3.5t conversions

[HopOnTrot]

Has anyone ever had a conversion done on a van they’ve supplied? Husband has said that he would be willing to get a 3.5t if on a Mercedes chassis. They seem to be quite rare so I was thinking of buying a Sprinter and getting it converted. (He’s stuck of having to turn the trailer round as it’s a nightmare to get it on the drive!)

How do you find a reputable company? We’re Midlands/Cotswolds based.

 

[ycbm]

Tell the OH to get over himself My van is on a Fiat Ducato, the most common base for motor homes and it's absolutely fabulous to drive and given no trouble at all in 5 years.
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[HopOnTrot]

I think the phrase is “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”!

 

[ycbm]

In answer to your question then, yes lots of people do it but whatever you do don't give it to Regent.

First you need to decide if you are going for coach built or to keep the van body.
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[bluehorse]

Has anyone ever had a conversion done on a van they’ve supplied? Husband has said that he would be willing to get a 3.5t if on a Mercedes chassis. They seem to be quite rare so I was thinking of buying a Sprinter and getting it converted. (He’s stuck of having to turn the trailer round as it’s a nightmare to get it on the drive!)

How do you find a reputable company? We’re Midlands/Cotswolds based.

Have a look at Travel Two and The Horsebox Workshop, based in Bristol. They are separate businesses but run by a mother and son who work together. They have a really good reputation, I’ve just had a 3.5t coach build done by them. Everything that matters is very safe and sensible, they are affordable but obviously you’re not buying a top range finish . They are now doing the van type conversions too, well with a look. I don’t know if they’ll work on a chassis you source, they sourced mine and to be honest for the hassle it would have been for me to do it it was a much better idea. Polly knows the market and takes her time to find what you want within budget. With the service I got I wouldn’t bother doing it myself.

 

[HopOnTrot]

I want coach built but with two ponies maybe van built will be fine, is there a HUGE price difference?

 

[ycbm]

I want coach built but with two ponies maybe van built will be fine, is there a HUGE price difference?

Oh yes! Many thousands.
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[HopOnTrot]

I can’t see us ever having more than 2x 14.2 max (in many years time) so does this open up the van market? Are they safe?

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Tell your OH to look at the loading height of the sprinter, they are very much more high off the ground and the suspension would need dampers to give a better ride, the ramp would be too steep unless you made one to be much longer than std, but logistically the rear wheel drive sprinters are too high. There is a reason why they, Transits, Dailys and the like are usually pretty unsuitable to be converted.

I have a Movano coachbuilt, my DH has a lwb Sprinter. We are pretty familiar with the 3.5 vehicles and I'd not want a sprinter conversion or coachbuilt. Sorry if that's not what you want to hear OP.

 

[oldie48]

Generally finding the right chassis can be a bit of a pain. I've had 2 Renault Masters and both were fine, cheap to repair and pretty reliable. The first was a strongly made conversion, the second was coach built by John Oates (based in the Midlands, Darlaston). fwiw my daughter has a campervan on a nearly new Mercedes Sprinter, it is more expensive to repair in the Uk but she often takes it to Europe and finds having a German built chassis an advantage but I'm not sure how it would convert to a horsebox. Friend has an absolutely fabulous upgraded box built by John Oates but they will built within the budget you have.

 

[bluehorse]

I want coach built but with two ponies maybe van built will be fine, is there a HUGE price difference?

I don’t know what your budget is but Travel Two are very reasonable whether you’re looking for a coach build or a conversion.

I’m not associated with them the way, but I am a customer.

 

[ycbm]

I can’t see us ever having more than 2x 14.2 max (in many years time) so does this open up the van market? Are they safe?

Yes, they build a strong "cage" inside the thin shell. You just need a converter who knows what they are doing.
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[bluehorse]

Avoid Southwest Horseboxes by the way. Like the plague.

 

[PSD]

Depending on your budget I’d get one readily done. I was going to get a van and conversion but it was going to set me back 20k which was within my budget but for one 13.2 pony and using it maybe twice/three times a month I couldn’t justify it. So I did my research and found one readily done, had it inspected and it was a fraction of the cost. It needed some mechanical work but structurally it was and still is a brilliant box and a bargain find.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

We have had 2 on Peugeot bases and they are great but lack power up hills. One of a Fiat base which is rapido! The first time I drove it I was glad it was empty as I nearly went out the back door with how sharp the clutch and accelerator were. It's settled down now thankfully. My favourite one to drive is the Renault.

Obviously all of ours are coach built. The Equi-Trash is just that - trash (Peugeot base). The Bloomfields is the Fiat and its really well built but the rubber matting bubbled quite quickly. Not sure who made the Renault but I'd say its the best built of the lot. The newest one is an Overlander on a Peugeot base and whilst it's well built and sturdy the ramp is a bit steep as it's higher off the ground and there's less storage space in it.

 

[Red-1]

Mine is a Renault and is FAB. Make sure you get the low chassis, where the horses are low between the wheels, rather then above them, as it gives a much more stable ride. Worth the minor intrusion into the horse area. It also means the ramp is a lot shallower.

