Upgrading the chassis on horseboxes - anyone tried?

[HammieHamlet]

Hi

Has anyone ever put their existing box on to a newer chassis, and if so, what would be the rough cost to do so (assuming I provided the chassis)...

And does it matter what box you put on - ie, could you fit a box currently used on an iveco to a new DAF?

Any good company recommendations would be appreciated - thanks x

 

[Baggybreeches]

You can put a box on any make of truck, it depends on the wheel base and the chassis configuration. You are probably best getting a coachbuilder to recommend which type/model of lorry chassis will suit your body.

 

[miller]

Yes, did it ourselves for cost of new chassis, new u bolts and meal for friends who had loadall and a forklift - sold old Bedford chassis and that paid for box refurb - have a very handy OH though

 

[HammieHamlet]

I think doing it myself would be out of the question as we don't have the facilities anymore to work it.

I've got the option to buy a 2002 DAF with 80k on it for £2k (needs £1k of work done), so trying to work out if I could get a fairly decent lorry for total of £10k - but not sure which route to go down!

 

[Nicnac]

Yes, binned old Bedford TK for Leyland Daf Roadrunner about 10 years ago. Cost price of new (well 2nd hand) chassis at auction and the work - about £5k and still going strong!

 

[cptrayes]

I put a Bedford box on a Dodge chassis with no problems.

 

[Starbucks]

Hi,

my dad did this with our current wagon, he built it in the first place. I would proceed with caution though - we've now got a great little runner but the box part is taking some serious patching up to keep it safe because it is so old!

A couple of years ago he cut the last foot or so off the end because it was rotten, and he's just put a new ramp on it... didn't cost us much because of super handy man dad but would have cost £kkk's for someone else to do it.

 

[Baggybreeches]

What about just getting a decent enough new build simple hunting box on the new chassis?

 

[HammieHamlet]

What about just getting a decent enough new build simple hunting box on the new chassis?

this is why I'm struggling, as really I want a fairly decent horse area - with tack lockers. I really want the horses to travel in comfort and have enough head room for a 16.3hh.

I'm not too fussed about having a fancy living, but wouldn't mind it comfortable enough to be able to have a snooze at an event, and make a cup of tea!

 

[now_loves_mares]

Can be done - mine is nearly ready after it's second upgrade! My dad does mine as he's a mechanic, he's quite a perfectionist but it has taken him most weekends for about 15 months

Things that will put the cost up include
-lutons - far far easier to shift it without this
-or if it has a luton, a different height cab. Much easier if the cab heights match. Moving from the D-series to the Cargo needed the luton adjusting a lot.
-skirts - again if they have skirts, far harder to shift
-age of the box. As someone said above, my old box has taken a fair amount of repair.
-how much is integrated on the chassis - gas bottles, water tanks, generator?
-the perfectionism of your mechanic

 

[measles]

I was quoted 20k without the paint job or the cost of the newer chassis by Oakley when I enquired about moving our good condition body onto a newer chassis!! Coachbuilder locally would be much, much cheaper but luckily we then discovered that the old chassis on the "new horsebox" was in great condition and we didn't need to do the work. I also made a post similar to yours so it and the comments I received might come up if you do a search.

 

[Mavis007]

I am having the body of my Horsebox moved on to a new chassis at the moment. The old chassis was an L reg and needed a lot of work doing but the body is in good condition. It is being done by the person who built the lorry in the first place and he has quoted me 10k inc vat inc buying the new chassis which has just cost £5700 inc vat for 55 reg. I decided I couldn't buy a 55 reg lorry with decent living for anywhere near as little as that so well worth it I hope!

 

[Booboos]

I imagine you'd need someone experienced to do it to make sure they didn't botch it all up because the weight distribution is crucial for safety issues.

The two things that would worry me are whether you would be spending loads on a new chassis to still be left with an older box and whether the older box is worth keeping given that generally they are made of heavier materials and reduce the payload anyway.

Would it not be easier, cheaper and faster to get a new body on the chassis you want? Why couldn't you specify all the things you need re head height and living?

 

[Ferdinase514]

Wrights engineering in Ely do this type of work and also buy older "named" trucks, take off body and put on new chassis to sell on. If you look at their site you will see some examples.

Am considering doing this with ours as the body is good, but the chassis is a J reg Cargo. You can imagine the rust....

 

[popsdosh]

Most bodies will if properly made and looked after last probably 2-3 chassis .As for weight just by upgrading you can increase your payload as modern chassis tend to be lighter than the older ones.
Cost wise if you are looking at cut through to cab allow about 6-7K which includes the spray job but the chassis will be extra .
The wheelbase will be critical with the replacement chassis as will the door height.If you find a chassis that is longer in the wheelbase but particularly nice ,you can shorten the wheelbase to make it fit relatively easily.

 

[Jane_Lou]

Wrights engineering in Ely do this type of work and also buy older "named" trucks, take off body and put on new chassis to sell on. If you look at their site you will see some examples.

Am considering doing this with ours as the body is good, but the chassis is a J reg Cargo. You can imagine the rust....

My lorry was originally built but wrights, the actual body (stick framed) is in really good condition, the living is sufficient and the horse area solid and inviting, the chassis however is a G reg Cargo 811 so slow and diesel hungry. They have quoted me about 10k plus vat to put onto a 54 plate Iveco that they supply and respray, that would give me a decent pretty new lorry for 15k inlcuding VAT and what I paid for the truck originally.

 

[Ferdinase514]

This is good I love the refurbed Ascot trucks they have on their site....and they only weigh about 5.2tons.

10K + VAT is good, when you consider that it would be pretty diff to find a 54 plate with decent horse area and living for that price.

Only prob with ours is that it is 2 horse and really would like 3 horse.

 

[Jane_Lou]

This is good I love the refurbed Ascot trucks they have on their site....and they only weigh about 5.2tons.

10K + VAT is good, when you consider that it would be pretty diff to find a 54 plate with decent horse area and living for that price.

Only prob with ours is that it is 2 horse and really would like 3 horse.

I will do you a swap! I only need room for one after all!

 

[Ferdinase514]

Ha ha! If you saw the rust and paint work on mine you'd soon change your mind!!