3.5 Tonn lorrys, the good the bad and the ugly - HELP PLEASE!!??!?

Passage...

Passage...

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Ok, so now i am delving into the relms of transport buying and have NO idea where to start :confused: I really like the look of the equitreks however I have heard the build quality on some 2nd hand isnt great not sure how true that is - I have also driven a malborough which was nice but not sure how big they go? can anyone reccomend me a decent make/brand of 3.5tonn or have any experience with any they can share (all experiences welcome!) - any help would be much appriciated as i dont even know where to begin - Horse is 16.2 (just) thanks guys xxx
 
Best thing we ever bought! Howver, I have a unique coach built one, and love it, and it has masses of room for a shire cross, and for my warmblood, BUT not together! Any that say will carry 2x 17.2 are definitely lying, or have been very flimsily converted if they have that payload!!
Key issues are: how much does your horse weigh, and what is the payload (when you are looking at potential ones...). Also consider everything you have to carry ie hay, shavings, rubber matting, feed, tack, water, rugs, you, spare person, the 5 dogs, etc etc etc! With the van conversion types, depends on who did the conversions - there are good and bad, but you pay for the good! Some issues with fixed wall as breast bar and horses getting stuck over them I have heard, also quality/strength of bulk head - ie do you want your horse sitting on you if you brake too hard, or if they decide to kick the wall alot ;);)
Also some horses don't like traveling backwards, as most of the 3.5t boxes are designed for that. You can get some that are pretty cheap but look like death traps - I'm not sure about the Ifor-trailer-body-on-a-truck look or the ones with really high but narrow front unload ramps!
If you do a search of the forum for 3.5t lorries you will get loads of info from previous posts - this subject has been discussed ALOT.
 
Stay clear of Ivecos - rust bucket, break down machines and a lot of mechanics wont touch them...

Anything with 3 letters is a good bet - DAF, MAN etc

Check the floor very carefully - I know someone who bought a pimped up one and the floor fell out within 2 months as that had just been covered up with new rubber matting :rolleyes:
 
I've got a LDV which isn't pretty but is solid, economical, and weights 3.1tonne fully loaded (one horse, saddles, water, hay, diesel, me etc ;) ) It is higher than the renault types, but parts are easy to get, it has twin axle behind which helps my piece of mind, and is easy to get parts for :) I've travelled a few different horses in it, and they all travel well. The only downside is it won;t take anything bigger than 16.2 (and 16.2 is a bit of a push!)

For bigger horses, the Marlboroughs are great and should carry upto 17.2hh. The coachbuilt renault types are the best to go for for bigger horses, but still give me the heebies a bit with just being single axle behind... however, there are a lot about and people seem to love them, so that speaks for itself :)
 
Contact Polly from travel two horseboxes, she is really honest and offers a home trial (unless you are in Scotland like me but they met me at Manchester Airport with Mavis my lorry). The main issue I have found (and I can't be the only one) is that one large horse really destablises it travelling on one side. I have remedied this by getting an extra partition so's he travels in the centre which is a different world but therefore is one horse box now (although legally they all are anyway).

I looooove my lorry Mavis though. Life changing!!!
 
ginadrummond said:
Contact Polly from travel two horseboxes, she is really honest and offers a home trial (unless you are in Scotland like me but they met me at Manchester Airport with Mavis my lorry). The main issue I have found (and I can't be the only one) is that one large horse really destablises it travelling on one side. I have remedied this by getting an extra partition so's he travels in the centre which is a different world but therefore is one horse box now (although legally they all are anyway).

I looooove my lorry Mavis though. Life changing!!!
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As a horse transporter I often travel one horse and have never found it destablieses the lorry!

Polly is very good and helpfull, if you are looking for a good older box she is worth a ring
 
Evolution horseboxes is local to me. We have one on our yard. Good quality box. I plan on getting one and using it as a daily driver at some point.
 
Payload is your first consideration with the small boxes. Ideally get your horse weighed and then come up with a good estimate of everything else you need to transport, e.g. people, tack, hay, water, etc. Then get the lorry weighed just to make sure it can take the load the seller claims it can.

Chassis depend on personal preference. I have had an Iveco for 10 years with no problems whatsoever (it's a Daily, the larger version at 5.2 but I have had a really good Transit before as well).

Another thing to look out for is structural integrity. Of course you want a high payload, but the lorry still has to be well made and safe for horses. If the horse area is directly behind the cab you also need to think about what happens in case of an accident and what will stop the horse from crashing into your head.
 
Thanks guys this is really helpful - Equestrivan thank you I will be giving you a call, this type of box seems exactly what I am looking for.

