Wheres my vin number?
 

I rebuilt a Hi-Lo trailer made
In the late 50's or early 60's.
NJ wont let me get a license
Plate without a vin number.
I can't find a vin or serial number
any place on the trailer.
Would any of you know if
they had a vin or WHERE
It would be located on the
Trailer? Please help or after
all the time and $ spent on
restoring it I won't be able to
use it.
Thanks
Wayne

Wayne - some people have found it stamped into the metal on the tongue. If you can't find it anywhere, can you register the trailer as a "homebuilt"? I'd think such a procedure would be possible, since I can see building a trailer myself, from currently available parts.

- Jack

I'll look on the tongue.
Thanks. To register as
Homemade NJ wants
all receipts, which I didnt
keep, a certified weight
slip, pictures from all
angles, a letter explaining
the build procedure, and
If I used parts from other
trailers they want the vins
from those trailers. I waited
In line today for over 3 hours
to find this out. Im not a guy
who would keep receipts for
wood and screws.
Thanks for ALL your help Jack.

I can't believe Hi-Lo
would build and sell
trailers without vin or
serial numbers. I searched
the tongue as suggested
and found nothing.

Damn, I suppose you've contacted the previous owner, and (s)he was no help? If the trailer was registered previously, the VIN MIGHT be shown on that registration. There MUST be a title to it too, somewhere, which would show the VIN.

I'm sorry you couldn't find it on the tongue. Other members have suggested that as a location, but my trailer doesn't have it there either.

I wonder if you "bought" a home-built trailer from someone out of state, how you could register it in NJ? I wouldn't expect all that documentation in that case.

- Jack

It used to be easy in NJ.
Nothing is "easy" anymore.
They said I have to get
it weighed at a certified
scale. I said no problem
but asked "how do I tow
It to a scale with NO plate
and they shrugged their
Shoulders and said "Its a Catch 22"!
Can you believe they're
saying break the law.

Yup, I believe it! Personally, I'd take the chance. Probably a 50-50 chance a cop would let you off if he pulled you over. Surprised they can't give you a temporary registration.

- Jack

Thats what I intend to
do Jack. Take backroads
and cross my fingers.
NJ is so ridiculous. IF I
say I restored it than it
CAN'T be homemade
and must have a vin. They're
encouraging dishonesty.
Common sense would
say, hey you totally rebuilt
this trailer from the frame
up, that's the same as
homemade. Im sure
if someone has a friend
at the local DMV they'd
be camping already.
So next week I'll go back
with a weight, photos and
a notarized letter detailing the building
and see how I make out.
Is Hi Lo in business? If so do you
think someone there could say
where the vin would be?
If I can't register it its going to
sit there forever because I wouldn't
sell it to someone in NJ and pass
the problem on to them. I'm not
like that. If I had known the hassle
I wouldn't have spent a year of my
time and a few grand restoring it.

Wayne, there's got to be a way though this. HiLo has gone out of business, but former employees? (or other people associated with it) are at J&R Repair, in Mt Vernon, Ohio. Here's their webpage: Home - JR REPAIR It's kind of sparse, but it shows their telephone number. Another one of our members posted this additional number for them: 740-392-1602.

Several of our members have contacted them and found them very helpful (when they got through). It's worth a try, they might be able to help with the VIN.

- Jack

Jack,
Cannot thank you enough for
all the help and support.
I'll try calling them this week.
Im going to keep trying to
get through this process.
I'll keep you informed..

Family lives in NJ.
 

NJ is just trying for a $ grab. Brother'n Law has told me many stories.

Up until about 10 years ago
you walked into dmv and
on the registration form
where it said "vin" you simply
wrote "homemade" and
got your plate. Every year
they've made it more difficult.
Yet, everywhere on the roads
in good old South Jersey are
rattletrap unsafe landscape
and utility trailers being
drug around by beat up rusty
trucks.

I may have to sell the camper to someone who lives in s state where it is easy to register a homemade camper

Does every trailer in NJ have to be registered? For example, low weight small utility trailers. Just a wild idea (when the top is down in tow mode), could it be classified as a covered utility trailer for the sole purpose of registration?

Dee

Every trailer in NJ has to
have a license plate.

The whole issue is there is
no vin number. Years past you
simply would write "homemade' in
the box labeled vin and you
received a license plate and a
vin number dmv made up.
They want receipts for every part, nut
bolt etc. I saved no receipts.

