Cougar 276RLSWE real world weight

[raytronx]

Got a chance to use some highway scales. We have our cougar all loaded up with our stuff and the fresh water was about 1/2 full, full propane, other tanks empty. Truck had full fuel tanks, full gear, my wife and I and 2 beagles.

Front truck axle -- 3900 lbs
Rear truck axle -- 5400 lbs
Trailer axles -- 7200 lbs

Truck weight with no trailer
Front axle -- 3850 lbs
Rear axle -- 3350 lbs

Thought the numbers might be handy for someone looking at similar fifthwheel.
This model has a sticker saying 1/2 ton towable and dry weight of 7200 lbs. But this shows shows you the actual real world weight can be alot more.


Here is a photo of the truck and trailer

Rig photo

[hankpage]

Great photo .... nice looking rig, Hank

[f6bits]

Lemme check my numbers. It sounds like the trailer puts 2100 lbs on the truck. Really?

Not only is that shockingly high for a hitch weight compared to the specs, but you’re about 800 lbs away from GVWR on the trailer (dry weight spec plus spec’d carrying capacity).

[raytronx]

Thanks Hank.


Ya, 2100 lbs! We are loaded up due to the fact this has been our home for the last 11 months. I also added 2 big 6 volt batteries in the front compartment but I think the published dry weights are really on the low side, who knows what is not counted. I have stuff but not near that much.

[SAD]

I'm really surprised that the pin put 550 lbs on your front axle. With a fiver, nearly all if it goes in the rear axle.

[trucker LOU]

With the hitch mounted 1 to 2 inches ahead of axle center line as is usual recomend,will transfer some pin load to front axle.

[SAD]

Originally Posted by trucker LOU

With the hitch mounted 1 to 2 inches ahead of axle center line as is usual recomend,will transfer some pin load to front axle.

Yeah.. ~Some~

But 25%?

[raytronx]

Sad, I think your right. I must have mixed up the truck axles. It would make more sense since that the unloaded truck front axle should be more than the rear, especially with a heavy 7.3L diesel motor in it.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by raytronx

Sad, I think your right. I must have mixed up the truck axles. It would make more sense since that the unloaded truck front axle should be more than the rear, especially with a heavy 7.3L diesel motor in it.

I would agree with the mixup. I think I put about 50 or so pounds on my front axle when hitched.
This is were the 1/2 ton label goes bad, within the tow max weight, but exceeds payload.

[raytronx]

Took the truck back to the scales and I did mix up the axles, will correct the post.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

I would agree with the mixup. I think I put about 50 or so pounds on my front axle when hitched.
This is were the 1/2 ton label goes bad, within the tow max weight, but exceeds payload.

Russ, What half ton label are you talking about?

[f6bits]

Post #1 said the trailer came with a ½ Ton Towable sticker. But when I go to the Keystone site, that model comes up as a Cougar, and not an X-Lite or ½ Ton Towable model.

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Russ, What half ton label are you talking about?

[SAD]

Originally Posted by raytronx

Sad, I think your right. I must have mixed up the truck axles. It would make more sense since that the unloaded truck front axle should be more than the rear, especially with a heavy 7.3L diesel motor in it.

Originally Posted by raytronx

Took the truck back to the scales and I did mix up the axles, will correct the post.

Very good... I was thinking it was weird!

[raytronx]

Half Ton Label on my Cougar

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Russ, What half ton label are you talking about?

I was referring to the "1/2 ton label" In the OP. while the almost 10K weight is within the range of Max Tow 1/2 tons, the 2,100 lbs. of pin would use up all if not more of the payload.
I don't say a 1/2 ton can't pull the correct 5er, just the the manufactures just stretch the limits!

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

I was referring to the "1/2 ton label" In the OP. while the almost 10K weight is within the range of Max Tow 1/2 tons, the 2,100 lbs. of pin would use up all if not more of the payload.
I don't say a 1/2 ton can't pull the correct 5er, just the the manufactures just stretch the limits!

Stretch the limits???? More like reinvent them with this trailer. The only half ton I can think of that would handle this RV in either form, XLITE or Cougar, is the F150 with heavyduty payload and max tow packages. And even then, I'm not sure that there would be any reserve payload.

But there are two Cougar 276RL models. One is the Cougar 276RL found at:
http://www.keystone-cougar.com/index...pecs&year=2011

and the other is the Cougar XLITE 276RLSWE (the OP's trailer) found at:
http://www.keystone-xlite.com/index....pecs&year=2011
Pic and more specs here: http://www.keystone-xlite.com/index....LSWE&year=2011

While there's not "a hill of beans" difference in the two, one is labeled a "half ton towable" and one is apparently not..... I'm wondering if by chance, the guy that mislabels the dump valves is also in charge of the "half ton" labels????