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Old 01-19-2021, 06:51 AM   #1
clemson726
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Adding a Leveling System to a 2019 Cougar 32 RLI half-ton

I have a 2019 Cougar 32 RLI half-ton that came with the electric stabilizer jacks front and rear. It appears to be "prepped" for the auto-leveling vertical jacks behind the axles meaning it has the bracket welded to the frame for direct bolt on. Is it safe for me to assume i can add electric vertical leveling jacks without damage to this trailer?
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Old 01-20-2021, 06:27 AM   #2
clemson726
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Nevermind. I finally found a Keystone Cougar TT short video showing the leveling jacks behind the axles. Seems that its few and far between on the Cougar travel trailers, but it is designed for it.
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Old 01-20-2021, 07:26 AM   #3
CedarCreekWoody
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My Laredo has them bolted to those brackets.
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Old 01-20-2021, 04:33 PM   #4
bobbecky
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If this is what you already have, it is considered the leveling system, not just stabilizers. https://store.lci1.com/ground-contro...it-672136.html
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Old 01-20-2021, 07:14 PM   #5
chuckster57
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If you click on the link you’ll notice there are brackets that bolt to the frame for the leveling jacks to mount to. I have installed this system so doubt it uses the brackets your talking about.
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Old 01-21-2021, 06:23 AM   #6
clemson726
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No, all i'm talking about is the vertical jacks behind the axles. I have the brackets, just not the jacks. See this video....






I'm not interested in paying for autoleveling. I have electric stabilizing jacks front and back and it does ok, but due to the long length of the trailer, it has a lot of bounce. I simply want the vertical jacks behind the axles to eliminate the bounce on long stays.
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Old 01-21-2021, 06:47 AM   #7
chuckster57
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I watched the video, and yes if you have those brackets, you could add the jacks. BUT those jacks are an integral part of the autolevel system. They will have 2 wiring harnesses that are connected to the control unit. I don’t think there is a way to operate them without some serious modifications to them.
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Old 01-21-2021, 06:59 AM   #8
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If you have "mounting plates" on the frame rails, directly aft of the wheelwells, rather than pay the "expensive bucks" for parts from an automatic leveling system (that may not work without buying the rest of that system), why not fabricate two "adapter plates" to bolt onto the existing mounting plates, and then just install two 24" scissors jacks on the adapter plates ???

It would allow you to "extend the scissors jacks to firm up the bounce from the long frame rails" and keep the cost under "too expensive to gamble on whether it would work"...
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Old 01-21-2021, 07:07 AM   #9
clemson726
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i wont buy those jacks. They are too expensive, and i'm not even sure if they sell them individually. I'm probably looking at a couple of bullseye jacks for around $500 a piece. If i have to sort through the wiring that's fine. I just need the motor power wires and will add switches and relays in the front compartment where the other jack switches are. My bubble levels are on that corner of the trailer as well.



The only thing to be determined is if i'd actually be able to use those jacks to level the trailer. I'm assuming the auto leveling systems use the front and rear jacks in conjunction so both lefts work together and both rights work together, then both rears work together then both fronts work together. With my only having two leveling jacks, i wouldn't want to twist the frame. They are close to the axles, but they wont have nearly the distributed force on the frame as the axle springs do. I'll have to do some testing on my shop floor to see if lowering the left jack 1" raises the frame on the tongue end 1"
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Old 01-21-2021, 07:09 AM   #10
clemson726
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
If you have "mounting plates" on the frame rails, directly aft of the wheelwells, rather than pay the "expensive bucks" for parts from an automatic leveling system (that may not work without buying the rest of that system), why not fabricate two "adapter plates" to bolt onto the existing mounting plates, and then just install two 24" scissors jacks on the adapter plates ???

It would allow you to "extend the scissors jacks to firm up the bounce from the long frame rails" and keep the cost under "too expensive to gamble on whether it would work"...

That's what i'm calling option B for now. It has crossed my mind.
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Old 01-21-2021, 07:27 AM   #11
CedarCreekWoody
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Jack's mounted on those plates are normally part of the leveling system so they should support the weight on the frame.
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Old 01-21-2021, 08:14 AM   #12
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If your objective is removing bounce then I'd suggest simpler less expensive methods. On a previous Forest River lightweight 29' I installed JT Strong arm stabilizers front and back. They made the trailer rock steady. Only disadvantage was crawling under or getting down to tighten, then loosen the locking bolts (two on each corner.

On the current trailer there was a little bit of bounce in the middle of the trailer. It's a long way from the front stabilizers to the front axel much less the rear stabilizer. The first off season I found the same Lippert Twin electric stabilizer that's on the trailer at a "clearance" price. So I bought it and installed it just forward of the front axel. Installed the switch in the j wrap like the other two and it looks like it came from the factory. It's removed 99% of the flex and I'm very happy with it as it doesn't require anything other than pushing a button which my neck and back appreciate.
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Old 01-21-2021, 08:32 AM   #13
clemson726
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I appreciate all of the suggestions. I did make some screw jacks to place in front of the axle and it does help. I also considered buying another electric stabilizer for that location as well to keep it all "automatic" so to speak. The leveling jacks behind the axle hopefully would solidify a 3 point leveling system and the pair of stabilizing jacks front and rear would do just that, stabilize. An added bonus would be to put the screw jacks in front of the axle on longer vacations or replace with an electric stabilizer as noted. It gets rather bouncy in there with a 7 year old chasing a dog and for some reason my wife and daughter are not light footed walkers. Then at night, if we take my mother along, we have the kid in the booth bed that i made to replace the dinette. That puts the master bed and the booth bed in the slide outs so any rolling over shakes the whole thing.



I suppose i can test it out with bottle jacks under the mounting plates and see how it feels before I drop a grand on the electric jacks.
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Old 01-21-2021, 08:45 AM   #14
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So much of the trailer movement is how folks walk. I can walk in the trailer, roll over in bed or sit down without inducing movement in the camper and I'm 6'2" + and weigh ~300 lbs. Our daughters cockapoo weights <20 lbs and shakes the trailer when she trots thru.
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