[kegs]

Can anyone give me some advice regarding trailers?  Is Ifor Williams the best to go for or are there any other worthwhile makes?  We've been looking at either the P5 or P6 so don't want something too big and we don't need to transport animals.  Thanks.

[robert waddell]

as long as you don't go daft with buying it an  ifor Williams will get your money back as long as it is looked after   an ifor is the one that others try to copy and fail    i have seen some bits of crap go for silly money and very good home made ones  thrown away

[chrismahon]

I've just put a deposit on an Ifor Williams Box Van trailer BV125 x 7' high with combination ramp and opening rear doors. Current deliveries are running at 8 weeks with 12 weeks on some models. Tells you something about their popularity. I didn't even look at anything else. Just got the best quote, which was £700 cheaper than the other dealer. They are well built but not tremendously well built. The BV126 (6' wide instead of 5') but has a much higher net weight which reduces my load capacity. I can legally tow 2000Kg, but with a net weight of 945Kg (the combination door adds nearly 100Kg) I can actually only move 1055Kg of cargo. The trailer is plated for 2700Kg but I can't legally tow that. Customer service from the company is first class so far -all my queries answered immediately. The resale value is excellent and I can expect to get almost the same as I paid for it (pre-VAT price of course) for years. 10 year old horse boxes fetch half the current retail price!

[Womble]

Hi Kegs,

We have a P7, and it's great. All I'd say is make sure you pay the extra to upgrade to a proper jockey wheel (just having a prop stand is a joke) and if you're as bad at reversing as me, also the light guards (cages).  Also, it's worth considering carefully which tyres to have. For fields and soft ground, the wide flotation tyres are a real bonus.

HTH!

[Small Farmer]

I agree with all those upgrades! 

[kegs]

Thanks all.  Very helpful.   

[Fowgill Farm]

Our Ifor Williams was built in the eighties we're its second owners and paid £900 for it 4yrs ago.
OH regularly services it checking wheels, tyres, brakes, just renewed indicator lights and he built a partition gate for inside so i can separate pigs.
Picture here: http://www.oldspots.org.uk/getting_started3.asp
Would eb lost without it.
HTH
mandy 
 
 

[Hassle]

Ifor trailers where the bench mark standard.  We are currently looking to replace ours and speaking to other farmers it seems that corners are being cut.  The vent hinges break the metal work is so thin that majority have bailer twine holding internal door closed, this is on current stock  I am considering Hudson trailer bit more agricultural in appearance but no firm decision has yet to be made.

[Small Farmer]

IW seem to have improved the internal door problem on current models.  Mine is held in with a cable tie on each side which works perfectly.  As delivered the doors fell off within 5 miles.

[chrismahon]

We've just taken delivery of our Ifor Williams Box Van Trailer (9 weeks delivery from a quoted 4 -6). Excellent quality build. Works really well, the combination double doors and ramp is balanced to perfection. Heavy rains and no leaks. Good instruction manual and phone support. Only fault noticed so far is condensation in the number plate light.
 
When we get to France IW have a department that handles the French registration of it. I'll be using it as a workshop when it's not being used for moving because it is big enough at 12' long, 5' wide and 7' high and it has a translucent roof which makes it very light inside. It will also contain all the noise and dust (PPE needed).
 
Quite obvious why they are the market leader and they hold their price on resale as well.

[Small Farmer]

We've been debating changes of car for the last year (not urgent then) as our rather old 4wd drinks fuel, is expensive to tax and likes garages.  One issue is that our 15 yo Ifor Williams 510 weighs 1100kg empty and the horses are about 500kg each.  That requires towing capacity of 2.2 tonnes, beyond most of the crossover cars.


The new Ifor Williams 511 is 1000kg, but the equivalent Batemen is only 860kg and the rather posh Equitec is 920kg.  Does anyone have experience of these?

[ShaunP]

I've just put a deposit on an Ifor Williams Box Van trailer BV125 x 7' high with combination ramp and opening rear doors. Current deliveries are running at 8 weeks with 12 weeks on some models. Tells you something about their popularity. I didn't even look at anything else. Just got the best quote, which was £700 cheaper than the other dealer. They are well built but not tremendously well built. The BV126 (6' wide instead of 5') but has a much higher net weight which reduces my load capacity. I can legally tow 2000Kg, but with a net weight of 945Kg (the combination door adds nearly 100Kg) I can actually only move 1055Kg of cargo. The trailer is plated for 2700Kg but I can't legally tow that. Customer service from the company is first class so far -all my queries answered immediately. The resale value is excellent and I can expect to get almost the same as I paid for it (pre-VAT price of course) for years. 10 year old horse boxes fetch half the current retail price!

If your car can only tow 2000kg and your trailer is plated at 2700kg......loaded or not you are running illegally and that would void your insurance if you have an accident!!!

[robert waddell]

i think you have got it wrong shaunP     as long as he does not go over the 2000 kilos gross weight he cant get done
 
as long as the trailer complies with current standards and he goes not go over a load of 1055 kilos he is perfectly safe     it could be bigger brakes on the 2700 kilo trailer than the smaller one   therefore making it safer

[chrismahon]

Robert is right ShaunP. The DOT has clarified their position recently as my original intention was to get it replated down to 2000Kg. The combination rear doors on the trailer add 105Kg to the net weight (over roller shutter doors) which leaves me 955Kg capacity. Chicken coops are all volume and not weight though.

[ShaunP]

Robert

Looks like you are right, VOSA guidelines changed in 2011 when the enforcement was on the plated weight, now the guidance is that it is on actual weight so I stand corrected!!!!