Trailer Inspection Past Due - Questions

[itsmatt]

Hello all,

My wife and I have inherited her late dad's trailer and we've used it a bit for hauling hay or moving our tractors from place to place.

Well I just realized after bringing back a load of hay the other night that it past due (by a couple of months!) for its inspection. We've got a lot on our plates and that old inspection sticker was 'out of sight and out of mind'. If I'm being honest, I don't think I realized that it needed an inspection. Anyway...

You'll have to bear with me - I'm quite green at all this. We live in Virginia, and I suppose the rules are different by state, but I was wondering what all I need to be concerned about with one of these inspections. It has lights on it and I checked those out - seem to be fine. It also has brakes - not the electrical kind - I can't remember the name of the type right now. My understanding is that they are applied by the force of the trailer moving forward when the truck slows down.

(Side note: I haven't had to do this, but it would seem to me that brakes like that might make it interesting if I had to back the trailer up a hill. Maybe they only apply with more force than that.)

I've check the tires and they seem to be in great shape. The lights seem to work fine. Haven't checked the brakes yet. Does anyone know if there is anything else that would be checked?

I'd like to make sure everything is in tip-top shape prior to the inspection. It has seen little use since her dad died, but I suppose something could need some work.

Thanks for your responses,

Matt

[beenthere]

I'd contact the Virginia DOT and ask them.

I did some searching of Virginia, and the closest I could come up with anything in the light of requirements, was brakes on a trailer of 3000# or more (gross I suspect). But there is a registration requirement for trailers.
Is registration what you are asking about?

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> </font>
They're called surge brakes. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I believe they are usually on lighter duty trailers as well as trailers that haul boats where the wheels are subject to immersion in water.

Here in PA, they annually check the tires for tread depth and overall condition. They also check the brakes, lights, frame/hitch and condition of the floor, i.e., safety checks.

[Devildog]

Matt,
beenthere and Mike covered it. Check your lights before, and run it on down to the inspection place. You should be fine. ,Jim

[itsmatt]

Thanks - since my wife's dad passed I've had a lot of learning to do. I guess we took a lot of what he did for granted, I'm sorry to say. I'll check what you mentioned and hopefully won't run into any problems.

Thanks again to all who replied, it is very helpful to have you folks to lean on.

Matt

[thatguy]

In VA the State Police oversee annual vehicle inspections..

They will check lights (all must burn correctly - turn, clearance, brake, and license plate), tires (not less than a certain tread depth), brakes (certain amount of use left)... it also has to have a break-away connections for the brakes..

good luck..

[755inNY]

<font color="blue"> (Side note: I haven't had to do this, but it would seem to me that brakes like that might make it interesting if I had to back the trailer up a hill. Maybe they only apply with more force than that.)
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Matt,

I think your main question/concerns have been addressed. As far as your side note, the surge brakes will most likely activate when backing the trailer uphill. Especially if it is loaded. There is usually a pin that you insert into a hole at the actuator assembly to lock out the brakes when backing uphill. Just remember to remove the pin before you start driving down the road.

Jeff

[SPIKER]

to add to what was said about the surge brakes, some of them use the back up lighting on the pull vehical to energize a small valve which lets the hyd brakes to be deisabled while backing, they also have various types of locking pins which can be inserted when backing up to prevent them from locking up when backing. I've seen straight pins that bolt all the way through and ones which are a small oval shpped thing that fits into the side of the brake actuator/ball mouning assembly.

not sure on the inspections though.

MarkM