Why Not to Register Your Motorhome in Pennsylvania

[Judge]

So this is a rant..... but also a warning to anyone who has their motorhomes registered in Pennsylvania or anyone who will be passing through Pennsylvania with a spare tire carrier, bike rack, etc. that may be partially obstructing the view of your license plate.

I bought a place in Florida in 2010 and was happy to become a Florida resident as quick as I could given that I didn't like the direction PA was heading in general. I kept some property in PA because we still have family there and I have kept my motorhomes there since I had a place to store them inside. But unlike Florida, PA requires annual vehicle safety inspections. This year PA has new laws that are over the top for vehicles.

I dropped the coach off at the Ford Commercial Truck Center where I get my service done to have it inspected and to make sure the tires and brakes would be good for another 15,000 miles for our trip to Alaska.

About two hours later I get a call that they cannot inspect the coach because it has a spare tire carrier and spare tire that partially obstructs the license plate. It can be seen perfectly from the sides but it is slightly blocked head-on from the rear.

The Service Manager also proceeds to tell me the plate cannot be relocated with a bracket and moved from its factory location!

I tell the Service Manager that they inspected it that past three years with the spare tire carrier installed. He said the state of PA has tightened their laws and regulations so it has to come off.

And if that is not enough, the state of PA makes it illegal to now have any type of border around the license plate that covers any part of it.... even if the license plate is fully readable. No dealer vanity license plate borders, sports team borders, etc.

So now I'm pissed and jump in the truck to go up to the Ford Dealer to remove the 110lb spare tire and Roadmaster tire carrier so they will inspect the damn coach.

The good news is the Roadmaster Spare Tire Carrier was worth the $500 I paid for it!!!

I was able to lower the tire... remove it from the carrier..... roll the tire over to the truck.... remove the spare tire carrier..... install the spare carrier on the truck..... roll the tire back to the carrier.... bolt it on.... and put it back in place in 20 minutes.... without ever having to lift the tire!!! If you were on the fence about the cost of the Roadmaster Spare Tire Carrier, it is worth the money if you have a spare tire larger than 16".

Then 90 minutes later the Ford Dealer calls to tell me the coach passed inspection and I'm good for our trip to Alaska.

But now I have to take the spare tire carrier off the truck and put it back on the coach!!!!


It gets even better..... the Service Manager tells me that next year it is very likely my coach won't pass inspection because of the heavy duty bumper I installed. He said the state is cracking down on big vehicles and any modifications to them.

I told him I'm not worried... after this little episode the coach will be registered in Florida next year. All of my other vehicles, trailers, etc are registered in Florida and this is the last one registered in PA. He said a lot of people are doing the same thing where they can register in another state because it is getting so out of hand.

So if you are registered in PA.... be advised you may have an issue getting your inspection with a spare tire carrier, bike rack, etc. if it is on the hitch and block the plate in anyway. And if you have a vanity border around your plate, it could give the police a valid reason to pull you over if you get someone who just likes to be a stickler for the letter of the law or just looking for a valid reason to stop you.

The funny thing is I always thought it was stupid of Thor to put the license plate mount dead center on the rear of the coach when almost everyone will have something hanging off the hitch obstructing the view of the plate. They would have been better off putting it far left... that's the way it is on my Jeep.

[galOnTheGo]

thanks for sharing, I hope you feel better. I do. we just drove through PA on our way to Va. we went from Manchester NH to Williamsburg without paying one toll, YIPPIE! PA is a pretty place to visit, but not for us to call home. best wishes in Alaska, it was our best ever last year. and our windshield made it all the way through, until we entered Canada sept 8th. an RV rental speeding up to AK kicking up rocks tossed one our way and put a crack in it. we stopped in WhiteHorse and got it glued. so far it has not spread. I know you know your way around, but if you want any advice, just ask.
happy trails

[saddlesore]

Taking revenue generation lessons from Ohio and California it seems..ie: Screw Common sense........ They Will do anything and everything just to generate more income for the state.

