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pedwards2932 View Drop Down
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Joined: 21 Sep 2020
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Posts: 333 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Aggravations
    Posted: 05 Oct 2020 at 7:46am
That includes the frontal area of the car as well.  What you are saying would mean there is no trailer you can tow.  Mine has the 30 square foot and the r-pod is not exactly flat across the front.
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furpod View Drop Down
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Joined: 25 Jul 2011
Location: Central KY
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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2020 at 7:41am
Just as a note, according to the owners manual, regardless of weight, you are out spec for towing a pod. Your owners manual, on page 207, states that you have a 20 or 30 square foot maximum frontal area (depending on tow package). An RPod is more than double that.

Towing isn't about any one specification.. You have to take a look at all of the specs.
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Posts: 6417 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2020 at 6:15pm
No, it is where you press the button on the side of the shifter (if I recall correctly) and that puts it in sport mode. You don't use the paddles.Your owner's manual can confirm if my memory is correct or not.
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
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pedwards2932 View Drop Down
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Posts: 333 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2020 at 4:50pm
I haven't tried that mode.....I guess that is where you use the hand shifters on the wheel?  I didn't need it in the foothills bringing it home. I haven't owned the Escape that long and with the virus going on we haven't done a lot of traveling with it.  The r-pod is going to be our way of getting out and doing something which is reasonably virus safe.
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Posts: 6417 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2020 at 3:15pm
If you compare them with other units, they are light by comparison. In this case, "light" is a relative term. I think you will be okay. You have lots of experience and you already are not trying to be the first one there. One of these days, the opportunity to upgrade tow vehicles may present itself and then you can do so. We towed on a number of long trips before our accident and would likely have still been using the Escape but for that. I'm impressed with the 2L Ecoboost engine and the additional gears that the Escape had that the Frontier lacks. I did find that if I were in hilly country, it helped to put it in "Sport" mode, which I called "Schlepp mode."  That locks out the overdrive so the transmission does not do as much seeking in the hills. On flat ground though, I left it in normal mode.
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
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pedwards2932 View Drop Down
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Posts: 333 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2020 at 1:38pm
Mine had factory weighed sticker and it was 3050.  I bought it used from an individual so I can't blame a dealer.  Again I have no discomfort with my towing so far.....I brought it back from Penn to Virginia and I only pulled between 55 and 60 with absolutely no swaying.  I am retired and am not in a hurry.  I really don't want to beat a dead horse on the TV if I feel the need to replace I will as I am a very careful person and have been towing trailers since I was 17.  My original complaint is the advertised dry weights on these trailers is deceptive.  R-Pods were designed to be an upgrade from a teardrop to give you extra room and be light.....lot fo advertising around being light.  If I had my way on mine I would get rid of the shower as I never intend to use it.....probably save weight and gain space.
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Posts: 6417 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2020 at 1:21pm
Originally posted by offgrid

Re FR actually weighing the trailers, I'm quite certain mine was not. My sticker weight numbers are identical to the published ones, the likelihood of that happening is near zero, and I've never been able to account for about 150 lbs of weight when I've compared my actual weight to published numbers.


I was at the factory and saw them weighing the trailer in order to generate the sticker. I stand behind my comment as being accurate.
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2702 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2020 at 1:10pm
The reality is that trailer manufacturers always lowball the weight (hence they advertise the empty weight, which no trailer is ever towed at). The vehicle manufacturers always highball the weight they will handle (our F-150 has an advertised max towing capacity of 11,700 lbs, which you "could" do, but getting there is almost impossible).

The solution is to always figure your trailer at the max weight, and to do a reality check on what your tow vehicle can actually handle. After we subtract people and gear, we come in at a max towable weight of around 9,000 lbs. This handles the Rpod with ease, and so we go without any worries.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2020 at 12:46pm
The other side of the coin is that, many times a new owner will come onboard here about to buy a brand new r-pod, and they have a 14 year old minivan or compact little 4 banger SUV, and the r-pod dealer says 'oh you'll be fine'...and I come in pounding thor's hammer saying it wont work...and I AM NOW THE BAD GUY.

This has happened MANY times. 

The OP is not alone in being a bit mislead by numbers printed on a sticker or in an owners manual, or the salesman's 'puffery'...

Many times in this forum and other forums I have stated that you really need 'towing authority' to be safe, comfortable, and relaxed while towing. This cannot happen with a trailer that weighs (supposedly) 3000 pounds and a tow vehicle that can pull 3500 max.

Yeah the dealer says, no problemo...I say otherwise and I AM CORRECT every time.
r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!
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RoverPod View Drop Down
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Posts: 118 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2020 at 12:30pm
What is the actual factory weight of the trailer on the stickers on the trailer? (Not the "advertised" weight.)
2017 F150 XLT SuperCab
2020 rPod 180
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