Horsebox to trailer?

Paint Me Proud

Paint Me Proud

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I have a lovely 3.5t Renault Master coachbuilt lorry that i adore - however I am currently having cash flow issues.

Is there anyone on here who has gone from lorry to trailer?

Will i regret selling my lorry or will a trailer be just as good?

Thanks
 
No way - would not want to travel mine in a trailer - and what would you tow it with? could end up more expensive in the long run - but i suppose it depends how much travelling you do
 
Paint Me Proud said:
I have a lovely 3.5t Renault Master coachbuilt lorry that i adore - however I am currently having cash flow issues.

Is there anyone on here who has gone from lorry to trailer?

Will i regret selling my lorry or will a trailer be just as good?

Thanks
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We did, had a lovely box about 5 years ago, sold it for money reasons, got the big ifor, it was a struggle to start with but you just do what you have to. If you don't have living, which i'm not sure you may, you will struggle less! Although most of the time we were too busy at shows to sit down!

Saying that, I have recently done my lorry license and bought my own (on a loan!) lorry, and It is a luxury, but, if it came to it, I would still sell it if I had to. Its whats inside that counts! As long as you can get to shows safely, and have a decent long wheel base 4x4 for all the junk you carry, you will be fine!!
 
I have and it is much better. I dont have to worry about whether the lorry will start now and i can go out. I swapped from a 7.5 ton to a new ifor aand isuzu trooper. i love my trooper and we live in the sticks so it is great for getting out.
 
my parents are getting a brand new Free Lander next month that i will be insured upon and they have said i can use that whenever i need for pulling trailer.

I dont travel very much and cant go very far (i'm agoraphobic!) so in the long run i think it will be better.

Made my mind up now - lorry is going.....

So if anyone wants a 3.5t renault master coachbuilt let me know ;)

Thanks for the advice guys xx
 
You will feel much happier when your more financially happy! You'll be able to get a really smart trailer too. Good time to buy one aswell.
 
Paint Me Proud said:
my parents are getting a brand new Free Lander next month that i will be insured upon and they have said i can use that whenever i need for pulling trailer.

I dont travel very much and cant go very far (i'm agoraphobic!) so in the long run i think it will be better.

Made my mind up now - lorry is going.....

So if anyone wants a 3.5t renault master coachbuilt let me know ;)

Thanks for the advice guys xx
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you have to be careful with the freelander as the towing capacity is not too good. I looked cos' I really like them, but it would not tow trailer and my big (18hh) boy, or my smaller 2 together :(:(
 
there is a sticky thread in CR looking at towing and different vehicles/weights/licenses etc is seems to depend on the model of freelander you have, still cant make it meet my requirements :(:(
 
Paint Me Proud said:
my parents are getting a brand new Free Lander next month that i will be insured upon and they have said i can use that whenever i need for pulling trailer.

I dont travel very much and cant go very far (i'm agoraphobic!) so in the long run i think it will be better.

Made my mind up now - lorry is going.....

So if anyone wants a 3.5t renault master coachbuilt let me know ;)

Thanks for the advice guys xx
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better if you could get them to buy something like a discovery, better value with something second hand ? the freelander will be ok ish with one horse but not two .. Oh and have you got a B+E licence if you passed your car test after 1997 you will need to take your towing test... hope that helps.
 
perfect11s said:
better if you could get them to buy something like a discovery, better value with something second hand ? the freelander will be ok ish with one horse but not two .. Oh and have you got a B+E licence if you passed your car test after 1997 you will need to take your towing test... hope that helps.
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They arent buying it - we get a new company car from Ford every 7 months and are having a FreeLander this time - we could choose a Discovery of Defender next time if we fancy.
 
