Graham Edwards livestock trailers

[bar-proper]

If the attitude of the chap on the graham Edwards stand at lamma is anything to go by I would avoid like the plauge !

 

[ThatsSomeSheep]

At Lamma (this year, ie last week), I had a great opportunity to look at 3 different livestock trailer makes in quick succession.

Ranked in order of perceived build quality, ie with just a basic look around:

1 Graham Edwards
2 Nugent
3 (by a long way) Ifor Williams

The Graham Edwards and the Nugent seemed to be much better put together than the Ifor.

I have a dillemna now. I hope to be in a position to invest in a new trailer this year. Our, very, local dealer is a good friend and sells Ifor. I don't really want to walk past him, but if / when I have the money to spend I am very very tempted to buy a GE or even a Nugent.

I have an Ifor at the moment and have only had Ifors previously, with no complaints. Would probably just head for another in future were it not for the various comments I have read on here about build quality, that's what made me go looking and comparing at Lamma.

P.S I didn't find any problem with attitude on the GE or Nugent stands at Lamma. No-one came to speak to us on the Ifor stand, maybe we didn't kick the tyres hard enough!
P.P.S Please don't tell me I should buy a Gamic. I have never seen one in the flesh, it sounds as though it is near impossible to do so, and I don't really want to deal with a company hundreds of miles away with if things go wrong.

 

[___\0/___]

We bought a Graham Edwards 5 years ago and it is still going strong apart from the bolts in the back gates needing replaced, man down the road from us bought an ifor at the same time and is ready for changing it to a Grahan Edwards already.

It was an ifor we had before and sold locally. The guy that bought it renewed brakes etc and it looks as if it will last longer than anything you could buy new today.

 

[S J H]

At Lamma (this year, ie last week), I had a great opportunity to look at 3 different livestock trailer makes in quick succession.

Ranked in order of perceived build quality, ie with just a basic look around:

1 Graham Edwards
2 Nugent
3 (by a long way) Ifor Williams

The Graham Edwards and the Nugent seemed to be much better put together than the Ifor.

I have a dillemna now. I hope to be in a position to invest in a new trailer this year. Our, very, local dealer is a good friend and sells Ifor. I don't really want to walk past him, but if / when I have the money to spend I am very very tempted to buy a GE or even a Nugent.

I have an Ifor at the moment and have only had Ifors previously, with no complaints. Would probably just head for another in future were it not for the various comments I have read on here about build quality, that's what made me go looking and comparing at Lamma.

P.S I didn't find any problem with attitude on the GE or Nugent stands at Lamma. No-one came to speak to us on the Ifor stand, maybe we didn't kick the tyres hard enough!
P.P.S Please don't tell me I should buy a Gamic. I have never seen one in the flesh, it sounds as though it is near impossible to do so, and I don't really want to deal with a company hundreds of miles away with if things go wrong.

I don't think Hudson were there, but if you'd like a look at one in the flesh then please let me know, or I can send you many photos as you like

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Not sure why everyone slags ifors off for...my last one was ten years old and would carry a lot of heavy cattle about, not one complaint about it, part ex'd it last year for a new one and cost us 2k to swap...£200 a year depreciation isn't bad at all

 

[GTB]

We have a 12 month old Graham Edwards trailer (wheels underneath). We're very pleased with it generally.
Three slight dislikes..

We had to have a new front axle soon after buying it. The front wheels weren't running true and were wearing tyres on the inside. Replaced under warranty without quibble... but it's starting to do the same again.

The wind up decks need to be pretty clean before you can wind them up. So if you take a load of sheep to somewhere and need to bring cattle back it can be a problem (without washing facility). Also you need to be parked facing slightly down hill when winding / un-winding the decks. If not, the 'concertina' at the front of the trailer can sometimes fall over backwards and then it's a pig of a job if you're on your own.

The trailer tows really well loaded but it's rough as f**k when empty.

Oh, and it doesn't like being driven on rutted farm tracks. The wheels are quite small and you can therefore knock the shells off the inside of the hubs.

Otherwise it's a good trailer.

 

[ThatsSomeSheep]

I totally get the bit about depreciation, or lack of, with Ifor @Northeastfarmer

Surely a GE would be similar though??

