We don't have a LQ BP trailer,just a 3H slant steel stock trailer.I believe that it is 18' long.THe front horse is over and slightly in front of the first axle,the second horse is over the second axle.The greatest stall length is in the back.

We hauled 2 horses to MO Sunday,and put one in the 2nd stall,and my husband's 19 yr old mare who likes a lot of room in the back stall.Almost to our destination,traveling about 60,I looked back in the passenger mirror,and noticed that the trailer was swaying slightly.Nothing major,but,I could definately see it.I told my husband,who was driving,and he noticed.I told him to let off the speed a tad,and when he did,it stopped.I've had that to happen with me before in a 2H side by side,and also with a 3H LQ w/10'SW.That tail wag the dog feeling.

I say this because until this thread,I did not realize about unloading the tongue and putting extra weight in the back of the trailer can cause this problem or worsen the tendency.We talked about this because I had been reading this for a few days.That is what we did without thinking,we unloaded tongue weight when we placed her in the very back over no axle,and the other horse was in the 2nd stall.She should have gone in the first stall,and he in the second.

On the way back,(minus our gelding) she went into the front stall over the first axle.No problem.She rode in comfort,and we rode with a lot more relief.I'm glad that I read this thread and realized that the issue also applied to what was happening to our old trailer.

 Your "3H slant steel stock trailer" is a BP?

It's a well known fact that all trailers have to have a proper tongue weight to tow properly. GN trailers, because the axles are placed so far aft, have little trouble with a light hitch weight, regardless of how they are loaded.

BP trailers are more limited to the amount of hitch weight they can have, because of the vehicle's towing and weight carrying capacities. Instead of the 25% or more of the trailer's weight being on the hitch, as is commonly attributed to a GN, they typically are in the 10% - 15% range of the trailer's weight.

The difference in tongue weight is accomplished by the placement of the trailer axles. The more forward they are placed, the more balanced the trailer becomes and the less tongue weight is applied to the tow vehicle. The GN axles will be very close to the aft part of the trailer, the BP will have its axles more to the center.

The Lakota HUT has a heavy LQ installed into the front of the BP trailer. If this installation were placed into an unmodified BP trailer, the tongue weight would be excessive for most towing vehicles. To decrease the tongue weight, the axles were moved more forward from a standard BP installation. This exact placement was critical, because the dynamic differences in trailer loading, may vary from 2000 to 3000 pounds, while the tongue weight could not.

With one horse in the trailer, its weight is over the axles, and the over all balance of the trailer is maintained. With the addition of a second horse behind the balance point of the axles, the tongue becomes too lightly weighted, and the trailer starts "snaking" or "wagging" while being towed at speed.

This is a classic problem with any bumper pull trailer, with too low a tongue weight. Adding auxiliary hitch accessories may mask the problem, but will not correct the fundamental discrepancy of an improper weight issue. A BP trailer will tow correctly without any auxiliary equipment, if it is trimmed correctly. This is proven by the thousands of trailers presently in use.

In most factories producing trailers, numerous templates and jigs are used while the frames are constructed. This ensures that each one is fabricated correctly,  and the many components are accurately installed, with little variation from unit to unit. This is necessary for the best tracking and towing characteristics. All the frames and axles far a particular trailer series, would be almost identically fabricated.

For one HUT to tow differently from the rest, is difficult to understand, if they are similarly constructed and connected to a proper hitch. For one person to have problems, and another with no difficulties, doesn't make sense unless the type of usage is considered. If one owner only trailers with a single horse, he would have no issues. If another owner always tows with two horses, his experiences would always be problematic.

I find it curious that any dealer of this model of trailer, has so little knowledge of any negative towing issues. If so many were sold and built the same, does this mean that all of the subsequent owners only trailered one horse? This isn't probable.

It sounds like the experiences of another trailer manufacturer, that denied any frame issues, until finally enough people voiced their problems. Their combined difficulties finally resulted in the manufacturer changing its material selection.

Perhaps if enough Lakota owners combine their experiences, a resolution can evolve.

Gard

  I would imagine that there's a huge difference in how this trailer pulls with a full water tank. With two horses, empty tanks,.. bad sway? With a full tank up front with two horses,.. less sway?

  Julibee, have you tried hauling the two horses with your water tanks/tanks full? I can't find any info on how much the fresh/grey/and black water tanks hold. Anyways, if the HUT has any water tanks, you can add 8.333# for every gallon you carry. That would add a good amount of tongue weight and help with the balance when hauling two horses.

  Again, just wondering.

Mysticmom, I was there when the Lakota technician reviewed Teri's trailer.  I can personally tell everyone that the technician they sent was professional, unbiased and a highly skilled trailer technician.    The technician and my husband took the trailer on the test drive with my 2 horses in it and I can assure everyone on this chat the the trailer did sway and that the technician said there was indeed a problem.  He looked at everything including the axles and they were not bent.  The tire belts were worn from improper load weight distribution as a result of the horses being in the trailer and the trailer not towing properly.   At no time did this technician come to the conclusion that the axles were bent.   As a matter of fact, The technician said the first 7 models of this trailer had problems.  This trailer was one of the 7 first models.  The other one is sitting on Nelsons lot in Ocala. (That trailer was bought and the lady went home and loaded her 2 horses and it swayed so bad she drove it back to Nelsons and traded it for a gooseneck that day)  The technician said that the axles would have to be removed and moved further back on the trailer that it was a design flaw.  Lakota refunded Teri's purchase money minus tax (I personally think she should have gotten that as well but I am biased) and they sent the trailer to your lot since it was damaged goods.  The people on this chat need to know Lakota did send a reputable technician, Lakota was a decent professional company and did settle with Teri but please do not come on here and say it was only a bent axle.  It was not.  It was a faulty design just others on this chat had alluded to.  Your dealership will be cutting off the existing axels and moving them to the proper location.  I think Lakota handled the return of Teri's money professionally and I hope they take all 7 of those original trailers and recall all of them. 

