Question from a new guy

[allredsd]

Hello new family! I toted home an M105A2 today which I bought from a private individual here in Texas. I LOVE this thing and have lots of ideas/plans... but first I need to get her legal.

As is often SOP for me, I jumped in without researching more.... and I don't have a title for the trailer (nor did the seller), but I did get a bill of sale.

According to the DMV, I do need a title because the GVW is more than 4000 lbs. I don't have any more historical information about the trailer.

I have dug around and seem some posts about an SF-97 form, but I don't have that, probably couldn't get it, and its not likely to do me any good.

Anyone have any suggestions or tips to try?

Thanks!
Scott

 

[fasttruck]

Think about getting a M35 or something with airbrakes to pull it. Applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard requires operating brakes (air, air over hydraulic, electric, surge or what have you) for a trailer RATED for over 3000# gvw. This is not the same thing as empty weight. DOTs will probably figure out the combination shown overloads the suspension and/or tires on pickup. These discoveries lead to long, unfriendly conversations with these officers with you in the back seat of a police car someplace.

 

[NDT]

Easiest route is probably getting a “shopmade” trailer title, technically that is incorrect but nobody will care, correct process is to do a bonded title.

 

[Bill Nutting]

I don’t know how it works in Texas but in Michigan I titled a M101 trailer as a utility trailer. All I had was a bill of sale for it and a weight slip. In Michigan once the trailer is titled and tagged, you never have to register it again or pay for tags.
With your trailer, you are getting some good advise to have functional breaks on it. Behind your pickup either surge or electric. I prefer electric because you can adjust them to your load. On my M101, I had two sets of lights. Stock 24 volt and added 12 volt. These days you can get LED tail lights that will work on both.
If you’re anything like most of us, you’ll soon have an M35 to pull it with. Or a whole yard full of green stuff.

 

[allredsd]

Thanks for the great advise from everyone!

Think about getting a M35 or something with airbrakes to pull it. Applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard requires operating brakes (air, air over hydraulic, electric, surge or what have you) for a trailer RATED for over 3000# gvw. This is not the same thing as empty weight. DOTs will probably figure out the combination shown overloads the suspension and/or tires on pickup. These discoveries lead to long, unfriendly conversations with these officers with you in the back seat of a police car someplace.

As much as I dream of and druel over an M35 (or sumthin similar) i've gotta get the other half acclimated to the big green "huge" little trailer in the driveway first! My current plan is to switch over to electric over hydrolic.

Easiest route is probably getting a “shopmade” trailer title, technically that is incorrect but nobody will care, correct process is to do a bonded title.

The "shopmade" approach is what I figured but I thought I'd ask in case there was an avenue I didn't know about.

Cheers!
Scott

 

[Buffalobwana]

Hello new family! I toted home an M105A2 today which I bought from a private individual here in Texas. I LOVE this thing and have lots of ideas/plans... but first I need to get her legal.

As is often SOP for me, I jumped in without researching more.... and I don't have a title for the trailer (nor did the seller), but I did get a bill of sale.

According to the DMV, I do need a title because the GVW is more than 4000 lbs. I don't have any more historical information about the trailer.

I have dug around and seem some posts about an SF-97 form, but I don't have that, probably couldn't get it, and its not likely to do me any good.

Anyone have any suggestions or tips to try?

Thanks!
Scott

Find a tax office that will let you title is as 4000 lbs. A strange thing ... all my trailers happen to be that way!

I know, it may be hard, but the farther you get into the country, the easier it is to find an office that will do that.

Your milage may vary.

Good luck. We are all counting on you.