Could you lovely people please help me settle a friends mind? (3.5T+ 2x horses)

[EquestrianFairy]

Just looking for some words of wisdom.

We are buying a 3.5T transit horsebox with Ivor back.
The unladen weight is just under 2ton (1900kg)

We would be carrying two horses:

One 15hh LW CobxArab (around 440kg)
One 15h.2hh LW CobX Arab. (around 470kg)

Also, two sets of tack and two people- it has no living etc.

To my workings out this would be within the maximum payload at around 2810kg and still have spare left for tack and two people?

Any help would be great, thanks.

 

[*hic*]

Have you seen the weighbridge certificate? Have you confirmed EXACTLY what was on board in the way of fuel, driver, partition, rubber matting etc?

 

[Ranyhyn]

When you go to see it, take water, tack., haynets, grooming kit, people who'd be in it and the equivalent of a full tank of diesel with you (someone here will be able to tell you what that weighs)
The take the lorry to a weighbridge and see how much payload you have left. I think that's the only way to get an idea.
However I would always want half a tonne's tolerance - I would never dream of loading a wagon to the absolute hilt, it's just too dangerous for my liking.

 

[EquestrianFairy]

Have you seen the weighbridge certificate? Have you confirmed EXACTLY what was on board in the way of fuel, driver, partition, rubber matting etc?

Yes, that was the weight with no driver and under 1/4 tank of fuel- all partitions left in etc.

 

[*hic*]

In that case you should be fine - but the only real way to find out is to load it up and take it to a weighbridge.

 

[luckilotti]

I have 2 transit boxes and i am pretty unsure how legal you woud be with that combination. HOWEVER from memory, the ifor backs are lighterweight than some others - depending on the age of the box (may be an older box on a newer chassis)

Dont forget - at times you will also have a full tank of fuel adding to the weight.

I think you really do need to get it to a weightbridge to check before you buy.

 

[FleabittenT]

Another thing to bear in mind - have the horses being weighed on a bridge, or with a tape?

The discrepancy can be huge, might just be an issue if you're already towards the top end of the payload...

 

[EquestrianFairy]

I have 2 transit boxes and i am pretty unsure how legal you woud be with that combination. HOWEVER from memory, the ifor backs are lighterweight than some others - depending on the age of the box (may be an older box on a newer chassis)

Dont forget - at times you will also have a full tank of fuel adding to the weight.

I think you really do need to get it to a weightbridge to check before you buy.

It is the box with the aliminum floor not the wooden floor, although age-wise i am unsure whether the chassis or box may be older than one another. The chassis is 1996?

Fleabitten T- with a tape (by the vet as i havent a clue how to use them!)

Im wondering if its worth leaving tack out of the lorry, we always have a chaufer (sp?) that comes in a seperate car to shows with us in the shape of my mum!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Remember fuel weighs about a kilo per litre.
Tanks on a vehicle that size hold from 60 - 80 litres, depending on spec.

 

[MiCsarah]

I always thought you were too heavy with 2 in those types of boxes,but could be wrong

 

[Ranyhyn]

Whatever you do re:weights and juggling loads - I would always take it to a weighbridge to be 100% sure.
Vosa and traffic police are pretty clued up nowerdays and it's a nice easy fine and one of your horses stuck at a weighbridge somewhere if you are ever overloaded.
Not to mention the other horror of overloading

 

[custard]

I used to have one of these, Ifor container on a Transit chassis and when that died had the container transferred to a Merc' Sprinter. Although the container weighs around 1000kg (last time I checked) and the kerb weight of the chassis is about 1200kg, to use up the whole payload isn't a good idea. It was a great little box for my 15.1hh TB but on the odd occasion I took another small-framed horse in it, I really wasn't happy, the whole set up is rather top heavy.

I think you are being very economical with the weight of your two horses to be honest. My 15hh (fine) Arab mare weighed 480Kg on a bridge and she was never overweight either.

 

[custard]

Whatever you do re:weights and juggling loads - I would always take it to a weighbridge to be 100% sure.
Vosa and traffic police are pretty clued up nowerdays and it's a nice easy fine and one of your horses stuck at a weighbridge somewhere if you are ever overloaded.
Not to mention the other horror of overloading

Speaking as a traffic bobby, that's rubbish (the nice easy fine part). Overweight vehicles compromise everybody's safety.

 

[Ranyhyn]

Is it not a nice easy fine then? What is the penalty for being overweight?

Please refer to the last part of my post "Not to mention the other horrors of overloading" which refers to the safety aspect!! I'm well aware of the compromise on safety re: weights, which is why we have the best towing vehicle we can afford and the best trailer and only travel my horse alone in it

 

[EquestrianFairy]

I think you are being very economical with the weight of your two horses to be honest. My 15hh (fine) Arab mare weighed 480Kg on a bridge and she was never overweight either.

Or rather my vet is (He weighed them not me) although i had set aside around 500kg for each when looking at the lorry originally.

Weighbridge it is then!

