Tunnel replacement VIN number?
- Thread starter Turblue
- Start date
G
gcmci
Well-known member
As stated in earlier. In the USA it is a federal offense to alter any vin # on any vehicle with a vin# with out going thru dmv-state police who will issue a NEW vin# for that said vehicle.Even if you own both vehicles that the vins are coming from or taking a vin from one chassi and putting it on your custom chassi.If you do not do the proper paper work and the one cop that knows what a proper vin looks like he can inpound that said vehicle on the spot and I know people that have had to wait years to get them back even with proof of where all said parts came from.In this case with the tunnel manufacture should be issuing a statement of origin that has #'s on it matching the #'s they put on the tunnels they make which would make the dmv process WAY easier.End of story
vin
True enuff...
For what its worth this doesn't just apply to sleds tho... I have a race car that falls in the same category where the only pieces of it that are stock are the roof and the a pillars, but since it is a race car and is not DOT legal it doesn't need to be regstered and probably doesn't need a VIN either. The question is, whats the difference with a sled? You sure can't ride it on the street...
True enuff...
For what its worth this doesn't just apply to sleds tho... I have a race car that falls in the same category where the only pieces of it that are stock are the roof and the a pillars, but since it is a race car and is not DOT legal it doesn't need to be regstered and probably doesn't need a VIN either. The question is, whats the difference with a sled? You sure can't ride it on the street...
The difference....in B.C. anyway....is that sleds are registered. (Well they're supposed to be!) That requires a VIN number etc. just like anything else. No registration on ATV's though.....go figure!
Vin
Sounds like the governing bodies were a little short on ca$h when they came up with that!!! Makes no sense...
OOOpppps
We have three sleds that we owned and then changed the tunnels and stamped the vin on the tunnel, no problem with registration here in MT. Two of them were registered here in MT after the fact, the cop came out, looked them over, signed the form, and said we were good to go. We had to do it because the sleds were imported, not because of the tunnel swap. Why would you need to issue a new VIN when the majority of the sled is still the same. I do have an issued Vin for a sled that I need to build, but that one will be built from scratch. I really think it is a gray area here in MT. Also, most of the officiers have not a clue what they are suppose to look for or do, other than sign the paper.
We have three sleds that we owned and then changed the tunnels and stamped the vin on the tunnel, no problem with registration here in MT. Two of them were registered here in MT after the fact, the cop came out, looked them over, signed the form, and said we were good to go. We had to do it because the sleds were imported, not because of the tunnel swap. Why would you need to issue a new VIN when the majority of the sled is still the same. I do have an issued Vin for a sled that I need to build, but that one will be built from scratch. I really think it is a gray area here in MT. Also, most of the officiers have not a clue what they are suppose to look for or do, other than sign the paper.
J
jlebrun_05
Active member
my experience last year at haydays, bought a 99 mountain max with an ekholm tunnel and it had the chunk of the original tunnel in the trunk with the vin number. I got the title and it wasn't for the right sled, so I called the guy he bought it from and said they had to retitle it. So a guy from the state came out and looked at it and said that there was no way that it was legal to have just a piece of a sled with the vin number on it floating around. So i told him that i would rivet it on and it would be attached. He said that would not work. So I called yamaha and gave them the serial number of the engine and asked them the vin for the sled, didnt tell them and ask them to confirm it, just asked them for it. They called me back 5 minutes later and read of exactly what I had on the plate, and it was still not good enough for the state vehicle inspector. he said that it would have to go back to the guy i bought it from. After 4 months of dealing with the guy i bought it from trying to get the title, going through the state, and talking to cops, I got him to take the sled back since I couldnt get the title and I got my money back. So i think its pretty important to do it right, not for yourself, but for the guy who will someday buy your sled 
Planning on engraving, or riveting the vin on my CR tunnel somewhere, when I get it. Probably also gonna put a label on the subframe for easy ID for when I sell it. At least that way, when I get stopped at 2am, with a trailer load of sleds(been there, done that after some sleds had been stolen) I will have something to show. If the cops wanna stop me hauling my sleds in the middle of the night, just in case they are not mine, I'm OK with that and want to be able to tell them where the ID #'s are and show my matching insurance. If they really get sticky they can always verify the motor# against the registration paperwork. Also, the way I look at it, if my sled gets stolen it's a lot easier to be able to give the cops a serial# (and tell them exactly where it is on the sled) than to tell them it's a "Blue Yamaha with no serial# anywhere" Explain that to your insurer, I'll take my chances with the legality of it.
I have done several custom chassis vehicles..go to your dmv..get a reconstructed vehicle report..fill it out, call the cops to come inspect it...show them proof of ownership of both the original sled(and wrecked tunnel) as well as purchase receipt of the new tunnel...then with both tunnels there for them to see...transfer stamp the numbers to the new tunnel(stamp them)..they will sign the paperwork and you are legal......otherwise take lots of pics of the wrecked tunnel on the sled..with the vin readable..as well as disassemble and replacement..stamp iy and ride it..keep the pics and all receipts in case it is ever questioned...
