Halfton or Mid

[scarlson42]

I would add that if you go the SRW route, get the TV in a 4x4 configuration. I’ve had to use mine in 4WD more than once when positioning the 5er in a soggy area.

[Phil Saran]

You want a bath and a half plus bunks.

Start off with a diesel 3500 of your brand choice, because your looking for a 38 to 40 foot unit. The Cougar 333 MKS may fit your needs if it comes with bunks and the extra bath.

I have a new Cougar 30 RLS 5th wheel @ 34 feet and I tow with a Dodge Ram diesel 3500 4x4 because I like having enough chassis and brakes to handle most any load and the 4x4 because I live where we get snow.

Also my Dodge has an electric jake brake which is real nice for those 6% hills. Saves the brakes.

[ctbruce]

Originally Posted by Tireman9

Before you buy and before you get your heart set on a TV or TT that will not work or you can't afford you need to educate yourself FIRST.


At least watch THIS video so you understand that neither the TV nor the TT salesperson will know enough to give you the information you need other than tell you "Sure this unit will work" as they only have one goal. Make the sale and get you off the dealer's lot.

Good video. Thanks for sharing.

[cynnich]

1). As has been stated before trust neither the trailer or truck salesperson when figuring what you need.
2). As the less technical spouse I would add do not get 2wd. We have sometimes ended up in mud puddles we would never have gotten out of without 4wd. (It’s amazing how fast a grassy field can turn into a swamp).
3). I drive the dually both around town and towing our Fuzion. Im not as good backing up as the husband but I get by with him spotting if the trailer is attached.

[7Iron]

Originally Posted by Libbett

As far as floorplans go, take a gander at the mid bunk models. We have a 2018 Cougar 368 MBI and love the floorplan. We get a nice rear living with lots of light and still have the extra bedroom. We had a 2014 Chaparral rear bunk and it always felt dark inside. Montana has a mid bunk model that you might want to look at because I agree, a Cougar isn't an extended stay rv. And I also agree with getting the rv first and match the truck to it.

That is the 5er that is one the top of our list.

What is your current actual GVW and pin/tongue wt?

The pin wt for this trailer is the controlling (MOST SIGNIFICANT) piece of data, and I hope you have it and will share.

thank you

[7Iron]

Originally Posted by Firewall

Same model here, and started with a 2500HD - it did ok but obviously was over weight. The new truck has a 4300lb payload!

Wow, another 368MBH owner. Same question what is your GVW (5er) and the pin wt.

And the truck that I am looking at today has max payload is 4450, but the door sticker only has 3714 for remaining payload....I would have never guessed that the XL options were that heavy.

[Snoking]

Given the 368MBI has a dry pin weight of under 2K and GVWR just under 14K, a SRW 350/3500 will handle it just fine. Pin weight should be 3K or less fully loaded. I am basing this on my experience with 16K 5er that has a dry pin weight of 2435 towed with a Ram 3500 SRW.

[7Iron]

Originally Posted by Snoking

Given the 368MBI has a dry pin weight of under 2K and GVWR just under 14K, a SRW 350/3500 will handle it just fine. Pin weight should be 3K or less fully loaded. I am basing this on my experience with 16K 5er that has a dry pin weight of 2435 towed with a Ram 3500 SRW.

Not necessarily Snoking....

It all depends on how much of the added cargo to the 5er gets transferred to the pin and what the cargo is in the TV. Does only 20% go to the pin (min possible, unless it is loaded rear of axles, or is it closer to 50% as the storage basement is about centered between axles and pin....???

See the table...that range is 670lbs in the example.

I am really hoping for real actual data for the 368 by two different owners, then I will feel confident of the transfer.

[7Iron]

oops forgot the table.

[Snoking]

Originally Posted by 7Iron

Not necessarily Snoking....

It all depends on how much of the added cargo to the 5er gets transferred to the pin and what the cargo is in the TV. Does only 20% go to the pin (min possible, unless it is loaded rear of axles, or is it closer to 50% as the storage basement is about centered between axles and pin....???

See the table...that range is 670lbs in the example.

I am really hoping for real actual data for the 368 by two different owners, then I will feel confident of the transfer.

The dry pin weight is only 17% of the dry weight. To get to 3000 lbs pin weight that would be 21.5%.

To look at it a different way, lets take the 2405 CC and take 22% pin weight percentage times that and we get 529 pounds. 1980 + 529 = 2509 pin weight.

Or another look. To get to 3000 pounds pin weight 34% of the 2405 cargo would right on the pin.

With a 350/3500 you are worrying about a issue is not going to happen. Chris

[babaloo]

We bought a 1/2 ton 2018 Cougar 279RKSWE, 5er. There is no question that the quality / construction is a bit less, trying to save on weight. It was disapointing. Had many small features that we felt we're rinky dink, but many that we appreciate, i.e. Auto Level, Upgraded suspension, and on 20th anniversary models, many tiny upgrades from 2018 'Non- 20th anniversary ' models, (Keystone changed mid-year)... We love it though, as the' newness' is wonderful. I would look at other brands, and walk through as many as possible, slowly !
We have a 2012 Dodge Diesel 3500 dually, more truck than we need. (Have a big Lance Truck Camper, as well)... My first Dodge, (at 73 YO), and my first diesel. Immediately got 3-4 MPG better, everyone told me I'd have it for 300K miles plus, and would never change back to my 2006 Big Ford F250 Gas...Diesel is by far the way to go. Good Hunting !
p.s. after 2012, at least with Dodge Diesels, you have to add the additive to the gas...UGH !

[7Iron]

When we owned a single axle pu I created a tongue wt calculator that was very accurate. I have revamped to model a dual axle (will not be as close) 5er.

