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Old 09-21-2021, 08:56 AM   #1
Wylie1
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Cougar 29BHS

Hi. I am purchasing a 2021 Cougar 29BHS. Any tips and pointers that anyone has will be most appreciated. What things to look for and definitely what things not to do. I will also be pulling it with a 2020 F150 King Ranch. Thanks in advance!
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Old 09-21-2021, 09:21 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by Wylie1 View Post
Hi. I am purchasing a 2021 Cougar 29BHS. Any tips and pointers that anyone has will be most appreciated. What things to look for and definitely what things not to do. I will also be pulling it with a 2020 F150 King Ranch. Thanks in advance!
Couple things... first in order for your questions to be answered with context, go to the UserCP at top/left of each page and find the signature button and create a signature with year, make and model of your camper and the same for your tow vehicle. Next, thing, you asked for tips what not to do? Do not exceed the payload of your tow vehicle. This number is on the yellow/white placard in your door frame. Use your trailer's gross weight (8800 lbs) and multiply it by 13 percent. This will give you a rough idea of what the pin weight of your trailer is. In this case, 1144 lbs. Add to this the weight of anything in your tow vehicle, your total passenger weight and of course, the hitch weight. You are likely near the payload capacity of your trailer. Also, given the length of your trailer and the fact that your tow vehicle if relatively light and short, you will want to investigate the optimum hitch for your application. Bumper pull folks will give you some good ideas there. Start by letting us know what your truck's payload is based on the payload placard.
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Old 09-21-2021, 09:56 AM   #3
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Couple things... first in order for your questions to be answered with context, go to the UserCP at top/left of each page and find the signature button and create a signature with year, make and model of your camper and the same for your tow vehicle. Next, thing, you asked for tips what not to do? Do not exceed the payload of your tow vehicle. This number is on the yellow/white placard in your door frame. Use your trailer's gross weight (8800 lbs) and multiply it by 13 percent. This will give you a rough idea of what the pin weight of your trailer is. In this case, 1144 lbs. Add to this the weight of anything in your tow vehicle, your total passenger weight and of course, the hitch weight. You are likely near the payload capacity of your trailer. Also, given the length of your trailer and the fact that your tow vehicle if relatively light and short, you will want to investigate the optimum hitch for your application. Bumper pull folks will give you some good ideas there. Start by letting us know what your truck's payload is based on the payload placard.
DO NOT take the rv or truck salesmans word when they say "yes that'll tow that just fine!" or "you can tow anything on the lot with that truck!". Most don't know, or care, if you can or not, they are there to sell you something.
With a 1/2 ton truck you're limited by the payload, the amount of weight it's safe to "carry" (load in/on). When those salesmen said "yes you can "tow" it" I'll agree you can "tow" (make it move), but can you safely "carry" that much weight with a 1/2 ton truck.
As George said post that payload sticker here & you'll get true advice from folks that don't/won't make a dime off the sale.
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Old 09-21-2021, 10:58 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by Wylie1 View Post
Hi. I am purchasing a 2021 Cougar 29BHS. Any tips and pointers that anyone has will be most appreciated. What things to look for and definitely what things not to do. I will also be pulling it with a 2020 F150 King Ranch. Thanks in advance!
Welcome to the forum!

Having been in your position, I agree with what's been said regarding your tow vehicle. Please take a look at that yellow/white sticker on your driver's side door frame and see what it says for "the combined weight of occupants and cargo should not exceed xxx pounds". Being a King Ranch (lots of options) you are likely only in the 1300-1400 lb range.

With that 1300-1400 lbs you will need to carry:

Approx. 1100 lbs (your trailer's loaded tongue weight)
The weight of all passengers (yourself included)
The weight of any/all extra gear you carry in the truck
Approx. 100 lbs for a good weight distribution hitch

