7.5t Horseboxes

Jayzee

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Afternoon,

Thankfully I managed to sell my 3.5t just before lockdown as I need to be able to travel 2 horses within a legal payload. I am now on the lookout for 7.5t but just wondered if anyone could help with things to look out for when looking for 7.5t and any vital questions to ask when enquiring viewing 7.5t?

I am not mechanically knowledgable so when lockdown is released and I have viewed I will have to have a mechanic look over the box, but in the mean time would be good to know what to look out for.

Thanks
 

Jayzee

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Ok thank you.

I am pretty keen on an aluminium floor. Are there any exceptions to this? I enquired about 1 which had a wood floor and ally on top then rubber, does this sound normal?
 

milliepops

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I am pretty keen on an aluminium floor. Are there any exceptions to this? I enquired about 1 which had a wood floor and ally on top then rubber, does this sound normal?
I've come across this before and it was pretty solid, hardwood planks and checkplate on top, then rubber mats.
Aluminium floors still have to be well maintained and installed, they can still corrode particularly if not installed very well as the metal can sort of rot if it comes into contact with steel

Mine doesn't have a tilt cab but OH does the maintenance so it hasn't been an issue (other than him swearing about it). if we replace it I would get a tilt cab tho.

have you thought about what you want inside? I would quickly discount any that have lockers in the horse area, for instance.
 
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Leandy

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I have never had a problem with non-tilting cabs I have to say. You should check payload on a 7.5t also, depending how big your horses are, you may find you are close to the limit, especially with older lorries with lots of living. Give it a decent test drive and check you are happy to drive it. A few are unmanageably heavy to drive in my experience. If you are bothered about length, ask what it is. Some are more compact than others. Check whether everything is actually working in the living eg lights, cooker, fridge, water pump, heater etc etc. It may not matter to you but don't assume they work unless you have tried them. Check service history. Mileage not too important in fact too low is more suspicious than a high mileage. A planked aluminium floor is the ideal but the floor you describe is pretty normal yes. You should get any floor checked as it is not only whether the floor itself is sound but also what it is sitting on. Agree no lockers in the horse area, some horses like to climb on them :eek: and it restricts space in the horse area. Consider the pros and cons of rear v. side ramps. I prefer rear ramp and herringbone formation. Some have side ramps though and either front/rear facing.
 

be positive

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Another saying avoid lockers I really dislike them but that will limit your choices as so many have them, a well balanced ramp you can get up and down on your own is important, some are easy to get up but really hard to pull down, I also wouldn't have a hydraulic ramp unless it had a good override system that was easy to access, having read about a few lorry fires the thought of not being able to get the ramp down would be my worst nightmare, far worse than having a crash.
 

Jayzee

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Thanks MP interesting about floor. I defo don't want tack lockers in horse area as a friends horse has jumped on one before which was a nightmare. I feel without them there is a little more room too. I would like to have full height headroom for a 17.2.

I am not so fussed on living as will just be used as day living but would really like the best horse area that I can afford.

Leandy agree with you I would like to have a rear load and herringbone.

For ramps are there any signs that you can look with regards to its soundness obviously I would like to be able to lift a ramp on my own if possible
 

Goldenstar

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I would never have a hydraulic ramp as well .
Check payload don’t trust you could end in the same situation as you where with your 3.5.
Aluminium floor all the way but they do corrode so you need to check and keep on top of a checking and maintaining everything.
My 7.5 ton lorry had a new metal floor at nine years old I had it from new so I know that’s exactly how long it lasted .
Tack lockers are a pain with a naughty traveller but you will cut down your choice a lot if you getting a used horse box .
 

Honey08

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The thing about tilt cabs over fixed is they’re a lot easier for a mechanic to get at things, so easier to fix, therefore hopefully cheaper labour costs and more possible to fix roadside if broken down. (When we were thinking of getting a box my mechanic husband wouldn’t even consider non tilts).
 

daffy44

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The things I wont compromise on when I buy a 7.5 lorry are:
Tilt cab,
good floor, or a price that allows me to replace the floor,
manual (non hydrolic) ramp I can do alone,
no tack lockers in horse area,
payload that allows me to carry the weight I want,
and a lorry I can drive without retraining as a weight lifter!
 
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