Thinking of buying a 2012 Keystone Cougar XLite 31SQB

neilc88 wrote:
My hitch is rated for 12,000 pounds.

is that what your unit is rated to tow? not the hitch rating.
bumpy

My hitch is rated for 12,000 pounds.

a quick web grab showed a towing capacity of 6200 lbs. don't know if it is exactly the same as your however. what is your tow rating?
bumpy

This is just my observation and I have nothing to back it up. I work Fire & Rescue and every TT accident I have worked has been towed by an SUV, never a PU. Please ba aware that all those people and their stuff in your vehicle adds weight, plus your wheel base may be shorter which affects control of your trailer.

1) No personal experience with Keystone, but owners I've talked with seem happy with them. We seriously considered that exact model, but with our kids being 16, 13, and 13, we only see another year or two of family camping.

2) At the min, you want a WDH with sway control. Or even better, a dual-cam anti-sway setup like the Hensley Arrow. Otherwise, an Excursion should be GTG.

3) It all depends on your comfort level. Most campgrounds are built to accommodate large rigs, and many have pull-thru sites. Personally, I enjoy the occasional challenge of parking my rig. I've logged over 20,000 miles of towing, so I'm used to it by now. I also pull a 12' cargo trailer. I actually prefer backing the TT compared to the CT. The TT doesn't jackknife as easily.

One of our first trips was to Ft. Wilderness. We got a spot in the 100 loop, it was a back-in site, and there were many cars parked on the side of the road. 9.5 out of 10 on the level of difficulty. I could see some of my neighbors getting out the popcorn to watch the show. Challenge accepted. Docked the trailer in one smooth motion. I was very proud of myself.