Frequently Asked Questions

At Triad Trailers, we get asked a lot of questions about our products, and some of those questions seem to be asked by our customers on a more frequent basis than others. In an effort to provide the very best in customer support and service, we have assembled answers to the 20 most popular questions our customers ask. If you still have questions after looking through this list, please contact a Triad Trailer Specialist by emailing us at Mike@TriadTrailers.com or by calling us at (919) 782-6007.

1. How Do I Order My Trailer?

To place an order for a custom-crafted Triad Trailer, call us at (919) 782-6007 or email us at Mike@TriadTrailers.com.

To prepare your custom trailer order, we will need the following information:

• Legal name(s) of the person or business to whom the trailer will be registered
• Legal registration address
• City, State, and ZIP Code
• Daytime telephone number
• Alternate telephone number
• Email address
• Trailer model: Lift On/Off, Float On/Off, or Special Float On/Off
• Brake system: Hydraulic Surge, Electric-Over-Hydraulic, or Electric Drum
• Any additional options you would like included
• Your preferred delivery or completion date

Once Triad Trailers receives this information, we will prepare an invoice and email it to you for review and approval.

Upon approval of your order, a 50% deposit is requested before we begin building your custom trailer.

Deposit Payment Options

1. Zelle — Payment instructions will be included in your Order Confirmation email.
2. ACH / Bank Transfer — A secure payment link and instructions will be included in your Order Confirmation email.
3. Credit Card — We can provide a secure payment link for Visa, Mastercard, or Discover. Please note that credit card payments are subject to a 3% convenience fee.
4. Check — A personal or company check may be mailed to Triad Trailers.

Once your deposit has been received, your trailer order will be placed into our production schedule.

2. How Long Does It Take To Build My Custom Trailer?

Typically, the lead time to craft your custom trailer ranges between 6 to 9 weeks. However, this will vary depending upon the time of the year and the workload we are servicing. As a rule of thumb, when you are busy prepping your boat for the up-coming season, we are already very busy building custom boat trailers. As you enjoy your time on the water in the spring and summer months, our work-load usually has lessened and we are able to turn custom trailer orders around faster. Therefore, if you are considering purchasing a custom trailer for the next season, it is best to place your order in the fall to ensure very early spring delivery.

3. I Want A Trailer, But I Don’t See My Boat In Your Trailer Gallery. Can You Make It?

With over 51 years of experience crafting custom boat trailers, it is extremely likely that we will already have trailer plans for your particular boat model in our engineering database. However, in the unlikely event that we do not have precise plans already on file, we can build your custom trailer to your specifications by using one or more of the following courses of action:

• If we do not have your boat hull measurements already on file, we will search for blueprints on-line to see if we can find the dimensions
• If we cannot find blueprints on-line, we will search for a local sister-ship and take measurements from that boat. (free measuring service if the boat is within 2 hours driving distance from our shop)
• We will provide you with very detailed instructions to you on how to measure your boat.  You can provide those measurements and we can craft the trailer from those dimensions.
• If you are not comfortable measuring your boat, a Triad Trailer Specialist can travel to your location to take precise measurements (travel costs assumed by client plus$350 measuring fee credited back when an order is placed)

4. Once My Triad Trailer Is Complete, How Do I Get It?

While not required, we welcome new Triad Trailer owners to pick up their trailer directly from our facility in Raleigh, North Carolina. If you are unable to personally pick up your trailer, Triad Trailers can arrange delivery for you.

If you elect to have your Triad Trailer delivered, your trailer will typically be transported with one, two, or three other trailers. There is also a possibility that your trailer may be delivered individually.

Delivery costs generally range from $1.90 to $2.00 per loaded mile. When multiple trailers are transported together, the delivery cost is typically divided equally among the trailers being delivered. Whenever possible, we group deliveries traveling to the same general region to help reduce transportation costs.

As an example, delivery fees along the I-95 corridor between New Jersey and Newport, Rhode Island, typically range from approximately $450 to $500 per trailer.

Triad Trailers will make all shipping arrangements, and the applicable delivery charges will be added to your final invoice.

