What do you think of this 3.5 tonne box?

How big is your horse? Those are really only suitable for ponies. I looked at one similiar but decided that the roof was too low for my 15.2. Am sure it would be easy to drive and reliable being that new though
 
I would never, ever buy one of these with a solid breast bar.
I have one with a removable bar, with a clip at each end (like trailer ramp clips), and it is a million times safer. The horse i currently have jumped the breast bar in mine, luckily i could just hit the clips up with a hammer, pulled the bar off and free'd her. took less than a minute, if it was solid i would have had to get a vet to sedate, get the firebrigade to cut it out, and god knows how long that would have taken.
 
Just to add to mabels98's point, i know someone who has one simular ans her horse is 16.1 and is fine in it. Personally i dont like them though as they dont seem very secure - i think if you had something bangining in the back i'd be worried about them putting a foot through the wall!
 
Mmmm, price is OK'ish I guess but I'd take with a big pinch of salt the sales gizz about it being ok for "two large 17.2. horses" and/or "three ponies with additional partition"!!!!

Mmmm, don't think so somehow - think 15.2 would be pushing it, plus where the heck you gonna put three ponies? Unless one goes in the front with you - ah yes, that's obviously it (or mebbe on the roof???).
 
Penfold - firstly, what is the payload on your van? Secondly, how much did the 2 horses weigh? Then thirdly add on the fuel, weight of humans, weight of tack and everything else carried.

I would pretty much bet a lot of money that you will have been over the weight limit of your box, thus putting yourself and the horses in danger. These boxes are advertised as being big enough to carry 2 horses, and yes, you probably can physically get 2 horses in them, but not under the legal weight limit.

I personally don't like these boxes. I think they are death traps.
 
tricksibell,
These little van things are no different to a trailer except they are safer.
Both made from metal surround except a trailer is pulled on a few inches of metal and these are build on four wheels meaning they are more sturdy, safer and can not tip over unless you are driving at 70mph round a hairpin bend.
I don't think you would get two 17.2hhs in one of them though?
Payload of them is about 1200kgs so no more than two 16hhs???
 
I would echo what has been said about carrying overweight. Expect with the conversion and without horses for this van to be knocking on the door of 2400-2500kg, a couple of passengers,water, tack etc and a full tank of fuel and you are looking at another 150-250kg. I've had my old IW trailer on a weighbridge with a 13:2 fell pony and a 15:3TB and they weigh combined over 900kg (the pony is a bit pies though).

I can get away with it with the car and trailer combo as the car is a LWB Shogun and fall inside both the plated weight of the trailer, and the gross train weight of the combo with the car. (the car weighs about 2200kg)



I used to have a Dodge van which was plated to 5.5 tonnes (and I worked on) and it is a world apart in construction from a 3.5 tonne van. If you go overweight on a van like this, your insurance will be invalid in the event you get stopped and escorted to a weighbridge and if found to be overweight then, will be ordered to offload one of the horses before you can continue your journey and risk a fairly big fine and points on your licence.

I really do dislike the way these people try and sell something and give the impression that people can use legally because they can get 2 animals to stand in its load space :(
 
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shywhitebadger said:
tricksibell,
These little van things are no different to a trailer except they are safer.
Both made from metal surround except a trailer is pulled on a few inches of metal and these are build on four wheels meaning they are more sturdy, safer and can not tip over unless you are driving at 70mph round a hairpin bend.
I don't think you would get two 17.2hhs in one of them though?
Payload of them is about 1200kgs so no more than two 16hhs???
Click to expand...

I can't agree with this, and would like to see one driven onto a weighbridge with a tank of fuel and the driver to get a definitive answer.
 
That is not used to carry two large horses regularly, if ever, If it was they would not have put the saddle racks where they will be in the kerbside horse's head space!

As for the poster who thinks it wouldn't tip unless doing 70mph round a hair pin bend - I hope I'm never driving down the same road as you. I don't want to be held up in the traffic jam following your accident!
 
