I have purchased a Lakota bumper pull with living accomodations (2 horse) and have a problem with swaying....only with horses in it.  No horses and it does not sway.

Can anyone give me a suggestion as to what I can do to right this?

I pull it with a FORD 250 P/U Diesel 4X4 which I purchased recently also.

I have read up on weight distribution setups and in fact when I purchased this trailer I drove a Chevy Avalance with an antisway bar (this is what dealer who sold me the unit said would work) and a customer at Campers World pointed out to me that the truck was sitting down.

I ordered a weight distribution setup and they said they would have to rearrange my setup (battery sits on front of unit) and also move propane tanks on front of unit?

I have since sold this truck and now have a Ford 250 heavy duty which sits level.  I have been to one hitch place and they suggest just antisway bars but I have to bring the trailer in to have the tonge weight confirmed first.

I just want to fix this right and hate to keep spending money and find out it still doesn't work.  I almost killed myself twice already.

Where are the trailer axles in relation to your horses? When you have no sway while unloaded, it is an indication that there is a proper hitch weight loading. When your horses are loaded and there is swaying, that might be an indication that the hitch weight is being unloaded, and too much weight is being placed on the back of the trailer.

A scale placed under your trailer hitch, will quickly indicate the actual loaded and unloaded tongue weights of your trailer.

If your horses are located more behind the axles than over them, this may be a problem. An anti-sway system can't cure an improperly balanced trailer. You might want to check this before you spend a lot of money on speculation.

BOL  Gard

If you go to Lakotatrailers.com and click on THE HUT you will see the bumper pull two horse trailer w/ living accododations that I own.  The wheels are under the two horses - slant load.

I feel as you said. that the hitch weight is being unloaded.  The Hitch store I went to will weight the tongue if I bring the trailer into them which I think will be my next step. 

I would say my horses are over the wheels....maybe the first in is, which is my heaviest - about 1200 lbs.  the back horse is only about 900 lbs

I would like to thank you for your help. 

Is there anyway I can download a picture of my whole rig?  For now I need to thank you for your good advice

 The hitch I use is a 4" drop as my tires are 20" and it is a 4X4 Super Duty Truck.  My hitch is solid (not hollow) as this trailer does have a heavy tongue weight.  This combination is long but my shocks, springs, suspension etc are made for towing this trailer.  I specifically shopped to pull this trailer.

When hitched it appears to be very very level.  My truck does not sit at all when I put the trailer on the hitch....very little movement.

Yes, I took the trailer back to the dealer when this first happened and I almost lost the trailer, horses and a passenger.  They said it was my truck..at that time a Chevy Avalance and gave me one antisway bar and sent me on my way...which was 5 hour drive.  So do I value this dealers opinion...I don't think so.

Another dealer of this trailer (225 miles no of me) says to put on a weight distribution ...but I do not feel my truck has a weight distribution problem and if this trailer has that problem then the manufactor should fix this. Can you imagine....a antisway bar...a new truck....new hitch.....alot of bucks here.

I can understand your dilemma. I pulled a Lakota HUT with a F250 also, and thought I was going to run off the road on a curve, while empty. Can only imagine what it is like with horses. I guess that is why most manufacturers only put a Living Quarter in Goosenecks. The trailer would probably be okay behind a bus or big RV.

Good luck- there is no scarier feeling than having the tail wag the dog.

I just wish I would have had this problem empty.  I had no problem empty and I had no horses to use at the time as I was 5 hours away from home.  I actually fishtailed with two horses in it the first time I loaded horses because I was on a winding country road doing 50 mph.  This is when the dealer put a antisway bar on, but I live in flat country so on the straight a way it seemed to work but then I was extremely careful to the point of being rundown on the highway.  this is why I purchased a new truck.

I was with my son-in-law when I purchased this and he was a tractor trailer driver who questioned the location of the wheels compared to another similar trailer on the lot and was told there was no difference.  I think I can say there was a difference now.

Hopefully the manufacturer will justify this problem before I kill myself.