[Judge]

Originally Posted by saddlesore

Taking revenue generation lessons from Ohio and California it seems..ie: Screw Common sense........ They Will do anything and everything just to generate more income for the state.

Exactly..... and one of the reasons I ditched PA in favor of Florida 13 years ago.


Once my mother and the in-laws aren't here any more.... and I don't wish that to be anytime soon even though PA sucks...... we will be selling the property in PA and cutting all ties with the state.

We'll come back to visit the kids and grand kids in the motorhome and I will minimize what I have pay to PA in any form as much as possible.

[Judge]

Originally Posted by galOnTheGo

thanks for sharing, I hope you feel better. I do. we just drove through PA on our way to Va. we went from Manchester NH to Williamsburg without paying one toll, YIPPIE! PA is a pretty place to visit, but not for us to call home. best wishes in Alaska, it was our best ever last year. and our windshield made it all the way through, until we entered Canada sept 8th. an RV rental speeding up to AK kicking up rocks tossed one our way and put a crack in it. we stopped in WhiteHorse and got it glued. so far it has not spread. I know you know your way around, but if you want any advice, just ask.
happy trails

Thanks!

And always open to suggestions from folks who have had great experiences and can make recommendations on what to do and what to avoid!

[ducksface]

Those bumper and license plate rules have been Arizona law since ever.

California also.

I'm guessing 40 States or more.

But

There are crack downs on diesel cheats and state inspections in PA area. Mandatory jail time for some inspection station folk and a federal charge of some sort.

The inspection station was being overly cautious/ridiculous...maybe due to a recent police interaction.

[dkoldman]

The Roadmaster Spare Tire Carrier is interesting. I assume you could connect the Roadmaster Nighthawk to the 2" Receiver on the Tire Carrier? I don't have a wheel for my spare, but this gives me an option.

I am sure they outlawed border plates to help them make more money off people buying a custom plate through the state.

My license plate bracket on my RV is on left side. For someone like you that is a Mickey Mouse mod you can make in an hour (Although you may not be allowed to make a Mickey Mouse Mod in Florida either).

How are they gonna know where the Mfg installed the bracket? Having said that; in PA they may make me move my ladder

FWIW, I have to inspect my RV every year, but I go to a Kwik Car Care (Midas) that specializes in oil changes and inspections. Whenever I pull up in the RV or motorcycle they tend to freak out. They are very thorough on the cars, but I think they just want to pass and go on the RV

[Jimbo56]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

The Roadmaster Spare Tire Carrier is interesting. I assume you could connect the Roadmaster Nighthawk to the 2" Receiver on the Tire Carrier? I don't have a wheel for my spare, but this gives me an option.

I am sure they outlawed border plates is to help them make more money off people buying a custom plate through the state.

My license plate bracket on my RV is on left side. For someone like you that is a Mickey Mouse mod you can make in an hour. How are they gonna know where the Mfg installed the bracket? Having said that in PA, they may make me move my ladder

FWIW, I have to inspect my RV every year, but I go to a Kwik Car Care (Midas) that specializes in oil changes and inspections. Whenever I pull up in the RV or motorcycle they tend to freak out. They are very thorough on the cars, but I think they just want to pass and go on the RV

Be careful! It may mess up your wax job.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Jimbo56

Be careful! It may mess up your wax job.

Didn't I read somewhere where you have a Pool in your RV? You were getting some advice on where to store your 4" Pool Noodles in the slide

Speaking of messing up a Wax job, it rained today after a week's worth of work. Go figure. But I ain't complaining; it is why we wax, the adrenaline when watching the sun, the leaves, and rain try to take down my Roof

[galOnTheGo]

Originally Posted by Judge

Thanks!