I would never buy one of these, they seem terribly unsafe to me. Firstly, the payload is likely to be limited, and I always find it dodgy when adverts do not state the payload. Secondly, the vehicle itself has to be secure enough to carry a horse, e.g. re-inforced floor, walls that will withstand kicking and rearing, something to stop the horse from landing on your head if you brake and something to stop another driver driving right into your horse if there is an accident - I can't quite see how these flimsy constructions offer any of this, and if they do they will be overweight unladden. Finally the space is very restrictive and you will find many horses will either not fit or not be happy in one, which will also affect the overall stability of the vehicle.
 
would not touch it either, surely in order to reinforce the sides, floor etc it would weigh too much!!

For that kind of money you can get a decent 7.5t and take your test. Just because some of these 7.5t are old doesn't mean they aren't a h*ll of a lot safer!!!!
 
I would never have a 3.5t after highering one! I have 16.2 irish TB and mum has a 14.2/3 cob X not only would we go over weight easily for me and the comp equipment we carry. Also I never felt happy having mine in he back as it was really rather quite cramped for him as he is extremly lon! here not really built for your 'longer' horses and he was a bit iffy with head room tbh. It also felt like he could easily kick out through the side and get a leg stuck! Dad said you might aswell have a trailer as it would be much cheaper to run (HGV fitter so knows his stuff before anyone moans!!) or get a 7.5t and do your test! would never go for 3.5t! far to many reasons to list
 
It always concerns me when a van like this has a big hole cut in the side for a ramp. These vans are monocoque constructions and are designed with ribs inside the panels to give them structural strength (like a tortoise shell). Unless the ramp is designed so it can restore the structural strength where the hole is cut, it is like getting an empty cornflake box which is reasonably rigid and then opening the ends.

The reality is that in motion, the van doesn't just have to deal with the forces of a 1200+kg payload, but also from the twisting forces which cornering, acceleration, braking and moving over an uneven surface like a potholed track puts on it.

Another analagy is cutting a hole in the side of an eggshell and then seeing how strong it is as this is effectively how these vans (and most cars) are designed.


7.5 tonne lorries by comparison have ladder style chassis underneath the floor from the front bumper to the back and the body isn't really required to provide any strength at all apart from the ability to hold itself to the floor (and the same applies to the design of horse trailers.

A van when it leaves the factory will be rigourously teased at the design stage, but I'd be interested to see how a conversion compares as I doubt any of this stress analysis is done by the people who do them as it is a very expensive process.
 
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i was talking to an intrustor once, saying we want one of theses lorry and she told me she would even be payed to put her horses in one.. a friend of hers horses kicked out while in the back and leg went straight though the metal and was PTS as they couldt help the horse...
 
I have a 3.5 lorry, not one of these. I don't like the way the ramp open upwards - I can see a horse throwing it's head up and bashing itself. Mine is rear facing and fitted for 2 but I took it to a weighbridge and with half a tank of diesel and me plus all the gubbings but minus the horse (500 - 525kg depending on time of year) it weighed in at 2.6 ton so def just a single horse box. Mines rear facing and I did have a mates horse go over the breast bar (terrified the life out of me) but my jockey door is full height so we just opened the door and he stepped out as if he always travelled that way. We were so shocked we stood there laughing, not because it was funny but pure shock - plus we were at a show and no-one batted an eyelid. If my horse attempted this I would weld a weave grid on so she couldnt. Ive seen these lorries at shows but they don't personally appeal to me.
 
I know who's selling this - PM me if you want more details.

FWIW, I won't buy one. If you're willing to spend that kind of money, go for a 7.5T. You can pick something decent up for that kind of money nowadays. I was looking into getting one of these http://www.kandphorseboxes.co.uk/56 Master/index.htm Friend has one and it's excellent, but having spoken to the company, there's no way I could carry my two brutes in it at the same time - a 16.1 and 16.3 - as I'd be way overweight.

Just be careful...
 
I have a 3.5 renault master van conversion, similar to the one in the ad. I love it and my horses travel very happily in it. It has a 1200kg payload and is easily as substantial.

However, I would never put a 16.2hh in it let alone a 17.2hh!! I have 14.2hh cobs so is ideal for them, but nothing larger.

Also my top ramp opens sideways - I would not buy one with one that opens upwards as would worry about them hitting their heads.

The price is about right as they do not come cheap.
 