For all of those that have 3.5tonn horseboxes would you reccomend having one built to spec or going for the "named" equitreks, marlborough etc - my main issue is safety, have heard so many horror stories of floors falling through, horses putting their feet through floors etc - as i am NO mechanic/horsebox expert can this only be eleviated by having on built to spec or buying one brand new??

xx
 
Having been really interested in the idea of a 3.5t lorry, due to the convenience, easy to drive, no extra test needed, after some research I've decided they are just not feasible really due to their payloads. It seems that the majority give you around the 1t mark to fill, which adds up v quickly!

16.2hh horse - 600-700kg (my horse is 550 on a weigh tape, but nearer 650 on a weigh scale!)
Fuel - 50ish kg
Water - 50ish kg
Tack (saddle, bridle, rug) - 20ish kg
People - 60-80kgs each

Perhaps fine if you are only EVER going to take one horse or 2 small ponies, but very restricting to know that you can only ever do this, and even with just one horse the weight seems very close to the limit!
 
EquestriVan said:
As a horse transporter I often travel one horse and have never found it destablieses the lorry!

Polly is very good and helpfull, if you are looking for a good older box she is worth a ring
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Yes, I did try other routes like stabalising kits but she's an N reg so too old. Its not a unique problem I'm afraid. We have alot of very steep reverse cambers here and my horses' c of g must be about 2 feet above him I think. Bigger, cobbier types haven't felt unstable at all. I have also been told that the roll bars under the older ones are a bit weedy and the mark 2's and 3's do look lower.

Thanks
 
Sarah2207 said:
Having been really interested in the idea of a 3.5t lorry, due to the convenience, easy to drive, no extra test needed, after some research I've decided they are just not feasible really due to their payloads. It seems that the majority give you around the 1t mark to fill, which adds up v quickly!

16.2hh horse - 600-700kg (my horse is 550 on a weigh tape, but nearer 650 on a weigh scale!)
Fuel - 50ish kg
Water - 50ish kg
Tack (saddle, bridle, rug) - 20ish kg
People - 60-80kgs each

Perhaps fine if you are only EVER going to take one horse or 2 small ponies, but very restricting to know that you can only ever do this, and even with just one horse the weight seems very close to the limit!
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Crikey never thought of it like that.... I just throw everything in and drive :eek:
 
Love 3.5T boxes - owned a Marlborough for several years which was great, been hiring Theaults this year which are smashing especially for a nervous-travelling horse, beautifully built.

I have had one instance when a friend's eventer tried to get over the breast bar, fortunately we hadn't gone anywhere at that point - so I definitely favour those with rounded collapsible/removable breastbar and at the very least with Weaver grills to prevent them getting up in the first place, it was a bit of a nightmare to say the least.

Personally not a fan of driving a tall horse in these though, my average horse is 15.2hh for which the 3.5T boxes are perfect.

I've driven both the 3 seat and 5 seat cab options, if I had to choose, I'd say my horses travel just a bit better in the 3 seat cab boxes. But if you have a nervous horse/one prone to kicking out, be sure you know how stress-tested and reinforced the partitioning is between cab and horse area, you'll certainly feel it!
 
So is it only possible to travel one horse in a 3.5tonne lorry?
Sorry if this sounds like a silly question but I have two 15hh cobs - I gues they are not going to be able to travel in one of these together then??? :confused:
 
I would say be VERY careful who you buy from. Even some of the "better known" names can end up stitching you up. Not to put a downer on it but I have had an absolute nightmare with various companies. The one piece of advice I would 100% give is make sure you get the vehicle inspected properly. Don't just assume that because a decent coachbuild is on the back of it, that the engine etc of the vehicle it's built on is safe and reliable. If I had had that piece of advice I would have saved myself £1000s.

In terms of names, I would recommend Marlborough on the basis that a number of my friends have had them built by them and not had a problem (unlike me going with other companies and being totally ripped off!)

All the best
 
marmalade76 said:
I would agree with this, especially with the ones with a box that sits on top of the chassis, i.e. the IW boxes.
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Thats true, the transit etc that sit above the wheels can rock.

We build on the Master or the Movano, very low so good centre of Gravity and very stable, i often carry 17.2hh with no problems.

Ours have a payload of between 1150 and 1350kgs depending on build, weight cert is supplied and I like to think we are one of the trustworthy ones :-)
 
The payloads vary significantly between makes; and although payload is a serious concern, you also need to consider overall vehicle safety and the basic logistics of travelling two together.

I've had 2 horses comfortably in my Marlborough and I was always very impressed with how it handled, I barely noticed a difference from one horse only in terms of power or performance. And I wouldn't bat an eyelid at loading 2 horses into a Theault, the grade of materials used maximises payload. That said though, I have short horses and stocky ones too, so they aren't going to weigh more than 500kg each and have a low centre of gravity! I've also only travelled two for short trips (max 30 mins only) with limited 'other stuff'; as a Western rider I don't generally contemplate travelling more than one horse - working out where large saddles etc go taxes me quite enough! With most makes you could well be pushed for where to put gear for 2 horses, some are better designed in that respect than others but...

