7.5t Wagon

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Whoopit

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HiAll

First off I'm going to apologise for any spelling errors because for some really annoying reason this stupid site doesn't keep up with my typing and links words together or misses out lettrsaltogether!

Has anyone actually gone out and bought a 7.5 tonne wagon and paid for a conversation to be done to it?

How much is a decent conversation, for all the bells and whistles inc horse area for 3 and nice living?

Thanks
 
Be careful, unless you only want to transport 3 ponies, the 'nice living' will have to be very minimal. There was a thread a while ago about someone who thought they had been mis-sold a personalised conversion because when finished there wasn't enough weight left available for the 2x 15.2's that they wanted to carry.
 
I think in hind sight its better to wait and pay for a coach built version

To be fair most of my problems were leaking and the roll on effects, this was due to having a dud GRP box converted (I never got to see it as I bought an unmounted chassis- BIG MISTAKE!)
 
As Pearlsasinger has said, you won't get all the bells and whistles in the living if you want to carry three horses on a 7.5 tonnner. If you go for a ready built one, check out the unladen weight before you part with your money. VOSA are getting pretty hot on pulling lorries over, they're ready to pounce along the Scope route!
 
We bought lorry, had horse part professionally done and then did living area and personal tweaks ourselves. Doing the living ourselves meant we could be really careful as to what weight we put in, used caravan board, aluminium rather than wood, etc. I would say we probably ended up with something we suited ourselves for a few thousand less than could have been bought ready done. Isn't as nice looking as some but very practical particularly re the weight scenario and meant also that was all paid for as went along. Remember also that if getting weight checked you need to look at front and rear axle weight independently as well as overall payload.
 
I have a Tristar 7.5 ton horsebox. The body was built by Tristar, it was not a conversion. The body is alluminium on a steel box section frame. It has 2 under floor storage cupboards/boxes & a Luton. It is stalled for 4 (ponies?). The living will sleep 3/4, it is classed as 'Day Living', it has 2 burner hob & grille, sink, pumped water. wall cupboards both sides. It is very tidy & comfortable. It is not insulated so would be cold to stay in in winter. The unladen weight is 5.6 tons which gives us a 1.9 tons payload. I can carry my 2 16.2h horses in it plus tack etc & we are within weight.

I know of many boxes with 'full living', consisting of full cooker, fridge, shower room, water tanks, tack lockers, generator, awning, cherrywood units etc & these have an ulw of around 6.5 tons & more. When I was looking for a lorry I saw one which was fantastic, it had everything but it only had a payload of 800kg. It was a nice motor home but certainly wasn't a horsebox as you couldn't carry a 16h2" horse, tack, rider, driver etc & stay in weight.

You will always get a better payload from a purpose built horsebox rather than a conversion as they will be lighter. Don't be fooled when seeing a lorry stalled for 3/4 horses, it doesn't mean you can legally carry them. Also decide if you really need all the fancy living? Will you be staying away at shows enough to warrant the expenditure? Most people don't stay away & the full living is really for show rather than actual use.

In short unless you have unusual needs you will find it cheaper to buy one already made than have a lorry converted. :)
 
I had a conversion done about 7 years ago and it cost me nearly 20k but that was only a basic tilt cab with day living, horse area was great though which is what I requested, it weighed 5.3t so just at a push carry 3 horses. I wish I had bought an older coachbuild. My last horsebox had full living, not plush but decent and that weighed in at 6.2tm so 2 horses at a push!!
My advice would be to buy one already done with a weighbridge certificate but bearing in mind to carry 3 you will probably have to sacrifice the bells and whistles full living.
 
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