Ford transit 3.5 horse boxes

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dilbert

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Just wondering what peoples experiences of these kind of boxes have been?

I'm looking for a cheaper box mostly to carry my 14hh cob but occasionally him and a friend (similar size) to local events probably 30 miles or so radius. I've seen some boxes with a
Payload of around 1.1kg , my plan if transporting two would be to have a friend follow with tack etc in their car.
 
i would be careful as i would expect the horses to be about 450kg each which would only give you 200kg to get hay, petrol, water and yourself on board. Could be pushing it.

However i have seen plenty of people using the ford transits, friend had one and once done up it was lovely :)
 
I have a really old version!!! Easy to drive, cheap to get fixed, love it! As a person who does everything on my own I find it easy to cope with. Also when the transit gives up you can transfer the box onto a new body! I think they are great, also cheap to run but make sure it is a diesal one!
One downside is a steep ramp!
 
Paint Me Proud said:
i would be careful as i would expect the horses to be about 450kg each which would only give you 200kg to get hay, petrol, water and yourself on board. Could be pushing it.

However i have seen plenty of people using the ford transits, friend had one and once done up it was lovely :)
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I only ever do one horse because of the box part being quite heavy. You can get lighter bodies but i here that they can sway a bit!
 
Hi thanks everyone :)

The boys combined weight is about 800kg on weight tapes and m plan would be to mainly use it for frank and when I travel him and a friend to have someone follow in their car with the extras in.
 
cm2581 said:
Be very sure about that payload. My transit was 2.7 tonnes empty!!!!!
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;) agreed, it's not something I'd trust someone else over, I'd want it weighed MYSELF! But hey, why not make life easier, trust what someone else told you about the payload, rough guess your horses weight, rough guess the weight of your accessories and go endanger you, your horses and everyone else on the road :D:D
*not aimed at you OP but so many people simply can't be arsed to do things properly!*
 
Please don't forgetit isn't just the weight of the ponies but also the people, tack, hay, water, diesel etc. The 3.5 tonners are really only legal for one horse/pony.
 
I have one and love it.
I took it to a weighbridge with the amount of petrol I'd usually have in it and I have 1080Kilos and that includes me in it.
Yes, the ramp is steep but mine go up fine.
The only thing I don't like it that sometimes is weaves around a bit.
 
I brought an r reg one in November and I love it! CheAp to run, mechanically so I believe find a good one as I did and the engines are fab , the horse part had been refurbed on mine, the ramps are steeper than normal but jack never has any trouble! Easy to drive too x
 
I love my old transit she takes me all over and although she only has a 2 ltr petrol engine and is 27yrs ols she starts first time every time and is a great box.
I have travelled 2 ponies in mine with no problems.

I cheated and got mine weighed at work on the weighbridge there just after the bridge was callibrated, I put in all of my usual show stuff, haynets, water, tack , people ect just not the horses so I know what the box weighs without them.

Ask around local companies bet they would let you weigh in.
 
Comparatively cheap to run, good for round the lanes down my way, easy to drive and holds my daughter's 15 hand boy well. The lights are good and strong on ours too compared to some other makes I've seen. We use ours for pony club rallies and local shows and it's great. If we were doing longer journeys regularly I would prefer a 7.5 tonne for power and living but it suits our needs for now. Doesn't have to be diesel - ours is petrol and she runs economically enough. I have never been any good at towing otherwise I may have considered that option but our little lorry cost us about the same as a decent trailer.
 
I had one for 5 yrs. It was a coachbuilt, ie not a chassis with ifor williams container, and was a very smart little lorry.

Good points:

Easy to drive
Cheap to insure
Cheap on diesel

Bad points:

Steep ramp
Limited on weights/heights I could carry
Cab rusted easily
High off the ground so would sway, especially in wind

I am now have a reanult master conversion which the horses much prefer.
 
We had a gorgeous one, but it was high off the ground and didn't have power steering.
The living was really lovely, used it for pony club stuff
We only ever took one pony or small horse in it.
Sold it in spring time last year after buying a bigger horse.
 
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