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Epod View Drop Down
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Joined: 27 Aug 2020
Location: Western Mass
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Posts: 6 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Not an owner, yet...
    Posted: 28 Aug 2020 at 9:41am
Hello all,
 I’m finally doing what I wish I had done before I bought my Tacoma, or my motorcycle, which is to become a member of the forum BEFORE my purchase.  Been doing reading on this forum for a bit as well as the other r-pod forum. 
As mentioned above, I have a Tacoma and the weight and size of the rpods seem perfect for me, my wife and Aussie.  Although the Tacoma is rated for 7500lbs, I feel it’s a a little high to be truly happy and make my truck happy.  I want to be around 4000 lbs loaded.  Like many, we are gravitating towards a 179 for the storage.  We are also pondering the 180 for the dry bath, but people’s mods of the 179, like removing the sink, make it more palatable.  
Looking forward to reading up!
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tcj View Drop Down
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Location: Central WA
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Posts: 141 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2020 at 10:01am
Hey Epod, welcome.
I tow our Rpod 180 with a 2014 Tacoma 4x4.  V6, towing package, 6 speed manual transmission.  It pulls like a freight train.  If I keep it under 60 get 14 mpg, over 60 get 12 mpg.  Travel in 5th gear mostly, 4th on steep hills.

The young guy at the Rpod dealer went to hook it up for us, he couldn't drive a clutch, ha ha.
2018 R-pod 180 Hood River Edition
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Joined: 11 Mar 2019
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2020 at 10:09am
To the OP, welcome, 

and tcj,  I WISH that we could still buy a new, full size gas engine pickup with a V-8 and a manual transmission these days. 

In my opinion, towing a trailer is one good reason to have a manual, and the newer 7-10 speed autos are the work around for that when pulling a trailer. With normal V-8 engines in a pickup truck, NO ONE NEEDS a 7-10 speed automatic if they are not pulling a trailer...and if they ARE, that many gears helps the automatic do the job...more or less.

But...I love rowing up and down thru the gears when pulling a trailer up a grade and then descending the other side....something about being in 100% control, and not just 'hoping' the vehicle computer figures it out.
r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2020 at 10:23am
You will need to keep a 179 or 180 well under 4000 lbs since the axles are only rated at 3500.  So that size sounds fine for you. If you plan on boondocking and so being on the heavy side I'd recommend 15 inch load range D tires/wheels and reinforcing the axle, both the OEM tires and the axles are pretty marginal. Also get a weight distribution hitch, you will wind up around 500 lbs on the tongue with dual batteries and a full water tank. 

For us, the 179 was the best choice, you have to compromise somewhere to stay in the size and weight range you want and much better a small bath (which we're in only for a few minutes a day) than a small kitchen and living space. There is a lot of storage space in the kitchen cabinets in a 179 but be careful not to place too much heavy stuff there, the rear is not a great place to add load in any trailer. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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Epod View Drop Down
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Joined: 27 Aug 2020
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Posts: 6 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2020 at 10:41am
The axles are only rated to 3500?  Why is the dry weight plus ccc a hair over 3800?

I wish I had the manual in the Tacoma, I have the Auto and it’s a 2015.  Perusing the Tacoma forums I expected to get around 12 mpg so that’s good to hear some real world numbers.  I love my Tacoma, so I don’t expect to upgrade to a full size, but you never know. I do have the ability to keep an eye on trans temps with my gauge.

I do plan on dual batteries, and getting a wd hitch.  Those weights add up fast
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2020 at 12:40pm
I swerved off topic, but does your Tacoma have a tow/haul mode selector? This changes the shift points in acceleration and engine braking modes. 

If not, hopefully you can manually select gears with the shift selector...its helpful to 'pre-select' a lower gear when climbing or descending a grade.
r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!
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Epod View Drop Down
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Joined: 27 Aug 2020
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Posts: 6 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2020 at 1:10pm
I can manually select gears.  I do even without towing because it shifts a little late for my liking.
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mjlrpod View Drop Down
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Posts: 1221 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2020 at 1:36pm
You might want to look at the 195/196 models too. They have a dry bath, plenty of storage, larger fridge, and walk around queen bed (no climbovers). All the things that most people end up not liking when they buy their 1st pod, are addressed in these models. It can easily take 1000 pounds of cargo, and your truck would pull it with little trouble, if any. It's only 2 feet longer than the 179, but it;s a completely different animal. Welcome, and good luck with what ever you choose.
2017.5 Rp-172
2020 R-pod 195
2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl
I'll be rpodding
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Pod People View Drop Down
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Joined: 22 Sep 2011
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Posts: 1088 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2020 at 8:03pm
I would certainly endorse the 179. We bought ours in 2017. We upgraded. From our original 173. We think the 179 is perfect for us.  As someone earlier said, we gave up the dry bath for a better kitchen.  Weboth cook and use the kitchen a lot more than the bath. Coming from the 173’s wet bath, we knew what our style of traveling required.
There is no question that a larger refrigerator, walk around bed and dry shower would be nicer, but there are disadvantages to that model that makes it a negative for us.
We find that the 179 has more storage space than we actually fill. We have been on the road for as long as 3 coontinuous months and felt the 179 was perfect for us.
We have made a lot of mods to adapt it to our personal. Style. Any of the pods can be made more personal if you are handy. The members of this forum hve a lot of good ideas and can help with questions

Good luck with your decision nd purchase. Stay in touch
Vann.

Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179
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Epod View Drop Down
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Joined: 27 Aug 2020
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Posts: 6 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2020 at 8:23pm
Thanks for the input.  I’m pretty handy and a mech engineer so I always end up making some cool mods.  I’m really leaning the 179.
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