Trailer Vin Location?
 

So my PIA DMV says I need an "etching" of the trailer vin for the used trailer that came with a skiff I picked up, as I don't have a regi. from the guy. Does anyone know where the heck a trailer company might stamp the vin on a trailer so I can do a pencil rubbing of it.
If I can't find it, I'll have to go the homemade route, but I need to get the boat off of it to get the unladen weight in order to go that route and I'm just not ready to take the boat off right now.
I love my state govt.! :(

Re: Trailer Vin Location?
 

Trailer VIN # are stamped into a metal plate or metal decal forward of the axle, usually on the tongue of the trailer near the coupler.

Re: Trailer Vin Location?
 

The VIN may also be stamped right in the metal. Check the tongue and the side rails (frame rails whatever they are called) near where they meet the tongue. It should be there look hard.

Re: Trailer Vin Location?
 

That's the route I had to go as I couldn't find one on mine. When it came to those questions (weight, max load weight, weight with boat, etc) at DMV I informed the lady I didn't know, to which she responded I just need numbers to type into the computer, guesstimated and got a VIN for it. :D

Re: Trailer Vin Location?
 

The way they acted at my dmv you'd think I was registering a handgun. I've looked and all I can find so far is a sticker near the tongue that looks like it may have once had the vin on it. We'll see.

Re: Trailer Vin Location?
 

Some states require the number stamped on the axle as well, usually just inside of the spring. I've seen trailer axles with ID plates on them. You might try looking there, unless it's corroded.

Re: Trailer Vin Location?
 

It should be on the trailers "port side" near the tounge,but most likely has either worn off or missing.For the life of me,I can't figure out why these trailer companies make the cheezy aluminum foil serial number stickers.They never last.

I bought my boat and trailer in NY and had the same problem registering the trailer.
I live in Massachusetts,and My Insurance co,and State DMV both needed a serial number.

Simple solution,I went into my garage cut a piece of 1/8" aluminum into a 3x5" plate and took my letter and number stamps,and made up a long serial number.I came up with the number out of the blue.
I riveted it to the trailer frame.The DMV & Ins.co accepted it.

I said it was a 1985 Shoreline trailer(they're out of business)

Re: Trailer Vin Location?
 

There's thought. I have the vin number-they just want an etching. I actually have a copy of the certificate of origin, but the sobs wont take it. Now I just need someone to engrave the numbers into something for me. I never thought of that. So many things to McGuiver with a boat.

Re: Trailer Vin Location?
 

I copied this form Classicmako.com, Michigan Dave's postThanks to member Makoboat1 for finding this site, it looks like a awesome way to reproduce those faded HIN and Capacity plates, as well as trailer serial number plates.

http://www.machineplatesonline.com/Home.html

Re: Trailer Vin Location?
 

The other thing you can do, which I did, is to take a high-resolution digital photo of the serial number plate, showing that it is not possible to get an etching off of it. My Magic Trail metallic decal was illegible from age and scraping against something. I brought my bill of sale, a copy of the previous owner's registration, the digital photo, AND I towed my trailer to the Tag office in case they wanted to inspect it themselves. They were happy with the digital photo and the old registration.

However, I have had one of their brighter employees come out and actually spend an hour with a piece of paper and a pencil trying to get an etching off another trailer plate that no longer had any numbers to etch from. She finally gave up, called the super, who immediately (like 3 seconds flat) said "Just give him the new registration, we ain't got time for all that" :)

Re: Trailer Vin Location?
 

I'm struggling with the same thing in CT... My trailer was sold as a package with my 1988 18' SC. Its a Magic Loader bunk trailer in great shape no breaks.

The old NY reg. states a max load of 3150 putting me 150 lbs over the CT rules of 3k lbs needing breaks! :(

I'm thinking of going and trying to register it as a homemade/lost title trailer so I don't have to put breaks on it. Heck my 18 with motor and aluminum trailer weight less than 3000!

Trailer Reg - nightmare...

Re: Trailer Vin Location?
 

My son is struggling with a Magic-tilt galvanized trailer I bought for him that was registered in Florida. He is trying to get atag for it in North Carolina. Evidently the VIN was on a label - which is of course gone. I just finished reworking the trailer - hubs, springs, lights, clamps, etc. He took the sales receipt to the tag agency in NC. Without a VIN, he has to present the sales receipt and fill out a form - then take the trailer to any NC Hiway Patrolman with a form for the trooper to sign, certifying that the trailer is highway safe. THEN he can go back and get it registered and get a tag. Whew. Makes me think twice about buying things with no numbers/titles/registration, etc.

Re: Trailer Vin Location?
 

Yeah I had a similar process with getting a VIN for mine except mine doesn't have brakes which means I don't have to get a yearly state inspection for it in Va. But to get a VIN I had to go to DMV fill out the paperwork, mail it off with a $40 VIN fee, wait for the VIN plate to arrive with the paperwork for the cop, call non-emergency dispatch to get a cop to come to my house to watch me install the VIN to make sure I did it correctly (drilling two holes and hammering in some rivets is such a hard process I need supervision), have him sign off that I did it correctly, take that form back to DMV, get them to stamp it, mail that off with the $170 permanent trailer plate fee (or $70/year if I didn't want to get the permanent reg), and then wait for plates to be mailed.

It was a fun process as with anything with the DMV.

Boat on the other, mail off form and check to DGIF, get a new title. :D

Re: Trailer Vin Location?
 

WOW sorry to hear that everyone has to go through all of that.. I am sure all states are different, has anyone tried registering them as home made and just give a trailer weight ticket and call it a day.

1970 Lil' Dude Trailer
 

CaptMin's boat is ready for me to pickup but it has been sitting in the same spot since 1990. We know we'll need 4 tires and probably some other parts for the trailer in order to bring the boat back to New Orleans. I tried to find the website for Lil' Dude trailers but was unable. I thought they could give me the correct info on things like axles, rims and couplers. Are they even in existence any more? The boat is located south of St. Augustine. Any ideas?