Good 3.5 ton lorries. 2 horses & sleep 2.

It's quite bizarre to suggest that people who are aware of the weight problems of 3.5 tonne lorries only point them out due to some irrational prejudice against them! I am not a lorry builder, have no lorry to sell and no stake in 3.5 tonne lorries or any other kind of lorry. I have a 5.2 tonne lorry and I am very aware of its payload. I happened to look into replacing it, so I am also aware of current alternatives whether they are 3.5, 7.5 or anything in between. It doesn't take much to become informed about these issues!
 
I think it's all about the living really on 7.5t and also what the box is made of. My 12 year old merc weighs in with all kit apart from saddles and bridles, water, fuel me and dog at 5240kg. On that basis I can carry 3 as gives me 2.3t for horses plus saddles. Bearing in mind my big boy is approx 550kg (16.2hh MW) I allow 600kg for him and 500 for my Arab (generous estimate as last time he went on weighbridge he was 440kg. Still ok for one more decent sized horse. I do think you need to assume any horse over 16hh is liable to be over 500kg tho.... Our old mare was 16.2hh ISH and weighed in at 690!
 
ecrozier said:
I think it's all about the living really on 7.5t and also what the box is made of. My 12 year old merc weighs in with all kit apart from saddles and bridles, water, fuel me and dog at 5240kg. On that basis I can carry 3 as gives me 2.3t for horses plus saddles. Bearing in mind my big boy is approx 550kg (16.2hh MW) I allow 600kg for him and 500 for my Arab (generous estimate as last time he went on weighbridge he was 440kg. Still ok for one more decent sized horse. I do think you need to assume any horse over 16hh is liable to be over 500kg tho.... Our old mare was 16.2hh ISH and weighed in at 690!
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Yes good point about living quarters I think what it boils down to is not that many years ago unless the thing looked realy overweight and was swaying down the road largley the police wernt interested , so the builders just used the cheapest matirials avalible and simple constuction methods, now there is regular inforcement of weight laws a lorry needs to be engineered so its strong and light.sadly there are still mupets building using domestic kichen units and heavy ply for the living I wonder if these rocket sceintists have ever looked a how a caravan is made!!!!, heck the damm things are as big as a whole lorry with a chassis but only weigh about a ton , the average living in a 7.5 ton is say 10ft long but seems to add a huge weight...
 
The introduction of WIMS has made the chances of getting caught overloaded ,much greater . The sensors built into the road weigh every vehicle ,extremely accurately and a computer compares the data with records for that vehicle,(having read the numberplate ). Eventualy they will be proved accurate enough to simply fine you automaticly. At present however, you would be stopped and taken to a weighbridge,in the certain knowlege that you are overloaded.
 
Mine has about a 1350kg, i took up a 14.2 and 15hhs with half a tank of fuel, driver, passenger and tack, now i have a 16.1 tb, and will only be travelling him, unless anyone with a tiny pony wants a lift!

My boss old 7.5 tonner only had a 1100kg payload..

I believe if you were in an accident and found to have been overweight your insurance would be void.
 
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