Community Forums

dgrant09 · 12-06-2012, 09:13 AM

It sounds as if you may have load adjusting shocks, if you can get the make and model or stop by a tire shop either way, sounds as if you are doing ok with that.. If you upgrade on the hitch, I would look at the Equalizer at 1,200 or 1,400 tongue weight. I am having to wait to get ours, hopefully by summer we will have one. As Jimmie2 mentioned, your truck will be fine. I have ran some very large grades with ours, the pass leading to Valdez is the biggest and the 6.4 diesel was awesome! The 7.3L will treat you right and at 134,000, it is just warming up! And at 55-60, your gas mileage should not be too bad.. As for the length - even after two years I am nervous towing ours, but I believe this adds to my favor, as I will drive more attentively!

EE2012 · 12-06-2012, 09:22 AM

We are new to the forum and would like to start by saying thanks to all that have posted the 54 pages of info, it has been very helpful and have experienced some of the same problems. We are full time in our 321RES, and certainly enjoy this unit. We have had small problems that have been covered on warranty and are about to take it in for the mattress, but after reading this I see its the base that has the problem. If they don't fix it we can get this taken care of ourselves. We have RVed off and on for some 30 years with all different types of units and this is the first time we have experienced so much bounce on the floor, we do have stabilizer and have added extra support jacks which have helped a little but not to our satisfaction. Maybe because of the three slides and the 35 ft length but if any body has a solutions we would appreciate the feed back. Thanks

Clayhammer · 12-06-2012, 09:49 AM

Hi EE2012 and welcome to the forum!

We solved the bed frame support issue by building a structure with 1x4s. Attached is the plan I drew up. I was going to attach the new base to the top of the existing frame but found that the board connecting the bed base to the wall had broken and pulled free. I'll attach the new base once the dealer fixes it.

I installed a set of air bags on our Avalanche and that helped quite a bit with the rear suspension.

jim labowsky · 12-06-2012, 04:45 PM

I crawled under the excursion. The socks are Rancho RX90000 series socks actual number on the shock is RS999260, which is some kind of adjustable shock system, two in the rear and two in the front. I also have a front-end Steering shock and a front end sway system, which is a 1 1/4 diameter bar that is attached to the frame with greasable ball joints. The bar runs from one side of the excursion around through two bolted on bushinged eyes parallel to the front and then down along the other side. The back has a .560 thick bar that sits under the leaf springs and comes forward 21 inches. There is a hard rubber spacer/shock absorber about three inch in height and two inches in diameter that is bolted to the end of this bar and is positioned directly under the rear leaf springs. Anyone got any idea what all this stuff is? My tires are 31 inches in diameter and 12 inches wide. The Excursion is raised 4 inches. Not 6 like it stated in my other post. Do I need to change anything?

JimEli · 12-06-2012, 04:56 PM

I discovered the first step to reduce the bounce was to stabilize the wheels. Chocks only keep the TT from rolling away. You need something to ‘freeze’ the wheels. I use BAL X-chocks, others have found similar solutions.

Beyond this I would recommend investing in a stabilizing system. I plan to install one soon. An enterprising fellow could construct one cheaper than this example:

http://www.steadyfast.com/Purchase.html

dgrant09 · 12-06-2012, 09:03 PM

EE2012, Welcome to the forum.. I will have questions later on the full timing in these.. As for the bounce we too were fighting this and JimEli is correct with this. An additional adjustment we make is after setting up and we are in the camper, I will run the stabilizers down a little further, just until I here the motor straining and then I stop.. Both front and rear. It appears the trailer stabilizers settle a little and this seems to do the trick.. I have not ponied up for the BAL stabilizers JimEli mentioned, we have the yellow ones from Wally World, same idea, not the same quality.. Two years old and they are still doing good..

dgrant09 · 12-06-2012, 09:09 PM

Jim - The 4" of lift may be a question. I am not familiar with lifted vehicles and as I have never done this before, with this I will back out of answering your questions reference this.. I bet it looks pretty awesome hooked up..