I think you need to be very careful when buying a conversion, the firm who maintained my 7.5 box had them in regularly to reinforce the area behind the driver/passenger seats, far too many people underestimate the weight of a pair of horses plus their travelling speed if in an accident they end up with their weight on the bulkhead.
They said lots of boxes don't have sufficient strength for the horse not to end up in the cab with the driver..
If it's just for one 16 hh horse it's probably ok, what would irritate me is having the hay drop all over the groom area, everything would end up very messy..
 
I'm surprised at these posts because in racing these types of conversions are regularly carrying racehorses worth £££££££ up and down the motorways without incident- they are becoming increasingly popular as all the lads can drive them. I'm sure that people wouldnt be risking their expensive/favourite racehorses if they were dangerous.

I am sure that there are some dodgy conversions out there, but some makes like Theault and George Smiths must be OK?
 
seabsicuit2 said:
I'm surprised at these posts because in racing these types of conversions are regularly carrying racehorses worth £££££££ up and down the motorways without incident- they are becoming increasingly popular as all the lads can drive them. I'm sure that people wouldnt be risking their expensive/favourite racehorses if they were dangerous.

I am sure that there are some dodgy conversions out there, but some makes like Theault and George Smiths must be OK?
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That's exactly what I've been trying to get at in my posts on the subject. Spending >£25K on a Theault gets you a very different vehicle than spending <£10K on a cheapo conversion. I find my horses don't like travelling backwards but I'm happy with the build quality and attention to safety on the Theault but I wouldn't get in one of these cheapo conversions with a horse! Just for starters the breastbar etc is removable and the door at the back sufficiently wide for a horse to get out - most of the doors are too narrow so once your horse is over the breastbar he's still stuck. I have hired Theaults on several occasions now and they really are excellent and built to quality not price.

Hay still gets everywhere though!
 
I would buy one... however for £8,500 I would probably want something more boxey rather than vanny if that makes sense lol.... Maybe a Renault Master.

I don't see how these can be so unsafe? Surely if they were "deathtraps" like some people are saying they would have been drastically improved and banned from being on the road? Travelling horses in anything is dangerous.. Also when people say get something over 3.5T for some it's just not economical to do an LGV (If test passedafter 1997 I think) or HGV test, get the vehicle plated, insurance etc etc it just costs far too much when you only want to travel 1 horse.
 
Sorry just got round to reading everyones replies just now.

Taken everything into consideration and mulling it over. Thanks to everyone who made the effort to respond

Sarah x
 
Hi
Preferably i would not go for a conversion at all. I would go for a purpose built 3.5tonne of 4 tonne such as the sonic or super sonic from equi trek and before people start saying they are rubbish. It comes with three years warranty built on a brand new chassis and cab. I have had one and whenever there have been problems the place where i bought it sorts them out straight away or gives me a replacement box. Mine is a sonic, i took it to the weighbridge with me, a friend, two horses and all my tack needed for one day eventing for the two and a tank of diesel, I came in at 3.4 tonne. I am careful with what i pack and generally if staying overnight buy feed and bedding there. I love it an MOT in three years time, like driving a big van and it passes LEZ and is cheap to tax. MY horses were bad travellers and have decided to climb over the breast bar, but i just keep a spanner that fits the release bolt on a clip and can release it in about 40 secs. Its low, light ramp is easy when you have had a long day, and when i come home tack can stay in it til the next day as i can just jump in my car.
 
Caz89 said:
I would buy one... however for £8,500 I would probably want something more boxey rather than vanny if that makes sense lol.... Maybe a Renault Master.

I don't see how these can be so unsafe? Surely if they were "deathtraps" like some people are saying they would have been drastically improved and banned from being on the road? Travelling horses in anything is dangerous.. Also when people say get something over 3.5T for some it's just not economical to do an LGV (If test passedafter 1997 I think) or HGV test, get the vehicle plated, insurance etc etc it just costs far too much when you only want to travel 1 horse.
Click to expand...
sadly there are good and bad builders converters of these renault masters, however i dont like the idea of the van conversions as a steel floor and horse pee not great for long life... its an expensive way of avoiding a hgv test they (3.5 ton lorrys) are poor value if you are on tight budget.. and wont have the longevity of a bigger proper
lorry and cost about the same to tax, insure and mot..
 
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