Sick to death of my horsebox, swap to big trailer?

The other thing to remember about those American/North American (Tarrsteps ;)) goose-neck trailers that tow with a pick up is that all the engine weight in a pick up is at the front. My old Canadian friend said she had seen a couple of pickup/trailer combos jack-knife in the middle if the trailer is loaded at the back.

If you want to have a whizz in my ancient but reliable 4x4 and Equitrek, you are most welcome. I wouldn't necessarily shell out for a brand new one - the way I see it is that with second-hand ones, the owners already know about any little problems and with VAT on the up, it doesn't make sense. I do recommend a Jeep though - they are heavy, really tow and are proper workhorses. Ours has a heavy duty towbar and reinforced rear suspension which made for a smoother ride for the horses. I plan to drive mine until it dies and then get a new one - the plan might also include a slightly bigger Equitrek to accommodate my over-sized black horse!
 
which Jeep have you got, please, Kit? I was thinking of the Landcruiser Amazon because a friend used to have one to tow his huge JCB around on a trailer, and in fact he pulled my 7.5 tonne horsebox (my first one) once when it broke down on the hill of the driveway at home... now, that was impressive.
I really don't fancy the Equitreks, have had a good look around them and they just didn't seem solid enough imho, although they look lovely.
I hear Isuzu Troopers are good towing vehicles too. Any advice welcome please... other than "give up now before chucking more money down the drain..."
 
I've got an ancient Jeep Stealth which is basically a blacked out (pimped up but not alas by me!) version of the Jeep Cherokee. The newer ones are the Jeep Grand Cherokee and they'd be what I'd go for next time round.
 
kerilli I think it may be good money after bad even if you do swap!

Land Cruisers - my parents just had to replace the brake calipers on their 6 year old from new only done 25k miles land cruiser. Its a known fault!

Izuzus also blow up, so be very careful, as unless you can buy a young one under warranty, people usually get rid of them when their is a problem!

Also as a side note a farmer I know was towing a plough with the land cruiser amazon, right on the limit it could tow (3.5t) and he blew the engine up, however did do lots of miles with it.

My suggestion is get a new engine for your lorry if you are happy with the body.
 
Mike007 said:
Sorry to hear about your engine problems,what actualy went wrong?Modern engines are incredibly reliable normaly.
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You'll wish you'd never asked...!
last summer on the way back from Burgie it was surging and then underrevving, irrespective of what i was doing to the accelerator, but i managed to nurse it home. had it fully checked out immediately, they said it ran fine for them, then said it needed a new clutch so it had one. (it wasn't doing this when changing gear though...)
it wasn't really used at all during winter, spring and summer due to my injury but i made sure it went for a run every week or two, as ordered by mechanics.
i lent it to friends a few months ago, it went a bit weird for them (lights flashing on and off, then conked out) and i managed to talk them through how to start it again.
as a precaution, had garage out to do fully diagnostic check on it (linked up computer etc etc) but found nothing...
it had full service for plating 2 months ago, blew back brakes during the test, had to be rescued... HUGE bill.
i used it in the interim a few times, incl to Twemlows and back (3-4 hour journey) and it ran like a dream.
friends borrowed it a few weeks ago, it ran beautifully there, they dropped horse off, drove out of drive up road, and it hugely over-revved, tons of black smoke poured out. driver stopped it immediately, waited a bit, then tried to start it, no go. no warning lights on at all...
i went over and tried, no good, called rescue... initially thought it was the turbo, no luck, dragged it to my usual garage (big commercial place).
mechanics found a melted and a broken injector. replaced all injectors. got it going, ran it for 5 mins, then it went bang, blew a rod straight through the engine block.
so, new engine required.
I am GUTTED, i can't believe i spent so much on this lorry, called the garage every time it seemed wrong, and it still blew up.
any advice hugely appreciated.
i'm going to have to sell it to pay for engine replacement, basically..
choices so far: used engine (3month warranty) £3k ish, recon engine 6k ish, new engine 8k ish, all plus labour and VAT of about 3k...
Help Help Help. Please!
 
