Trailer Help!!! Equitrek vs. Ifor??

[Charlotte125]

We have an Ifor 510 and have dont for a number of years. never had a problem with it. My hourse 17.1 travels perfectly in it, doenst make a peep.
I dont know what everyones hatred of unloading onto the road is though. In my experience the only time you would park on a road is hunting, and surely you would want it as close to the edge as possible? Therefore if you loaded oto the kerb side you couldnt get your horse out?
Charlotte

 

[mon]

just that sucessful things/people are up there to b e knocked down, interestig to know % of IW's to other makes of trailers in UK.

 

[steadyeddy]

Old style Ifor, without a doubt-but with a alluminium floor!

 

[Liesel]

I have HB510 bought 2nd hand but was only about 2 years old at the time so probably coming to 5yrs old now. Never hand a problem with it. I tow with a Mitsubishi Pajero LWB and sometimes have to remember I am actually towing as it pulls it like a dream.

The Diva loads well in it and seems very happy in transit.

Friend has an Equitrek which they purchased off Ebay, they got a bargain and love it. The Diva has travelled in it and again seemed very happy but then she travels well in a trailer or horsebox.

I would love to have outside tack storage area but sadly my funds dont stretch to a trailer with that incorporated.

 

[Kallibear]

only problem is bent rear left top oor must of caught it in hedge

Did that to ours the other day Caught it on a low branch and bent the corners (and totalled the branch!)

It's dead easy to fix yourself - unbolt the flap (just four simple bolts) bend it back into shape and put it back on. Took me 5mins this morning.

We have the 511 and love it. Had the mould problem but Ifor took it back and fixed it and no problem since. The new ones have it sorted.

The horses love it - big, wide, airy and inviting - even reluctant loaders go in easily.

As for those saying the unloading into the road - you can chose with the IW for a left or right side unload.

 

[MrsMozart]

Sorry, not read all replies....

We bought an old three horse trailer (can't remember the manufacturer). It's big and old and sturdy . Paid a few hundred pounds for it and now in the process of:

replacing floor - Brazilian hardwood plywood (sustainable before anyone jumps on me!); then it will have 3mm aluminium sheet fitted, which will go up the sides. Wood £29 per sheet (four sheets in total), so £120; aluminium £80 per sheet, so £320.

electrics - being totally rewired from head to toe and back again . Lights exactly where we want them £300 inlcuding all the lights.

brakes, etc. - all checked and had whatever needed doing done to them. £120.

New tyres - £90 each, so £180.

Trailer £800
Stuff £1,040
Total £1,840 for a solid, sound, sturdy, stable, steady trailer . Nothing will drop off or break or grow mould or be in just the wrong place

And we get to choose the exact colour we want

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

I've not had any trouble with my equi-trek. The horses don't seem to mind it either. I've had horses that can be difficult to load into a normal trailer load straight into my equitrek.

 

[Javabb94]

Thanks everyone looking likely to go for the ifor williams hb511, the slightly bigger one,

although would still like to know some more about the equi trek trail treka

 

[Javabb94]

I really like the look of the Equi Trek Trail Treka M, they seem pretty well built, its just i am put off by the bad press that Equi Trek get, although lots of people say they are fine and its the show treka with the issues,

 

[Crazy Friesian]

I really like the look of the Equi Trek Trail Treka M, they seem pretty well built, its just i am put off by the bad press that Equi Trek get, although lots of people say they are fine and its the show treka with the issues,

Hi

I have the Show Treka. I have never had a days bother with it. I believe that it was the older models they had issues with. Mine is just over 2 years old and used regularly.

I believe that they have changed coach builders recently too, possibly due to the issues. In terms of customer service, I am afraid I cant comment as have always just dealt with my dealer.

 

[Javabb94]

Hi

I have the Show Treka. I have never had a days bother with it. I believe that it was the older models they had issues with. Mine is just over 2 years old and used regularly.

I believe that they have changed coach builders recently too, possibly due to the issues. In terms of customer service, I am afraid I cant comment as have always just dealt with my dealer.

thanks for the info, i did hear it was the 07 ones, but wasnt sure whether this was the case with the new ones as my instructor warned me not to go for equi trek but the trail treka looks so smart and is a massive advantage with side load and an outside tack locker!

They look well made, but i cant find a review seeing as they only came out this year

 

[TheCurlyPony]

Hi,

I bought the new ivor when the year they brought the new ones out. The only issue I had is with the mould on the roof. It went the first year to be repainted, but it did'nt work and they were all recalled again. It went last week to be redone, they are also going to give it the once over as its winter. I was ment to collect it on saturday but due to the amount of snow we have they are happy to store it for me to it safe to collect it. The dealership have been great, its just a pain taking it to them tbh.

 

[Javabb94]

Im glad to hear that Ifor fix there problems though, unlike the stories of Equi Trek's. Apparently when something like the chassis/axle breaks they try and say you must have ran over a curb!

 

[mns67]

we take in trailer part x's, and have had or heard the following......

an equitrek where the floor wasnt in right, horses leg fell through, horse shot....equi trek paid her off to keep hush!!! (that is a friends friend and know it to be true)

ifor why do they unload into the road?! old styles very strudy and robust, newer styles look and feel flimsy.

Equitrek to me havnt got enough strengthing supports, its built like a box...... if you squish a cradboard box in your hands (like an impact with another vehicle ((dosnt apply to large boxes becuase teh impact zone is higher than a low trailer)) its collaspes, teh only think holding them is the side cant corner rail.....)

now traditinal style trailer (ifor/batson/rice/richardson/etc) have various other steel beams around the trailers/ramps etc.

p.s - what is the equitrek ramp made of? has it any steel on the ramp? or just GRP?

personally richardson rice and bateson have thumbs up from me.

we also hire out trailers and use the older indespension and bateson type - they take the hammer from the hirer's horses!

