Introduction - R-pod Owners Forum

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offgrid

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Joined: 23 Jul 2018
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Posts: 5290

Calendar Event: Introduction
Posted: 20 Nov 2020 at 8:04am

If you call it an anti-sway bar you might get the wrong thing installed.....Call it a weight distribution hitch with sway control.

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Roguethunder View Drop Down

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Joined: 17 Nov 2020
Location: Wichita Falls T
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Posts: 6

Posted: 19 Nov 2020 at 11:34am

Thank you guys so much for the suggestion s. We called and will have the anti sway bar put in when they put the break control in on Saturday. It is something neither of us would have thought of. So thank you.

Brand new owner

Dirt Sifter View Drop Down

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Joined: 30 Dec 2018
Location: Right side OR
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Posts: 170

Posted: 19 Nov 2020 at 8:41am

Welcome from eastern OR! Your Tacoma should do just fine pulling that 196 - as long as you have the WDH with sway control (I like the equalizer 4) and you do not have a strong head wind. My WDH kept us straight and true, but a very strong head wind topped our speed at 55 mph on an 80 mph freeway. We had to get off and spend the day in a camp ground waiting for the winds to subside. Only happened once, but made a lasting impression.

I'm sure both of you will listen closely during the walk thru with the dealer; make notes and ask questions. The fact that you've done so much research gives you a good head start on what to ask, unlike my DW and I who nodded a lot and found out by trial and error(s). All the best, be safe and enjoy the pod life!

Greg n Deb 2020 195 HRE
'07 Tundra 5.7L., '17 Tacoma 3.5L. Both with tow packages
1 Puggle, 1 Chihuahua support staff

offgrid

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Joined: 23 Jul 2018
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Posts: 5290

Posted: 18 Nov 2020 at 4:46pm

Not sure what to make of "lesser half" but I'm pretty sure I don't want to go there..... Confused

The stabilizer thing is a weight distribution hitch (wdh), some come with integrated sway control, some have separate sway control. You should get both. When you hang a trailer on your Taco's hitch it pushes the back end down and the front end up, so you end up with less than normal weight on the front axle while the rear axle weight goes up by more than the tongue weight. Neither is good. A wdh has spring bars that you tension up which push the front of the tow vehicle back down. Sway control creates friction that resists the trailer rotating side to side.

I use a Reese Pro wdh and separate Reese sway control friction bars. Personally I like to be able to set up the amount of sway control I'm getting independently from the wdh because there are times (twisty mountain roads) where I like to reduce the amount of sway control while keeping the wdh function. Others here like combined systems, its a personal choice.

For your trailer an 800 or 1000 lb rated wdh would be a good choice. You might want to ask your dealer to install one for you while he's installing the brake controller.

Good for you to take the time to set up your brake controller and understand its functions yourself. Take the time to understand the instructions and be sure its set up right and you know how to adjust it. It's a critical safety system. I suggest that every time you hitch up you test it by using the manual control to see if the trailer brakes can stop the rig without use of your Taco's brakes. That will test the brake controller as well as the rPod's electric brakes.

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

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Joined: 22 Sep 2011
Location: Chapel Hill,NC
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Posts: 1088

Posted: 18 Nov 2020 at 4:33pm

No, you don't need a satellite to watch tv. There is an antennae already on top of the pod. somewhere behind the tv is a plate where the cable is connected. On this plate there is a small red button. Push the button in, the light comes on and your amplifier is ready. turn on the tv and do a channel search. It will find all of the available channels.

Remember to turn the amplifier off when finished. It is a battery drain, although small, it is still a drain.

If the campground has cable available, there is a cable hookup somewhere on the outside of the pod that is covered by a black rubber plug. You should be able to attach a cable from your pod connector to the connector supplied by the campground and the cable feed is complete-maybe!! sometimes, the installer forgets to hook up the end of the cable behind the plate at the tv. If the cable doesn't work, remove the cable wall plate and connect the incoming cable to the wall plate.

