Ifor Williams Hb4o1(single Tralier)

[andreaB]

Hi Everyone

I'm Thinking Of Buying One Of These & I'm Sure A Few Of You Out There Must Have Them So Wondered If Anyone Could Help Me Out With Their First Hand Opinions On Them

Ie Are You Happy With It Or Not? Why? Would You Recommend Buying One? Both Good Points & Bad Welcome

I'm Specifically Looking At Buying One Because In My Case It Will Get Round Doing The Towing Test As Its Gross Laden Weight Is Within The Unladen Weight Of My Tow Vehicle (have You Seen The Requirements For The Towing Test!! My Other Half Tows All The Time For Me & He Thinks Its Way Hard!!)

Thankyou In Anticipation

[chev]

I don't think it will get you round doing the towing test. If you passed your driving test after '97 you have to do the towing test in order to tow a trailer with a MAM (or gross laden weight) of more than 750kg. Nothing to do with the weight of the towing vehicle. I could be wrong but I think chances are even a single horse trailer will have a MAM exeeding that. Basically if you want to tow a horse trailer and you passed your test after 1997, you need to do the towing test.

If you're worried about what's involved, book some lessons first. To be honest, if you can't pass the towing test, you shouldn't be towing a horse trailer anyway. This link tells you exactly what you need to be able to do - as you can see, it's nothing more than you'd have to do while out towing anyway - so if it's going to cause you problems, I'd book some towing lessons before you tow anything anyway.

http://www.horsedata.co.uk/trailer_test.htm

As for single horse trailers... the most important thing to bear in mind is that they are nowhere near as stable as a double horse trailer. They're more likely to become unstable while towing, and even though they're generally lighter, they are also usually more difficult to tow. We towed one a long time ago - never again. I'd always use a double trailer even with just one horse to transport, to be honest.

[Kanuma]

chev i thinkl its the backing up part that everyone fears! mum has been pulling horse trailers for over 20 years and she says she could do everything except that backing up thing!
im going to do my trailer test as soon as mum gets me on the insurance for the big car! im practiceing in the field ATM but i cannot back the damn thing through that course!

[chev]

Best bet is find a big space somewhere and practice. It's not as hard as you think once you get the hang of it - and towing lessons are the best way to give you the idea.

[andreaB]

Accordong To The Regs You Can Tow A Vehicle/ Trailer Combination On A Post 1997 Licence Providing That The Combination Does Not Exceed 3500kg & The Gross Laden Weight Of The Trailer Does Not Exceed The Unladen Weight Of The Tow Vehicle. An Ifor 401 Has A Max Laden Weight Of 1600kg, Thats What The Regs Seem To Say , Think I'll Have Another Read

[andreaB]

The Combined Mam Must Not Exceed 3500 Kg To Be More Precise

[andreaB]

Not Just The Backing Up Bur The Hitching Also , Its Ok When Someone Guides You In But To Do It Totally Unassisted For The Test!!

[chev]

That trailer MAM would be within the limits for driving without a separate test then, yes - depending on the vehicle you tow with.

Make sure the towball downweight is up to it - it needs to be 75kg for towing horse trailers.

And given that you're towing a single trailer, I'd strongly advise you to make sure that you stay within the 85% rule because of the instability of most single trailers - and to book some lessons.

The absolute worst trailer we ever towed was an IW single pony trailer. We were towing with a Nissan Patrol too - and it still snaked.

What is your tow vehicle btw?

[andreaB]

A Freelander , The Handbook & Tow Bar State Max Load Of 2000kg & Max Nose Weight Of 140kg , Although I Admit I Don't Fully Undersrand This Nose Weight Bit(more Looking Up To Do!!)

Horse 500kg Max , Trailer 770kg So Say 1300kg Tops

Guess Its More The Stability Factor That Concerns Me , They Are 4 Ft Wide (internal), The 505 I Think Is Just Over 5ft , I Was Thinking Also A Single As It S A Nice Wide Stall For The Horse , But You Certainly Don't See As Many Around As The Doubles , Guess Partly As It Cuts Your Options

[chev]

You need to work it out using the MAM of the trailer, not your estimation of what you'd carry.

The kerb weight of the Freelander depends on what model you drive - it's between 1470kg and 1650kg.

The lighter models are not honestly heavy enough for peace of mind while towing - especially with a single trailer. Think about it - 1470kg of car pulling 1300kg of trailer.... with a single trailer that would make for a very unstable combination. The heavier models are safer - 1650kg of car pulling 1300kg of trailer will be much safer.

But the single trailer doesn't really give you much leeway for load either. If the trailer weight accounts for 770kg of the MAM, that only leaves 630kg before you're carrying too much weight in the trailer - and that means you could be charged with driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition. My 14.2 cob stallion weighed in at 600kg (and no, he wasn't fat). Add bedding, haynet, anything else you're carrying in the trailer, and you see why most people don't bother with them.

Police are stopping trailers now - I know of a few people who've been stopped for being overweight. (We have a VOSA weighbridge just up the road :rolleyes: ) You would be cutting it quite fine with a trailer like that.