jim labowsky · 12-06-2012, 10:12 PM

Dgrant09 I did not lift the excursion. It was that way when I bought it. I am just trying to find out what all that stuff does for me when towing the RES321. Like I said I have only towed it for 35 miles so far. It towed well and gave me no problems. That said.... I towed it on the side roads, not the interstate and I did not take it over 60 mph. We live near Austin Texas and camp pretty much year round. I will be towing it like it or not within the next few weeks. We are heading for the gulf in January and will be down on the cost in the RES for two months. Thats a 6 to 7 hour run to get there. I need to practice a little before I pull it that far.

dgrant09 · 12-06-2012, 10:13 PM

Jim,
I had figured you had purchased it lifted by your post - sorry if I came across otherwise.. I seem to have that issue once and awhile, never intended, just glad you folks are here..
It would be interesting to learn a bit about this as the technology has developed this topic quite well..
Austin is an awesome city!! We lived in central TX and would take a weekend in Austin every month or so.. Bought our sailboat on Travis and loved the Sailboat Shop..
Back to business:
If you are running level between the truck and trailer, I would think you are doing good.. I fight the sway with winds over 25/30 mph. From what I have read, the Equalizer 4 hitch may help to reduce or eliminate this..
As for the truck equipment, it sounds like stabilizing / leveling equipment, which I would like more of in our truck.. I would have to ask..
We have factory 20" wheels and I can only imagine what the Excursion looks like with 31"s and towing the trailer! If you ever have time, would love to see a picture! ;-)

jim labowsky · 12-06-2012, 10:21 PM

How many of you use 50 amp Surge Gurard protectors and how many use 30 amp and how many use nothing? Our 2012 Cougar RES 321 came with the prewireing for a second air conditioner in the bed room. Our shore power cable and plug are for 50 amp service. Is the amp requirement for the standard res without the second air conditioner 30 amps?

dgrant09 · 12-06-2012, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimEli

Jim, You're starting to scare me a little bit. I think the '04 diesel was a 6.0L, but I could be wrong. An Excursion should handle the TT (with 11K tow rating), but with unknown suspension mods stability could be compromised.

My Tundra fender gap dips about the same as your Excursion, but with my WD and air bags I can easily set it back to stock.

Missed your post JimEli - Well said as I over looked the vehicle year..

dgrant09 · 12-06-2012, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim labowsky

How many of you use 50 amp Surge Gurard protectors and how many use 30 amp and how many use nothing? Our 2012 Cougar RES 321 came with the prewireing for a second air conditioner in the bed room. Our shore power cable and plug are for 50 amp service. Is the amp requirement for the standard res without the second air conditioner 30 amps?

Jim,
We typically use 30A with an adapter for the 50A cable, no protector (maybe I should).. We only have one 15,000 BTU AC unit and it does fine..
Nice choice on the wiring for the second AC..

Jimmie2 · 12-07-2012, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim labowsky

How many of you use 50 amp Surge Gurard protectors and how many use 30 amp and how many use nothing? Our 2012 Cougar RES 321 came with the prewireing for a second air conditioner in the bed room. Our shore power cable and plug are for 50 amp service. Is the amp requirement for the standard res without the second air conditioner 30 amps?

I never used to use anything on our 50 amp hook up until a good friend of mine toasted his microwave and ceiling fan in a brand new Cameo at a park with a bad pedestal. Now I plug a Progressive Industries EMS before I even plug the trailer in to make sure everything is good with the pole to avoid toasting anything. I wished I had know about the pre-wire when I had ordered mine last year...could use it down here in Florida in the summer months. Hasn't really been too bad though in 95 degree heat as long as the bathroom door is open and the vent pointed into the bedroom.

I do have a 30 amp plug at the house that I just dogbone the 50 amp plug to just to keep the fridge going and to run the A/C in the summer when I am cleaning the trailer after a trip.

Jimmie

jim labowsky · 12-07-2012, 06:38 AM

Dgrant sorry if I sounded a litte turse in my post about the suspension set up on the Excursion. I did not mean it to come across that way but after I reread it I could see how it might come across lth at way. This TT is brand new. We have not even slepted in it yet. I have it hooked up to my work shop, which has 20 amp outlets and it runs fine.