QR

Can't help you on the towing, but if you quite like the Lancruiser, don't rule out a Toyoya Surf. Mine is fab, I love it to bits. It's a bit less....agricultural than a LC, but a similar size and only slightly lighter. It's a similar size to a long wheel base Shogun, but known for being more reliable (and I think the Shogun is known for it's reliability anyway!). The UK version is the 4-Runner, but they're hard to find (and pricey) 2nd hand. The Surf is the Japanese import. They're based on the notoriously indestructible Hilux pick up, and are basically a 5 door estate version of that. Mine is badged as a Hilux Surf, but later versions just as a Surf.
 
Crikey mosses K what a story, mega sympathies!

Cant help with trailer ideas, but we do have a Ford pickup, it getting on a bit but has been a great work horse. (it was suggested when we bought it that we had an American trailer set up of the horses, but think some of ours are just too big for a trailer, so didnt bother following it up) Have recently seen, while out driving the larger versions of pickup with a goose neck trailer, but it contained motor bikes and living. So they are making it into the country, will keep a look out and see if we can come up with anything
 
I blew an engine up in a Leyland Daf 2 years ago, admittedly was an older vehicle than yours, was a 1995 vehicle, but was £1300 for a recon engine fully fitted.
 
Rana said:
QR

Can't help you on the towing, but if you quite like the Lancruiser, don't rule out a Toyoya Surf. Mine is fab, I love it to bits. It's a bit less....agricultural than a LC, but a similar size and only slightly lighter. It's a similar size to a long wheel base Shogun, but known for being more reliable (and I think the Shogun is known for it's reliability anyway!). The UK version is the 4-Runner, but they're hard to find (and pricey) 2nd hand. The Surf is the Japanese import. They're based on the notoriously indestructible Hilux pick up, and are basically a 5 door estate version of that. Mine is badged as a Hilux Surf, but later versions just as a Surf.
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We have a 4-Runner and it has indeed been fantastic for towing and its reliability :)
 
kerilli said:
thanks everyone, that's really helpful. I didn't realise the American/Canadian type trailers (floats? is that what they call them?)
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Trailers? ;) A "float" is actually what you'd call a lorry, but more like an open stock truck without dividers etc. The word is pretty much consigned to old horse books now, anyway. :) Otherwise, people actually do call them "tagalongs"/"bumper pulls" (even though they don't attach to the bumper. . ) or "goosenecks"/"5th wheels" (different hitches) or "rigs" for the truck/trailer combo.

Goosenecks are a fantastic set up, not least because if you're staying away you can unhitch and just use the vehicle for running around etc., although that's a bigger plus where most shows are far away and multi day. They're also very stable and a doddle to drive relative to bumper pulls, smaller ones with a standard license. It's very rare to see lorries in North America.

Pedants-R-Us :D
 
Another vote for the Surf....an ex had one which he used with a flat bed for his recovery business, when his big recovery lorry was off the road, and it ultra reliable and an absolute tank, but incredibly comfy with all the leather etc. for longer trips.

I recently tried a ford explorer for towing, and got the distinct impression it could pull mountains, but I have no idea on the legality as I didn't check (decided on a Defender instead as couldn't be insured on the Explorer (too young)).
 
Crikey , :eek::eek:.That is some serious fault. What is the lorry ,make model and year. Engine runaways like that are pretty unusual. Sadly if the engine over revs ,the strain on pistons and con rods is unbelievable and they tend to go bang ,maybe not immediately but the damage is done. Even changing the engine ,you would have to be very carefull. You need to know why it blew up to ensure you didnt transfer the fault to the new engine.The engine surging and hanging back should have rung alarm bells with the mechanics last year. Blaming it on a slipping clutch is frankly ,complete pants!
 
don't you have a solitaire box K? my friend had one on a W plate- cost her a fortune and was very well looked after and she had some problems with it- culminating in it actually setting on fire on the M6- it fully burnt out :eek: not sure what the problem actually was :confused:

re. trailers- i have an equitrek and its a piece of ****! the horses love it and bad travellers travel great in it but the build quality is truly awful as is the customer service (imho!)
 
