I am thinking about getting a small utility trailer to hitch to my car. I'm good with knowing what kind to get for my car and all that. It is going to be a small trailer (no bigger than 4x8). I know I need tags for it. What I need help with is figuring out what else I need (insurance, lights, etc). I've never done anything like this before, so tell me all I need to know to make my utility trailer street legal.

2/2/2008 11:56:20 PM

well i know your gonna need lights and a plate. I'm fairly sure you dont need insurance, but it could never hurt. When you buy it, they should tell you what you need... or i wouldnt be buying it from them.

2/3/2008 12:14:31 AM

http://thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=507822

http://brentroad.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=507822

2/3/2008 12:44:21 AM

Your vehicle insurance will cover what's attached to it, i.e. a trailer. You don't have to have separate insurance on the trailer itself.

2/3/2008 8:47:08 AM

^yep. you only need a separate policy if you want to add full coverage for theft, damage that's your fault, etc. it's worth getting, i only pay something ridiculous like 30 bucks per six months for my 32ft. car hauler.

also, if you know you're going to be keeping the trailer for at least a few years definitely get a permanent tag. dmv started offering them for trailers a couple of years ago. they're only about $75 iirc, where as yearly fees on a normal tag are about $25.

2/3/2008 4:46:52 PM

on a related note:

i have a homemade boat trailer (no title, no tags, no numbers, etc.). what do i need to do to get it legal? is it worth it or should i just keep switching the tags from the legal boat trailer when i use it?

2/4/2008 12:12:42 AM

it's fairly easy. call the dmv and tell them you want to title a trailer you built. they'll give you a number to stamp or weld on it. schedule an appointment to have it looked at by a dmv inspector. then they'll issue you a title.

unless you built it yourself or are otherwise positive it's homemade, you better make damn sure there are no numbers, manufacturer names, etc. anywhere on it before you have it inspected though.

2/4/2008 12:25:53 AM

buy a kit and assemble it. It'll have lights and all that stuff. get it inspected at the dmv, then get a tag.

or buy a complete one that will have a title and you'll just have to get a plate.

yeah, what ^ said. I think I'll be building a small trailer to put tires and a toolbox on to take to track events in the next month or two.

[Edited on February 4, 2008 at 12:27 AM. Reason : ]

2/4/2008 12:26:10 AM

^^sounds like more trouble than it's worth

[Edited on February 4, 2008 at 12:31 AM. Reason : ^]

2/4/2008 12:29:34 AM

^nah, it's really not too bad actually. the only hassle is making the time to meet up with a dmv inspector.

2/4/2008 1:25:14 AM

I have bought a couple of small trailers in the past few years.

Northern Tool has a lightweight 4'x6' that is normally $359. It regularly goes on sale for $339 though. You can just buy that and take the title to the DMV. It will rust quickly if you don't slap a couple of cans of Rustoleum on it every 9-12 months.

The other one I bought was a 4'x8' homemade frame from Craigslist. Turned out to be a bunch of hassle, but it's a nice trailer now that I put a new deck on it and built some new siderails. I'd probably go with a commercial built trailer (or one built from commercially available parts) now though just because of the ease of finding bearings, hubs, tires, etc.

2/4/2008 1:35:42 PM