Harbor freight trailers and Pennsylvania

Does anyone have any experience?

A new project I just picked up is going to need a trailer, and HF is way cheaper than Craigslist for this size.

Any loopholes, problems, things to keep in mind, with buying a HF trailer and getting a plate on it for road use in PA?

Dunno about PA, but I specifically bought a new trailer from HF instead of used because I knew the paperwork would be simple. The trailer comes with a certificate of origin that lists the trailer's tare weight, which is how trailers get titled and licensed in Ohio.

Not PA specific, but they come with a VIN plate and paper work, so I don't know why it would be any more difficult to tag a HF trailer than any other trailer in PA or anywhere else?

I bought mine in OH, and tagged it in AR, lived in OH at the time, but was still an AR resident. We have permanent trailer tags (optional) in AR, so I have perm-tags on my 4x8 HF folding trailer.

Home built trailers, which the HF kit is considered are....expensive toys for getting registered.

But I may have found a loophole. If there is no storage compartment, I don't need to register a smoker trailer, as it is considered a tool like a cement mixer. Means I can't keep wood and tools on it, but means no $200-500 fees(the range I've seen on different forums).

Hf trailers come with mso forms, so they shouldn't be considered home built.

Jeebus! Note to self: never move to PA.

Perm tag in AR is one time fee of $65. Property tax on the rinky-dink trailer is like $3 a year.

Guy on adv rider with one said: It will cost over $200 to title a HF trailer in PA. Special inspection $150. then paper work plate and crap for another $70 When I sold my trailer to out of state ADV'sr, I kept the title and number plate just in case I bought another trailer in PA (someday) Stupid PA, some states do not even title trailer, but PA wants them inspected to check all the bolts on a $150.00 HF trailer. doh..

Other Guy on adv rider with one said: HF trailers come in a kit form and don't have a title, so the first thing is getting a title. I have to submit this form along w/ photos: http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/mv_forms/mv-426B.pdf And it has to pass inspection based on these criteria: http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/067/chapter175/s175.130.html So far, I've built the trailer, but haven't started the paperwork yet. Buying a trailer that already has a title would be fastest & easiest, but where's the adventure in that?:eek1

I picked these because they are the most recent and relevant posts I can find. Still a few years out of date, but that doesn't matter much. It's actually 2 forms, and one can't be had online.

PA is pretty messed up, as recent threads can backup. Whether it's vehicles, licenses, trailer registration, alcohol, the place is stuck in the 1930s.

Another option is apparently I can register a trailer online in Maine, and then transfer that title to PA. Should cost less than $50, and be legal, and not need special inspections and pictures and build logs and all kind of other bullE36 M3 a $150 trailer isn't worth.

There's also call all the notaries in town and find out who is the most lenient about HF trailers.

oldopelguy wrote: Hf trailers come with mso forms, so they shouldn't be considered home built.

THIS. It's not homebuilt. It may be "home assembled" but every trailer has a VIN (or whatever the trailer equivalent is), a certificate of origin, and an official empty weight. There's no inspections that should be needed because you have everything you need right there.

When you buy them from HF, you don't just pick up a box and go, you have to fill out paperwork at the store certifying this and that. You're buying what is legally a licenseable trailer, not a box of parts. The fact that you buy it as a CKD kit is irrelevant.

I have been through this bull E36 M3 ONCE and only once. The easy button is Maine, send them the paperwork, money, and a POA. A few weeks later you can get a tag without a load of wallet emptying bullE36 M3.

Long story is the trailer is a home built and has to have an "Enhanced Inspection" that cost $350 around here. Even after I told them how small it was the price did not change.

I have lived in Pa for a few years and overall it's MUCH better than living in Md. But this state has some quirky that's for sure.

Paul B

How often will you need the trailer? Would a u-haul work?

In reply to Donebrokeit :

I know this is nearly 1-1/2 years old.  However, I have the same issue with my HF trailer in PA.  Would you mind giving me some additional info on who/how you did the Maine registration?  Any help would be appreciated.

Steve

To others who may follow:  HF trailers are a bad deal for PA as noted above. A couple people have told me it was cheaper to go to Tractor Supply or Lowe's and buy one of their much stronger pre-built trailers as the cost of the PA title nonsense negated any savings. This is for a 'real' trailer; if you are just trying to build a shorty tire trailer than that may not be what you want.

My Google-fu found no problem in getting registration in Maine for a trailer that already has a title. To get a title it seems like you either have to be there in person or use one of the brokers ($$) to do it for you. So once again there may be more cost involved than makes it worthwhile.

Mainetrailerregisrations.com has been pretty highly recommend on forums across the web.

5 year plate is $60

Title is $55 if you need one.

That's half the price of the PA special inspection alone, and all they want is the POA and a copy of a bill of sale.

