Steamed

[ArtB]

I was told by the largest RV dealer near Zelienople that campers like my Casita with an unladen vehicle weight of under 3000 lbs even although it has breaks doesn't need to be inspected. And so I've been running around for the last three years without an inspection. I was told wrong. A camper with a Gross Vehicle rating over 3000 lbs (my Casita) and any trailer with breaks needs to be inspected. My teardrop even although it's under 3000 lbs, having breaks, needs to be inspected as well. You would think that an RV dealer would know the law. A garage mechanic that inspects vehicles just told me that a state policeman who was having a bad day could make you unhitch and leave your camper by the side of the road until it was dragged away on flatbed to the inspection station for a current sticker. I have to admit that I am a little bit steamed by being misled by a company that sells campers for a living.

Art

[Nick T]

When you received annual license plate registration renewal notices from the DMV, they did not specify whether or not the camper had to be inspected? Usually, if inspection is required, then the DMV will note that in some very prominent way on the registration notice (in NC, that part is in red font), AND, more importantly, without a recent inspection, the DMV won't allow you to renew tags for the camper. If you mailed in a renewal check,and inspection was required, they'd just return your check and block your tag renewal. If you went in person to renew your tags, they'd tell you in 2 seconds why they were refusing to process your renewal--- and hand you your money back. If your renewal notices don't specify "inspection required" (with a deadline date), then it's not required by your state. In that case, I'd ignore any info that doesn't come directly from your DMV. Just a thought.

[ArtB]

nothing like that in this state. you just get fined on the road.

[Revere1]

Out of curiosity who provides the inspection and certificate?

[Zach]

I was told by the largest RV dealer near Zelienople that campers like my Casita with an unladen vehicle weight of under 3000 lbs even although it has breaks doesn't need to be inspected. And so I've been running around for the last three years without an inspection. I was told wrong. A camper with a Gross Vehicle rating over 3000 lbs (my Casita) and any trailer with breaks needs to be inspected. My teardrop even although it's under 3000 lbs, having breaks, needs to be inspected as well. You would think that an RV dealer would know the law. A garage mechanic that inspects vehicles just told me that a state policeman who was having a bad day could make you unhitch and leave your camper by the side of the road until it was dragged away on flatbed to the inspection station for a current sticker. I have to admit that I am a little bit steamed by being misled by a company that sells campers for a living.

Art

Art, I apologize for not seeing this earlier!! The dealer is correct, and the mechanic is 100% wrong. Only trailers with a GROSS weight over 3,000lbs require inspection in PA. Simply having brakes on a small trailer is NOT a trigger to require inspection. The info below is copied directly from the PA Code....

§ 175.4. Vehicles required to be inspected.

A registered vehicle moved upon a highway shall bear a valid certificate of inspection except for the following:
(1) Special mobile equipment.
(2) An implement of husbandry.
(3) A motor vehicle being towed.
(4) A motor vehicle being driven or a trailer being towed by an official inspection station owner or employee for the purpose of inspection.
(5) A trailer having a registered gross weight of 3,000 pounds or less.
(6) A motorized pedalcycle.
(7) A vehicle being repossessed by a financer or collector-repossessor through the use of miscellaneous motor vehicle business registration plates.
(8) A new vehicle while it is in the process of manufacture including testing, and not in transit from the manufacturer to a purchaser or dealer.
(9) A military vehicle used for training by a private, nonprofit, tax-exempt military educational institution when the vehicle does not travel on public roads in excess of 1 mile and when the property on both sides of the public road is owned by the institution.
(10) An antique vehicle.

Source: http://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Dis....html&d=reduce


I don't recall when the code was modified, but a previous version was a little misleading because it said inspections were required if the trailer was "over 3,000lbs and had brakes". This was redundant because by default any trailer over 3,000lbs is required to have brakes. However, some people incorrectly interpreted that as saying "over 3,000lbs or has brakes".

[Camper Chris]

I thought this topic was "Steamed"?

[Camper Chris]

When camping in Baa Haabaah, Maine ya gotta have Steamed Laahbstaah!