Trailer rear hitch

[orion7144]

How much weight can the rear hitch handle? I ask since the Cougar does not have an option for a generator and would like to get something like the geardeck to mount a portable one.

[Tinner12002]

I have a friend that has a 3-4 yr old Cougar and he has a telescoping rear frame section on his that he carries things on from time to time. Pulls out and pins at about 2ft. Not sure how much weight it will hold though. Have another friend that pulls a bike trailer, double towing behind his Cougar.

[travelin texans]

Typically they are rated at 300lb hitch weight w/ 3000lb trailer weight. It may be stamped/tagged on the hitch, possibly on the backside. If it's the type that just bolts to the bumper/sewer hose storage all bets are off, wouldn't put anything heavy than your sewer hose.

[JRTJH]

How much weight can the rear hitch handle? I ask since the Cougar does not have an option for a generator and would like to get something like the geardeck to mount a portable one.

I'd make a guess that you're talking about the Cougar 310RLS ? That trailer doesn't come from the factory with a "hitch receiver" mounted on it. It does, in some market areas, come with a "cargo platform" mounted on the rear of the frame/bumper assembly. That "cargo platform" can be extended, folded up against the rear wall of the trailer or pushed in partially while in the horizontal configuration.

Typically, these platforms are "OK" to carry the spare, a couple of bikes or other similarly weighted cargo. Most are attached to brackets welded to the frame rails, some are installed with bolts. If welded, check the welds regularly, they do have a history of breaking or deforming the brackets causing damage and failure.

Remember that the rear bumper of a travel trailer/fifth wheel is the "roughest riding" part of the vehicle. If you've followed a travel trailer with bikes on the bumper, you've no doubt noticed the bikes bouncing around. I'd be very reluctant to carry a heavy (150 lb or more) generator on the rear bumper for two reasons. First is the weight. That's a lot of stress on the folding cargo carrier as the generator bounces up and down, but more importantly, that bouncing is bad for the generator. It's akin to taking a 2x4 and repeatedly hitting the generator as it sits on the ground. That kind of stress can cause all kinds of damage to the generator components.

I think you'll find a sticker on the cargo carrier that indicates the maximum weight recommendations, but even then, that is weight "spread over the surface" not weight "concentrated in one location on the carrier". Personally, I'd prefer to keep my generator in the bed of the truck where it's subjected to much less vibration, bouncing and similar abuse.

[orion7144]

Well the no hitch thing sucks. My wife is dead set on the cougar with the big pantry the 310 or 311.

[Javi]

I got me one of those extended deals on the back of my cougar, I extended it once and it dragged on a speed bump. It don't get extended no more.

The whole idea was kind of stupid

Javi

[Tinner12002]

Well the no hitch thing sucks. My wife is dead set on the cougar with the big pantry the 310 or 311.

I'm not sure what shop he had his done at but my one friend that pulls a bike trailer behind his Cougar, not sure what model he has, had his hitch put on by a weld shop up near GB WI. He said they told him he could pull nearly whatever he wanted with his. I also think they did some beefing up on the structure back there too.