Single boxes, where are they all :(

Law

Law

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I'm getting really fed up of being transportless and had decided that I was going to go for it and take my trailer test so that if all else failed I could tow someone elses box if the chance arose. Well I'm now back in a quadry trying to decide what to do as it would miles easier to just tow a single trailer, get the weight ratio/combined weight right and just worry about towing myself to shows/comps lessons etc. Only there appears to be a major flaw to my plan- I can't find ANY single boxes for sale anywhere
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One on ebay which is a pony trailer up to 14hh and one on Horsemart that is over my budget- are there really NO single trailers out there for sale? If I had to go down the route of buying from new do any companies sell trailers on finance?

Really depressed again
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Help!
 
To be honest I don't see the point in single trailers. A double is not much heavier if just taking one horse and it also means you can take 2 horses if you want. Companies don't make many as there is no market for them and I'm sure companies would do finance.
 
Because I would need to pass a trailer test to tow a double and that would cost around £500 to do with the instruction.

I can't see it being easy to pass the test and then I'd still have to buy a 4x4 and a box. I agree that there are plenty doubles for sale and i could get one reasonably cheaply but I can't tow it without the test.
 
because of the towing weight etc and all that, theres a poss you dont have to take the test if ur pulling a sing traileer like the HB401 from ifor...a route that i looked down after being bough the 510!! which i couldnt pull! most ifor williams dealers do finance have a look on the net
 
Thanks

I've worked out he weighs 430kg and the 405 ifor williams is 770kg. So combined with a shogun SWB it would come within the limit. I'm anticipating the vehicle costing around £1500.
 
I'm going round and round trying to work out what to do - I feel a poll coming on...

If your options were
1) take the test, then buy a 4x4 and hope to borrow/purchase a cheap double box in the future

or
2) Purchase the 4x4 and look for a single trailer to avoid the test issue

which would you go for?
 
The law is that the MAM - max gross weight of the trailer cannot be more than the unladen (kerb) weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination cannot be over 3.5 tons, or the trailer is not over 750kgs total. You would have to be careful that the MAM was not heavier than the 4 x 4.

I am in a similar problem, keep failing the trailer test but no solution to towing without test as need a big trailer. The only solution i can see is getting a 3.5 tonne horsebox or by some miracle passing the test but i dont have the money to do either at the moment - trying to save for a house! Even with small horse boxes you still have to watch your not over weight limits!
 
Is that definite? I know a few people who tow 16hh horses with single trailers and 4x4s for exactly the same reason I am considering it
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For a "B" type license (which I assume is what you have:

Motor vehicles with a MAM not exceeding 3500kg having not more than 8 passenger seats with a trailer up to 750kg. Combinations of towing vehicles in category B and a trailer, where the MAM of the combination does not exceed 3500kg and the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicle


So therefore, weight wise:

laden trailer < unladen car
laden trailer + laden car < 3500kg
 
I'm not sure, I was told there was no way I could tow my tb without taking test. (By DVLA, Police, NFU- asked everyone!) Stand to be corrected but sounds risky to me!

I passed 3rd time so worth persevering! Its such a pain as I always passed reversing (I park all the womens at our yard) etc. Just the stupid parts that give you majors instead of minors (as youd get in car test) I failed on!!

If you really sont want to do test, I'd say a 3.5 t lorry (renault master have loads of payload for 1 horse or 2 littleys!).
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Yeh, believe me i have looked into this to try and find a way round it but cant - even when you ring DVLA up they arent that clear, and the law itself isnt very clear but when you really read it and think about what it says thats what it means.

Its a right pain! I think there are loads of people driving about thinking they are ok but are towing illegally! I darent risk it as without the proper license your insurance is prob invalid!
 
Yeh me too Hollyjz! I have failed four times and havent got round to trying again - cant really afford it! I never failed on reversing, always stupid little things - so annoying!!!
 
Thanks guys, i've seen them both- like the Cheval one
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Right I am looking into the actual practicalities of taking the test. Ie can i tow a flat bed trailer rather than a box and can i use a car rather than a 4x4- off to look at local test centre website!

Thanks
 
After numerous emails to the DVLA I got the answer that I could tow a single horsebox - and I too cannot find one either! This I will keep for future reference!

As Pixie said:

laden trailer < unladen car
laden trailer + laden car < 3500kg

BUT the trailer weight goes on it's MAM = gross weight. So a double trailer always takes into account the weight of 2 horses even if you were only putting one pony in.

I am planning on towing this summer either a Bateson single 1300kg gross weight, Robinsons Requisite single 1400kg or Cheval Liberte. The Ifor Williams are 1600kg gross which is a little heavier than I'd like to risk - towing with Fourtrack kerb weight approx 1800kg.
 
Well done for working it all out! I spent half the morning trying to work out what to do and i have decided that i am going to go with the double test. I'm going to see what vehicles/van and trailer combos they will allow me to test with and take it from there. the test itself doesn't sound like a nightmare and the local centre (1.5 hours away) has a 69% pass rate so I may as well give it a go
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If the trailer weighs over 750kgs you have to take the test, so if you want to tow a trailer with a horse in it you have to take the test. Ive found this out on investigating it as i passed my test 3 years ago. Ive also been told that it is easier to pass your lorry test, so im looking for a lorry and going to do my test for that.
 
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