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BillB800si's avatar
BillB800si
Explorer
Apr 02, 2015

2015 Cougar Xlite changes

This pretty much soured us on buying a 2015 Cougar 33RES..
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Bill,
Thank you for your email and questions. Up until September of 2014 the Cougar X-Lites did have a ladder and Mor/Ryde CRE 300 suspension standard on there units. This last fall they wanted to bring the weight down on there X-Lite trailers and in order to do this they went away from the walkable roof (even though they still have the aluminum trusses 16" on center). Since they do not have a walkable roof anymore (same as all the ultra light weight trailers out in the market today) they did away with the rear ladder and it is not even backed anymore so a dealer cannot even put one on. They also did away with the Mor/Ryde CRE 300 suspension on there Cougar X-Lite trailers only. Fifth wheels will still have it. Sorry to give you all this bad news but what I would recommend is seeing if there may be a 33RES Cougar out there still that was built before the fall and it would still give you everything that you were looking for.
I hope that I was able to answer your questions for you and please let me know if i can be of any further assistance to you during your research process or help answer any other questions you may have as well. Thanks again for your interest in our Keystone Cougar X-Lite product.
Jason Clark
Keystone RV Company
Shoppers Konnection Division
Phone: (574) 535-1437
Email: jasonclark@footsteps.net
  • mtofell1 wrote:
    Lynnmor wrote:
    Sounds like you got a good answer. In I ever buy another travel trailer, I will look for one that doesn't have light, ultra-lite, or anything of that nature in the name. I have had enough of the problems caused by the skimpy materials used to lighten the trailers. If weight is an issue, get a smaller trailer or a larger truck, but vehicles need to be built in a way that is useable.


    X2 - The current RV market makes me laugh and I guess I'm just in the minority. I have more than enough truck to run any TT I want to and would really appreciate some quality as opposed to the constant bragging about how light everything is. It's like all the manufacturers are trying to beat one another making a bigger pile of crap.


    I get the manufactures trying to make a pop up or single axle hard side trailer mini van or small pickup tow-able. But when you get to 1/2 ton pickup or SUV sized trailers, it matters much less. The cost of purchasing a 1/2 or 3/4 truck is similar, so buy what you need to match what trailer you have. Lets stop trying to make every trailer made 1/2 ton tow-able!
  • Lynnmor wrote:
    Sounds like you got a good answer. In I ever buy another travel trailer, I will look for one that doesn't have light, ultra-lite, or anything of that nature in the name. I have had enough of the problems caused by the skimpy materials used to lighten the trailers. If weight is an issue, get a smaller trailer or a larger truck, but vehicles need to be built in a way that is useable.


    X2 - The current RV market makes me laugh and I guess I'm just in the minority. I have more than enough truck to run any TT I want to and would really appreciate some quality as opposed to the constant bragging about how light everything is. It's like all the manufacturers are trying to beat one another making a bigger pile of crap.
  • Sounds like you got a good answer. In I ever buy another travel trailer, I will look for one that doesn't have light, ultra-lite, or anything of that nature in the name. I have had enough of the problems caused by the skimpy materials used to lighten the trailers. If weight is an issue, get a smaller trailer or a larger truck, but vehicles need to be built in a way that is useable.
    • Guess you've never had to clear the roof of your slide outs before breaking camp..


    A step ladder or even the back of your truck with a push broom is way better than climbing up on the roof to clear off the slides.If it's snow that means the roof is slick and I don't want to be up there.

    I have a ladder rack on my trailer but rarely use it.I much prefer an extension ladder to check on the roof or get on it.I haven't seen a roof yet you couldn't get on to seal or fix in some fashion.Walk on the joints or use a piece of plywood or whatever if you need to be in the center of it for vents or air conditioner work.I changed the air conditioner and vents on a so called not walkable roof without a hitch.

    Having a ladder rack is not that big of a deal in my opinion.
  • Heavy Metal Doctor wrote:
    Personally, I don't care for ladders going up the roof - I don't need to be up there often enough to worry about it. Besides, I thought "walkable" meant you could walk around one the roof without any real concerns since it can take the weight per square foot of human feet. You can still get on a non-walkable roof for inspections / repairs and what-not just fine, you just have to be careful since that much pressure in one point (people feet) can damage the roof. I was taught some cardboard and a sheet of plywood laid down where you need to work would spread the load out fine. I put Maxair vents on my non-walkable roof myself with no issues.

    =====================

    Guess you've never had to clear the roof of your slide outs before breaking camp..
  • Personally, I don't care for ladders going up the roof - I don't need to be up there often enough to worry about it. Besides, I thought "walkable" meant you could walk around one the roof without any real concerns since it can take the weight per square foot of human feet. You can still get on a non-walkable roof for inspections / repairs and what-not just fine, you just have to be careful since that much pressure in one point (people feet) can damage the roof. I was taught some cardboard and a sheet of plywood laid down where you need to work would spread the load out fine. I put Maxair vents on my non-walkable roof myself with no issues.
  • So this means on my 2015 Cougar (no ladder)... I'm not suppose to walk on the roof to do inspections they say to do in the manual?
  • I don't believe his statement; "Since they do not have a walkable roof anymore (same as all the ultra light weight trailers out in the market today) they did away with the rear ladder and it is not even backed anymore so a dealer cannot even put one on." is true. The JAYCO White Hawk ultra lite series has ladders and walkable roofs.
  • Wow! At least you got an honest answer....sounds pretty flimsy.