And always open to suggestions from folks who have had great experiences and can make recommendations on what to do and what to avoid!

how much time you taking? we took 6 months, May - Oct. a lot to suggest depending on your route and time. entered Canada through Idaho, returned into Montana. we drove every drivable road, flew some, cruised on Holland, from Valdez to Prudhoe Bay, 3 weeks in Denali in two parts,...on and on. best advise- take lots of time, don't rush, start early so you can see the snow covered Canadian mountains, they are beautiful. if you haven't left by now, your running late. carry bear spray. we never needed it, but it made us feel safer, and did get close to bears. and get a bug net for your head, the mosquitos are big, aggressive, and numerous in July. David did the Mt Marathon run in Seward before the official race July 4th. one of the hardest 5k in the world. we returned via air in February for a month, the winter is even better than the summer. volunteered in the Iditarod, and lots more. gas is expensive in Canada, but on the up side, the exchange rate is very good now. oh, we carry crampons for hiking on glaciers, wow that was fun. be sure to go to wrangell st elias national park. we camped at the start, near Chitina, drove 60 miles to McCarthy, then biked to kennicott, then hiked to the glacier, then hiked on the glacier. way fun. we hiked other glaciers, but that is a not to miss. all on our own! when we were at quartzite rv show this past January, we talked to tour companies doing tours to AK. they were expensive, and we knew more about what to do and see than they did. I could go on. we will return. any questions?

[Chateau_Nomad]

Originally Posted by saddlesore

Taking revenue generation lessons from Ohio and California it seems..ie: Screw Common sense........ They Will do anything and everything just to generate more income for the state.

Ohio??? Are you kidding me? No inspections required, never has been. I've seen pickup trucks around here that have multiple rust through spots, Jeeps with RED accent LED rings around headlights, bald tires - and COMPLETELY missing exhaust systems (that is VERY common). Basically if it rolls, it's street legal in Ohio! Feel free to drive pretty much as fast as you'd like... there's little speed enforcement, especially around metro areas.

Now... cross the border into West Virginia. You pay annual property tax on all vehicles. Annual inspections are required... and they'll ding you for any rust that is "structurally deficient". And your entire exhaust system better be in excellent condition. AND don't get caught NOT using hands-free with your phone... they DO enforce it!!

One would think it would be the exact opposite... and West Virginia is a MUCH deeper shade of Red than Ohio. Money grabbing at the state level is color blind. Ohio has been a Red state forever. I bailed out of WV over 40 years ago. I only go back for the excellent scenery and camping - that's ONE thing they get right!

[halfprice]

As messed up as CA is with high registration fees for vehicles at least we don't have inspections

I paid $1800 this year for registration on my $240k mh

Jerry

[ducksface]

Street legal in my county.
No smog, no inspection.
License plate is 100% seeable
Nothing hanging from rearview mirror
No dark tint.

[rtaggio]

Its all about the "toll readers" and billing by mail.

[Judge]

Originally Posted by rtaggio

Its all about the "toll readers" and billing by mail.

I figured that was a big part of it...... but with all of the camera angles at the interchanges you can't tell me they can't see the left side and right side of a plate if you had a spare tire carrier or bike rack.

According to a study out of Australia, Pennsylvania has the 5th most expensive toll road system in the world!

PA was spinning after COVID that getting rid of all toll takers in favor of EZ-Pass or Bill-by-Plate would cut costs and reduce the cost to run the toll roads. They have increased the tolls 5% each year since COVID hit... on top of the hefty Admin Fee they charge for Bill-by-Plate.

[Judge]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

The Roadmaster Spare Tire Carrier is interesting. I assume you could connect the Roadmaster Nighthawk to the 2" Receiver on the Tire Carrier? I don't have a wheel for my spare, but this gives me an option.

Yes.... the Roadmaster Spare Tire Carrier has a receiver for a tow bar. I have my Nighthawk tow bar connected to the spare tire carrier with a 6" drop down. The setup has worked very well for me.

At first I figured I was going to throw the spare tire and carrier in the bed of the truck once i got to the Ford Service Center. But once I calmed down I knew the smart plan was to install the carrier on the truck and then put the spare tire back on the carrier.

