Horse box viewing advice required

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cyberhorse

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Needing some advice to compile my check list for viewings. We will be looking at 7.5t boxes over the next few weeks to see if there is anything out there suitable and within budget. Not a huge amount to spend so at risk of running into some "rot boxes". Help and advice much appreciated from those who have experience buying and owning of what is most important and what features to attach a greater value to (e.g. Construction materials). Many thanks, and a virtual glass of wine!
 
Am sure you will get lots of replies but would suggest as important to check the weight as to what it can legally carry (ask for a weigh bridge certificate of lorry loaded with water, fuel etc), get a good mechanic to check it out for you, ask about its service history, what it has had done to it and other than that really down to personal requirements. You will get lots of people (me included) saying must still have the tilt cab facility for ease of access for servicing/repairs but others who say not an issue. On the personal requirements front I don't like lockers in the horse area, rather have them in the living but as I say that is personal taste as will be many things.
 
tilt cab is really important, yes some will say mine is ok and mechanic is fine with it etc, but repairs are harder and more time consuming so cost a lot more!

Weight and payload etc

Just some simple bits as I don't know much

make sure cab isn't too rusty, especially floor

obviously floor, ramp, size, height. is it light and airy, inviting for horse. Not dark when ramp closed

Check behind/inside cupboards up corners etc aren't damp/wet as my friends cost a fortune as it leaked badly and the inner lining was all rotten
 
As above re weights and mechanic (if they tell you they don't have a weight certificate, they are fibbing! They all get weighed now when inspected).

If you can go under the vehicle to check the floor is not rotten. Check the ramp is sturdy but that you can still lift it in place. Measure the horse area to be 100% certain your horses will fit comfortably in there.
 
a few things I learnt:

Get underneath and push a key or screwdriver into the floor to check for rot.
Look at the tyres for uneven wear - more worn on the inside could show the kingpins going.
Look for MOT failing rust, eg near seatbelts etc.
Drive it and feel how much clutch you have.
Make sure you can work the ramp on your own.
 
Thanks, some great tips there which are helping. I have now viewed one this weekend, main issue is the damp we spotted in the roof at the back. The internal ceiling is bowed and one of the vent fittings is rusty whereas the other vent at the other end of the horse are was A1. If it was a caravan my gut feeling would be water ingress damage. OH thinks it is a current issue and the problem will be at the seam between the roof and back wall. Would still buy if cheap enough but it is on a Ford Cargo cab which from reading the other thread on here I am rapidly going off due to parts availability.

This leads me to my next question if I am getting something for way under our available budget should I consider assessing on the basis of the box and look at the cab as a freebie to be scrapped when something goes and it can't be fixed? A lorry mechanic we chatted to said it was not as complicated as you might think to move them and he would go for a good box on an old chassis and save the rest of the budget to buy a newer cab later, rather than giving someone money for a newer but equally obsolete cab. Obviously there are costs involved with cutting through, lutons and resprays etc. Would this be a sensible enough approach? or is it always best to buy and consider as a "complete item".

I have another to view later in the week on a Volvo FL4, would I be looking at the same issues with parts?
 
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