Never had a lorry but I do have a middle aged Trooper and Rice that I nurse along. I do sometimes envy people with lorries because they're supposed to be safer. I'd say selling a nice lorry like you have you could get a very decent towing vehicle and trailer which is a nice position to be in :)

I don't know if it works out cheaper, obviously a bigger vehicle costs more to fuel, tyres, tax etc but I guess equally I only have one vehicle to maintain and tax etc... I get the Trooper full serviced once a year, oil/filters twice a year, get trailer fully serviced once a year, part service and floor checked 2-3 times a year (I'm a bit paranoid because they're older vehicles)

With regard to Freelanders, I know someone who tows with a similar sized Mitsubishi, and another with a Nissan, they seem very confident it's all well for them, but I like to have a bigger vehicle myself
 
Paint Me Proud said:
I am sure that as long as the total gross weight of both car and trailer doesnt exceed 3500kg i dont need to take an additional test.
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Don't make assumptions - its not straightforward and you need to read the info carefully. There have been numerous threads where people make assumptions on towing/weights/licenses and their assumptions are always incorrect!. The good news is that you can tow, legally, with L plates as long as one of your parents is with you (as they will hold a license before 1997).

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/CaravansTrailersCommercialVehicles/DG_10013073

Research the towing capacity on the freelander as well - there is a rough guide that you should not go above 85% capacity of the total LADEN weight that the car can pull - i.e you need to also take into consideration passengers, fuel, general stuff in the car. While the 85% is not a legal requirement, it does demonstrate you are driving with the proper care and attention.

As for swapping - I have a trailer and enjoy the freedom - if money was no object then I would love a lorry, love to not have to hitch up etc and have the living to change into. However against that I would have to put my running/insurance/plating costs and I do really need my 4 x 4. Can't have everything and its good to not have that financial burden. My trailer costs me (exc insurance) around £85 per year for my annual check and service.
 
yeeharider said:
you have to be careful with the freelander as the towing capacity is not too good. I looked cos' I really like them, but it would not tow trailer and my big (18hh) boy, or my smaller 2 together :(:(
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Towing limit of 2000 from the UKtow site I just looked at and as many trailers are about 1000 unladen that only leaves a weight of 1000 which can be loaded into it
 
ROG said:
Towing limit of 2000 from the UKtow site I just looked at and as many trailers are about 1000 unladen that only leaves a weight of 1000 which can be loaded into it
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But that is fully laden and doesn't take the safety margin of 85% into account - which actually only gives you 1.7 fully laden.
 
Luci07 said:
But that is fully laden and doesn't take the safety margin of 85% into account - which actually only gives you 1.7 fully laden.
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Horseboxes are different to caravans where the 85% rules is more relevant

Some newer 4X4s have a towing capacity of 3500 and their unladen weight is about 2000 and their GVW is about 2800 so the 85% rule is thrown out because that is what they are designed to tow

It is for the above reasons that the 85% safety rule is not made into law as it does not account for all situations
 
I have recently gone from a 6.6ton to a Jeep Cherokee and Trailer - to be honest I wish I'd done it years ago. The main reason for moving was having to have an automatic car due to a leg problem. I personally think the horse prefers it, she is much calmer and travels really well - she is a 17.2 Dutch Warmblood and fits into an Ifor Williams 505 with plenty of room
 
Paint Me Proud said:
does that mean i could carry 670kg in the trailer legally on a B license?
I am confused.

I am looking at a 2001 505 Ifor at the moment possibly as part exchange for my lorry.
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From what I can find on the internet - I will assume these weights are correct

Freelander 2 HSE
Unladen 1770
GVW 2480
Towing capacity 2000

IW HB505 trailer
MAM 2340
unladen 905
ILLEGAL on a B licence
To tow a trailer on a B licence with a vehicle that has a GVW of 2480, the trailer must not be plated at more than 1020 kgs

The 3500 limit is made up of the vehicle GVW and the trailer plated MAM added together and not the ACTUAL weights of the towing vehicle and trailer or the GVW of the towing vehicle and the actual weight of the trailer at the time of towing it

For towing legally on a B licence you must answer NO to the following -
1 - does the vehicle GVW and trailer MAM add up to more than 3500?
2 - is the trailer MAM more than the unladen weight of the vehicle?

Using the figures I found neither of those two rules has been complied with because -
The GVW 2480 + MAM 2340 = 4820 which is more than 3500
The MAM 2340 is more than unladen weight of 1770

Does that help with your confusion on towing with a B licence?
 
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