Unless other arrangements have been made in advance, customers must be present at the designated delivery location to receive their trailer.

Each customer is responsible for any unloading fees charged at the selected or assigned delivery location. Customers are also responsible for disposal of any metal or wooden stacking materials that may accompany trailers transported in a stacked configuration. We estimate unloading and disposal costs to generally be less than $200 per trailer.

When you receive your custom-crafted Triad Trailer, you will also receive the documentation and instructions necessary to register your trailer. This package will include your trailer’s Certificate of Origin and your final paid-in-full invoice.

You will generally take these documents to your state Department of Motor Vehicles or other appropriate vehicle-registration agency, where you can title and register your Triad Trailer in accordance with your state’s requirements.

5. What Should I Do If I Lose My Certificate Of Origin (COO)?

If you lose your certificate of origin, and your trailer has not yet been registered, Triad Trailers can issue a duplicate certificate of origin to the original purchaser of the trailer. To process the paperwork, we need the following information faxed to us:

• A notarized statement confirming that the boat was never registered,
• Proof of ownership
• $65 fee to process a new COO

Triad Trailers cannot issue a duplicate COO if the trailer has already been registered. If it has been registered, you must contact your State Department of Motor Vehicles.

6. What Should I Do If I Lose My Title?

The Title to your trailer is a very important document and it is important that it remains safe and secure for future reference. Your title is issued by your State, and we are not able to help you if you lose your title. If your title is lost, you will have to contact the Department of Motor Vehicles to begin the duplicate title application process.

7. How Do I Get A New VIN Tag?

Triad Trailers can issue replacement VIN tags only for trailers that meet our current VIN-format requirements.

If your Triad Trailer is model year 2003 or newer, check your VIN to determine whether it qualifies. The VIN must begin with 1T9 in positions 1, 2, and 3, and contain 013 in positions 12, 13, and 14.

If your VIN meets these requirements, you will need to provide Triad Trailers with your complete VIN number along with proof of ownership before a replacement VIN tag can be issued.

Unfortunately, we are unable to reproduce replacement VIN tags for certain older Triad Trailers. The VIN numbering format used on these trailers differs from the format supported by our current VIN-generation software. Because our software automatically generates VINs using the current format, we cannot modify it to recreate the VIN format used on older trailers.

Triad Trailers cannot issue a new or different VIN for an existing trailer. We can only provide a replacement VIN tag for an existing VIN that meets the requirements above.

8. How Do I Get Temporary Plates?

Triad trailers can provide you with 60-day, temporary plates if the following information is provided to us:

• The trailer must be a newly built Triad Trailer that has yet to be delivered.
• The trailer owner provides a copy of their vehicle insurnace policy or declarations page.  The proof of insurance must show the liability companies name and the policy number. Vehicle Insurance Policy

9. Can You Modify My Triad Trailer After I Purchase It?

It may be possible for Triad Trailers to modify your trailer after you have specified the configuration. However, since all boats and trailers are different shapes and sizes, we must evaluate your situation individually. We must consider engineering measurements such as axle centerline distance, hull support locations and keel supports. It is more likely than not that it will not be possible to effectively modify a custom trailer to fit another boat.

10. Can I Make My Lift-Off Into A Float-Off Model?

Yes, it is possible for Triad Trailers to turn your Lift-Off style boat trailer into a Float-Off style. However, for this to be possible, a bow stop and ladder will be required. If your trailer doesn’t have a bow stop or ladder, is likely your trailer is too short to modify from a Lift-Off to a Float-Off. If you have a bow stop, suggesting that we can likely make the modification, you’ll need to bring your trailer into Triad Trailers so we can evaluate it to make a final determination.

11. Can I Add A Bow Stop Or Ladder To My Existing Trailer?

Typically, this modification is not possible because when the trailer is originally ordered, trailers without a bow stop are fabricated 2 feet shorter than those designed with a bow stop. In essence, there will be no room to put it the shorter trailer. However, in some rare cases, it can be done. To see if your boat trailer is a candidate for this modification, follow these steps:

1. Hang a plumb-bob from the bow
2. With the plumb-bob on the bow, measure the distance from the bow to the center of the ball