I don't want to chip my powdercoat on the new tunnel, LOL. Maybe I'll just hang on to the old tunnel(it's not wrecked, it's brand new) and it can go with the sled when I sell it
In Saskatchewan, all I had to do with the last mod I built was go to the licensing agent and register it as a "homebuilt snowmobile" and a notary public has to sign off on it after inspecting it. The insurance agent is a notary and a good family friend and seen it several times during the build and signed off on it on the spot. The reason I had to do it that way is the chassis was my race sled and never had to be registered in the province. If you register it as a 440, you have to produce a bill of sale and pay provincial sales tax on it. Plus it would be impossible to insure it afterwards.
No problem the homebuilt route.
No problem the homebuilt route.
Rules in CA for new Vin Numbers
Hope this sheds some light on this subject for all the sledders in California!
After spending over 30 minutes on the phone with a representative from the DMV I've learned the following....
The California Highway Patrol is acutally responsible for issuing duplicate VIN numbers for snowmobiles that have been involved in accidents (i'm not sure about aftermarket tunnels). I contacted the CHP and was able to set up an inspection with them at the local CHP station. Relatively easy...
Bring the following to the inspection: Snowmobile, Title (or other applicable paperwork), registration, reciept of new tunnel that was purchased, the old tunnel if you have it (in my case i've cut out the VIN number from my old tunnel and took some pics of the old tunnel, officer stated that would be just fine)
From there, the CHP officer will create a duplicate VIN plate (officer referred to it as a "blue tag")and rivet it onto your sled...my "inspection" is slated on December 4th...i'll let everyone know how it goes and i'll also get some info in regards to aftermarket tunnels.
Hope this sheds some light of the subject! Cheers!
Also...FYI if the officer gives you grief about not reporting your accident there is language directly from the DMV that sates...."Accidents involving vehicles not required to be registered such as an off-road vehicle (OHV), implement of husbandry, or snowmobile or occuring on a military base or occuring on the driver's own property involving only the personal property of the driver and there was no injury or death are not reportable." (See link below)
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/sr/sr1.pdf
Hope this sheds some light on this subject for all the sledders in California!
After spending over 30 minutes on the phone with a representative from the DMV I've learned the following....
The California Highway Patrol is acutally responsible for issuing duplicate VIN numbers for snowmobiles that have been involved in accidents (i'm not sure about aftermarket tunnels). I contacted the CHP and was able to set up an inspection with them at the local CHP station. Relatively easy...
Bring the following to the inspection: Snowmobile, Title (or other applicable paperwork), registration, reciept of new tunnel that was purchased, the old tunnel if you have it (in my case i've cut out the VIN number from my old tunnel and took some pics of the old tunnel, officer stated that would be just fine)
From there, the CHP officer will create a duplicate VIN plate (officer referred to it as a "blue tag")and rivet it onto your sled...my "inspection" is slated on December 4th...i'll let everyone know how it goes and i'll also get some info in regards to aftermarket tunnels.
Hope this sheds some light of the subject! Cheers!
Also...FYI if the officer gives you grief about not reporting your accident there is language directly from the DMV that sates...."Accidents involving vehicles not required to be registered such as an off-road vehicle (OHV), implement of husbandry, or snowmobile or occuring on a military base or occuring on the driver's own property involving only the personal property of the driver and there was no injury or death are not reportable." (See link below)
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/sr/sr1.pdf
Rules in Colorado
I had to go through a similar situation in Colorado. I recently built (from the ground up) a new chassis....
I contacted the department of parks and was told I had to set up an inspection. I was told to bring the new built sled and the old tunnel, which I did not have. I have pictures, along with the original vin sticker. They said that was fine.
Went to the inspection and everything was fine. Was told they would re-issue a new vin.
Since I had registered the sled in CO the year before, they issued tags under the same VIN. I contacted them again and they said since it had previosuly been registered that I could use the same VIN. They told me i could engrave it myself, have it done on a trophy tag and adhere it, what ever I wanted....
Pretty painless process..... The key is to document everything, pics pics pics........
I had to go through a similar situation in Colorado. I recently built (from the ground up) a new chassis....
I contacted the department of parks and was told I had to set up an inspection. I was told to bring the new built sled and the old tunnel, which I did not have. I have pictures, along with the original vin sticker. They said that was fine.
Went to the inspection and everything was fine. Was told they would re-issue a new vin.
Since I had registered the sled in CO the year before, they issued tags under the same VIN. I contacted them again and they said since it had previosuly been registered that I could use the same VIN. They told me i could engrave it myself, have it done on a trophy tag and adhere it, what ever I wanted....
Pretty painless process..... The key is to document everything, pics pics pics........