Trailering in NJ
 

As a fellow south jersey hi Lo owner, it’s nice to know of another owner close by. I live near Hammonton and ha a more modern 2203T bought in Pennsylvania last year. Previous owner let me use his tags for the trip home and I promptly sent them back.
Picture of your trailer looks great!
Many years ago I worked for Wheaton.
Sending a private message now
Tom

My VIN number is on the left side of the trailer near the front. It’s very clearly states VIN there.

Vin
 

Wayno
Its been a long time since I sold my Hi Lo but I remember that the same information on the label for the unit posted on the left side outside near the front was also on the wall of one of the kitchen cabinets. I think it was under the kitchen sink. Don't know if this is something Hi Lo does or not but I remember having to lay on the floor to see it. Hope you find it. Blessings Papa

What year is yours? Is it a model like mine? And by left side you mean which side? Standing in front near tongue or rear? And where would you find vin? On frame, on siding? Thanks

I THINK Larry meant the "street side". My HiLo has an obvious label there with the VIN. The other side is the "curb side". My guess is, you don't have the labels mentioned in the last two posts.

- Jack

Man, what a hassle. I think I’d be looking for ANY number I could find stamped anywhere (axle, doors...) and that would be the VIN. Hard to believe the DMV is going to research anything if it’s a 50’s-60’s model. They just want their tax money.

Definitely no labels. Im grinding all paint off the tongue tomorrow and then will repaint looking for an etched number. Motor vehicle treats classic cars special but not trailers. Chances are my trailer could be one of the first Snyder made and there is no number. This is just ridiculous.

Mine is on the inside door\hatch\cover where my shore power cord is.lower left drivers side towards the front .Its screwed to the inside of the cover.1998 fun chaser.

You would have a problem even if you moved to another state or sold it to someone in another state. Hindsight !

Not necessarily. Pennsylvania is much easier then Jersey. And
they don't tell you to tow it to a scale when its not registered and the cops say don't do it or it will be impounded. I know there are states where it is much easier to register as homemade. There are 100's of guys building homemade campers all over Youtube out West. Its
like everything else. I'll bet if one had a friend at dmv to they'd be cruising.

strip The paint on tongue. Do a state police inspection. Get a bill of sale 54 was the first year vin were used. It was manufacture discretion until 81!

The clerks at the local dmv you went to had a bad day. Buy some stainless safety chain keep the receipt on top and get some osb to park your four wheeler on put those receipts on top with other receipts from fueling, everything, piled up and drive that thing down there Like you stole it..

Have never lived in NJ, so I have no experience with your DMV, but I have more years of dealing with those folks in California than I like to admit to - maybe a bit of CA DMV experience will be of help.....

On the "how do I tow it with no plate" issue, CA has what they call a "one trip moving permit" for non registered vehicles that need to be moved on public roads - here, you take whatever paperwork you have in to a DMV office, tell them why and where you need to move the vehicle (like to a scale for a weight cert.) and they issue a permit that lets you take it from where it's stored to the destination and back. I'd think NJ probably has something similar.

Are there any states nearby where the DMV is looser on their policies? It's far from the best alternative, but if you're not too far from Delaware, Maryland or PA, they're easier to deal with and you have friends or family there, perhaps you could sell the trailer for $1, they could license the trailer and then "sell" it back to you for $1. Once it's licensed and registered, it shouldn't be a big deal to get NJ registration.

Wayno I bought a 1983 16S about a month ago. Had same problem with Vin. Trailer was from Pa and Ohio has to match Vin on camper to Vin on title from Pa, before issuing new ohio title to me. It took awhile to find was under 2 costs of paint, Left side frame looking at front of camper,approx 17” back from ball about 1” from stabilzer ball. scraped off some paint and founr a sticker, wife peeled apart sticker and there was Vin # on sticker. Wrapped up with plastic and duc tape for a ride to auto dealer that confirmed Numbers matched. got title next day. Good Luck. Bruce

VIN location
 

I just located mine on a 1999 Towlite on a label located on the curbside front corner of the body. It is a stick-on label that is so faded it is hardly legible. I intend to get the numbers stamped into the tongue for permanence.
It seems there was no standard for location or type of marking over the years and models from what I am reading here.