single axle with no brakes don't need inspected. To my knowledge if it has brakes it needs inspected. I never knew the 3000 lb rule but after looking at my boat trailer with no brakes its gvwr is 2995lb for that reason I assume.

Brad

 

[Bird]

The same goes for here in Texas also except it's 4500lbs. There are exemptions though like farm, military...etc

It's one of those laws that is not enforced and most folks don't know about it so they don't get it, also most inspection stations don't even do it so finding one is rather difficult.

Maybe I was just lucky, but I never had any inspection station refuse to inspect my travel trailers and issue a new sticker, but none of them really knew what they were supposed to inspect.

 

[amigauser]

Here is what they are supposed to inspect.

067 Pa. Code § 175.130. Inspection procedure.

 

[Bird]

In Texas, this is what the statute says as far as what is to be inspected:

[FONT=Arial,]Items of Inspection[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,]05.06 Inspect All Trailers, Semitrailers, Pole Trailers, or Mobile Homes Exceeding 4,500 Pounds Actual Gross Weight or Registered Weight For: (Listed in suggested order of inspection) Refer to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, if required.

* Check for evidence of Financial Responsibility on towing vehicle

1. Brakes (system) (If gross weight exceeds 4,500 pounds)
2. Tires
3. Wheel Assembly
4. Safety Guards or Flaps (if four tires or more on rearmost axle) Pole trailers exempt.
5. Tail Lamps (2)
6. Stop Lamps (2)
7. License Plate Lamp (1)
8. Rear Red Reflectors (2)
9. Turn Signal Lamps
10. Clearance Lamps
11. Side Marker Lamps
12. Side Reflectors
13. Side Marker Lamps and Reflectors (30 feet or more in overall length)
(Refer to Reference Section as per lighting diagrams and as applicable to the particular trailer being inspected.)
14. Serial or Vehicle Identification Number
[/FONT]

A separate manual is provided to the Inspection stations with the instructions as to how the inspection is to be done and what is required to pass. I used to have that manual years ago but haven't seen one in a long time, and I know a number of things have changed.

 

[firemanpat2910]

heck in florida we dont even have vehichle inspections, thats why you see so many broke down clunkers that couldnt pass inspection in other states.

 

[Bird]

heck in florida we dont even have vehichle inspections, thats why you see so many broke down clunkers that couldnt pass inspection in other states.

Just consider yourself lucky. Initially, many years ago, the idea was to prevent accidents, they called it an annual "safety" inspection, and it was cheap; $2 to $4. But every study that was ever done concluded that it didn't help a bit in the safety area. But now, in the "metropolitan" areas of the state, we have the so called "safety" inspection, and at the same time, an emissions test, so now it's to prevent pollution. And it now costs $39.50. In reality, we only have it to raise money.

 

[RobertN]

heck in florida we dont even have vehichle inspections, thats why you see so many broke down clunkers that couldnt pass inspection in other states.

We do not have them in California either. I remember back in the early 70's they had some spot inspections; you'd be driving along, and they would have the road blocked pulling people over. Have not had that in a long time though.

 

[Bird]

We do not have them in California either. I remember back in the early 70's they had some spot inspections; you'd be driving along, and they would have the road blocked pulling people over. Have not had that in a long time though.

Robert, I don't know what they do now, but back in the mid-50s when I started driving and got my license in Oklahoma, they used the spot inspection system. The highway patrol would set up a roadblock, ask to see your drivers license, have you blow the horn, turn the windshield wipers on and off, turn your lights on, and hit the dimmer switch, step on the brake to check the brake lights. You didn't even get out of the vehicle. If you failed in any way, you got a citation, but if you passed, the patrolman gave you a sticker for you to place it in the lower right corner of your windshield, and if you came to another inspection roadblock during that calendar year, you'd be waved on through. If you and your vehicle passed, you got your sticker and it didn't cost you a penny, but you needed to keep your vehicle up, at least until you got inspected each year, because you never knew when you were going to hit one of those roadblocks and get inspected. And, of course, it wasn't uncommon for someone to go more than a year or two without ever getting inspected. The point being that you kept your vehicle up because you never knew when you might get inspected.

Now contrast that with what Texas and many other states do now. You know when your vehicle is going to be inspected, so you can get everything up to snuff, buy a month's liability insurance, get your sticker, let the insurance lapse, and if your brakes or lights fail tomorrow, you've got a year before another inspection unless, of course, the defect is a visible one, such as a burned out light, and some officer stops you for the traffic violation.

Actually, the way the law was written in Texas, if something happens to your vehicle that would make it fail the inspection, you're supposed to both get it fixed, and get a new inspection. As long as the sticker on the windshield has not expired, I've never known of anyone to go get a new inspection after replacing a light bulb, tires, brakes, horn, windshield wipers, etc.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

Here in Ct trailers over 10k need a annual federal dot inspection. The dmv doesn't check to see if you've completed it before renewing the registration.
But get pulled over and pay the price. The inspection is pretty simple they check the lights brakes and needed accesories. Two wheel chocks and break away. They get around 100 bucks. But it's worth it for hassle's sake. You also don't get any reminder for the inspection so one need to be on his toes.

Matt T.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Thanks for the replies.

I found a few places that will do the trailer inspection.
I'm wondering what the inspection involves.

I am assuming they check the lights, brake/tire wear, overall roadworthy
condition.

Do they apply a controller signal to check the brakes as well?

One thing my trailer does not have is the breakaway battery (if that's the correct term). Is that something I'd have to add to pass?

I used to take my trailers to an RV dealer for the inspection because a lot of places did not do them and I figured at least I would get someone besides "Gomer" working on my brakes.

They did pull a wheel or two which was not really a bad idea overall.

It is pretty much a given that should you ever get checked with a trailer with electric brakes, they are going to check the breakaway system.

 

[ragkar]

It's interesting how many trailers, like mine, are placarded for 2950 pounds. Just under the 3000 pound limit.

 

[deere755]

I ran a c plate here in Illinois for years then I traded for a new trailer and when I went to get the new plates the lady at the DMV told me that a c plate which is good for up to 7000 lbs needs a inspection done on the trailer and the truck it is being towed behind every 6 months. It also has to have brakes on all axles. I was unaware of this for several years. I now run a B plate that is good up to 5000 lbs. I am just glad that I did not get caught before.

 

[3RRL]

We do not have them in California either. I remember back in the early 70's they had some spot inspections; you'd be driving along, and they would have the road blocked pulling people over. Have not had that in a long time though.

Robert,
I tried to find what trailer inspection laws there were out here for us. Unsuccessfully though. Most of it was regarding motor homes and those kind of trailers.
You say there is no inspection required for trailers out in California then?

 

[Egon]

We have yearly inspections for vehicles and trailers in Nova Scotia.

Several years ago things were changed so that drum brakes had to have the drums pulled for inspection. That means labour costs plus the inspection fee. Means the trailer bearings are greased annually.

It's irritating but for some reason I agree with it.

 

[Gomez]

Here is what they are supposed to inspect.

067 Pa. Code §*175.130.*Inspection procedure.

Thanks for the link!