Thank you very much for the detailed response! I truly appreciate it.
I’ve decided that unit wasn’t for us. We need a true 2 bedroom unit with a real door not a curtain or accordion door. We like the layout of the 32BHS but the nearest one to look at is a few states away.
I never considered a 5th wheel being too light but I could see that being a problem. What other 5th’s do you think may work well for our situation? Again, our budget is around $25K give or take.
Today the unit just didn’t feel like it was built well at all. I understand it’s a mass produced Rv but I need to feel a bit better about it before I spend the money and put my family in it.
I’m looking at a couple of low-profile hitches that work with a flatbed, particularly the Anderson Ultimate Lowered Flatbed Gooseneck hitch. It sits directly over my rear axle. Those are all great points, thank you.
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Originally Posted by JRTJH
As for the tires, verify the manufacture date. A 2018 Cougar could have been built in March 2017 (the 2018's were introduced in April, 2017) and tires could have been manufactured (in China) toward the end of 2016. That would make them 4+ years old if your trailer is one of the "first 2018's down the assembly line"...
As for the truck, a 5500 typically is sold as a "chassis cab" with no bed. The suspension is extremely overbuilt for a "no load/light load" configuration. So, it will be "rough riding" with only the pin weight of a "half ton fifth wheel". The pin box on Cougar Half Ton models has no shock absorption or air cushioning capacity, so every bump, jolt, pot hole is going to transfer that stress directly to the pin box and into the front elevated structure. We usually have people wanting to buy trailers with "way too little truck". In your case, you might have "way too much truck" unless you consider some means to absorb the "rough ride" to prevent pinbox/upper deck frame damage.
Additionally, depending on how the truck bed area is configured, you may be "too high or too long" to keep the pin over the rear axle. While being behind the rear axle won't directly affect weight limits on a truck rated that heavy, it may affect how the trailer tows. Also, the height of the pinbox affects "level towing" which can affect rear axle tire wear on the trailer. So, verify the height of the fifth wheel hitch adjustment range on the truck platform to be sure it will adjust enough so the trailer will "tow level" rather than "nose high".....
ADDED: The "Polar Package" is a mandatory build item that is "force optioned on every Cougar Half Ton fifth wheel". So, you can't buy one without a Polar Package. It consists of three features: 1) forced air heat and enclosed underbelly. 2) astrofoil (aluminum backed bubble wrap) insulated slide floors. and 3) enclosed dump valves. There is no "particular advantage" between any Cougar Half Ton. They all have the same "Polar Package" which is more of a "sales gimmick" than a true "cold weather advantage"....
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