As you can see, it will be very easy (maybe even likely) that you could be overloaded with this setup.
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Old 09-21-2021, 01:15 PM   #5
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Based on Keystone, the tongue weight is 765 lbs
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Old 09-21-2021, 01:41 PM   #6
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Based on Keystone, the tongue weight is 765 lbs
That's from the dry weight of the rv which you will NEVER tow at or near that weight once it's arrived at the dealers lot.
You need to calculate all numbers from the GVWR of a specific rv, NOT from any literature.
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Old 09-21-2021, 01:42 PM   #7
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Keystone can't know how much stuff you will put in the trailer, so their tongue weight number is completely meaningless. Listen to the experts on this forum.
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Old 09-21-2021, 01:50 PM   #8
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Based on Keystone, the tongue weight is 765 lbs
This is not accurate !!!!! The "tongue weight" published by Keystone is the weight as the trailer leaves the factory assembly line. It does not include propane (tanks are included, not the propane) nor does the published tongue weight include a battery. Typically, with two 30 pound propane tanks on the A-frame, including a GP 24 battery will increase the tongue weight by approximately 100 pounds. If the trailer is equipped with 20 pound propane tanks, then the tongue weight will increase about 80 pounds....

Just as the advertised "shipping weight" has no resemblance to what a purchaser's trailer will weigh, the advertised "tongue weight" is not much more than a "fantasy hope".

ADDED: Additionally, the "brochure shipping weight and tongue weight do not include any optional equipment or a spare tire/wheel. Those items are added to the trailer after the "brochure build" is weighed. Also, I have not been able to get Keystone to confirm whether "no option options" (things like the "mandatory optional packages") are included in the shipping weight. It would seem "logical" that an optional packages (like the solar packages) are not included, but items like the "optional outdoor package" that includes things like outdoor grill, grill mount and LPG fitting but are required build items on every trailer, should be included in the weight. Keystone had not yet confirmed whether these packages are included or not.
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Old 09-21-2021, 03:13 PM   #9
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Based on Keystone, the tongue weight is 765 lbs
My signature trailer according to Kestone has a hitch weight of 840 lbs. Reality, just DW and I and the hitch weight is around 1,000 to 1,100 lbs. with an empty freash water tank. I originally towed it with our F150 KR. I argued that it was fine, you know, the typical "we travel light, short dis/ances, erc." Then one trip I almost lost it on a windy mtn top passing a semi truck.

I bought a SherLine hitch scale and use it when loading up for a long trip (not distance but long as in weeks). I've seen it as high as 1,300 lbs before redistribution of the DW's loading. I think Keystone's "1/2 ton towable" is on of the biggest lies in advertising.

Just relating my personal experience. Unfortunatly the advertised hitch weight is the weight it should be when it exits the factory. However, that doesn’t include "optional equipment" and yes, some "option packages" are put in automatically. It doesn’t include the battery or the propane in the tank as that’s installed by the dealer. That number also doesn’t include anything you put in the trailer. Most trailers have the majority of the storage in the front, the front bedroom cabinets and the outside pass thru. This adds a disproportionate amount of weight to the hitch and it adds up fast.

Good luck with your new camper and safe travels.
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Old 09-21-2021, 04:14 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
This is not accurate !!!!! The "tongue weight" published by Keystone is the weight as the trailer leaves the factory assembly line. It does not include propane (tanks are included, not the propane) nor does the published tongue weight include a battery. Typically, with two 30 pound propane tanks on the A-frame, including a GP 24 battery will increase the tongue weight by approximately 100 pounds. If the trailer is equipped with 20 pound propane tanks, then the tongue weight will increase about 80 pounds....

Just as the advertised "shipping weight" has no resemblance to what a purchaser's trailer will weigh, the advertised "tongue weight" is not much more than a "fantasy hope".

ADDED: Additionally, the "brochure shipping weight and tongue weight do not include any optional equipment or a spare tire/wheel. Those items are added to the trailer after the "brochure build" is weighed. Also, I have not been able to get Keystone to confirm whether "no option options" (things like the "mandatory optional packages") are included in the shipping weight. It would seem "logical" that an optional packages (like the solar packages) are not included, but items like the "optional outdoor package" that includes things like outdoor grill, grill mount and LPG fitting but are required build items on every trailer, should be included in the weight. Keystone had not yet confirmed whether these packages are included or not.

I was told a few years back by Keystone that the published weights online were accurate for "that" trailer and included any "optional" equipment by brochure that was then included in a package and deemed "mandatory"....in other words, NOT OPTIONAL. I may have that email yet but boy.....I have a LOT of emails.
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Old 09-21-2021, 05:26 PM   #11
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Back in the days of "X-Lite, half ton, helium technology, super-lite, micro-lite and the others", it was Keystone's mantra to advertise the lowest possible weights to "one up the competition"... All of the competition was doing the same thing, so it wasn't any "sinister plot" just "business as usual in a cut-throat industry"....