Really interesting thread, I've not read all the comments so I hope I am not repeating anyone! Just wanted to add that the big difference with these trailers that take 3+ horses in the States is that they all have big V8 or V12 4X4's to pull them with hence making them fine to use. The big problem we have in the UK is cost of fuel (they are complete gas guzzlers) and 2nd the road tax would be through the roof. My friends new Volvo costs over £400 a year to tax. I can't work it out either! Be interested if anyone gets links for more trailers as mentioned previously so we can have a look.
 
diggerbez, yes, it's a Solitaire. Looks beautiful, cost a fortune, costs another fortune to keep on the road. Wish I'd never bought the bloody thing.
Mike, it's an O4 Eurocargo, the 75E17 version. Very well maintained... as if that's made any difference. :( :(
What you said is EXACTLY what i'm so worried and angry about. I spent a LOT of money on this box, took it to the best garage I know of round here (big commercial place) every time there was the slightest question. I was driving it on the M4 soon after buying it when there was the most HUGE bang from the underneath/back, I stopped immediately, got out and checked, nothing had gone, all seemed fine, it carried on as if nothing was wrong. took it to garage... they never got to the bottom of that either... maybe it was the start of the problem.
I couldn't work out how the surging and hanging back last summer had anything to do with the clutch tbh, it was in gear at the time humming along nicely at 50 ish on motorways... but this is the trouble, i don't know enough about engines to argue the issue.
any other advice enormously gratefully received...
 
I know you're heart set on a trailer atm but just thinking slightly laterally (as I have tentatively looked at this as adding value to my lorry) is there any point in picking up another complete rolling chassis with lowish mileage and doing a body swap?

Issue being that if you drop a "new" engine into yours you don't know that, assuming it was part of the management system that caused the problem in the first place, that part has been replaced, as you don't know what it was the had such disastrous consequences.

Actually I've just had another idea for a contact for you but will pm it.
 
Couldnt you get a recon engine?

The gooseneck trailers are made in North Wales by a company called fifth wheel. They look really nice but wouldnt you need a heavy powerful 4x4 to pull one?

Ive got a 3.5 ton but I expect you want to travel more than 1 horse. Its been reliable so far, except last weekend when I had to keep stopping as it was overheating. So Ive got to get it fixed and Im hoping its not going to cost too much. But Id still rather have that than tow a trailer.
 
Ummm something the chap that I bought my lorry from as a brand new conversion on an older lorry, told me was that he didnt like buying the chassis, as a 'dud' was more likely to be passed on to be converted to unsuspecting horse box buyers. His Dad runs a haulage company and his brother is a lorry mechanic, they all worked from the same yard, if the client wanted them to source the chassis, he prefers to send his brother out to buy so it wasn't recognised it was going to be converted. Not sure how true this is, but touch wood haven't had too many problems with our old girl.
 
I would look into swapping the body. You can pick up a white box van type of a similar year for about £5k.

Does yours have a Maple immoboliser/alarm fitted? I know someone with a 75E17 who's Maple gave them big problems - kept turning the engine off as they were driving down the road - they ended up ripping it out.
 
I love my Nissan Patrol for towing - it's been far more reliable than our Trooper, Jeep or RangeRover were. It has 3.5t towing capacity.

Landcruisers go forever....we have one at work with 600k km on the clock and all of that done in 2nd/3rd with an Ifor hitched up....
 
Can't really add much but if you had a two trailer, for the odd occasion you need to travel three would it be economical or viable to hire a lorry - probably depends how often you would need to do it as self drive hire can be expensive.
 
kerilli said:
diggerbez, yes, it's a Solitaire. Looks beautiful, cost a fortune, costs another fortune to keep on the road. Wish I'd never bought the bloody thing.
Mike, it's an O4 Eurocargo, the 75E17 version. Very well maintained... as if that's made any difference. :( :(
What you said is EXACTLY what i'm so worried and angry about. I spent a LOT of money on this box, took it to the best garage I know of round here (big commercial place) every time there was the slightest question. I was driving it on the M4 soon after buying it when there was the most HUGE bang from the underneath/back, I stopped immediately, got out and checked, nothing had gone, all seemed fine, it carried on as if nothing was wrong. took it to garage... they never got to the bottom of that either... maybe it was the start of the problem.
I couldn't work out how the surging and hanging back last summer had anything to do with the clutch tbh, it was in gear at the time humming along nicely at 50 ish on motorways... but this is the trouble, i don't know enough about engines to argue the issue.
any other advice enormously gratefully received...
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It sounds as if the garage mechanic f.....d up.
Our old Rover 827 had a problem and the garage, the big expensive Rover Dealership, blew up the engine. Fortunately my OH knew enough to explain to the garage exactly what the mechanic had done wrong and refused to pay the bill. They tried to land us with £4.5K bill but because OH knows about cars they didnt get away with it.

