Ifor Williams 511 LH or RH unload?

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countryfun

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After much deliberation I have decided to buy an Ifor Williams 511 but as I am buying it brand new from the dealer I have the option to choose LH or RH unload. When the IW first became popular I hated the RH unload but having hired a few and borrowed a friends (all RH unload) I've kind of got used to it. Now I have to make a choice I'm really undecided! Anyone had any experience of a LH unload IW and what do you think of it?
 
I am not horsey but as an experienced LGV delivery driver and an advanced driver/trainer I would say that LH has to be safer

We normally park on the left in the UK so it makes sense to unload on the safer left side away from any traffic
 
Agree partly with Rog, I have a 510 RH unload and my old Rice trailers were LH. Prefered the left hand as you can unload away from traffic if necessary.

However the other side of the argument is that if you brake down and pull into the side on some roads you wouldn't be able to get the ramp down at all.

Other than that I would prefer the LH as our big warmblood has trouble turning and getting straight for the ramp. She is better travelling on the opposite side to the ramp (if you get my meaning) so she has more room to get off. Unfortunately with a RH ramp you cant do this as horses travelling alone must go in the right hand side.

If you always travel two it doesn't matter.
 
I would choose left unload for same reason, the larger horse goes in the right side but it's a tight turn out to the right. I have to swing back the front half of the partition even to get my 14.3hh Arab out easily.
 
LH for me - I have a Bateson with a LH unload.

I did have to be relayed home the other day, and had to unload the horses, couldn't get the front ramp down, so had to back them off - still slightly safer than going RH into the other side of the road.
 
Only in extreme circumstances would I unload out of the front, it's all too easy for the nag to jump out whereas rear unloading makes them think about it. So I've got a LH ramp.
 
rockysmum said:
Agree partly with Rog, I have a 510 RH unload and my old Rice trailers were LH. Prefered the left hand as you can unload away from traffic if necessary.

However the other side of the argument is that if you brake down and pull into the side on some roads you wouldn't be able to get the ramp down at all.

Other than that I would prefer the LH as our big warmblood has trouble turning and getting straight for the ramp. She is better travelling on the opposite side to the ramp (if you get my meaning) so she has more room to get off. Unfortunately with a RH ramp you cant do this as horses travelling alone must go in the right hand side.

If you always travel two it doesn't matter.
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^^^ this exactly. I would go for LH if I had the choice.
 
horsemadmum1 said:
I would choose left unload for same reason, the larger horse goes in the right side but it's a tight turn out to the right. I have to swing back the front half of the partition even to get my 14.3hh Arab out easily.
Click to expand...

This! I got a new ifor purely because I could choose to have LH unload, makes things much easier when unloading the larger horse.
 
Thank you again for all your comments - I have ordered a LH unload IW trailer today and am so excited!! I am confident it was the right decision to order a LH unload. It's unusual to have the choice!!
 
How long was order time? Thinking of upgrading from 506 to 511 as now carry two large 16.1/16.3 horses thanks
 
Hi, I think it's normally about a month but there was a fire in the factory in Wales so it delayed it it for about another 6 frustrating weeks!

I've got the LH front unload 511 and I have no regrets getting a LH rather than a RH unload. There's definitely more room for the bigger horse which travels on the right to come out to the left - it stops him catching his right hip on the way out which sometimes happens in a LH unload.
 
Obviously its too late for OP, but look at which way your towing car's back door opens too. Our discovery opens to the right, so you get in it from the left, and our 510 ramp is to the right, and it would be so much easier to nip down the ramp for things if it opened the same side! The right hand ramp is about the only thing I don't like about our 510!
 
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