I work for an equitrek dealer and through my own experience having had someone run up thje back of my trailer they do not squash like a cardboard box and personally having grown up with ifors the older ones are better. we sell both types here and have no preference but going by stories each have their badd points however the only chassis break i have heard of was when someone did not tighten or check their wheel nuts and the wheel came off and after 2 miles of not noticing a noise was heard. Equi Trek are great and do hold their warranty up so any problems the will fix for you but if a chassis or axle snaps for some reason the will ask if anything happened. if nothing unusual have happened they will just replace it. Also the wheel and axle are designed so that your horses sits on the axles instead of in the middle and also the equi trek is on a feathered independent suspesion so a smoother ride for horse and car, whereas the ifor is on a single suspension so the wheel do not move independently of each other. going back to the debate i think both have their bad and good points but the older ifor outweigh any competition but the new ones aren't as sturdy.

 

[millitiger]

I wouldn't put my horse in an EquiTrek if someone gave me one for free- way too many horror stories of wheels falling off, axels snapping and customer service is non-existent.

 

[Javabb94]

is this the same with the equitrek trail treka's though? every story i have heard its been the space treka upwards with the funny shape whereas the trail treka is traditional traier style

also i have heard the older styles have no problems, so i may be able to get one second hand

 

[kizzywiz]

I have a Show Trekka, have used it 2/3 times weekly for over a year, travelled in excess of a thousand miles with absolutely no problems at all, including long journeys on the motorway. Nothing has broken on it, pony travels really well, I absolutely love it & would never return to a normal trailer again. Love having my little bit of living, tack locker etc etc. I think you need to make your own mind up, some people have had problems with their Equitreks, but I believe these were the older models.

 

[mon]

what side do you load /unload an equi trek on? same side as you side unload an ifor on, but not many have stated this plus several trailers with rear loads have that option in an emergency

 

[Javabb94]

equi trek's unload on the right hand side


but anyway.......


2 weeks ago i bought an ifor williams hb506 in red and i have to say it is fab, my horse who is a fussy loader was so much better loading in it

we asked dealer about the issues and they were all resolved and after august 2008 ifor were better than ever

 

[hollyzippo]

I have an Equitrek Show Trekka L, its about 6 yesrs old. To be honest I'm not sure if I would buy one again. I am very happy with it now but having had a new ramp was very unimpressed with the service from the HQ.

I bought it 2nd hand but in very good condition and OH is a mechanic so checked it out properly. Approx 2 years ago my horse (650kg) loaded as usual- he is a DONKEY and walks up, has never leapt or anything. Heard a crunching noise and realised there was a shoe shaped impression/hole in the ramp. Took the rubber off and there was a full blown hole in the wood, I dread to think what would have happened if he was a bad loader and leapt about!

Anyhow, spoke to Equitrek and they said that they expect the wood to be replaced every 5 years and were very unconcerned! Having spoken to 2 agents we replaced it ourselves- the old wood was rotten and crappy thin plywood. We went for a slightly thicker marine ply instead which is a little heavier but hinges seem ok with that. Cost approx £300 to get new wood and rubber matting plus adhesive and we did it ourselves.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I doubt very much that when you buy one from new they tell you to replace the wood after 4-5 years?!?!!

That said, apart from this mine has been great. its nice and roomy for the horses and it tows really well. Also lovely having lockers and the living- much easier to keep clean

Prior to that I had a ifor 510 which was fab, bever had any problem. i have heard nothing good about the new ifors so personally would save the money and get an older one if thats the route you decided to go down.

Again, apparently the older Equitreks are better build quality. But please beware of the ramp!

 

[Piglet]

I had an original Equi-trek when they 1st came out, nice trailer but very cumbersome, looked at new ones they seem quite high off the ground as the wheels are underneath the box as opposed to other trailers which sit between the wheels. Also with only a side ramp, no alternativeto load/unload ina lanein case of an emergency?

 

[mon]

go to any horse centre/show what is there most of? same as livestock market we only use ifor horse and livestock.

 

[kickandshout]

Ive had experience with both the old 510 (before 2000) ifor Williams and the new ifors there's no contest deffo the older version
there's some useful features on the new ones but the flimsy plastic clips and handles aren't going to stand the test of time.
there's a very handy lockable jockey door but . . after the horse had his hay-net the hay jammed the unlock motion of the door.
a friend of mine on second use of her equitrek couldnt open the tack locker to get her saddle at a show as the handle broke !! not good

the older ifor Ive owned for a very long time and so far Ive changed tyres (wear n tear) and had new brake shoes. and believe me my horse has kicked the living daylights out of it on a regular basis and all to show for it is scuffed rubber and a slight dent on the edge of the ramp.
I haven't used an equi trek but friends have them so Ive had a detailed look ive got to agree with many previous posters they are flimsy and again don't appear to that well made and again i would worry as there's only one exit if you had to unload in a lane you couldn't and god forbid if it tipped over onto the ramp eeekk.
(older ifors have release bolts on the outside for this type of emergency also if you had to you could unload from the rear ramp)

i pull my ifr with a diahatsu fourtrak 2.8 td

 

[Crazy Friesian]

My old horse will not load in a back loading trailer. Used my ET for camping away as well as regular trips out. Will be camping in it in March again. Had an awning rail fitted to give me a little extra room. Perhaps I got lucky with mine... No issues and love it.

I think you would have to be VERY unlucky for ET's to tip - really you would have to drive like a complete numpty or be SERIOUSLY unlucky! But yes, I did consider that possibility. Not sure about flimsy... I tow mine with a Shogun LWB.