Old Ifor Trailers

Dogstar

Dogstar

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My IW510 must be about 12 years old. It is normally used regularly 1-3 times a week though it hasn't been used recently for about 6 months other than just moving it so it doesn't sieze up. It is kept outside. I have had it serviced every year and always emphasize that I want the wooden floor checked for safety. However I am now wondering whether I should get the floor replaced anyway soon, for maximum safety. Has anyone else looked into this as I don't want to waste money- nor do I want the slightest risk to my horses..any thoughts appreciated thanks
 
We had our floor replaced last year in our 13 year old IW505 as it was showing the first signs of rot. However it was almost certainly as a result of the roof leaking at the vent.

If you have checked & double checked your floor then you shouldn't really have any issues, but I wouldn't want to say don't bother doing it if you know what I mean. i felt happier that we had done ours even if we hadn't have actually needed to.
 
I looked into this last year as i was undecided to buy an older trailer and have the floor replaced or save for a newer one. I spoke to my local blacksmith about it and he can put in a new checker plate aluminium floor for a reasonable price, he told me its an easy enough job to do. The sheet of checker plate itself was about £80 at the time then just his time on top to replace it. Worth asking your local blacksmith and see what he says.
 
Just before the Ali floor became standard on IW trailers, I bought a 4 yr old 505, so probably a 1996 model, not thinking that there would be any problems with the floor. It was all wet when I picked it up but they said they had jet washed it. I took it for its service a few months later for peace of mind really and the dealership said the floor was rotton and also the bottom of the sides. They shown me and I was horrified. You couldnt see it as such but it was damp all down the sides of the floor and a screwdriver went right through it. Apparantly they were recalled that year but obviously mine wasnt!
It was cheaper for me to trade it in rather than replace the floors and sides, which I think they quoted me £600 for. So lovely spanking new trailer with ali floor and my horse then decided it didnt like it! Was fine before. (I did hear of similar stories too) I then sold that and got an older Richardson with a wooden floor
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My IW trailer is over 15yrs old. My Dad put a new ply floor in it when I bought it 5yrs ago. We sealed it both sides with Bitumen black paint.

My trailer leaked for years so it had a tarpaulin inside when it was not in use to catch the drips.

Last summer I sealed the roof joins with some sort of tape which worked a treat for a year but it starting to leak again recently. Because I was worried about the floor Dad and I put another layer of ply on top of the existing one, again, painting it with the special paint.

My Dad said this was 'overkill' because he'd had a proper check of the original floor and it was absolutely fine.

But I told him I want to be able to sleep at night!

The trailer is back with it's tarpaulin sheet in when not in use....and when the world dries out I'll have another go at sealing the roof!
 
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So lovely spanking new trailer with ali floor and my horse then decided it didnt like it! Was fine before. (I did hear of similar stories too)

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Mine was like that - I had a 505 with a wooden floor, then changed it for a newer model with an aluminium floor, and the horse HATED going down my lane in it. To be fair, there were a few potholes and bumps in the lane, so this may have amplified the problem.

It got to the point where I couldn't catch him if he saw I'd hitched the trailer up, so I've got a Renault Master now which is much better over the bumps.

OP - go round your trailer with a ponty screwdriver and have a little dig into the wooden floor and the bottom of the sides - that should tell you if it's rotten. If it's ok, but you want more piece of mind, you can fix some chequerplate over the wood and under the rubber matting for not too much money.
 
Sorry going off the subject but the person I knew had a problem of horse falling down in her new trailer with ali floor, was fine with her wooden floor??? I was told some horses just dont like the 'give' they feel in the ali. She laid plywood over the ali floor under the mats and her horse was fine again.

xena-wales, has you 3.5t got ali floor. My wagon has chequrplate over marine ply and Ive thought of downsizing but the ali floor in the newer 3.5t has put me off in case bratty horse decides he doesnt like it.
 
Well I got my hubby to tow me down the lane with me standing in the horse area in the trailers, and it felt like the aluminium floor was literally flinging me off my feet at some points because the bounces were so harsh, yet the wooden floored trailer didn't feel quite as bad because maybe the wood was absorbing some of the concussion? Plus it may have been partly due to the suspension being stiffer on the new trailer too.

My Master is quite old, 1995 on an M reg, and it has the metal of the van floor, then sealed wood, then rubber matting. I very rarely feel him move at all in that. I was thinking of getting a newer Master, and I didn't realise they have ali floors, so thanks for pointing it out.
 
Thanks for all the comments, they are very interesting. Whenever I have tried to study the floor I haven't been able to as it is coated with rubber/vulcanite or similar on top and underneath. I have heard that aluminium can rot too. I will probably just get a main dealer service and ask for a report on the floor. Many thanks.
 
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