Thoughts on Conversion of rear to side ramp?

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

Morning!
Dilemma time.. so I’m looking for thoughts/ experiences/ recommendations or people to avoid by PM 🙈

I have a 7.5t 2011 box that is perfect in all ways apart from the fact that our 18hh draught is too long, even if I put him on his own with the partitions at a crazy angle, he still ends up pressing hard on one side of his bum and gets sores tried all sorts of padding both on him and the truck..

my equitrek L trailer is perfect, he loves it and can travel tacked up with a foot to spare all the way around. But my tow vehicle is 20 years old and high mileage (but owned from new and serviced every 6k without fail) so I wouldn’t be keen to have it as my only transport and don’t have funds to buy a decent replacement

We do stay away a lot& with a lot of kit so the lorry living is very useful- it’s really hard to fit it all in the trailer

So as my lorry is a stick built really decent solid truck I thought maybe I get the rear ramp taken off, weld in sticks & sheet up ( which OH is very capable of doing) then get a side ramp fitted( ideally a new one that’s also lighter or better sprung) then we go two horse facing rear so big chap fits- not fussed losing a horse as it takes very careful packing to squeeze three on legally anyway, plus it’s rare we take 3 and would still have the trailer for those times.

I have looked at selling both but would need a 6.5 ton minimum and they are very expensive and / or older/rusty/tatty etc . If budget wasn’t an issue then I would 100% go to Tristar to get one built as I do love my stick builds!

 

[PaddyMonty]

If your OH is capable of filling in the rear ramp hole then he should be ok making the new ramp. It's not difficult.
This is the ramp frame I made on our 7.5t to replace a very rusty one. I also added longer spring attachment point to it which made the ramp feel a lot lighter as the springs have more leverage.

 

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

Thanks! He would make a new ramp for the back but wasn’t so sure cutting a hole on the side and building completely from scratch due to the stress put on the frame by springs etc

 

[conniegirl]

I'm not sure I would attempt it myself, the weight of the ramp on the side will likely unbalance the whole truck.

Maybe take it to a horsebox builder and ask them how much to put a side ramp on and balance the lorry. Then once the side ramp is on you can DIY getting rid of the rear ramp
You have also got to think about windows and ventilation as you will lose several of the ones currently on the truck. you may well find you will have to put new ones in which will add to the cost.

 

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

I'm not sure I would attempt it myself, the weight of the ramp on the side will likely unbalance the whole truck.

Maybe take it to a horsebox builder and ask them how much to put a side ramp on and balance the lorry. Then once the side ramp is on you can DIY getting rid of the rear ramp
You have also got to think about windows and ventilation as you will lose several of the ones currently on the truck. you may well find you will have to put new ones in which will add to the cost.

Yes that’s exactly why we are looking for recommendations of a professional to do it for us! Just got out of a situation with a supposedly good lorry company and not keen to repeat the experience