[Judge]

Originally Posted by galOnTheGo

how much time you taking? we took 6 months, May - Oct. a lot to suggest depending on your route and time. entered Canada through Idaho, returned into Montana. we drove every drivable road, flew some, cruised on Holland, from Valdez to Prudhoe Bay, 3 weeks in Denali in two parts,...on and on. best advise- take lots of time, don't rush, start early so you can see the snow covered Canadian mountains, they are beautiful. if you haven't left by now, your running late. carry bear spray. we never needed it, but it made us feel safer, and did get close to bears. and get a bug net for your head, the mosquitos are big, aggressive, and numerous in July. David did the Mt Marathon run in Seward before the official race July 4th. one of the hardest 5k in the world. we returned via air in February for a month, the winter is even better than the summer. volunteered in the Iditarod, and lots more. gas is expensive in Canada, but on the up side, the exchange rate is very good now. oh, we carry crampons for hiking on glaciers, wow that was fun. be sure to go to wrangell st elias national park. we camped at the start, near Chitina, drove 60 miles to McCarthy, then biked to kennicott, then hiked to the glacier, then hiked on the glacier. way fun. we hiked other glaciers, but that is a not to miss. all on our own! when we were at quartzite rv show this past January, we talked to tour companies doing tours to AK. they were expensive, and we knew more about what to do and see than they did. I could go on. we will return. any questions?

Thanks!

We are doing the 62-Day Alaska Your Way Caravan w/ Fantasy Tours. We spend 32 days in Alaska and the rest of the time in the Yukon and western Canada.

We have a lot of those things on our list. We booked a train tour and a couple boat tours as well. We also booked a Sea Plane to Brooks Falls to see the bears catching the salmon!

At the end of the trip we are stopping at Jasper and Banff as well. We will be gone for over 3-months total.

[Mousemate]

Good old Dealer vs a Mom and Pop place....
I only take the RV to a mom and pop place for inspection...
A few years ago the mom and pop place found that the front turn signal was out on my drivers side front ....they diagnosed it as a bad wire (didn't charge me). They told me they would pass it if I fixed it .....I fixed it by running a new wire a week later.....

[Judge]

Originally Posted by Mousemate

Good old Dealer vs a Mom and Pop place....
I only take the RV to a mom and pop place for inspection...
A few years ago the mom and pop place found that the front turn signal was out on my drivers side front ....they diagnosed it as a bad wire (didn't charge me). They told me they would pass it if I fixed it .....I fixed it by running a new wire a week later.....

It's a little different with my coach. There was a recall that needed to be done by Ford and they have treated me fine for the 3 years I have been using them.

This wasn't a dealer trying to screw me. If that is the case they would have failed the inspection telling me I need new brakes or a tie-rod to pass the state inspection.

This was nothing more than overreaching money grabbing state regulations causing grief for shops and vehicle owners.

There is no state inspection in Florida and there aren't daily, weekly or even monthly reports of unsafe vehicles causing accidents, injuries and deaths. Even in states with safety inspections I have seen beat up cars and trucks driving around without a current inspection sticker.

PA still requires an annual emissions inspections.... and only in certain counties.....another money grab. This isn't the 70's when vehicles had no emissions control. Todays vehicles are the cleanest running in history.

Hell.... if you drive under 5000 miles a year you don't need an emissions inspection but they still charge you $20 for a sticker saying you are exempt.

For the record, I would till take my Super C in for an annual check-up just to make sure it was safe and reliable even without a state mandate. I do almost all of my own maintenance and many of my own repairs. But when it comes to a Super C, I want the experts to go over it and make sure it is good to go for a 15,000 journey.

[paulwadley]

Here in California, they do require smog checks every other year with an exemption for brand new cars and motor homes. They get to pass on the smog checks for the first 8 years but you pay an additional amount on the registration to make up for that. I paid my registration on my 2022 Miramar which was over $1400 this year. When the AAA guy saw the amount, he looked at me and asked me what kind of car was I registering for that amount. He could not believe it. When I had my Diesel Sprinter Class C I still had to get smog checks every other year even though it was a diesel.

Paul