Picked up a new (to me) trailer

Sean

Sean

Well-Known Member
Well, The plan to get my Formula Jr. out of Florida is really picking up speed.

Crossing the Canadian/US border with a US trailer is sooooo difficult as Canada treats the trailer like a vehicle. So, I always buy a trailer in Canada and haul it down empty to wherever I'm going. However, this will be my longest drive yet... Toronto to Miami!

I wanted a reliable trailer and was fortunate enough to find a 2011 EXCALIBUR single axel bunk trailer (made in Canada btw) with a capacity of 1000Kg, a spare tire with frame mount (14" rims), rear guide posts, bearing buddies and a swing-away tongue. It comes complete with pad locks too! All for $1,100.

It was only used 4 times from Toronto to Muskoka round trips and is in fantastic shape. Although, it does not have LED lighting and one light lens is broken. There are also a couple of broken wires and the license plate holder is broken too. Luckily, Princess Auto had an LED kit with full harness and plate holder on clearance for $35.

So, today I transferred the ownership, got a new plate and tomorrow, I'm off to the Port Carling antique boat show and will pick up my new trailer on the way home (in Bala).

Trip to FLA is end of the month !

Here's the project boat.
http://www.formulaboatsforum.com/VBFORUM/showthread.php?7352-Formula-Jr-project
 
Chris

Chris

Administrator
Staff member
Hey Sean,

Sounds like a fun adventure. :)

What is supposedly tough about bringing a trailer across the border?

I ask as I see many people posting that it's fairly easy and most recommend going to the nearest Canadian Tire and getting the trailer inspected and then you can get a Ontario plate.

Never tried it myself though. :)

-Chris
 
Sean

Sean

Well-Known Member
Well, maybe not "tough" , more like a Pain in the *ss. Just too many hoops to jump through with silly regulations.

For one, the border crossing you are going to use needs 3 days advance warning. This is not required for a boat, just the trailer. You also need letters from the trailer manufacturer to prove the trailer meets Canadian standards and another to say that there are no safety recalls. If there was a recall you need letters to outline what they were and proof that the issue has been corrected prior to bringing the trailer in to Canada. Good luck if the trailer was a "home built" or the manufacturer is no longer in business.

Then there's the whole inspection thing (use Canadian Tire if you want) so you can replace the temporary license permit you needed to get it here. BTW, check the laws for the States you are travelling through as not all recognize a "temporary" paper licence from out of state.

Or, buy a trailer already in Canada, pay MTO $20 for a registration.... and you're done.
 
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