With ours they drained the oil, but they didnt leave enough time for the new oil to filter through, I think, and there was a bit of an air block which caused the cylinders (I think that is what they are called but may be pistons-OH would know but I will get a lecture if i ask) to drop and blow the engine. I am not sure what the garage did with yours but it sounds similar if oil related.


I have to say had it been me I wouldnt have had a clue and would have paid the bill. I sort of feel you might be being taken for a ride here because, as you say, you dont know about engines.

The "Petrolhead" forum was always quite good for advice but not sure if it is still going. Plus you have to be a bit brave to post on there!:)


So IMO I think the garage should pay part of the cost tbh.You didnt take it in with a blown up engine so tbh they are responsible for that. I think they maybe taking you for a ride. Excuse the pun.:)
 
kerilli said:
You'll wish you'd never asked...!
last summer on the way back from Burgie it was surging and then underrevving, irrespective of what i was doing to the accelerator, but i managed to nurse it home. had it fully checked out immediately, they said it ran fine for them, then said it needed a new clutch so it had one. (it wasn't doing this when changing gear though...)
it wasn't really used at all during winter, spring and summer due to my injury but i made sure it went for a run every week or two, as ordered by mechanics.
i lent it to friends a few months ago, it went a bit weird for them (lights flashing on and off, then conked out) and i managed to talk them through how to start it again.
as a precaution, had garage out to do fully diagnostic check on it (linked up computer etc etc) but found nothing...
it had full service for plating 2 months ago, blew back brakes during the test, had to be rescued... HUGE bill.
i used it in the interim a few times, incl to Twemlows and back (3-4 hour journey) and it ran like a dream.
friends borrowed it a few weeks ago, it ran beautifully there, they dropped horse off, drove out of drive up road, and it hugely over-revved, tons of black smoke poured out. driver stopped it immediately, waited a bit, then tried to start it, no go. no warning lights on at all...
i went over and tried, no good, called rescue... initially thought it was the turbo, no luck, dragged it to my usual garage (big commercial place).
mechanics found a melted and a broken injector. replaced all injectors. got it going, ran it for 5 mins, then it went bang, blew a rod straight through the engine block.
so, new engine required.
I am GUTTED, i can't believe i spent so much on this lorry, called the garage every time it seemed wrong, and it still blew up.
any advice hugely appreciated.
i'm going to have to sell it to pay for engine replacement, basically..
choices so far: used engine (3month warranty) £3k ish, recon engine 6k ish, new engine 8k ish, all plus labour and VAT of about 3k...
Help Help Help. Please!
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Sounds like rip of prices to me you could buy a compleat 04 iveco chassis for well under 6 grand ! take the engine and other parts and sell the rest, I would shop round a engine should be 1000-1500 for a used one and if you have a tilt cab about 500 should remove and refit its a days work!!! if you have non tilt then 3 grand might be ok as its a total mess to drop the axle and fiddle around from underneth
 
it's non-tilt cab, unfortunately. :( :(
dozzie, i KNOW it had enough oil in it, that's the first thing the rescue people got me to check when it broke down, the level was absolutely fine.
the garage said the sump was full of oil and diesel though, that one of the injectors must have been faulty and was dribbling fuel in but then must have flooded it, or something.
yes, i suspect i might just be being taken for a ride here. will consult good friend who knows a LOT about engines...
thankyou, all. really really appreciate it, hugely.
 
kerilli said:
it's non-tilt cab, unfortunately. :( :(
dozzie, i KNOW it had enough oil in it, that's the first thing the rescue people got me to check when it broke down, the level was absolutely fine.
the garage said the sump was full of oil and diesel though, that one of the injectors must have been faulty and was dribbling fuel in but then must have flooded it, or something.
yes, i suspect i might just be being taken for a ride here. will consult good friend who knows a LOT about engines...
thankyou, all. really really appreciate it, hugely.
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I would have a go at the bodgers that built a late lorry in this age of tilt lutons without a tilt crikey it might have been ok to nail the cab down 20 twenty years ago but its a simple enough thing to do nowadays
as plenty of people do .. very unfair and shows they don't give a ***** what happens after they sell the dam things...
 
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