Ford Transit Boxes.. Yay or Nay?

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EquestrianFairy

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Do people recommend these?

There seem to be alot about and within my price range but im skeptical of the fact they are quite high off the ground.. anyone have any good things or bad things to say about them?

(The one in question is a back loading, side off loading one)

Thanks
 
I didn't really like any of the 3 I've driven, although I think the newest one was an L reg and newer ones might be better. I found them really unstable giving the horse a poor ride. My friend spent a few hundred quid upgrading the suspension on hers and it was much better. I much preferred both the renault master and the leyland daf that I had.
 
I had one as my first lorry and it got the two ponies out and about quite happily. It was a little more "rolly" than I'd have liked but I tested it out on some horrendous inclines and it wasn't unsafe, just felt scary. Same inclines in my current professionally coachbuilt by well-respected company 7.5 tonner are also scary.

It all depends on what you can afford and what you are prepared to put up with. Mine was easy to drive, cheap to run, well built, fitted both ponies in and was very reliable. It didn't look pretty, it had a steep ramp and the ponies had to reverse out. I never had any form of problem with the ponies either loading or unloading. I personally found that my ponies travelled far better in it than in the modern expensive Theault that I hired.

I wouldn't write off having another one - especially if I had ponies. My current 16.3 and 16.2 wouldn't fit.

Just read the post above to edited to add. My Transit had been a horsebox from new and had upgraded suspension, double wheels etc - but then new she'd have been an expensive model for her time.
 
I had one of those as my first box many years ago. It had an Ifor Williams container on top. The ramp was steep and side ramp to come off narrow. However I drove it for 8 years. It started every time and never ever broke down.
 
i have a 1996 one with Ifor Williams box - takes 2 14.3 comfortable but like Divamums says side ramp is steep and narrow but with good loaders i have never had any problems, its very reliable and cheap to run and parts are cheap and easy to get
 
I am currently borrowing a friends. They actually travel herringbone so Zoom (14.3) is the maximum size it fits. The ramp is fairly steep but Zoom is a great loader. It does the job fine.

However, I preferred our old Renault master since the transit has a luton and I hate driving it in the wind. The Renault was much more stable.
 
Had one as my first horsebox - was an E, then had re-chassied to an R due to rust. Dont buy an old one, theyre rustbuckets - the cabs and the chassis just rot.

extremely cheap to drive maintain/etc. mine was herringbone and my horse travelled fine in it. rampm a bit steep but can be mitigated with rubbers on the end, then its just the same as a normal 7.5 cargo.

Once it was an R it didnt move around at all when driving and was quite smooth for my horse. no higher than a 7..5 ton really.

Just watch out for cheap conversions and make sure you check he floor as the fibreglass goofs can leak.

Also herringbone will fit smaller, so go for a sideload if you can as will fit up to 16h maybe even bigger.

Dont deserve a lot of the flack they get, the newer ones anyway.
 
jemima_too said:
I had one as my first lorry and it got the two ponies out and about quite happily. It was a little more "rolly" than I'd have liked but I tested it out on some horrendous inclines and it wasn't unsafe, just felt scary. Same inclines in my current professionally coachbuilt by well-respected company 7.5 tonner are also scary.

It all depends on what you can afford and what you are prepared to put up with. Mine was easy to drive, cheap to run, well built, fitted both ponies in and was very reliable. It didn't look pretty, it had a steep ramp and the ponies had to reverse out. I never had any form of problem with the ponies either loading or unloading. I personally found that my ponies travelled far better in it than in the modern expensive Theault that I hired.
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My first one was exactly as you describe. It was one of the first Ifor Williams horsebox crates.... very high on chassis.

Main problem I had with it was that I couldn't do the ramp up on my own, unless we were parked downhill!! Had gates put on front and back ramps so no one could fall off the steep sides!


2nd Transit was a conversion.... by my cousin.... He made that herringbone. Ramp relatively shallow. Had it for 5yrs and went all over the place in it and loved it. Built to take my 14.2hh in, and her Shetland mate.

Was the most reliable vehicle, though like all the Ford Motors I have had, it was a chore to keep on top of the rusting bodywork.
 
I was at a show a few weeks ago & I watched a transit box arrive with a horse in it. It turned a couple of corners looking for somewhere to park & to be honest it looked ready to topple over. The box had a very high centre of gravity. Both on & off ramps were very steep & neither had any ramp fence...it was scarey seeing the unloading. It was also scarey seeing it manoevre. I wouldn't have one. :(
 
We have one and although its okaaaaayyy Im not sure I would buy one again!

They are quite high off the ground and sway quite a bit especially when loading and unloading which really un-nerved me to begin with and if you have a not so keep loader it deffinately makes it worse going on the lorry with the swaying. I wouldn't drive it out if it was windy for fear of it tipping over :L But saying that it does the job.
 
I read a post on here not so long ago about someone driving away from a show and seeing an Ifor box lying on the ground having toppled off a transit going round a roundabout. Of course I'm sure safety wise that a lot depends on the quality of the build etc BUT with such a high centre of gravity odds really are stacked against you, I wouldn't have one.
 
If you're looking to get a 3.5t box conversion, I would get a Renault Master/Vauxhall Movano. They are really close to the ground, so although they have quite a lot of road noise when you are driving them, the horses get a good ride. Someone did put on here recently that it is only the Renaults and Vauxhalls (same vehicle really - different badge) which have a strong enough chassis to carry the weight, so I would always stick with them.
 
Here's the low down.
I have a brand new Ifor Williams body on a LDV flat bed and it's fantastic. Bearing in mind I live in West Wales so long journeys, **** roads, lots of bends and mountains, when it does get going on the flat I can do 50mph very easily with a 15'2 horse on board. Not high off the ground at all, ramps not steep, easy to drive and easy on the wallet.
I love my Ifor Williams.
 
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