Heavy or Lightweight Trailers?

taranana

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Firstly, apologies if this has been covered before but my searches so far haven't helped ...

I've finally got my little 4x4 towing vehicle which can take 2000kgs, horse is just under 600 and I'm unlikely to take another, certainly in the early days, and I have B&E.

I was looking for an Ifor 505 but finding one within budget (£2000 ish) in a reasonable radius of home isn't happening and there seem to be a lot of Rices around for reasonable money, varying models and weights.

SO, to get to the point, as a first time tower, which is easiest to tow and manoeuvre - a heavier or lighter trailer?

Any pearls of wisdom gratefully received
 
I just bought my 1st trailer (don't drive yet but will start taking my lessons again soon! :D ) and everyone kept going on about how I don't want a Rice as they are heavy, etc, etc but I found out from Rice that my model of trailer (the Farmer's Hunt model from 1970) is actually has a lighter unladen weight than an Ifor 505!

My Rice FH trailer has an unladen weight of 796kgs compared to the 905kgs of a 505:
http://www.horsetrailersales.co.uk/NewIforHB505.htm

Our 2 litre diesel Picasso could actually tow it in a pinch (with one horse, mine only weighs 450kgs on a fat day) as the combined weight of trailer and horse is well under the towing weight that our car can handle and your 4x4 has a higher towing weight than our normal car!

I would definitely go for a Rice as they seem like well built trailers. mine is 42 years old and is still in good nick. You can always ring Rice to see what the weights are of a potential trailer if you are not sure. I'm looking forward to the day I actually get to tow mine!
 
SO, to get to the point, as a first time tower, which is easiest to tow and manoeuvre - a heavier or lighter trailer?
A lighter one is easier to 'man'handle

A heavier one will be more stable in the wind and hold the road better when empty than a lighter one

Heavier trailers have less bounce
 
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