As to the weight distribution hitch, we have used an Equalizer 4 point hitch that has integral sway control. We use the 6000/600 unit and have used it on 2 different pods with great success. It makes towing much safer as well as easier.

Good luck and safe travels.

Vann

Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179

Toyfl

Newbie

Joined: 17 Nov 2020
Location: Texas
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Posts: 1

Posted: 18 Nov 2020 at 12:27pm

Hi everyone, am the lesser half of Roguethunder and looking forward to learning about our new R-Pod

Roguethunder View Drop Down

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Joined: 17 Nov 2020
Location: Wichita Falls T
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Posts: 6

Posted: 18 Nov 2020 at 9:37am

They are putting the break control in our Tacoma when we pick it up. Will check into stabilizer bar as well, thank you for that advice. We are going to camp in our driveway to see where everything is. Do you use a satalite to bring in TV channels? What kind did you get. Thank you for the advice. It is much appreciated.
Deon

Brand new owner

Roguethunder View Drop Down

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Joined: 17 Nov 2020
Location: Wichita Falls T
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Posts: 6

Posted: 18 Nov 2020 at 9:31am

They are putting on the brake controller in our Tacoma, when we pick it up. We figure we will set it up in the driveway so we can figure everything out. LOL we will look into that stabilizing thing. Not sure what it comes with. Do you have a satalite to bring in TV Channels? What kind is good?

Brand new owner

offgrid

Senior Member

Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290

Posted: 17 Nov 2020 at 7:14pm

6800 is good, you should be fine unless you really go overboard with gear and supplies. Glad you did your homework, so many don't. Still, once you get your trailer and get it an your Taco set up and loaded for the kind of camping you plan to do (full hookups, dry camping with electric, or boon docking), I suggest you get a weight on your trailer, trailer tongue, and whole rig so you know what you actually have to deal with.

If you haven't already done so, most folks here would recommend you get a weight distribution hitch and sway control. You will prefer the ride, handling and security. There are multiple options, if you do a search on this forum you will find a lot of pros and cons of various alternatives.

Do you have a brake controller installed in your Taco? You will need one.

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

StephenH

podders Helping podders - pHp

Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6417

Posted: 17 Nov 2020 at 6:54pm

Welcome and congratulations! I hope you have many fun adventures with your RPod and make many great memories. We may make it out that way some day.

StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

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offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Calendar Event: Introduction Posted: 20 Nov 2020 at 8:04am
	If you call it an anti-sway bar you might get the wrong thing installed.....Call it a weight distribution hitch with sway control.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Roguethunder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 17 Nov 2020 Location: Wichita Falls T Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 19 Nov 2020 at 11:34am
	Thank you guys so much for the suggestion s. We called and will have the anti sway bar put in when they put the break control in on Saturday. It is something neither of us would have thought of. So thank you.
	Brand new owner

Dirt Sifter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 30 Dec 2018 Location: Right side OR Online Status: Offline Posts: 170	Posted: 19 Nov 2020 at 8:41am
	Welcome from eastern OR! Your Tacoma should do just fine pulling that 196 - as long as you have the WDH with sway control (I like the equalizer 4) and you do not have a strong head wind. My WDH kept us straight and true, but a very strong head wind topped our speed at 55 mph on an 80 mph freeway. We had to get off and spend the day in a camp ground waiting for the winds to subside. Only happened once, but made a lasting impression. I'm sure both of you will listen closely during the walk thru with the dealer; make notes and ask questions. The fact that you've done so much research gives you a good head start on what to ask, unlike my DW and I who nodded a lot and found out by trial and error(s). All the best, be safe and enjoy the pod life!
	Greg n Deb 2020 195 HRE '07 Tundra 5.7L., '17 Tacoma 3.5L. Both with tow packages 1 Puggle, 1 Chihuahua support staff