I don't think your tow vehicles are at fault, and considering an even larger one will be futile. In the pictures I observed of similar trailers, it seems that the axles are more to the front of the trailer, in relation to your horses, than conventional non LQ BP trailers. I would assume this was done to lighten the load on a BP hitch which normally is much less than a GN hitch. Your LQ adds a great deal of weight to the front of the trailer, which has to be balanced by the axles.

Again, if the tongue could be weighed while the trailer is empty and then again with your horses loaded, I think you would immediately know where the problem is located.

As was previously stated, the attitude of the trailer tongue is also important. Most owners tow with a slightly high nose pitch. If the trailer were nose low, it would load up the front axle and negatively effect the handling.

I have a flat bed trailer that tows very well. On one trip when I was carrying two carriages, the loading was off and it was tail heavy. The whole trip home was spent at a slow speed as the trailer wagged its way down the road.

It may be that the only fix would be to relocate the axles further rearward on the frame.

BOL  Gard

I think this is my problem.  Do you think something like this can be fixed, or is it a design issue and it will be a permanent problem?

How can I find out....what type of professional person would I go to to confirm if there is a design problem or not?

I did have someone pull this trail with a Ford 350 construction vehicle that pulls flatbeds with heave equipment loaded and they had the same problem.  Only difference is they were able to go 2 more MPH before it happened to them.

It is  a heavy trailer....with a tongue weight, that I want to get weighed to confirm, of approximately 1,000 lbs.

I just purchased a new hitch.  This is a solid rod (not hollow like most) and it has an additional 1" drop.  I was thinking like you said, to give my tongue more weight.  I am also going to fill my water tanks and waste tanks with water for more weight.

On Monday I am going to a hitch place and have the tongue weighed.  I think this needs to be my next step right now.

thanks

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE AND THANK EVERYONE ON THIS CHAT FOR SHARING THEIR KNOWLEDGE WITH ME.  IT IS SO FRUSTRATING TO HAVE NO ONE TO ASK AND YOU GUYS HAVE HELPED ME MORE THAN I EVER EXPECTED.  IT IS ALL GOOD INFORMATION THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE.  KEEP WRITING

THANKS

Teri

The trailer weighing on Monday should give you the information you will need to make a decision.

If the trailer does unweight the tongue when loaded, you will basically only have two choices. One is to try to redesign the trailer's wheelbase by relocating the axles, fenders and brake wiring. This will void any warranty and may be speculative at best, in that, knowing exactly how far to move things is not a given.

The second may be your best choice. Sell your BP and purchase a comparably equipped GN trailer. Your new truck will handle one easily. You will immediately feel differently while driving this type of rig. There is no swaying, oncoming or passing trucks do not bother you, a corner is no different than a straight road.

You have an expensive trailer that doesn't work. If you could get anything near its value, a GN replacement could be quite viable. There are a multitude of used GN with LQs, some at reasonable prices.

Gard

I am going this direction.

I have been in contact with Lakota about this problem and am hoping they will have an answer and a solution to me this week.  Yes, you are right, I spent quite a bit of money for my "dream trailer" and could have purchased a gooseneck...but did not want to purchase a new truck....and as you see I ended up with a new truck with a bumper pull that does not work.

You are right, I do not want to void my warrantee.

Wish me luck

The trailer manufacturer has to provide a product that is suitable for its intended purpose. If it is a danger to those who use it because of a design flaw, the manufacturer is liable for any preexisting or known dangers to people or property. (horses included)

If you do not get any satisfaction from your dealer and Lakota about returning the trailer, I would immediately seek the services of an attorney.

I'm sure they will initially try to discount the severity of the problem and blame your truck or driving habits as being the basis of the problem. There was another posting of an other owner who described similar problems. I would try to access as many owners as possible to find a larger voice in your complaint.

You are involved in an untenable, life threatening situation. There is no way you can safely use this product. The dealer and manufacturer should be held fully accountable.

Gard

I just heard from the manufacturer and they are saying besides a sway bar a weight distribution kit is also an item that should be installed on my trailer.  I sent them several photos of my setup.  If you look above you will see a photo sent by gatorjet.