Getting a title for a trailer in Missouri - Diesel Forum

muddypsd · 08-31-2006, 10:02 PM

I was hoping that some fellow Missourians could help me out. I am about to buy a 16' tamdem axle float. It is missing an axle and a set of springs and needs some paint, but for $300 its a good project for me. The friend that I am buying it from says it does not have a title, but it is not a homemade trailer and he knows it must have had one at one time because before he had it, it was used by a landscape company, so I guess the title has been lost. Am I goining to be able to get a new title for this triler because I plan to use it on the road? Do I just need to get it inspected to apply for a new title, or apply for a lost title? I don't know what goes into getting a title for it. Any help would be great. Sorry its so long.

navistar45 · 08-31-2006, 10:20 PM

dont know about missouri,but in tex,simply go to the courthouse[or wherever you reg your trk] and say you have a shopmade trailer that you built.they usually ask for an approx capacity [axle]and go from there.

teamroper60 · 08-31-2006, 11:08 PM

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I was hoping that some fellow Missourians could help me out. I am about to buy a 16' tamdem axle float. It is missing an axle and a set of springs and needs some paint, but for $300 its a good project for me. The friend that I am buying it from says it does not have a title, but it is not a homemade trailer and he knows it must have had one at one time because before he had it, it was used by a landscape company, so I guess the title has been lost. Am I goining to be able to get a new title for this triler because I plan to use it on the road? Do I just need to get it inspected to apply for a new title, or apply for a lost title? I don't know what goes into getting a title for it. Any help would be great. Sorry its so long.

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Needless to say, you have got yourself a can of worms there.... I would start by contacting the Department of Revenue and ask them about it... If it's not a homemade trailer, someone is holding title to it... They should be able to figure out who that someone is by running the VIN. Depending on who it is, the simple method may be to contact the titled owner.... Was/is the trailer licensed?? If so, then the folks you got it from should be the titled owner... If not, then perhaps who they got it from.... If none of that works, PM me and I will check on it for you....... BTW, you have a PM...

Swellmel · 09-01-2006, 08:55 AM

there should be a metal tag somewhere on the front with a "DRX...." number take this number to DMV, if your friend has 2 I'll take the second one [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/warmsmile.gif[/img]

muddypsd · 09-01-2006, 10:52 AM

I guess the DMV will beable to tell me the who had the title last with the DRX number on the trailer? or if it can be licensed. Hopefully this will go smoother than how I'm thinking it will go. Nope sorry Swellmel thats the only one he had, I would probaly have bought both if he had two for that price just for the parts! Thanks for the help so far by the way.

teamroper60 · 09-01-2006, 02:30 PM

A DRX number is only applicable if the VIN was lost or it was a homemade trailer (which you said it was not) that was inspected by the MSHP and had a DRX number applied. There should be a VIN on the trailer someplace (normally somewhere near the tongue) and yes, DOR should be able to find the titled owner via the VIN/DRX number. We do it that way all the time.....

Couple of other questions for ya:

1) How long has the current owner had the trailer??

2) What are they using it for??

muddypsd · 09-01-2006, 06:42 PM

I just talked to the guy who owns the trailer today and he said it was a homemade trailer, and he could not find any numbers on it anywhere(he knew where to look). I was mistaken at first, I assumed wrong about the it not being homemade. He has owned it for a few weeks and is selling it for funds to buy a new trailer(didn't want to start a new project). The owner before needed to sell it for money too. He tells me that it was used for landscaping so I dont know if it was ever on the road. The guy selling the trailer is in my fourwheeling club. You might know it, Midwest Jeepthing. When I look at the trailer tommrow I will also check for numbers and if I find some I will have them run before buying it.

teamroper60 · 09-02-2006, 01:17 AM

Let me know what you find out.......

T_Bone · 09-02-2006, 04:56 PM

Hi Muddy,

Every State I've been requires the vin# to be stamped in the front cross beam, near the center as possible. Run the vin# should produce a owner if in the system less than 5 yrs. They usually kick them out of the system past 5yrs of being non-registered.

If not ID stamped then it's a new homemade trailer you just built and go apply for a new title. Here they make you bring it in for measuring and a quick look for a previous vin# and that's it.

Lets see $300 + $250 for a new axle + $150 tires = $700

They sell a brand new 16ft flatbed tandum axles for $1300. If not local then look at Texas. Deliverly is cheap as they stack them like cord wood.

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smokin.gif[/img]

muddypsd · 09-02-2006, 08:59 PM

Ok here's a update I went to pick up the trailer today and before i did anything I searched high and low for any type of number and I could not find any or evidence of any. since it is definalty homemade I am going to do the nessary work to get it road worthy and take it to the Highway Patrol for inspection since it is over 16' long. Please correct me if Im wrong Teamroper.

Tbone a new 3500# axle from the local farm store is $115, I dont need any new brakes since the existing axle already has them, and a pair of 1750# springs are $40. And I have a couple rims that will fit, Then $100 for tires. 300+115+40+100= $555. A good price for me since Im short on money and I can spend a little at time.

Sandman · 09-02-2006, 11:24 PM

Not every...

Virginia issues a small metal plate with the assigned VIN... to be revited to the left side of the tongue..

j_apetersen · 09-03-2006, 09:25 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Ok here's a update I went to pick up the trailer today and before i did anything I searched high and low for any type of number and I could not find any or evidence of any. since it is definalty homemade I am going to do the nessary work to get it road worthy and take it to the Highway Patrol for inspection since it is over 16' long. Please correct me if Im wrong Teamroper.

Tbone a new 3500# axle from the local farm store is $115, I dont need any new brakes since the existing axle already has them, and a pair of 1750# springs are $40. And I have a couple rims that will fit, Then $100 for tires. 300+115+40+100= $555. A good price for me since Im short on money and I can spend a little at time.

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Try giving us a pic of the trailer. might be a great help in finding out the make.

muddypsd · 09-03-2006, 11:01 PM

I dont think it is of any type of make. From the looks of it, the trailer was homemade, built from a set of plans or from a kit.

Jrod13 · 09-04-2006, 01:47 AM

My adivce is, get a second axle with brakes, it's soooo much nicer.. even if you don't think you need it, it's worth it.

that being said, I'd look into just (re)registering it as homebuilt.

I know in MI, all you need is a weight slip for the empty weight of the trailer, and they sell you a plate(under 2000lbs empty, 75 bucks, over it's more)

In my homestate, MN, it's even easier. When I registered mine this summer, I simply filled out a paper stating what it cost to build, paid sales tax on that, and bought a plate for whatever I weight I wanted to haul. Neither gave any sort of vin plate, or needed an inspection.

muddypsd · 09-04-2006, 02:19 AM

It's a pretty lightweight trailer, I wouldn't put much more weight on it than my Suzuki Samurai that I take to the trail. So I only plan to have one set of brakes. My F-250 PSD brakes feel pretty good when I haul it with a heavier trailer. Its just a starter trailer for me so I plan to put a little work into it, get it titled, use it for a couple years then upgrade.