 

[MyBoyChe]

I had a 3.5t van conversion of a renault master, absolutely fab little box but be very careful of the payload. If theyre well built and safe you wont have much more than 1000kg to play with and youd be lucky to get 2 x 14.2s on board along with fuel, stuff and driver! Whatever you do, make sure you get a weighbridge cert, or at least take it and have it weighed with you and a decent tank of fuel on board before you commit

 

[Kaylum]

I had a 3.5t van conversion of a renault master, absolutely fab little box but be very careful of the payload. If theyre well built and safe you wont have much more than 1000kg to play with and youd be lucky to get 2 x 14.2s on board along with fuel, stuff and driver! Whatever you do, make sure you get a weighbridge cert, or at least take it and have it weighed with you and a decent tank of fuel on board before you commit

This. Always check the payload. I told my friend who has big horses to get hers checked she never bothered and got pulled on the weighbridge was very over laden got a fine and had to call her friend to get one of the horses home.

 

[NeverSurrender]

I have a 3.5t vauxhall movano Van conversion, it's a great little drive and when taken to a weighbridge with two people, water, fully laden back etc. Still had around 800kg for the horse - perfectly adequate because I don't have enough friends to be carrying two people, and only have a Highland and Shetlands anyway!

The Highland wears a 6'9 rug and fits fine, and head room has never been a problem.

I used to be wary of conversions instead of chassis built but not anymore!

 

[marmalade76]

Tell your OH to look at the loading height of the sprinter, they are very much more high off the ground and the suspension would need dampers to give a better ride, the ramp would be too steep unless you made one to be much longer than std, but logistically the rear wheel drive sprinters are too high. There is a reason why they, Transits, Dailys and the like are usually pretty unsuitable to be converted.

I have a Movano coachbuilt, my DH has a lwb Sprinter. We are pretty familiar with the 3.5 vehicles and I'd not want a sprinter conversion or coachbuilt. Sorry if that's not what you want to hear OP.

My experience of driving a Sprinter is they roll way too much to make a horsebox, like you say, there's a reason they tend to use Renaults, Fiats, etc.

 

[Northern Hare]

Another vote for a Renault Master chassis, I had a 3.5t horsebox built to order on one and it was great, plenty of power and very stable. We've got a motorhome on a fairly new Mercedes Sprinter chassis, which is great for a motorhome, but I agree with comments above that I wouldn't think it was suitable for a horsebox chassis. Btw, if you go for a Fiat or Peugeot chassis, they come in several different BHP's, so I'd recommend looking out for one of the more powerful ones so you've got plenty of power.

 

[gallopingby]

Have a look at Travel Two and The Horsebox Workshop, based in Bristol. They are separate businesses but run by a mother and son who work together. They have a really good reputation, I’ve just had a 3.5t coach build done by them. Everything that matters is very safe and sensible, they are affordable but obviously you’re not buying a top range finish . They are now doing the van type conversions too, well with a look. I don’t know if they’ll work on a chassis you source, they sourced mine and to be honest for the hassle it would have been for me to do it it was a much better idea. Polly knows the market and takes her time to find what you want within budget. With the service I got I wouldn’t bother doing it myself.

Travel Two are absolutely fabulous. Lots of info on their FB / website. You’ll end up with a safe box that will do whatever job you want. I asked her loads of questions before l bought mine and she was always happy to help for a donation to one of her charities.

 

[gallopingby]

My experience of driving a Sprinter is they roll way too much to make a horsebox, like you say, there's a reason they tend to use Renaults, Fiats, etc.

I was told Renault/ Fiat or Vauxhall which are all similar. Mercy are good for over 3.5 but the box sits too high on a conversion.

 

[PeterNatt]

The best Chassis Cab for a 3.5 Ton is the Renault Paster Chassis Pan Cab. Then build the container on that. Body Builders that have a good reputation are Bloomfields, Boss, Marlborough and Oakleigh all of which will source a chassis pan cab for you.

 

[Lady Jane]

The guy who I was using to do my PPI was also advising me. Whether they are 'safe' depends on the build, van conversion and coach build can both be death traps or brilliant. I went for a coach built in the end because most van conversions have less ventilation than a good coach build as cutting into the 'box' to put in windows/vents means it needs additional reinforcement - so puts up the cost. The payload on a van conversion is often higher but whether that matters depends on the size of your ponies. Whatever you buy get it inspected and then you will know for sure

 

[ycbm]

The best Chassis Cab for a 3.5 Ton is the Renault Paster Chassis Pan Cab. Then build the container on that. Body Builders that have a good reputation are Bloomfields, Boss, Marlborough and Oakleigh all of which will source a chassis pan cab for you.

Yet most of the motor homes in the EU are built on a Ducato, which also has a very low floor plan and drives like a car?

 

[The Xmas Furry]

The best Chassis Cab for a 3.5 Ton is the Renault Paster Chassis Pan Cab. Then build the container on that. Body Builders that have a good reputation are Bloomfields, Boss, Marlborough and Oakleigh all of which will source a chassis pan cab for you.

The Vauxhall Movano and the Renault Master are exactly the same, identical cab chassis units, the only difference between them is the engine and the electrics (as I've pointed out to you before Peter).
Peugeot, Citroen, Nissan and Fiat all produce very similar cab chassis units too and front wheel drive, as per the Renault and Vauxhall.

However much of the rear wheel drive 3.5s really are not suitable, Sprinters, V. Crafter, Ford, etc as I mentioned up thread.

Ideally look for at least a 2 litre engine, anything bigger will pull even better. Dodge the smaller engined vans.