Utility Trailer Question

The enforcement of what is being discussed here was my job up to retirement but I have been retired toooo long to remember all the legislation to give u advice. You should speak to MTO enforcement section for advice, you need an accurate weight of your load on trailer, trailer weight, power unit and max load carried on power unit to get the answer you want and need to be legal and safe.
I pulled 2 atv's on a 6.5x12 single axle trailer with a Tacoma and on each trip north I would stop at a MTO scale along the highway that was closed to weigh each one of my combination vehicles axles. The scale are on and if you look you will see the readings for your axle weights.
The problem is not pulling but it is stopping suddenly with a heavy load being pulled by a too small of a power unit and maybe no brakes on trailer.
I always stop each trip north at a scale even with my boat trailer just to make sure I am safe and legal.

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Originally Posted by tracker

The problem is not pulling but it is stopping suddenly with a heavy load being pulled by a too small of a power unit and maybe no brakes on trailer.

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That seems to be a detail that gets overlooked. Guys get focused on how much they can pull, and forget about being able to safely stop in an emergency.

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Originally Posted by rick_iles

Welcome to the forum !! CVOR is a different issue.

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Sorry. My understanding is that you only need to get a tandem axle trailer inspected yearly if you have a CVOR.

A CVOR is needed for any commercial vehicle that hauls for a compensation. A personal vehicle does not require this but still needs to follow the weight limits. Any vehicle with a combined weight of more than 4500 kgs has to have an annual safety period. Most 1ton pickups come from the factory rated with a GVW of over 4500kgs and must be saftied yearly to be legal. Plenty of people don't but that's the law. And fully agree about being able to tow something is totally different than being able to stop safely. Worked with a guy that pulled a good size boat probably an 16-18' with a PT Cruiser. Every one just shook their head when he went by. There was no way he would be able to stop in an emergency.

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/tru...stration.shtml

only time the unloaded weight of the trailer matters is when you calculate the maximum payload. Your axles are going to determine your GVWR
example : single axle trailer with a 3500 lb axle means total weight of trailer plus it's cargo not to exceed 3500 lbs
tandem axle trailer with two 3500 lb axles means total weight of trailer and cargo not to exceed 7000 lbs, and all tandem axle trailers must have trailer brakes.

the mto is only interested in gvwr.

pulling with your Jimmy is a game changer though as it's considered a passenger vehicle and not required to get a yellow sticker when pulling a tandem axle trailer. but if you get a pick up truck, they are all registered as comercial vehicles and would require the annual inspection for pulling a tandem axle trailer.

when I changed trucks this year, I got an extra kick in the bag from the mto. The GVWR of my new ram 1500 crew cab with a diesel plus my 6x12 single 3500 lbs axle landscape trailer put my combined GVWR at 4530 kg. To be legal I need an annual safety done on the landscape trailer even if I am only hauling 6 bags of leaves to the county dump.
or I could just put a hitch on my wife's Pontiac G5 and not worry about an annual safety on the trailer

trailer laws in Ontario make no sense.

Gooseman, you're pretty much correct on the CVOR but, all bigger trucks (power unit MGVWR over 6000 kg) require one regardless. The personal use exemption applies to CVOR, log books and pre trip inspections. If you have a CMV rated at no more than 6000 kg's and you are using the truck and trailer for personal use (no compensation) then you don't require a CVOR, pre trip or log book. Safeties are never exempt (unless you get into RV's and a couple of other service/transport exemptions).

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Originally Posted by Crash2000

If the actual loaded weight is above the registered weight of your registered vehicle you will also have problems with the MTO.

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Only when the weight of the trailer exceeds 2800 kg's do you need to increase/include it in the RGW of the truck.

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Originally Posted by greatwhite

So 3 ATV's @ 750 pounds = 2250
Gear = 500
trailer = 800 (??)

total = 3550 pounds

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I built a single axle 7 x10 trailer last summer, and since the MTO was doing weight testing on some of the fire trucks, I got to put it on the scales.... well 1400lbs!!!
I couldn't believe it.

I guess it adds up quickly, axle, tires, 2x6 wood floor, side railes, tongue, square tubing, spare tire......

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Originally Posted by B Wilson

the mto is only interested in gvwr.

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The requirement for safeties is based on three things. GVWR (as you mentioned), actual weight, or RGW.