I guess this thread is really old, as I have acquired a FREE hf trailer, but still need to register it. Been too busy with the chickens and the garden to put the lights on and register, but I'm gonna need it soon so we'll see.

In reply to RevRico :

Excellent. Thank you so much! One question/problem I may have is that I don't know where I have my original receipt from them. I'm going to have to figure that part out. 

Also, one other question is how do I go about getting/giving a POA? 

Also what about titling as ddavidv mentioned? 

On craigslist there are some cheap trailers that are not reparable with titles, wouldn't it be easier to swap over some parts to the HF trailer?

In reply to trigun7469 :

I don't know about that portion of it. 

coopersc50 said:

In reply to RevRico :

Excellent. Thank you so much! One question/problem I may have is that I don't know where I have my original receipt from them. I'm going to have to figure that part out. 

Also, one other question is how do I go about getting/giving a POA? 

Also what about titling as ddavidv mentioned? 

They've got the forms on their website to fill out and send in. My trailer was free, so I actually have to get creative with my bill of sale. 

Re: trigun

That's an interesting idea. My problem locally at least, is that even non plated/registered trailers that look like they were made out of pallet wood and a meccano set are still asking hundreds of dollars. 

The last time I looked at trailers in the H-F store there was a note on the trailers alluding to the difficulty involved with registering trailers.  A couple of the stores I've been to stopped stocking the trailers entirely.

I'm in PA and have some relevant experience with trailering and licensing trailers but not from harbor freight. 

I had a guy fabricate a trailer for me that I designed (4.5' x 6' x 2' high solid sides, tail gate, and hinged solid lid), I painted and assembled it from parts I sourced.

I considered going the Maine tag route.  I decided against it out of concern if I were ever in another state and got pulled over- I had seen reports of local police hastling people with tow vehicle and trailer plates from different states.  No idea how prevelant that is, but it was enough for me not to.

Ultimately I decided to do the enhanced inspection for specially constructed vehicles in PA.  I left the trailer at the inspection station for the day (possibly could have waited for it).   Submitted the required paperwork to the state and recieved a title and registration in the mail.  The inspection adds some expense, but I decided it was worth it.  Google search plus the fact sheet from PA DOT will tell you how.  A few important parts are you have to track the source and price of your parts as part of the application.  I can't recall how detailed - I don't think every bolt or screw level.  

A few years later I sold an old boat trailer with a valid title and registration to a guy I suspect was going to swap the title to another trailer he owned.  Not legal, but done all the time here in PA.  I junk trailer with a good tile is still worth a few hundred $ in PA.

I had absolutely zero trouble with my two trailers in PA.  I had one from TSC and one from HF.

Step 1: Assemble trailer
Step 2: Take trailer and certificate of origin to a PA state inspection facility
Step 3: Pay the inspector $14 for his signature
Step 4: Go to Notary/DMV and buy a plate and registration.

The whole process took me an hour tops.

Not sure what the hangup is for you guys, but mine were so simple it was like buttering toast with pre-softened butter.

Was there a time when HF trailers didn't come with certificate of origins?  That would be the biggest obstacle to getting a title for it in PA.  

Back in the day you could put an axle on a piece of plywood and take it to the PA state police and they would issue a VIN.  Those days are gone.

Federal DOT laws (I'm pretty sure) require any trailer to be issued with a VIN and certificate of origin.  Some states choose to not require them, but I think FedDOT requires it.

For instance, in WV for a long time you could take any trailer and paint "farm use" on it and it didn't need a registration or title.

In reply to Curtis :

Full disclosure- I haven't tried to register a HF trailer.  That being said, I would imagine the heart of the issue is no two people in PA at either the state level or at all the Toothless Joes Tags and Bait shops around here seem to know the hoops to jump through when you want to do anything slightly out of the ordinary.  Ive even run into issues at the AAA office.  When I brought my trailer from Michigan they tried to tell me I had to go back and get the title notarized in Michigan before I could transfer it.  This was a trailer already with a title in my name.  2 stops later I found somebody who said I just had to have the VIN inspected by a state trailer inspector (good luck finding one of those on a saturday since a regular car inspector cant do it)  A third stop later I found out apparently any Notary can do it.   Im sure if I took a HF certificate of origin in I would run into issues getting it state inspected unless I happened to get the person that knew what they were doing.  Obviously if you know a guy that knows his stuff it can be easy.  But if you get somebody who doesn't,  I can see it quickly spiraling into a giant pain. 

Well since they don't come with a certificate of origin when you get them second hand there's problem A. 

The bigger problem is like logdog said. Using the same notary office, I've successfully completed third party no ID registration changes, but then been refused a transfer over someone having a junior suffix on a title but not their license. 

There is no consistency with regards to it other than always being a PITA. 

Y'all are making me glad I live is SC where trailers don't require anything until they exceed 20" or 2000 pounds empty weight.