Lorry Chassis?

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barneyhunter

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Im now downgrading from my lovely 7.5t lorry, as it is a bit of a monster truck to take around our little lanes and I tend to do short trips but if I had something smaller it would get used more often. Discounted a trailer because of tow vehicle and most 3.5t dont seem to have enough payload to get my 2 very large horses in and be legal.

So peeps - if I was buying a 4 - 6.5 tonne what is the best chassis for giving the horses a good smooth ride yet being reliable as well? I would then ask a pro to build me something suitable or find something second hand, but want to narrow down my search as the horses are my 1st priority.

I want a small changing area (separate from the horses so Im not covered in hay) so I think I will need a LWB. I think to be safe I will need 1600 payload so horses, tack, OH and I can be legal.

Thank you
 
Thanks ROG but yes we have looked at the trailer option.

Both OH and I have company cars that are too small to tow and the only trailers that have a changing area (sorry but having had lorries for the last 25yrs im not ready to camp out of the back of a car) are the Equi-trek. with 2 huge horses we would need a Disco or similar to tow 3.5t legally and the reputation of Equitreks on here is somewhat low. With the combined cost of 4 x 4 and large trailer it would be almost the same as a lorry and I just feel a lorry will be much more convenient (for me).

Who knows we might come back to a trailer option but for the time being Im set on a lorry, thank you
 
barneyhunter said:
Thanks ROG but yes we have looked at the trailer option.

Both OH and I have company cars that are too small to tow and the only trailers that have a changing area (sorry but having had lorries for the last 25yrs im not ready to camp out of the back of a car) are the Equi-trek. with 2 huge horses we would need a Disco or similar to tow 3.5t legally and the reputation of Equitreks on here is somewhat low. With the combined cost of 4 x 4 and large trailer it would be almost the same as a lorry and I just feel a lorry will be much more convenient (for me).

Who knows we might come back to a trailer option but for the time being Im set on a lorry, thank you
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I was thinking along the lines of a camper type towing vehicle + trailer
 
If you are planning to take two large horses, then I would strongly recommend that you look for a short wheelbase 7.5 tonne lorry, rather than one with a lower GVW.

They do exist, and especially if you're going to have a body built to your specs, you can make sure that the weight is maximised by using lightweight materials for the living.

Many 5 - 6 tonne lorries are as long as a shorter 7.5 anyway - so you may as well maximise your potential payload by getting the higher GVW chassis.

Horse box builders should be able to advise of which are the best chassis to get, but DAFS are generally believed to be at the lighter end of the market and Merc at the heavier.
 
I used to have a 5 tonne Ford Iveco which was stalled for two with a grooms area for tack with a seat in it. Had a really small turning circle and was a lovely easy drive. I only really used to travel one horse at a time but we did have it weighed when I was selling it and it had loads of payload for two horses plus tack people etc.
 
humblepie said:
I used to have a 5 tonne Ford Iveco which was stalled for two with a grooms area for tack with a seat in it. Had a really small turning circle and was a lovely easy drive. I only really used to travel one horse at a time but we did have it weighed when I was selling it and it had loads of payload for two horses plus tack people etc.
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Thanks Humblepie, I was thinking an Iveco but wasnt sure if they were bouncy as I want a nice smooth ride.

The other reason for down sizing is that I'm fed up with my 7.5t being so high that I have to plan all my routes like an HGV driver as its 14' 3" high, I never knew there were so many low bridges.
 
Looking for something like this?
http://www.farmersguardian.com/Classifieds/ClassifiedsAd.aspx?adcode=531333
Ford%20iveco.jpg

Or this....
http://www.adtrader.co.uk/east-of-e...ne-horsebox-1999/686146_187?keywords=horsebox
 
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Sagittarius said:
If you are planning to take two large horses, then I would strongly recommend that you look for a short wheelbase 7.5 tonne lorry, rather than one with a lower GVW.

They do exist, and especially if you're going to have a body built to your specs, you can make sure that the weight is maximised by using lightweight materials for the living.

Many 5 - 6 tonne lorries are as long as a shorter 7.5 anyway - so you may as well maximise your potential payload by getting the higher GVW chassis.

Horse box builders should be able to advise of which are the best chassis to get, but DAFS are generally believed to be at the lighter end of the market and Merc at the heavier.
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yes this is true daf 45 is a small 7.5 and man do a short chasis
 
barneyhunter said:
Im now downgrading from my lovely 7.5t lorry, as it is a bit of a monster truck to take around our little lanes and I tend to do short trips but if I had something smaller it would get used more often. Discounted a trailer because of tow vehicle and most 3.5t dont seem to have enough payload to get my 2 very large horses in and be legal.

So peeps - if I was buying a 4 - 6.5 tonne what is the best chassis for giving the horses a good smooth ride yet being reliable as well? I would then ask a pro to build me something suitable or find something second hand, but want to narrow down my search as the horses are my 1st priority.

I want a small changing area (separate from the horses so Im not covered in hay) so I think I will need a LWB. I think to be safe I will need 1600 payload so horses, tack, OH and I can be legal.

Thank you
Click to expand...
The most popular one seems to be the iveco 65c daily type which is like a big van with the engine at the front so has a bonnet they are a bit narrower than a 7.5 ton so most are stalled for two with a side ramp and tend to have about a 16 to 18 foot body and about 7ft6" wide traveling hight would be about 10 ft maybe , the other one that is less common but simalar is the renault mascot they are both genraly rated at 6.5 tons and are quite light so give a very good payload....
 
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ROG said:
http://www.crusadervans.co.uk/iveco-daily-35c15-e4--3950-hr-model.htm
A basic van that a camper is probably based on somewhere
GVW = 3500 GTW = 7000 so can tow a fully laden 3500 trailer - wow!!
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I think the renault master would be beter as a towing camper than the iveco which has a big overhang behind the rear wheels as idealy you want the tow point as close to the axle as possible.. and the renault has good low flat floor and the axle right at the back even on the long wheelbase model...
 
Two comments:-

If you have a box built then you can have the length shortened - I would probably have a smaller living than affect the horse area and the other one is at 14 ft plus your box sounds increadibly high - so no wonder your having problems with bridges.
 
My 5 tonne had a bonnet at the front but was arranged so that there was a rear ramp and the horses travelled herringbone. The groom area was large enough for me to sleep in though the only fitted item was a seat with a box under it, so fairly primative. Horses seemed to travel really well - at least they never complained and you get a good mpg.
 
Gingerwitch said:
Two comments:-

If you have a box built then you can have the length shortened - I would probably have a smaller living than affect the horse area and the other one is at 14 ft plus your box sounds increadibly high - so no wonder your having problems with bridges.
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yes 14ft sounds tall for a 7.5 ton mine is a shade under 12ft has 8ft headroom in the horse area maybe the other posters lorry is down plated and has the bigger wheels than a normal 7.5 ton,, most 18 tonners are about 14/15 ft however maybe thats what they have.
 
Jane_Lou said:
I always fancied a Trophy Twin, a friend has one and loves it to bits

http://www.phhb.co.uk/trophy.htm

Depending on chassis you get a massive payload and they are neat little lorries to drive.
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I would love one of these as they seem to tick all the boxes - might need to try to find one that is a couple of years old as my budget wont streetch to a new one (particularly when you add on the VAT)
 
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