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 18 Nov 2020 at 4:46pm
	Not sure what to make of "lesser half" but I'm pretty sure I don't want to go there..... The stabilizer thing is a weight distribution hitch (wdh), some come with integrated sway control, some have separate sway control. You should get both. When you hang a trailer on your Taco's hitch it pushes the back end down and the front end up, so you end up with less than normal weight on the front axle while the rear axle weight goes up by more than the tongue weight. Neither is good. A wdh has spring bars that you tension up which push the front of the tow vehicle back down. Sway control creates friction that resists the trailer rotating side to side. I use a Reese Pro wdh and separate Reese sway control friction bars. Personally I like to be able to set up the amount of sway control I'm getting independently from the wdh because there are times (twisty mountain roads) where I like to reduce the amount of sway control while keeping the wdh function. Others here like combined systems, its a personal choice. For your trailer an 800 or 1000 lb rated wdh would be a good choice. You might want to ask your dealer to install one for you while he's installing the brake controller. Good for you to take the time to set up your brake controller and understand its functions yourself. Take the time to understand the instructions and be sure its set up right and you know how to adjust it. It's a critical safety system. I suggest that every time you hitch up you test it by using the manual control to see if the trailer brakes can stop the rig without use of your Taco's brakes. That will test the brake controller as well as the rPod's electric brakes.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Pod People Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 22 Sep 2011 Location: Chapel Hill,NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 1088	Posted: 18 Nov 2020 at 4:33pm
	No, you don't need a satellite to watch tv. There is an antennae already on top of the pod. somewhere behind the tv is a plate where the cable is connected. On this plate there is a small red button. Push the button in, the light comes on and your amplifier is ready. turn on the tv and do a channel search. It will find all of the available channels. Remember to turn the amplifier off when finished. It is a battery drain, although small, it is still a drain. If the campground has cable available, there is a cable hookup somewhere on the outside of the pod that is covered by a black rubber plug. You should be able to attach a cable from your pod connector to the connector supplied by the campground and the cable feed is complete-maybe!! sometimes, the installer forgets to hook up the end of the cable behind the plate at the tv. If the cable doesn't work, remove the cable wall plate and connect the incoming cable to the wall plate. As to the weight distribution hitch, we have used an Equalizer 4 point hitch that has integral sway control. We use the 6000/600 unit and have used it on 2 different pods with great success. It makes towing much safer as well as easier. Good luck and safe travels. Vann
	Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179

Toyfl Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 17 Nov 2020 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Posted: 18 Nov 2020 at 12:27pm
	Hi everyone, am the lesser half of Roguethunder and looking forward to learning about our new R-Pod

Roguethunder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 17 Nov 2020 Location: Wichita Falls T Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 18 Nov 2020 at 9:37am
	They are putting the break control in our Tacoma when we pick it up. Will check into stabilizer bar as well, thank you for that advice. We are going to camp in our driveway to see where everything is. Do you use a satalite to bring in TV channels? What kind did you get. Thank you for the advice. It is much appreciated. Deon
	Brand new owner

Roguethunder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 17 Nov 2020 Location: Wichita Falls T Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 18 Nov 2020 at 9:31am
	They are putting on the brake controller in our Tacoma, when we pick it up. We figure we will set it up in the driveway so we can figure everything out. LOL we will look into that stabilizing thing. Not sure what it comes with. Do you have a satalite to bring in TV Channels? What kind is good?
	Brand new owner

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 17 Nov 2020 at 7:14pm
	6800 is good, you should be fine unless you really go overboard with gear and supplies. Glad you did your homework, so many don't. Still, once you get your trailer and get it an your Taco set up and loaded for the kind of camping you plan to do (full hookups, dry camping with electric, or boon docking), I suggest you get a weight on your trailer, trailer tongue, and whole rig so you know what you actually have to deal with. If you haven't already done so, most folks here would recommend you get a weight distribution hitch and sway control. You will prefer the ride, handling and security. There are multiple options, if you do a search on this forum you will find a lot of pros and cons of various alternatives. Do you have a brake controller installed in your Taco? You will need one.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6417	Posted: 17 Nov 2020 at 6:54pm
	Welcome and congratulations! I hope you have many fun adventures with your RPod and make many great memories. We may make it out that way some day.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

Introduction - Event Date: 17 Nov 2020