It can not be more accurate than the inputs:

1. 3 key measurements:
a. 5er length
b. rear to pin midpoint
c. center of axles (midpoint between) from rear

2. payload wt and location

3. Wt of hitch pin assembly

4 Wt of Axles/Suspension/Wheels and Tires

In this example if you remove the added cargo you will get the Dry Wt and pin wt from the Keystone Brochure for the 368MBH

If you like a copy of the excel file let me know

[7Iron]

Originally Posted by Snoking

The dry pin weight is only 17% of the dry weight. To get to 3000 lbs pin weight that would be 21.5%.

To look at it a different way, lets take the 2405 CC and take 22% pin weight percentage times that and we get 529 pounds. 1980 + 529 = 2509 pin weight.

Or another look. To get to 3000 pounds pin weight 34% of the 2405 cargo would right on the pin.

With a 350/3500 you are worrying about a issue is not going to happen. Chris

and if I could put all 2405 directly above the pin, essentially all of it would go to the pin. and if I put all 2405 on the rear bumper it would reduce the dry wt pin wt to about 150 lbs....but the real question is what really happens when you load out the 368MBH....with most of the wt in the basement??

[7Iron]

If I put most of the load out in the refrig, I would create negative moment at the pin (as the refrig is behind the rear wheels) and if my model is correct, the wt on the axels would be 12.5k and I would reduce the pin down from the dry wt of 1980 to 1399....now I can pull with my GMC 1500

[Firewall]

Originally Posted by 7Iron

Wow, another 368MBH owner. Same question what is your GVW (5er) and the pin wt.

And the truck that I am looking at today has max payload is 4450, but the door sticker only has 3714 for remaining payload....I would have never guessed that the XL options were that heavy.

So the stated gvw of the 368MBI is 13980. The factory sticker is 11575lbs. So your table seems to be accurate. The payload of my truck (yellow sticker) is 4323lbs. I have not had the opportunity to CAT scale the truck or trailer yet.

[7Iron]

Originally Posted by Firewall

So the stated gvw of the 368MBI is 13980. The factory sticker is 11575lbs. So your table seems to be accurate. The payload of my truck (yellow sticker) is 4323lbs. I have not had the opportunity to CAT scale the truck or trailer yet.

just in case you are not familiar with Cat....The first weigh costs $10 bucks and you get the wt of the TV front axle , the TV rear axle and the 5er axles wt (there are 3 different scales in-line). And you can get re-weigh , for $2 within 24 hours of the initial weight

I get the first weigh , pull off and pay, then drive around and pull back onto the scales and disengage the TT/5er making sure that all of the weight of the TT/5er is on the 3rd scale. Push the button and tell them it is a reweigh, they ask for the number from the first weigh slip and after they tell me they have it, I recouple and pull to the ofc to get my 2nd slip.

I subtract the TV rear axle wts (first slip value from the 2nd slip value) to get the pin/tongue and the 3rd wt of the reweigh is the TT/5er is its GVW.

It is easier than it sounds and pretty cheap insurance

[itat]

Originally Posted by 7Iron

just in case you are not familiar with Cat....The first weigh costs $10 bucks and you get the wt of the TV front axle , the TV rear axle and the 5er axles wt (there are 3 different scales in-line). And you can get re-weigh , for $2 within 24 hours of the initial weight

I get the first weigh , pull off and pay, then drive around and pull back onto the scales and disengage the TT/5er making sure that all of the weight of the TT/5er is on the 3rd scale. Push the button and tell them it is a reweigh, they ask for the number from the first weigh slip and after they tell me they have it, I recouple and pull to the ofc to get my 2nd slip.

I subtract the TV rear axle wts (first slip value from the 2nd slip value) to get the pin/tongue and the 3rd wt of the reweigh is the TT/5er is its GVW.

It is easier than it sounds and pretty cheap insurance

DO NOT disconnect the trailer while on the scale. You need 2 weighs. For the first, drive on the scales with the trailer connected, get the weight and get off. Drop off the 5er in a parking spot and go reweigh with just the truck. The difference between the first and second weigh for the weight of the truck’s axles will be your pin weight that you can add to the trailers axles’ weight from the first weigh to get the loaded weight of the 5er.

[7Iron]

Originally Posted by itat

DO NOT disconnect the trailer while on the scale. You need 2 weighs. For the first, drive on the scales with the trailer connected, get the weight and get off. Drop off the 5er in a parking spot and go reweigh with just the truck. The difference between the first and second weigh for the weight of the truck’s axles will be your pin weight that you can add to the trailers axles’ weight from the first weigh to get the loaded weight of the 5er.

Oh no, I do every time, am I breaking some rule or a protocol??...Certainly I would not be tying the scales up for other users....although the scale I use is not used very often.

[itat]

Its great that you aren’t knowingly holding someone up but IMO its not good etiquette to unhitch and reconnect while on the scale. With my luck, someone would pull up in line just as I’m unhitching!

There are usually plenty of parking spots where there’s a CAT scale so it would be much better to unhitch the trailer and leave it in a spot well away from traffic while you reweigh with just the truck. You’ll be on and off the scale much faster and not potentially make a trucker very angry having to wait while you play around on the scale. Remember that they are working - time is money for them. We’re just on vacation.

[Laredo Tugger]

Rather than "unhitch" on the scale, just take the weight off of the pin with the front jacks without separating the TV (there's a sweet spot where this happens). Get your re-weigh,raise the jacks (lower the trailer),then pull off, get your tickets and do your math. Isn't this doing the same thing in less time?
And of course you are not doing this with someone waiting behind you.
RMc