Guys,
awesome little build there, not much beats a lil garage project w the boys, and it's looking cool.
So I'm a new member, but been on here lurking the last 6 months since an LJ fell into my life though, and I don't want my first post to be a Donnie downer, but I want guys and gals who might come across this to know a few thing that are important.
If this is an off road trailer only, no worries... however if you plan to pull it on public roads there is a lot to do and consider.
First in order to register this you need a VIn which needs a blessing from the DOT where you live, now this varies by federal, state, county, size and weight etc, so look up what you need to do, on a project like this it might very well be just submitting a drawing and pictures with axle, spring, coupler and tire ratings along dimensions for body, length, and lights. Trailers under 3000 pounds are way easier to get done. We built a small 2 place atv trailer years ago and spent months going back and forth w the DOT making them happy, we even had to move lights 2" further apart....why...IDk..
But I believe federally we had to have a vin tag made showing VIN, axle rating, tire rating and tire pressures, having the tag made was cheap, many companies can stamp one out, but it was a much longer road getting there.
Main reason I bring this up is liability, by being the manufacturer you take on ALL the responsibility in the event of an accident, there is no buffer between you and the other parties, and if you opt to just fudge it to get a plate on it or use one from another trailer etc, your INS company (most likely depending on company, state your in, etc) has the right to not pay or represent you, so what would a claimant come after then?? Your bank account, house, jeep, etc, all very possible. How do I know this? Personal experience because of two separate incidents involving two different friends, one w a homemade pick up bed trailer, other with a wood chipper on a home built frame, sadly the wood chipper incident ended w 3 deaths, 2 were children, was a sad event w all people involved being good people just a bad situation. Again, sorry if this is a downer, not meant to be, just want people to understand there's more to this then it seems.
I make off road trailers for special purpose all the time, hell 4 months ago wife said " hey i saw a small lawn trailer I could buy then I could take the trash down for you (our driveway is 400' down hill from the house)" I replied "hold that thought" I went down to the shop grabbed some angle, a like new commercial steel mortar tub and two no flat wheel Barrow tires that was sitting behind the shop and whipped up a frame and tub, grabbed a 2" couple and bam, my trash cans up and down the driveway are over bahahaha
So my end point is, if you do something like this, my friends and I now look for a decent used trailer w the right weight rating and legal title then attach to that what were doing or building, as long as you dont hack the main frame to death your good. Now if you truly want to go from scratch, then go for it, but realize what your getting into, do your research, over build, and do it legal, not just for you, but the family that might be behind you... I once had a buddy tell my other friend that refused to tow his trailer back for him when his truck died " come on it's just an old trailer of it falls off no big deal" my other friend then replied " yeah till its inside a minivan like what happened to Brad" and that the reality.
Also consider starting a LLC to list as the manufacturer and register the trailer, on average it cost 300-400 to start one but this puts a layer of protection between you and legal action, it's cheap insurance.
Build on guys, I honestly love it, and can't wait to see it done, again not trying to be down, just educate as seeing that accident changed my ways quite a bit, I quit saying " ah it's just a trailer" that day, my friend did 9 months in jail and is a total train wreck now and an innocent family lost a lot.
Blue skies....cheers
awesome little build there, not much beats a lil garage project w the boys, and it's looking cool.
So I'm a new member, but been on here lurking the last 6 months since an LJ fell into my life though, and I don't want my first post to be a Donnie downer, but I want guys and gals who might come across this to know a few thing that are important.
If this is an off road trailer only, no worries... however if you plan to pull it on public roads there is a lot to do and consider.
First in order to register this you need a VIn which needs a blessing from the DOT where you live, now this varies by federal, state, county, size and weight etc, so look up what you need to do, on a project like this it might very well be just submitting a drawing and pictures with axle, spring, coupler and tire ratings along dimensions for body, length, and lights. Trailers under 3000 pounds are way easier to get done. We built a small 2 place atv trailer years ago and spent months going back and forth w the DOT making them happy, we even had to move lights 2" further apart....why...IDk..
But I believe federally we had to have a vin tag made showing VIN, axle rating, tire rating and tire pressures, having the tag made was cheap, many companies can stamp one out, but it was a much longer road getting there.
Main reason I bring this up is liability, by being the manufacturer you take on ALL the responsibility in the event of an accident, there is no buffer between you and the other parties, and if you opt to just fudge it to get a plate on it or use one from another trailer etc, your INS company (most likely depending on company, state your in, etc) has the right to not pay or represent you, so what would a claimant come after then?? Your bank account, house, jeep, etc, all very possible. How do I know this? Personal experience because of two separate incidents involving two different friends, one w a homemade pick up bed trailer, other with a wood chipper on a home built frame, sadly the wood chipper incident ended w 3 deaths, 2 were children, was a sad event w all people involved being good people just a bad situation. Again, sorry if this is a downer, not meant to be, just want people to understand there's more to this then it seems.
I make off road trailers for special purpose all the time, hell 4 months ago wife said " hey i saw a small lawn trailer I could buy then I could take the trash down for you (our driveway is 400' down hill from the house)" I replied "hold that thought" I went down to the shop grabbed some angle, a like new commercial steel mortar tub and two no flat wheel Barrow tires that was sitting behind the shop and whipped up a frame and tub, grabbed a 2" couple and bam, my trash cans up and down the driveway are over bahahaha
So my end point is, if you do something like this, my friends and I now look for a decent used trailer w the right weight rating and legal title then attach to that what were doing or building, as long as you dont hack the main frame to death your good. Now if you truly want to go from scratch, then go for it, but realize what your getting into, do your research, over build, and do it legal, not just for you, but the family that might be behind you... I once had a buddy tell my other friend that refused to tow his trailer back for him when his truck died " come on it's just an old trailer of it falls off no big deal" my other friend then replied " yeah till its inside a minivan like what happened to Brad" and that the reality.
Also consider starting a LLC to list as the manufacturer and register the trailer, on average it cost 300-400 to start one but this puts a layer of protection between you and legal action, it's cheap insurance.
Build on guys, I honestly love it, and can't wait to see it done, again not trying to be down, just educate as seeing that accident changed my ways quite a bit, I quit saying " ah it's just a trailer" that day, my friend did 9 months in jail and is a total train wreck now and an innocent family lost a lot.
Blue skies....cheers
