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 New User
Posts: 2
Location: Houlton, WI | I'm looking at buying a new Lakota trailer, and would appreciate feedback from any current Lakota owners. Please provide likes, dislikes, and reason(s) for same. Thank you!! |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
   
Location: western PA | Perform a "SEARCH" under LAKOTA for the last year. You will find numerous postings about this brand. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 218
Location: Ohio | Bravehart, send me a private message and I will give you my take. We bought our Lakota 2 years ago. |
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Member
Posts: 8
Location: Az | We bought our small 3 horse LQ Lakota brand new 2 1/2 yrs. ago and have used the heck out of it. The only issue we have had are the bracket bolts anchoring the removable tack area/horse area divider keep coming out, forcing me to get creative on keeping them in. Otherwise it hauls great and has held up well. |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | Try some blue Loctite 242. It should hold things into place and still allow you to remove the bolts when you need to. |
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New User
Posts: 2
Location: Houlton, WI | Anxious to hear what you can tell me about your Lakota trailer. |
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Veteran
Posts: 218
Location: Ohio | Braveheart...PM sent. |
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Veteran
Posts: 236
Location: Little town in Pa | |
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Veteran
Posts: 236
Location: Little town in Pa | We have had our for about 3 years, we are heavy users and it has seen a ton of miles. We had to replace all the tires already, so if you are buying one, ask for an upgrade on the tires. The skylight in the shower needed replaced, and the bathroom vent did to. I still like the trailer but I think the manufacturer could have spent a little more money on the sky light and vent and tires. We have also replaced the batteries. I still think for the price they are a very good trailer and I love the insulated ceiling. I also thought Gary Stites from Lakota of Ohio was very fair and honest. |
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Member
Posts: 8
Location: Az | Thanks for the suggestion Gard! |
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Location: Ardmore, OK | Terrible trailer. Know a few people in the area who bought one because you can buy a 4H w/15'LQ for way less than any other brand (other than Bison/Merhow) (which are awful as well). Now they are regretting buying these brands because there is no quality in the trailer itself such as cheap materials like cheap I beams, poor construction, cheap living quarters, and way too many problems. Now they are stuck with them and not even the dealers want them back. Trailers shouldn't have problems such as leaks and broken dividers as young as 5 years old or less... |
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Regular
Posts: 85
| Bought a new one last year, so far so good. Anything that needed fixing was done so by Lakota with no hassle at all. Can't complain. Like anything, you could find better built, quality, etc however you also have to pay more for it. HOw much do you want to spend? To me, for the money, they are good. |
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Veteran
Posts: 146
Location: Harrisburg, OR | Interesting that Nickrg includes Merhow as being a cheap interior when they use the same interior companies as: Sooner, Featherlite, Exiss (Sierra) or Bloomer, Platinum, Elite (Outlaw). I can't tell if you're a dealer or mfg but either way your posts are full of opinion and very little substance. |
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Veteran
Posts: 218
Location: Ohio | Once again someone who does not own a brand of trailer feels qualified to critique it. I have a Lakota, I have friends that have one and the quality rivals most mid level trailers. We spent six weeks in ours last year and enjoyed every minute. It feels like home when we are on the road with the horses. I would buy one again without hesitation. We have had GREAT customer service from Lakota as well. You have to take care of these rigs. They are mobile homes and driving down the roads will require ALL brands to have routine maint. My inlaws had a 37 motor home and they budgeted money every year to do the routine service. If you are expecting a LQ horse trailer to just be ready every time you hook it up, and you don't take care of it, don't bash the brand. You will find someone on any brand that would not recommend it. If you go back and research the archives of this site, you will see that Lakota has a positive following from those that actually have owned them. |
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Location: Ardmore, OK | I am not a dealer I just trail ride and have seen some of those brands with a lot of issues. my sister lives in TN and pulled a bison and was very displeased with it. |
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Location: Ardmore, OK | You're right, my statement is speculated based on opinion not solid facts. For that I apologize, it just upsets me to see my friends have issues with their trailers they were so excited about in such short of time when I have had little issues my older trailer. I mentioned those other trailers because they are in the similar price range. |
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Expert
Posts: 3802
 
Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | I don't own a Lakota, not bashing Lakota, I don't buy and sell trailers, just telling you what I looked at while shopping around for a LQ trailer, so take it for what it's worth. Stopped in at a dealer back in November and looked at a new (built in May of 2013) Lakota Charger 4 horse 13' LQ with slide. Trailer listed for less than $70K.... After a brief 0:30 inspection, I decided a Lakota wasn't for me. I had already filled the better part of a legal pad with things that need attention. Never got around to check for any water leaks, water heater, heat, stove microwave, inverter, A/C, etc... There was just alot of little things... Broken rivets, stripped screws, gaskets that didn't seal, leaking hydraulic cylinders, misaligned door, cabinets were soft, (you know, kinda spongy, not solid wood, seemed to be particle board and cardboard) rubber bubbled up and peeling up on walls in the horse area, alot of sharp edges, etc... Probably an OK trailer but this was alot of things that were not quite right straight from the factory... Dealer said they would correct everything but I thanked them for their time and wished them well selling these trailers... I'll keep looking for something built a little more solid in my price range, (Maybe a well used 4STAR, Platinum, C&C, Bloomer, Elite, etc.).... This Lakota reminded me a little of a 2010 Bison Stratus I looked a a couple years ago... That one was not good. P.S. I guess worst of all, both trailer (the Lakota as well as the Bison) were shod with Chinese tires, that was one thing that could be fixed... |
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Veteran
Posts: 236
Location: Little town in Pa | |
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Veteran
Posts: 236
Location: Little town in Pa | I agree with Retendo about the chinese tires. I am sure as this forum continues to educate people to stay away from them, the manufactures should step up to the plate and stop trying to sell them on new trailers. |
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New User
Posts: 2
Location: Safety Harbor, FL | They are nice looking but for better quality, consider Elite, 4Star, Platinum. To save money-look at used. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1871
Location: NY | I was told that in new york state you have to use trailer tire only all I see are chine made tire that is how sad thing are? |
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New User
Posts: 3
Location: Ga | Was noticing that all the reply's were several years old...assuming that they were just older threads. Am also looking at purchasing a Lakota, and was wondering if the newer trailers were a better quality? Does anyone have an opinion about the new Lakota's?? For used trailers, does the year model make a difference? Thanks! |
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Veteran
Posts: 218
Location: Ohio | This thread started in January of this year. As a follow up. Lakota has upgraded the tires they are putting on their trailers. I was at the factory, I had to have some work done after we damaged it, and they had Good Years on their trailers. |
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Member
Posts: 7
Location: knoxville tn | Just sent you a pm diane |
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Veteran
Posts: 233
Location: Pataskala, Ohio | Look for treads that I have started or replied, I have a 2007 Lakota 4 horse with 10 foot LQ. We have had it for 7 years and the only issue I have is the radio does not work. Build quality, my wife is a licensed aircraft and power plant mechanic, she can fix riveted aircraft made of aluminum. We bought our trailer at Quarter Horse Congress 2007. We spent a great number of hours looking at trailers. Our Lakota had no bad rivets nor welds. I left the POS Chinese tires on it long enough to get US made tire installed. Our next trailer will be a Lakota. |
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Member
Posts: 6
| I purchased a Lakota Big Horn a few months ago. I am very happy with the trailer. I had a couple of minor things fixed at a local RV shop and Lakota paid them with no hassle at all. The cost difference between the Lakota and an Elite was nearly $20,000 and I sure don't see enough difference in the quality to make me want to pay that much more for a trailer. |
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Expert
Posts: 1871
Location: NY | It is nice to say something nice about them when they get it right |
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New User
Posts: 3
Location: Prince George, BC | One thing I have noticed in the Lakota vs an Elite. The elite is a quite a bit heavier. The Elite is built more stronger. Quick visual comparison is the saddle racks. Its like comparing apples and oranges. The Lakota is a nice trailer for it's class.
As much as I wish I had the extra $20k to buy an new elite I would buy a new Lakota. Or find a used elite. This is the time of year to buy a trailer. |
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New User
Posts: 3
Location: Ga | I purchased a 2014 Lakota Charger. I have been extremely happy with the trailer so far. No, it is not an Elite or 4 Star - but those were well out of my price range. It is much better built then the Bison, and the horse area is superior to the Exiss (LQ was pretty comparable) - the trailers in the same price range. They have improved a LOT with this trailer. Would definitely buy one again. |
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Member
Posts: 13
Location: Ocala, Fl | I don't understand why you say it's not a 4star or Elite. I have a Lakota big horn grande and it's very comparable to the 4 star. I kno because I travel with friends with a 40 foot 4 star. Their unit isn't any better than the Lakota. Just go look and use a Lakota for a while and you will be surprised. |
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Member
Posts: 6
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Member
Posts: 6
| My Lakota weighs 1,000 lbs more than my Elite but the Elite was two feet shorter and 7'6" wide so I don't think there is that much difference in weight. |
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Lakota trailer
