Where have you've been stopped for trailer violations and why?

[Deere Dude]

Getting a load of firewood logs on a 8x12' tandem axle trailer and had the logs stacked about 5'of so high. I didn't want to take many trips and I didn't know how much wood the trailer could haul so we loaded it until we got sick of loading. Almost got to the interstate 50 miles away and a semi flashed me but by the time it dawned on me I cruised past a Ford explorer with all kinds of antennas on. I got stopped right as I got on the interstate in Tomahawk, WI by a county cop. He told me I needed a license for the trailer and electric brakes, which I had neither. He told me it was overloaded and I could follow him to a scale to see for myself, and I said naw, I'll weigh it about a mile from my house. It was a long ways away from home, but he have me a warning to get a license on the trailer.
About a mile down the road I got pulled over again by a city cop. He was sympathetic and said he knows how it is wanting to get it all in one load. He let us go.

I made it 200 miles home white knuckling it all the way and driving slow and very defensively.

Once home I weighed the trailer and load and it weighed 13,500. With the loaded dually with fire wood with it, it weighed about 24,000. I dodged the bullet on that one. I got a license on it for 10,000 and put newer mobile home axles under it because the old ones were about 50 years old. Now I try to watch it a little better and take smaller loads, now that I know about how much can go one it somewhat safely.

[Skyco]

I have towed a LOT in 40+ years of it..only stopped twice.
First time was towing a pontoon boat to a customer in about 1970. Highway Patrolman said it looked to be over 8ft wide. He didn't have a tape measure and told me to wait while he went and got one! Waited about an hour and then left, never heard anything about it. I was 17 then, and later figured he was messin' with me
Other time was on the Blue Ridge Parkway about 10 years ago. A Ranger pulled me over because he mistakenly thought the permanent SC trailer plate meant I was commercial, which isn't allowed on the Parkway. My two sons and I were towing a 20ft enclosed trailer full of dirt bikes and ATVs. We'd been at an OHV area near Sylva NC and were taking a scenic route home.

[Groo]

When I was driving trucks, I got sent around back at a weigh station just once for an inspection. There was a sticker on the tire This was in Ontario. The company picked up a fine for out of date inspection sticker on that one. I've never been messed with while pulling a private trailer.

[RobertN]

Once, for doing 6mph in a 65mph zone. Well, except in California, the towing limit is 55mph state wide... Towing my old Kubota on my flatbed trailer.

[sandman2234]

From what I've seen, as long as you dont have a sign on your truck, they don't bother..

Nowadays, I see them stopping people without DOT numbers to see if they are private vehicles or actually vehicles for hire (which includes going over to a buddy's place to mow his yard for gas money or beer money). Be careful what you tell them if you do get stopped.
I run about 185,000 miles a year and tow loads up to 110,000 pounds and haven't been stopped this week.
David from jax

[rambler]

The two latest ones;

Not locking out the joint on an articulating tractor. Warning only.

Not quite sure I understand what that means, why does it need to be locked out?

--->Paul

[tcartwri]

Not quite sure I understand what that means, why does it need to be locked out?

--->Paul

By law, if you have a piece of equipment that is articulating, you are supposed to mechanically lock the joint so that it can't move. If the machine doesn't have a mechanism to do this, you have to chain the joint to the deck in such a manner that it can't move. The second method is a problem because you can damage the joint if you do it wrong.

[Toddao]

While towing a snowmobile trailer ,I notice a police vehicle behind me for about 30 miles. I assumed he was just going the same direction I was. Until he turn on my road and then followed me up my driveway. I get out to talk with him and he tells me that there was no license plate on the trailer . He was right he bracket had rusted off! Why he didn't pull me over soon , didn't ask. No ticket . I did order a new plate thought

[radioman]

Never been pulled over with trailer at all. Went through road stops several times with a wave thru.

[newbury]

Thanks people. I was expecting more horror stories, We seem to do an awful lot of worrying on this board about compliance, but it seems if we keep our 'stuff" clean, safe and looking good we won't be pulled over.