Thanks for info re winding decks etc @GTB I did wonder if more complicated design might = more hassle!

I would be buying one with wheels on the outside as opposed to underneath.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

We have a 12 month old Graham Edwards trailer (wheels underneath). We're very pleased with it generally.
Three slight dislikes..

We had to have a new front axle soon after buying it. The front wheels weren't running true and were wearing tyres on the inside. Replaced under warranty without quibble... but it's starting to do the same again.

The wind up decks need to be pretty clean before you can wind them up. So if you take a load of sheep to somewhere and need to bring cattle back it can be a problem (without washing facility). Also you need to be parked facing slightly down hill when winding / un-winding the decks. If not, the 'concertina' at the front of the trailer can sometimes fall over backwards and then it's a pig of a job if you're on your own.

The trailer tows really well loaded but it's rough as fudge when empty.

Oh, and it doesn't like being driven on rutted farm tracks. The wheels are quite small and you can therefore knock the shells off the inside of the hubs.

Otherwise it's a good trailer.

At the risk of not wanting to upset u that sounds like 3 pain in the arse niggles

 

[Penmoel]

We have a 12 month old Graham Edwards trailer (wheels underneath). We're very pleased with it generally.
Three slight dislikes..

The trailer tows really well loaded but it's rough as fudge when empty.

Oh, and it doesn't like being driven on rutted farm tracks. The wheels are quite small and you can therefore knock the shells off the inside of the hubs.
.

One little caveat........



It may not be only the trailer that is rough as fudge

 

[rhifsaith]

Not sure why everyone slags ifors off for...my last one was ten years old and would carry a lot of heavy cattle about, not one complaint about it, part ex'd it last year for a new one and cost us 2k to swap...£200 a year depreciation isn't bad at all

Exactly right,few Hudsons have appeared in this area now. They look bloody cheaply made to me.

 

[DrWazzock]

Why do some trailers get a judder on when running empty, even on a smooth road? I have had this with several makes I've borrowed. I tow with an L200 and you can see the pickup body flexing between the back window of the cab and the load bay.

 

[S J H]

Exactly right,few Hudsons have appeared in this area now. They look bloody cheaply made to me.

Do you mean Hudson @rhifsaith ? I'd be interested to hear why you think they look cheaply made.

 

[Joe]

Why do some trailers get a judder on when running empty, even on a smooth road? I have had this with several makes I've borrowed. I tow with an L200 and you can see the pickup body flexing between the back window of the cab and the load bay.

would it not be more the pick up than the trailer, I always find pick up jumpy to pull with compared to the defender or old mans jeep

 

[GTB]

One little caveat........



It may not be only the trailer that is rough as fudge

Are you talking about the roads around here?

 

[Henarar]

I have a GE 12 foot tri axle with the wheels under and its by far the best trailer to tow that I have used, Had and Ifor twin axle the same size before and it would snake if I went near 50 with a load up I think with the GE it would be double that.
Also towed a ifor tri axle flatbed and that was not as good as the GE

 

[Penmoel]

Are you talking about the roads around here?

Could be .........,








but if the cap fits

 

[GTB]

I have a GE 12 foot tri axle with the wheels under and its by far the best trailer to tow that I have used, Had and Ifor twin axle the same size before and it would snake if I went near 50 with a load up I think with the GE it would be double that.
Also towed a ifor tri axle flatbed and that was not as good as the GE

I agree our GE is the safest trailer I've ever towed loaded. It's rock solid on the road.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I agree our GE is the safest trailer I've ever towed loaded. It's rock solid on the road.

It's a bad job when the GE factory is about 50 miles from me and I go to Wales to buy a ifor and you're coming all the way from Wales to here to buy a GE

 

[Henarar]

It's a bad job when the GE factory is about 50 miles from me and I go to Wales to buy a ifor and you're coming all the way from Wales to here to buy a GE

Yea I would think you would know better.
I bought it from a chap in devon

 

[rhifsaith]

Do you mean Hudson @rhifsaith ? I'd be interested to hear why you think they look cheaply made.

Yes,to me they look like a Dutch barn on wheels. Not to impressed with the strength of the chassis from the wheels back either.

Just my opinion tho!