 

[custard]

Is it not a nice easy fine then? What is the penalty for being overweight?

Depends on how overloaded. Small percentage will warrant 'advice' rather than a fine or just dividing a load between vehicles which is awkward if you have livestock on board, so don't push your luck. Can't speak for VOSA as their parameters vary but the guys (and girls) I've worked with are completely professional.

 

[Gingerwitch]

Would you really want to be running round half full of diesel most of the time - I for one would not.

Take it to a weighbridge - get you nett weight - with a full tank of diesel.

Then get your kerbside weight - nett weight, plus full tank of diesel, plus all your kit, hay, beer, water. get it printed out.

Then put your one pony on and get a weight bridge cert
Then swop and put tother pony on and get a weigh bridge cert.


Now please bear in mind VOSA are now "self finacing" - so will be looking to do as many folks as possibe for as much money as possible

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

i think you will have to allow another 200kg for the horses as they have only been measured not weighed. weigh tapes are usually 100 to 150 kgs short!!!! you could get someone from top spec to come out with a weigh bridge (free if you can get 10 together and their feeds and balancers are good too!! i think once you have lorry plus 2 neds, clobber, 2 people water hay and disel you will be over the limit!

 

[Jnhuk]

Another thing to bear in mind - have the horses being weighed on a bridge, or with a tape?

The discrepancy can be huge, might just be an issue if you're already towards the top end of the payload...

Agree with above VERY strongly, both my horses were under by weigh tape when compared to weighbridge - one by 148kg and the other by 60kg!!!!

3.5 tonne horsebox with unladen weight of 1900kg (when you had no people and less than quarter tank of fuel) so you have payload of approx 1400kg (leaving a safety margin as not good to load up to 100% of the payload) - cannot understand where you get the payload figure of 2810kg?

You would be carrying two horses: estimated 910kg
Two humans: estimated at approx 120kg
1l fuel/water approx 1kg per litre so lets estimate at 20-40kg water & 80-100kg fuel dependent on the size of your fuel tank so lets be pessimistic and say 140kg

910 + 120 + 100 or 140 = 1130kg to 1170kg

so leaving a small safety margin that would leave you 200kg for tack and other bits and pieces presuming that the approx weights above are correct. Please always overestimate weights or get accurate measurements to work out the measurements correctly. I suspect when you get horse weights more accurately, your spare kg may disappear.

Please be aware that unscrupulous horsebox dealers/folks will deliberately get weighbridge figures when horsebox stripped to bare minimum with no water or very little fuel in tank. Be very wary and insist on re weighing if you in doubt. Do not believe what folks who are trying to sell you the horsebox to tell you the truth!

Useful site with FAQ

http://www.horseboxregs.co.uk/faqs

 

[cm2581]

I had a transit and I'm.sorry to say there is no way that weight is correct. I suspect it is the weight without the ifor box on the truck. Transits are very heavy. Sorry!

 

[claireandnadia]

My ford transit horse box had the wooden floor replaced and had roll on rubber put down to save on weight. The shell is aluminium. With about £20 of petrol in I took it to the weighbridge and I can carry 1080 with is including me in.
I only put enough petrol in for my journey and only go local anyway. I carry my mare which is approx 550 kilos, my tack, small amount of water and hay.

 

[lauraandjack]

Slightly off-topic but why are peeps obsessed with having a FULL tank of fuel all the time? If you are only travelling locally there really is no need, it is just adding to the weight and means there is more for someone to drill into your tank and steal!

Even if you suddenly have to take a horse to the vets in the middle of the night there can't be many of us that wouldn't pass a 24 hr garage at some point in the journey!

 

[Holly Hocks]

Slightly off-topic but why are peeps obsessed with having a FULL tank of fuel all the time? If you are only travelling locally there really is no need, it is just adding to the weight and means there is more for someone to drill into your tank and steal!

Even if you suddenly have to take a horse to the vets in the middle of the night there can't be many of us that wouldn't pass a 24 hr garage at some point in the journey!

I agree - I never carry a full tank of fuel - only ever about half - unless I am going on a long journey.
OP I really wouldn't get an ifor on the back of a transit base - they are notoriously unsteady as they are top heavy - you would be better with a Renault Master/Vauxhall Movano van type - their payload is usually somewhere between 1000kg and 1200kg - but you will still struggle to take two horses in it as well as kit and people. If you get a transit and fully load it you will regret it. Whereas if the level of travel is lower and you fully load it (although personally I would not do this) it isn't as unsteady. Good luck with whatever you decide to buy.

 

[superted1989]

I have a very similar little truck, except it's on a Daf.
According to the weighbridge, I have 1.2t to play with (weighed with all matting and partitions, .25 tank only). Twice I have travelled a small pony with a lightweight 15.2 and the box has felt heavy. I don't think using the maximum capacity would do the box any good. Also, a static weight is very different to a moving weight, these trucks do rock and roll a bit!
I travel Markie solo, with no partition (full width breast bar), and it's fabulous!