Ifor Williams HB511

[EQUISCENE]

Hi -Thinking of purchasing a new/nearly HB511, I have read that some of the earlier models (08/09) have had problems and a recall for mould. Just wondering if the initial faults have now been sorted out by IW, so any comments from anyone who has purchased this trailer in the last year or so would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[mon]

had my 506 dec 09 no mould problem only problem with back left top door where i must of caught it on roadside hedge and bent it. pleased with it and in regular use

 

[hunteress]

I love my 511 but you will still get the mould I have to clean my roof regulary to keep it at bay and its a new one !! if I was travelling further afield I would have a equi-trec but I only use mine for hunting also the equi-trec is more expensive and weighs more so your diesel will go from 10 to 0 in no time !!

 

[Javabb94]

Just bought a new 506 (only difference is its smaller) and its lovely !! My horse who is a tricky loader loads fab it's well built and is very easy to use

Ifor dealer said that the problems stopped after august 2008 and no-one j have spoken to has had any problems after this date
Not even the mould but ifor aftercare is fab anyways

 

[xena_wales]

I bought a 511 in May 09 and sold it 3 months later as got a horsebox instead. I didn't get any problems with that one.

However, I recently went to view a 2yo 511, and was horrified - I've copied below what I wrote to a friend about it when I returned:

The front fibreglass panel was all cracked and broken, and that's a huge part, so not replaceable I don't think! There were quite a few dings and scratches on it, it had obviously been well used and by a bad traveller cos there were teeth and hoof marks everywhere and front and rear bars were bent, as was the partition. The floor was all scuffed up and the rubber matting had distorted so didn't lay flat. The metal trim on the side of the rear ramp had been kicked and was all bent out of shape. One of the tyres was completely bald and the others didn't have much tread left! Most of the fittings had gone rusty. The guy couldn't shut the jockey door. The horse had bitten everything within reach at the front so all the paint had come off and the metal had gouges out of it. The partition skirts were ripped. The back edge of the roof had a big crack along the centre of it ("they all do that" apparently). The spare wheel cover was ripped and the top door over the ramp didn't shut properly. Didn't have much going for it really!

Now fair enough, that might have been a really bad example of a well used trailer, but it might give you a few ideas of what to look out for.

 

[Javabb94]

I bought a 511 in May 09 and sold it 3 months later as got a horsebox instead. I didn't get any problems with that one.

However, I recently went to view a 2yo 511, and was horrified - I've copied below what I wrote to a friend about it when I returned:

The front fibreglass panel was all cracked and broken, and that's a huge part, so not replaceable I don't think! There were quite a few dings and scratches on it, it had obviously been well used and by a bad traveller cos there were teeth and hoof marks everywhere and front and rear bars were bent, as was the partition. The floor was all scuffed up and the rubber matting had distorted so didn't lay flat. The metal trim on the side of the rear ramp had been kicked and was all bent out of shape. One of the tyres was completely bald and the others didn't have much tread left! Most of the fittings had gone rusty. The guy couldn't shut the jockey door. The horse had bitten everything within reach at the front so all the paint had come off and the metal had gouges out of it. The partition skirts were ripped. The back edge of the roof had a big crack along the centre of it ("they all do that" apparently). The spare wheel cover was ripped and the top door over the ramp didn't shut properly. Didn't have much going for it really!

Now fair enough, that might have been a really bad example of a well used trailer, but it might give you a few ideas of what to look out for.

this sounds like the owner faults / horse fault - there will be bad examples of every make/model of trailer out there,

sounds to me like the owner let it get into this state, i hear of trailers getting bad name but if people looked after them properly things wouldnt get that bad! im not saying nobody looks after them but there are a minority that dont and thats where some trailers get a bad name.

My Ifor is fab, i have only had it since early january but i clean it after every use, check everything and make sure its working properly and its absolutely fine as I said earlier Ifor corrected the problems after Aug 2008.

Sounds like the owner either had a very stroppy horse! or they didnt look after it properly

 

[xena_wales]

I agree, but worth noting that the fibreglass can crack quite easily and that there's a known problem with the roof splitting - I've heard about the roof splitting from other sources too, and also heard they can start splitting along the side of the roof, not just the centre.

 

[Javabb94]

Our ifor dealer assured us that the problems have ended and been rectified plus they have a super after care service with 1 year warranty

Atleast they can be bothered to rectify them unlike equi trek

I did months of research before buying and I spying buy if they weren't safe

It's like anything , any trailer can crack it's how its used etc and I know if a crack did occur ifor would rectify it straight away but i doubt that will happen

 

[3Beasties]

I have an '09 511, I did have initial problems with mould (as well as a few other little things) but ifor were brilliant, as I don't tow they picked the trailer up from my yard and re-delivered it back once it had been sorted, I think they had it back twice in the early days but *touches wood* it hasn't been back since.

I love mine!

 

[xena_wales]

Our ifor dealer assured us that the problems have ended and been rectified plus they have a super after care service with 1 year warranty

It's like anything , any trailer can crack it's how its used etc and I know if a crack did occur ifor would rectify it straight away but i doubt that will happen

Hopefully. This was being sold by an Ifor main dealer though, and I asked him if the crack would be covered under the warranty and he said no.

I think there may be a weakness in the roof, which is why it's getting to be a known problem that they are splitting down the centre seam. It's not something I've seen on other trailers.