Part of the "mandatory optional packages" was a way to reduce the trailer "shipping weight". Back then, shipping weight was the empty trailer with all "standard build items", empty propane tanks, no spare tire or spare rack, and the battery box with no battery. All optional equipment was not weighed "for the brochure" but was included in the weight calculations on the roadside front "weight decal".

There were more than just a few owners who were shocked by the difference in their trailer weights and the advertised weights.

I last emailed Keystone about the "no option options" about 2 years ago and never got a definitive answer. They responded with a confirmation about the empty propane tanks, lack of battery and spare/rack, but only stated that "available optional items are not included in advertised model weights". I couldn't get anyone to define "available optional items" and whether those included "all" optional items including "mandatory optional items"....

So, for me, it remains clear as mud......
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Old 09-22-2021, 10:35 AM   #12
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Thank you. Will do
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Old 09-22-2021, 10:54 AM   #13
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So much information. Thanks everyone for the responses. I will post the sticker here in a few.
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Old 09-22-2021, 11:26 AM   #14
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Here are pictures of the information on the door jam
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Old 09-22-2021, 12:30 PM   #15
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Here are pictures of the information on the door jam
Your payload is 1536lbs - 1000lbs+ tongue weight once loaded for a trip - 100lbs +/- for the hitch - the weight of everyone/everything in/on your truck that wasn't there when it left the factory = too much rv &/or too little truck.
If you have couple 150lb adults & a 50lb dog you'll most likely be overweight with that payload.
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Old 09-22-2021, 01:13 PM   #16
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I had previously figured an approximate tongue weight of 1144 lbs based on the trailer gross weight. That gives you just under 400 lbs for passenger weight, tools in truck, hitch weight. Most bumper hitches are in the 100 lb neighborhood. Cutting it a bit close.
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Old 09-23-2021, 07:24 PM   #17
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I bought a 29bus a week ago, I had an f150 a week ago as well. It had 1816lb payload capacity and when I did the actual math with accurate numbers on trailer weight and all the junk we're going to bring with us it still would have been overloaded. My f250 is within 1000 lbs of it's max gross already, and that doesn't include the dogs or their necessities, the new hitch I'm buying, or any water weight in the fresh tank. The fresh tank adds 500lbs between the tires and the hitch, so probably quite a bit of tongue weight.

Basically everyone is trying to make sure that you understand a few things: dealers lie to make sales, manufacturers lie to make sales, and truck makers lie to make sales. You can't trust what any of them have to say about towing except what's legally mandated such as gvwr, gcvwr, and gawr.

Either way, good luck, and have fun with your new rig.
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Old 09-24-2021, 12:27 PM   #18
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Hi. I am purchasing a 2021 Cougar 29BHS. Any tips and pointers that anyone has will be most appreciated. What things to look for and definitely what things not to do.
Check everything on the TT.
As you have no doubt read here RV makers are having serious quality problems.
Run the AC. Run the furnace. Open the slide and close it a few times.
Does the frig work? How about the TV.

Check the basement. Run the fresh water pump and then open cabinets and hatches looking for leaks and wiring issues.

When we bought our TT we had notebooks and printed lists of items to check.
Tech was getting a little unhappy when the inspection ran into hour #3 but we didn't care.

Before we left the dealer they replaced a miss sown cushion, a tire with a square head screw in it and a window latch. No one but us was happy.
After many, many happy miles we have replaced the propane regulator and the mattress.
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Old 09-26-2021, 01:53 PM   #19
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Hi. I am purchasing a 2021 Cougar 29BHS. Any tips and pointers that anyone has will be most appreciated. What things to look for and definitely what things not to do. I will also be pulling it with a 2020 F150 King Ranch. Thanks in advance!



I suggest you read THIS post. I am sending PM with info on a Tire Blog specifically for RV owners. No selling just facts from an actual tire design engineer.
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Old 09-28-2021, 01:58 AM   #20
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Cougar

I would have them demonstrate the furnace and A/C units. Real LOUD
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