Lorry help...what to do for the best?

[Goldenstar]

I would get a professional lorry mchanic to thoroughly check your vehicle out including the suspension, tracking and tyres. Also get the weight of the vehicle checked out on a weigh bridge to determine what the pay load actually is.

I agree with this , I had a bit of an issue with mine it felt odd, I took to the garage where they eventually found it had a issue with the steering of one of the front wheels whatever was an unusual thing to fail .
I would get it checked out .

 

[catembi]

I have contacted a weighbridge to ask about an appt as their website is completely impenetrable. The lorry is going in for MoT & service two weeks tomo, so I will ask. I always get the tyre pressure checked regularly & up until yesterday, the lorry had driven perfectly. Let's hope that it was just the wind - it was jolly windy, & it handled better on the last bit through the lanes i.e. not on the motorway & with bank & hedge to protect from the wind.

Thank you for all the help and suggestions!

 

[Annagain]

It was VERY windy yesterday. I’m sure that played a part.

 

[Nicnac]

They are built to carry 3.5tons and as long as you don't go over that, they're safe. The horses aren't over the rear wheels, they are between all four.

Should have made it clear that my downsizing won't be to a 3.5t, more around 5t if I can find one so will have double rear wheels.

 

[Chippers1]

I have a 3.5t van conversion, I only carry my 14hh in it as it has a 900kg payload (also i'm tiny and don't take much stuff!) but I was out on Saturday and the winds were really blowing me, it was the first time I was a bit worried driving it and it was the exact feeling like you said, as if you'd hit the wheels. I was on quite an elevated road so the cross winds were pretty bad but I was already out by the time the winds had picked up so I needed to get back! Normally I wouldn't drive it in winds that strong.

 

[Polos Mum]

OP I would (as recommended above) weigh your box but also weigh your horse.
My 14.3 not hugely heavy is 580 kgs on a weighbridge ! Your 17.2 might be a lot more than 650 which would also make a difference.

You can uprate many 3.5 tonne to 3.9 tonne quite easily - but it's a paperwork exercise - it won't make the driving any better so might make you legal but won't fix your problem.

there are 4.5 tonnes around - IMHO i think you'd be unlikely to find a coachbuilt 3.5 tonne with the payload you need - most are closer to 900 kgs. The payload is less because of all the metal to make the bodywork vs. your van style box.

There's a 4.5 tonne for sale locally with nice looking living, cooker, sink etc and that has a 1,100 payload !! which is madness for a 4.5 box. But at least they are being honest when advertising

 

[catembi]

I have found a local weighbridge & it will cost £7 to weigh. You're not allowed to weigh horses on it though, are you...did you weigh yours at the vets, Polos Mum? The late Catembi weighed 690kg (weighed at the vets) & he was a very strapping full-up 17hh of ISH whereas the new chap is mostly high wither, if you see what I mean, which is why I am guessing that he weighs slightly less than Cat.

So the plan for now is to weigh the lorry without a horse in it, then at his vetting on Wed ask the vet for a better estimate of what he weighs & then talk to the mechanic in 2 weeks' time about how it was handling.

Oh dear, if it's not one thing, it's another, isn't it! Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[Polos Mum]

I had an independent nutritionist come to the yard and she had a portable weighing machine. She charged something like £10 for weighing as there was a few of us on the yard. If you're prepared to put up with hard selling the larger feed companies will come out and weigh them on a larger yard then try and sell you their stuff.

It's useful for accurate worming as a one off or as part of weigh mgmt.

I was gobsmacked with what my 14.3 weighed !!

I would ask the weighbridge whether they will weigh loaded as well as unloaded - you never know and you don't need to be too picky about explaining what it's loaded with . Probably two trips rather than take out the horse when your there - but maybe not too tricky if it's local.

 

[AmyMay]

Weigh lorry with horse in it, and then unload and weigh the lorry again.