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tony rpod 180 View Drop Down
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Joined: 18 Aug 2018
Location: Arkansas
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Posts: 75 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Dry wieght
    Posted: 17 Jun 2019 at 5:08pm
Does dry weight from factory include battery and empty propane tank?
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jun 2019 at 6:28pm
Empty propane cylinder yes, battery no, unless something has changed. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jun 2019 at 6:52pm
Repeat of previous post: There should be an attached decal.

UVW (Unloaded Vehicle Weight)* – is the typical weight of the unit as manufactured at the factory. It includes all weight at the unit’s axle(s) and tongue or pin and LP Gas. The UVW does not include cargo, fresh potable water, additional optional equipment or dealer installed accessories.
*Estimated Average based on standard build optional equipment.





These are options...



Options
◦13.5K BTU air conditioner (95 lbs)
◦Convection Microwave Oven (51 lbs)
◦24" LED Flat Screen TV (std RP182G) (15 lbs)
◦R-Dome awning with screen room (20 lbs)
◦Thule Box awning (N/A RP171, RP172, RP177) (RP176, RP176T, RP178, RP182G - 8', 39 lbs) (RP179, RP180 - 10', 49 lbs)



VIEW MORE

◦Bike carrier (2 bikes) (13 lbs)
◦Power tongue jack (24 lbs)
Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Joined: 23 Jul 2018
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jun 2019 at 7:07pm
So no battery, because the dealer or owner installs that, correct? 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Joined: 11 Mar 2019
Location: Texas
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jun 2019 at 10:23pm
I'm guessing that is dependent on the dealer, but mine came with a group 24 deep cycle battery, battery box, and a full 20# LP tank, included. 
r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2019 at 12:09am
The question is what is included in the dry weight or unloaded vehicle weight. 

From looking at FR's specs the battery is not included as it is not listed as being provided.  Options are not included either, which is clear because FR lists the weights for each one so you can add them. If you add all the factory options except the awning its 218 lbs. Plus say dual GC2 batteries at 130 lbs, plus a better mattress at an additional say 20 lbs, plus the unusable 6 gallons of water in the heater at 50 lbs, and you're adding 418 lbs, before you even put any gear or supplies in there or water in the fresh water tank.

On a 179 like mine with a full fresh water tank you've got about 370 lbs to play with, Add 40 lbs for axle reinforcement and 20 for 15 inch tires and wheels and there's just about 300 left before you max out the trailer. But I suspect FR's numbers are a bit optimistic, my trailer seems to be around a couple of hundred pounds heavier than listed, but I didn't strip it entirely before I weighed it so I could be wrong. 

The good news is the tongue weight on a loaded 179 is about 250 lbs more than FR claims, so you end up with some headroom on the axle to load up with your weight distribution hitch (needed to help balance out the high tongue load).   

As they say it all adds up pretty fast. 

  • 13.5K BTU air conditioner (95 lbs)
  • Convection Microwave Oven (51 lbs)
  • 24" LED Flat Screen TV (15 lbs)
  • R-Dome awning with screen room (20 lbs)
  • Power Thule Box awning w/LED Light Strip (N/A RP171, RP172, RP177) (RP176, RP176T, RP178, RP182G - 8', 39 lbs) (RP179, RP180, RP189, RP190 - 10', 51 lbs)
  • Bike carrier (2 bikes) (13 lbs)
  • Power tongue jack (24 lbs)
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2019 at 1:53am
My answer was related to your question about what is included by a dealer. And yes, I know what the thread topic is. 

And this is why many people knowledgeable about RV towing recommend using about 80% of the towing vehicle allowed trailer max weight and use that figure as a guideline for the allowable towing weight, and this relates back to another recent and relevant thread about a Metris van towing an r-pod.

Because figuring the weights using the 'optimistic' online specs can lead to being over gross when the rubber hits the road.
r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2663 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2019 at 8:30am
I would argue that the weight of the tires is unsprung weight, so does not contribute to the axle load; at least not directly. The power tongue jack is similar, but different.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2019 at 9:49am
I agree about the 80% guideline for trailer weight. That’s why you really should have 5000 lbs towing capacity for an rpod, or at least for one of the larger ones. And that’s only if the tow vehicle is kept pretty light.

Good point on the unsprung tire and wheel weight. The electric jack is part of tongue weight though. None of its weight ends up back on the axle until you tension your wdh.

My point is that because of all the items FR excludes from the UVW there isn’t capacity to carry much in one of these trailers beyond the basics, particularly if it has dual batteries or water in any of the tanks. 300 or so lbs isn’t much.
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2019 at 9:53am
Originally posted by GlueGuy

I would argue that the weight of the tires is unsprung weight, so does not contribute to the axle load; at least not directly.


Oh that's an interesting idea. 

Certainly all of the mass of the wheels and tires is not pressing down on the axle...how could it?

Of course they DO contribute to the rolling mass of the trailer, but maybe not the weight that is resting upon the axle. (except of course, the spare, so 1/3rd of the 3 tires and wheels IS resting on the axle, sort of)

But I'm guessing all of that is figured into the GAWR somehow.
r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!
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