Securing chairs in a cougar 28rls

Goldwing06 · 12-16-2013, 09:24 AM

Can nayone tell me the proper way of securing the two chairs in the rear of a 28 RLS. All I was told during my walk around was that i had to move one chair out of the way of the slide. I tried to secure them the way i was told by the dealer and had one of the get away a damage one of the handles on my cabinet.
Also if anyone has one of these units be aware of these chairs breaking i had them change out a broken one upon delivery and had it fail the first time i set in it. they use staples to put the rocker assembly on that are not long enough to go through the wood. put in a couple of screws and fixed them myself.

Steve S · 12-16-2013, 09:59 AM

In mine when the slide goes in the chairs are secured with ratchet straps to the floor. From what I've seen most are secured this way.

hotroddin72 · 12-16-2013, 02:33 PM

In my camper I have all 4 chairs pushed in tight to the table. Then I put a strap around the 4 legs closest to the center of table and around the table leg. This hold all the chairs tight to the table with no moving at all.

Onthemove · 12-16-2013, 02:42 PM

I have a 25RLSWE Cougar Trailer. When we travel I take down the dinette table and move it to the back between the slide and back wall. I put one of the sofa cushions between the table and the wall to keep it from rubbing on the wall. I put one of the chairs where the dinette table was and face it towards the stove. Then I bring in the slide with the chair in place. Then I secure the other chair with straps to the floor. When we travel and stop for lunch we sit on the sofa to eat and we have lots of room inside without opening the slide.

airforceret · 12-17-2013, 05:44 AM

I've got a 280RLS with the two recliner rockers.

The one right inside the door should have retainers screwed to the floor that you can tie it down to. The factory tie down system really sucks and does little to secure this chair and keep it from banging the back window, but I do know the more you can keep it from rocking, the less it will bang on the back window. I've got a couple ideas to try out in the spring for this one that will hopefully keep it secure.

As for the second one you have to move to get the slide in, it's an even bigger pain as there is NO method for securing this chair. What I have found works best is put the back of the chair towards the couch and put a pillow between the recliner handle and cabinet to keep it from getting into the cabinet if it moves.

The more you can keep them from rocking... the better! I've only had mine for a couple months, I'm sure in time I will have better solutions! I always do.... LOL

**JRTJH** · 12-17-2013, 07:10 AM

airforceret,

We had a Springdale 242 fifth wheel with the same "2 chairs and table" setup in the back. When camping, the rockers faced forward, but for towing, they faced outward, in other words, the chairs were turned so the backs were against the center table. That way, when secured with the "factory straps" they only rocked inward and against the table. They never hit the back window or the side windows. Even when camping, I was always worried someone would sit in one of those chairs, rock back and break the rear window. It never happened, fortunately, but you're right, those rockers, when towing, if not turned around, will hit the back window with every bump..... Try facing them outward and see if that helps the problem.

**hankpage** · 12-17-2013, 07:28 AM

When we were shopping for our Cougar we looked at the RLS and really liked it. Then the salesman said we had to put the one rocker upside down onto the couch to bring the slide in ....... we bought the RKS. I seem to remember a strap that held it on the couch but I'm not sure how it attached.

Murphsmom · 12-17-2013, 07:39 AM

We, too, have the Cougar 25rls. The chair closest to the slide tips onto the couch with the top back of the chair toward the window and the "legs" facing away from the window. The L shape of the chair and the L shape of the couch just fit together (if that description makes any sense). There are two straps with a buckle that come from behind the couch and fasten around the leg assembly and tighten down. We've never had a problem with the chair riding that way.

I had never thought about turning the other chair around, though, and will have to give that a try next time we go out on the road.

airforceret · 12-17-2013, 08:40 AM

Turning the one chair around sounds like a great idea.

But flipping the other onto the couch isn't going to work for me... Too much work, and getting it tied down would be a pain, not to mention if it came free the damage it could do when it flops off the couch.

I'm looking to add some tie downs that run from the base of the center aisle flooring to the base of the rear cabinet flooring. It would be out of the way when walking barefoot, yet easy to hookup too and disconnect, and secure enough to not come loose on the ever growing number of rough roads. With the strapping going up and over the arms of the chair, it should only allow minimal rocking. (the same concept I intend to implement on chair #1 above). It will also likely require a strap around the chair itself or some other way to keep it from reclining on it's own. I've already seen that happen a couple times! LOL

It has to be quick and simple for me!

**hankpage** · 12-17-2013, 09:33 AM

Footman's loops (aka webbing guides) when screwed to the floor are mostly covered by the carpets nap. Our 290RKS came with them to secure our swivel rockers. Keystone supplied straps with metal snap hooks to attach to loops. Velcro webbing straps work well with them to secure other things also.

airforceret · 12-17-2013, 11:36 AM

You've got the right idea with the velcro web straps and anchors to the floor.

The factory supplied pretty crappy fasteners on the floor for the one recliner and they really are not in a good location for using them or actually securing the chair for that matter. They look to have been implemented on the basis of securing the chair in the event of an accident or hard braking to keep them from becoming airborne.

Thanks for the link...

Murphsmom · 12-17-2013, 08:37 PM

As far as flipping the chair onto the couch goes, it really isn't much of a problem. I'm a 71 year old grandma and I do it by myself every time. Ours are not recliners, though, just rockers. He does the outside setup and takedown, and I do the inside. After over 30 years of camping together, this is what we find works best for us.

airforceret · 12-18-2013, 06:39 AM

We have the recliners and they are quite heavy as they seem to be of good quality. And sometimes they tend to want to recline as part of moving them! Not to mention I'm just "energy efficient" as I like to call it... LOL

golfpro · 01-02-2014, 04:36 PM

very interesting, we bought a Montana mountaineer and have two recliners in the back and I wondered how I was going to secure the two chairs while traveling. I knew about moving one chair that was near the slide but never gave it a second thought of securing either of them so they would do any damage tot he back window or the sink cabinet. thanks for any help you gave.

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