Hay Guys

I do not think the truth has been published yet? Keep watching for more info. Bee carefull what you ask for.

Wow...lots of drama.  But I recall other brands having "issues" as well.  I don't have a HUT trailer, but a Lakota GN 12 ft shortwall LQ Slide Out and I absolutely love it.  Lakota has been wonderful.  I am glad they did right by Terri and I truly hope they do recall those other trailers with the flaws. 

I stand by Lakota, I still believe they are very well made and they stand behind their products.  I am sorry Terri had to go through all that.  I am glad it all worked out for her. 

I don't feel that Lakota should be responsible for returning her tax as they don't "keep" the tax it goes to the state.   The state is not going to return the tax to the dealership because the trailer was refunded.

Why would we not want the truth?

Yes,there are several of us on here who aren't afraid of the truth,or of TELLING it to each other!

One thing I've noticed about mysticmom that is commendable is that: she's always been supportive and encouraging about "Terri" in her posts.

IT, seems like there are three stories. The truth. The whole truth. And everything but the truth!! I can't distinguish between the three of them. I'm off to a show this weekend and expect you all to have this all resolved before I return. Ya'll have a nice weekend!!

In the words of a famous California governor..."EYE'LL BEE BOK"!

Gatorjet and Terri know each other quite well, and have been in on the trailer problem together, right from the start.

It's amazing how different the two stories of the trailer's problems have evolved. The same rep was involved with both parties, and yet there were two different outcomes.

Now MYSTIC is trashing the veracity of Gatorjet, insinuating that she's not familiar with the problems and out come. Terri mentioned that several times she used the trailer, and that's when the problems began. Use any trailer at least once and see what two horses will do to a pristine interior.

Mystic seems to ignore the reps comments that the first seven HUTs in Terri's series of builds had the same problems. Lakota recognized this and changed the axle placements since then.

And by the way; how does Gatorjet know so much about Terri's business? She is Terri's daughter.

Gard

This is Teri writing and I need to put a stop to all this nonsense coming from Mysticsmom.  If she would do her homework and try to earn an "A" she would be more successful in selling something.  I think if she continuesto justify reasons to help her make sales she needs to go somewhere else and stop slaming me.  I own one horse and the other horse belonged to Gatorjet.  She put her horse at risk, which was a lot of me to ask but she did to help.

What is a conference call going to do...we were there not Mysticsmom.  Nothing was being said by me since I settled with Lakota as I was trying to find a way to make everyone understand it all but noooooo Mysticsmom had to give her explaination of what took place from what she made up or misunderstood and honestly she really did not do a good job of it.

Now use your imagination...why would a technician continue on with two horses in a trailer that has a bent axle and put us all at risk if they knew this was the problem.  Would you intentionally take two horses that you knew the owner/s were worried could die and continue on an interstate trip and put yourself at risk also!...come on....use your head instead of your verbal weakness.

One more thing...you have a trailer that was purchased and paid for by an individual to use however the owner wanted.  Did that owner buy a trailer, bend the axle intentionally.  If you want to know how the dent in the wheel happened...try swaying and hitting construction dubree on the highway for one and I'll take the time to explain pooooo in the trailer...isn't that what you get when you return from a trip and the technician asks if he can take it right away so that he does not have to return to this coast...So you shovel XXXX out the door...got it...might miss some.

Now the rest of the "this trailer was used" are you saying it was not built to hold up to the power of horses.....you are something else.

And finally....gee if I recall this trailer swayed the first day after purchasing it...do you think I can abuse something in such a short period of time...if you don't believe it call the dealer who will confirm this.

Enough said about it all.  How to win friends and influence people.  Go Girl.

QUOTE]Originally written by mysticsmom on 2008-04-14 12:13 PM
Mystic Mom you said the day you received the trailer on your lot  "The rest of the unit is in perfect condition as Teri has taken care of her trailer." and then after I came on here to dispute your statement about what the technician said, ( I was there and I heard it right out of the technicians mouth.)  you decide to come back on here and say: "I have the trailer and lets say it has been used quite a bit. There are dents in the wheel fender, a hole in the water heater cover, poo in the back, dents in the interior door, dents on the pass thru door, and scrapes on the back crossmember showing that this unit was used and pulled at an angle."

You sound like a child that has been called a name and you are retaliating.  Again, I will say, Lakota handled this professionally and again I will say the first 7 models made of the HUT had a small design flaw.  I would still recommend Lakota as a trailer to buy because they are a reputable dealer and admitted there was a problem and they worked with Teri and they came to an agreement and fixed it.  That is all Teri asked for and I am glad it is resolved.

However, your behavior as a dealer is way over the top and you need to learn to act professional like Lakota did.  I do not forsee me recommending Gator Trailers to any of my friends because your behavior speaks for itself.