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Old 10-06-2018, 05:47 PM   #1
SkiSmuggs
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2012 Cougar 299RKS tire hits undercarriage

We started getting the rear kitchen seriously rearranged in our 2012 Cougar High Country whenever we hit a significant bump. Closer inspection shows that the left rear tire is hitting the undercarriage and the resulting slap sends shelves and items flying. We probably have 30,000 plus miles on it, with 8,000 or so on our 3rd set of equalizers (MorRyde CRE3000) and wet bolts with HD shackles. We are taking it to a spring shop in a few days where they will look at it, diagnose it and fix it according to the seasoned shop foreman. We discussed replacing the 4 leaf spring packs with 5 leaf and a new set of CRE3000 which I now have in hand.

I wondered if anyone else has had the problem and what they did to correct it.

My conversation with the shop manager revealed he doesn't care for wet bolts because people forget to grease them (guilty) and says shackles and plastic bushings are a wear item that should be replaced every 3 years or so many miles. He said my wet bolts installed 3 years ago probably won't accept grease and the bronze bushing may be shot. Interesting as these equalizers were installed at the MorRyde shop 3 years ago and they were pleased to see the HD shackles and wet bolts and greased them for me. But I see his point as I never found the time or motivation to grease them since.
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Old 10-06-2018, 07:18 PM   #2
travelin texans
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SkiSmuggs View Post
We started getting the rear kitchen seriously rearranged in our 2012 Cougar High Country whenever we hit a significant bump. Closer inspection shows that the left rear tire is hitting the undercarriage and the resulting slap sends shelves and items flying. We probably have 30,000 plus miles on it, with 8,000 or so on our 3rd set of equalizers (MorRyde CRE3000) and wet bolts with HD shackles. We are taking it to a spring shop in a few days where they will look at it, diagnose it and fix it according to the seasoned shop foreman. We discussed replacing the 4 leaf spring packs with 5 leaf and a new set of CRE3000 which I now have in hand.

I wondered if anyone else has had the problem and what they did to correct it.

My conversation with the shop manager revealed he doesn't care for wet bolts because people forget to grease them (guilty) and says shackles and plastic bushings are a wear item that should be replaced every 3 years or so many miles. He said my wet bolts installed 3 years ago probably won't accept grease and the bronze bushing may be shot. Interesting as these equalizers were installed at the MorRyde shop 3 years ago and they were pleased to see the HD shackles and wet bolts and greased them for me. But I see his point as I never found the time or motivation to grease them since.
He must use different plastic bushings than mine had, they lasted almost 8 months/about 5000 miles, never would take grease & the bolts were almost seized in the springs when I replaced them.
I'm not a professional trailer mechanic but have done my own rvs for 40+ years & was responsible for maintenance on several utility trailers before retirement & I'll take the bronze bushings with wet bolts every time over the plastic & that includes the Never Fail bushings.
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Old 10-11-2018, 07:35 AM   #3
SkiSmuggs
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Conclusion: The original 4 leaf spring packs were so worn out that they were going upside down in bumps. I could see they were flat for 12-14" instead of arched. Thurston Spring Service replaced the springs with 6 leaf spring packs and new MorRyde CRE3000 equalizers. The new springs came with nylon bushings so they used dry bolts for those and greased my wet bolts. The fiver now sits 1.5-2" higher which is perfect as it rides level now. Bumps are now a short up and down instead of the wallowing it was doing before.
In regards to the mix of bolts and bushings, I plan to leave it for next year, then have them all replaced with wet bolts. I don't know whether the HD shackles will need replacing after 4 seasons or not, but rather safe than sorry.
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Old 11-01-2018, 05:59 PM   #4
chapmast
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We have the same model and we do see our kitchen all mixed up after towing. I will have to look and see if we are having the same problem. We have only had it a year and a half and the previous owner didn't put more than 2,000 miles on it. We put about 6,000 miles on it this summer. We love the layout and we looked at numerous models before settling on the 299RKS.
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