And unless you have help on hand at either end I wouldn't want to be dealing with two horses in a side loading box on a regular basis, generally you've only got a clip strap to 'secure' the 2nd horse in before the ramp goes up, and it can be quite taxing keeping a horse still and straight while you tie it up/secure ramps/undo ramps etc without help.
 
I have a 3.5 t renault master van conversion. I was very sceptical about them but having sold my lorry quicker than I thought, couldn't find another coachbuilt within my budget to replace it.
However I would not swop it for the world now - I have a 1,200 kg payload and the conversion has been done very professionally with all the safety features specifically dseigned for horses. My cobs love travelling in it as it is low loading and gives an incredibly smooth ride. It is econmical in all respects and goes to my local car garage for servicing. It is fab for hunting as can tuck neatly on the side of a road, and even has reversing centres so no problem for manouevoring in packed show grounds etc. Mine has a turbo engine which is great as we live up a steep hill in Shropshire, and makes nothing of it.
The only thing I would say about the van conversions is that I woud not travel a horse above 16hh in it as don't feel that it has enough headroom, although the coachbuilt will often take bigger.
Three Counties Horseboxes in Worcestshire do nice conversions, although I bought mine off a chap who used to work for them and has set up on his own.
 
Just on this point, I travel 2 forward facing (on a larger 5.2t vehicle) on my own all the time with no problems. I have partitions after the ramp, so when the ramp comes down, the partitions are still in place until you want to open them. The ramp is also A LOT less steap than your 7.5t lorries and there is a lot more space in the horse area (I can tack up comfortably).
 
The side loaders should have gates just like any other lorry, I "think" it's illegal not to?Otherwise you risk being squashed by a horse as you let the ramp down!
 
I have a Movano van conversion and I love it! The van conversions prob have a better payload than the coachbuilts but be careful what you buy - I'm sure there are a lot of cowboys out there! Mine basically has a metal cage enclosing the horse area so it should be solid if the worst happens.

Very easy to load/unload a horse on your own. Only needs MOT not plating. Pretty kind on diesel and very easy to park/manoeuvre.

You do have to be careful about weight - but it is amazing what you don't need! Do you really need 50+ litres of water? Multiple rugs? Most competition venues would have a tap somewhere if you ask nicely (even the ones in fields!).

I'd say you could probably get up to a 16.2 in mine, provided it doesn't stand like a giraffe! My 15.2 has plenty of headroom, plus some companies (3 Counties for one) make a higher headroom version.

I ended up getting a new conversion as I was worried about the build quality of secondhand boxes - especially if you look on Ebay there are some real cowboy versions that are basically just a panel van with a ramp installed!

As for the "safety" of the horses, I have seen some pretty hideous incidents in all types of transport, I think if you've got a horse that's going to do something idiotic, it will do it in whatever you travel it in!
 
ive got an Evo II and i love it
id take one biggie no prob as its coach built and has lots of room
i had a weigh bridge cert so i know the payload 1.2t.
i can take 2 lighter neds or one heavier one
id say definately get it weighed.
definately get a mech to check it out if 2nd hand.
definately go for a reliable company
thealt, malborough, evolution, regent, alexanders are few reputable companies.
 
Ive got a 3.5 ton altho its not done much this year but it starts first time even when stood for a while. I really like my little van, its great on fuel too. Although this winter I need to get some welding done on it as there is a bit of rust on it. Ive had got a 16.3 in my box altho not much headroom.

I can recommend Polly from traveltwo as well. Really honest about horseboxes.
 
Luckylocalian said:
I would say be VERY careful who you buy from. Even some of the "better known" names can end up stitching you up. Not to put a downer on it but I have had an absolute nightmare with various companies. The one piece of advice I would 100% give is make sure you get the vehicle inspected properly. Don't just assume that because a decent coachbuild is on the back of it, that the engine etc of the vehicle it's built on is safe and reliable. If I had had that piece of advice I would have saved myself £1000s.

In terms of names, I would recommend Marlborough on the basis that a number of my friends have had them built by them and not had a problem (unlike me going with other companies and being totally ripped off!)

All the best
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Totally agree with this. I bought a new conversion on an 04 plate van. It wasn't coachbuilt, but it was professionally done. The horse area was fine - if you get something which is newly converted, you shouldn't have any worries whatsoever regarding the floor, and to be honest I've known more accidents regarding floors giving way in bigger lorries than in 3.5 tonners.Anyway, getting back to the one I bought - horse area fine - engine kaputt - totally knackered. Dealer exchanged it for me after I found out that it was clocked, but if I'd had a look properly the first time it wouldn't have happened. Someone also mentioned about it feeling unstable with the horse at one side - I also find this, although I think my problem is psychological mainly!! I stand my horse at an angle which seems to stabilise it more, but if you have more than one horse, you really need something bigger than a 3.5t.
 
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