Used Ifor William Horse Box what to look for?

starbucker

starbucker

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To tow 1 x 14.2hh horse 500kg, recommended years and models and what to look out for? What should i expect to pay. Theres a guy locally who buys and sells (whos a partner of a friend), for about £1900-£2500 for a 505 506 . Also getting tow bar fitted so looking for suggestions on fixed vs removable. would get vehicle specific electrics. Happy to pay the maintainance costs etc but dont want to be ripped off! do people usually insure their box?
 
Fixed tow bar for sure- I have heard horror stories about detachable ones🫣

make sure you check the side panels of the trailer, they are known to rot so make sure they are solid. I had to get mine replaced and to do just one side was £600 and that’s going back 3-4 years now.
 
- Make sure all the serial numbers match up,
- ring the police database with it to make sure it's not stolen,
- buy one with an aluminium floor,
- ignore whether they say it has been serviced or not and get it done before you use it anyway (they said mine had been done annually but the brake shoes were delaminated when I got it all serviced, so it evidently hadn't been done in a good few years!)
- knock all round the trailer as it can be rotten inside without looking rotten on the outside, or buy a classic with the non-wooden sides.
- check all the fixtures and fittings work, interior lights, fastenings not rusted through
- walk all over the ramp to make sure none of it is flexing
 
Check the details on the plate attached to the hitch for the year of manufacture, there are some very old trailers being advertised with no mention of how old they are
And everything ASBMO said above
 
OH rebuilt one that had rotted for someone and yes it is not a cheap job. Also check the tyres - the tread may be okay but the tyre walls could be cracking or rotten. If possible find out how old they are.
 
humblepie said:
OH rebuilt one that had rotted for someone and yes it is not a cheap job. Also check the tyres - the tread may be okay but the tyre walls could be cracking or rotten. If possible find out how old they are.
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And don't forget the spare, the spare tyre on the trailer I bought was over 15 years old!
 
All really useful, yes I was thinking of taking it straight for service before loading my pride and joy in! Seems alot of complete rebuilds and missing ages from ads.. not sure whether to up the budget a bit and go for something newer?
 
Older is still good if well looked after with a service history.

My owned from new 510 classic is 19 years old, is in great original condition, was last serviced less than a year ago. but I’d get a lot more than your current budget for it on the open market.

The best model of horse trailer Ifor ever made according to the servicing guy.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Older is still good if well looked after with a service history.

My owned from new 510 classic is 19 years old, is in great original condition, was last serviced less than a year ago. but I’d get a lot more than your current budget for it on the open market.

The best model of horse trailer Ifor ever made according to the servicing guy.
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What sort of budget should I look at in the current market? I dont want to buy a piece of crap that needs every panel doing etc rather pay more for a looked after trailer
 
I paid £3k for mine last year, and that is a metal floor 510 classic that is 20-odd years old (can't remember exactly). I then paid £300 in servicing to have completely new breaks on it, a new spare tyre (this was a lot of that cost), a new chain attached to one breastbar and the interior light fixed. It is otherwise in brilliant nick.
 
As said, inspect all the panels carefully for signs of rot, sometimes it isn't immediately obvious. Also check floor and tyres. Ifor Williams have a database for for registering the chassis number so check it's legitimate. Friends bought a second hand 505 and phone up IW to change the registration into their name, a short time later the police turned up and took the trailer away. It turned out the number on the hitch plate was actually for a flatbed trailer and when the number underneath on the chassis was inspected it was actually a stolen trailer and unfortunately they lost the money they had spent on it so it's worth crawling underneath to check.
 
EventingMum said:
As said, inspect all the panels carefully for signs of rot, sometimes it isn't immediately obvious. Also check floor and tyres. Ifor Williams have a database for for registering the chassis number so check it's legitimate. Friends bought a second hand 505 and phone up IW to change the registration into their name, a short time later the police turned up and took the trailer away. It turned out the number on the hitch plate was actually for a flatbed trailer and when the number underneath on the chassis was inspected it was actually a stolen trailer and unfortunately they lost the money they had spent on it so it's worth crawling underneath to check.
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omg! that's good to know.. I know they are easily nicked.
 
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