3.5 lorry ideas

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24copper

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Ok Guys I am the luckiest girl alive and have just been bought an Alexanders 3.5 horsebox for my birthday! I am so excited I am bouncing off the walls!! :-) But I need advice on the build and as I've never had one of these little boxes (just admired them from afar at shows!!) or even used one I don't want to get all the details wrong so I'd really appreciate any input on what you have like/dislike anything you'd change? Mine will be upgraded to a 3.9 so I will have more payload, its got small seperate living. I can't decide on things like the doors over the ramp to go up or stable type? Where to put tie rings, whether to have tack lockers go for auto or manual? and anything else you can think of? Thanks so much xx
 
my thoughts:
- you can never have too much storage
- if you can afford it, get it kitted out for overnight stays with a tiny sink and gas ring - I sleep in the cab (just buy some foam to go over the seats as a mattress) and can happily spend a couple of nights away from home in my 3.5
- I think Alexanders have something they call a 'sail' that stops hay getting into the living area, you really need some kind of collection/containment device as otherwise all your tack, show gear etc. gets covered in hay seeds
- when I went to look at Alexanders (I didn't buy from there) I found the ramps very heavy, I'd go back to the showroom and try lifting a few before you decide on which type to go for
 
Santa_Claus said:
as above! and if you do then I personally would be going for a 5.5 or 6t instead of 3.9t so you can legally carry two without worrying about payloads.
Click to expand...
As the 3.5 has been bought for her already then there must be a maximum that can be uprated to without major work being done on it?
 
only thing I can say after hiring one of their boxes - the Ascot I think - make sure you have some grills of some description between horse area and living if they are rear facing. Box I hired I ended up with pony in living area about 6 times and ended up resorting to tiying it to the fatenings for the partitions and travelling pony forward facing.
Most terrifying experiance of my life - and watch head height have a really good drive of it as I felt that the Ascot was really top heavy on motorway and as if a gust of wind would blow me away - if going direct to Alexanders in Boroughbridge ask to drive up A168 towards Thirsk - a windy rd even on a still day you'll then get the feel of it properly.
But most of all congratulations am very jealous - and am sure you wouldn't be spending large amounts of cash if couldn't drive it would you ;-)
 
Thanks so much for all your input guys. Yes I can drive it as I'm really old!! Passed my test in 94!! Yes deposit is already paid so it will be 3.9 but there is another option you can have that uses superstrong lightweight materials so can get even more payload but saying that I only have a very fine Arab and sometimes take a friends 15;3hh or a pony so I think I should be fine.

Very good point about the hay and pony in the living! What an awful experiance :-( This one is the new York RS and it has seperate living (still very simple but there is a wall between the horses heads and the living.)

I prob wont have gas or a sink as going from a trailer I'm not used to them anyway I think I could happily sleep in it and eat cold food and wash with baby wipes!! I was wondering about a bed I know they put storage lockers over the cab but was wondering if its big enough for a foam mattress?!

Oh you've worried me now about the top heavy issue? The whole reason I'm changing from a trailer is that I want it to be safer and more comfortable for my horse...

I'm going up next week to choose the details so will bare all of your advice in mind thanks so much if you think of anything else please shout :-)

xxxx
 
just spoken to alexanders and I will have a 1500kg payload so that should be plenty for two horse plus gear? I can get another 70kg if I go for the lighweight panels.

Still need to think about tie rings etc oh and also doors above ramp? I prefer the stable type but they said you have to keep having them adjusted as they tend to drop? Anyone got any experiance of that? The up and over one they have redesigned so it goes up much higher now so less chance of horse banging its head but I'm still not that keen but then they also said you have to be careful barn type dont swing about in the wind?


Thanks so much for your input so far :-) Driving up wednesday to finalise details and choose colour!! Cant wait

xxxxx
 
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