R-pod Owners Forum Homepage

This site is free to use.
Donations benefit a non-profit Girls Softball organization

Forum Home Forum Home > R-pod Discussion Forums > Miscellaneous / Off-topic
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: Aggravations
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Calendar   Register Register  Login Login

Topic ClosedAggravations
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 23456 7>
Author
Message Reverse Sort Order
  Share Topic Share Topic  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
StephenH View Drop Down
podders Helping podders - pHp
podders Helping podders - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6417 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Aggravations
    Posted: 06 Oct 2020 at 9:20am
It really isn't worth arguing about. In any case the real thing to remember is that sticker weight is not what will actually be towed once everything needed is loaded.
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
Back to Top
offgrid View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Oct 2020 at 8:11am
FR also says their trailers have the best construction in the business.Tongue

I don't believe they weighed mine, because the weight on the sticker is exactly the weight listed in their brochure with the options the trailer came with. That means that the actual weight matched the predicted weight to within about 0.03%. Extremely unlikely. 

Maybe their scale was down the day that my trailer came off the line and their default procedure under that condition is to put the standard weight sticker on the trailer. That kind of thing is very common in industrial manufacturing.

I tried to work backward from my actual weight to the listed empty weight and couldn't do it, my trailer is heavier by about 150 lbs than I can account for. The 150 lb number (5%) is a pretty reasonable weight variation to expect on something mostly constructed out of wood and fiberglass sheeting.  

Either of us could be wrong, or right. We just don't have sufficient information to know. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
Back to Top
StephenH View Drop Down
podders Helping podders - pHp
podders Helping podders - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6417 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2020 at 10:14pm
Originally posted by offgrid

Originally posted by StephenH

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.

So, you saw them weigh your trailer. I am not challenging that. Extrapolating from there to the statement that FR weighs ALL trailers is what I challenge. How could you know that? I'll stand by my statement that it is extremely unlikely that my trailer sticker represents its actual weight. 

I did not see them weigh my trailer. I saw the station where the final checks are done. I was told that every trailer is weighed. That is where the weight on the sticker comes from. That is why there is a variation in the weights people have posted. Some may have the same weight. Others may vary. Ours was 2770 lbs. Loaded weight is, of course, much more.
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
Back to Top
pedwards2932 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 21 Sep 2020
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 333 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2020 at 8:41pm
I am going to make sure the weight is correct tomorrow.  I got the specs for a 2012 Highlander online and was just using as example.  Length difference is 10"  Wheelbase is 4".  Weifht is 650 lb difference. 

Dimensions 2012 Highlander
  • Wheelbase (in.): 109.8
  • Length, Overall (in.): 188.4
  • Width, Max w/o mirrors (in.): 75.2
  • Measurements
  • Base Curb Weight (lbs.): 4266   Escape is 3613
  • Engine Type: Gas V6
  • Displacement: 3.5L/211
  • Horsepower (Net @ RPM): 270 @ 6200 (I misread the hp)
  • Sorry if I misrepresented the documentation.
Back to Top
offgrid View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2020 at 8:13pm
Originally posted by StephenH

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.

So, you saw them weigh your trailer. I am not challenging that. Extrapolating from there to the statement that FR weighs ALL trailers is what I challenge. How could you know that? I'll stand by my statement that it is extremely unlikely that my trailer sticker represents its actual weight. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
Back to Top
offgrid View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2020 at 8:01pm
Originally posted by pedwards2932

I really don't want to litigate this.  Lets compare a Highlander-  109in wb Escape 105in wb   Highlander 188in length Escape 178in  Highlander V-6 - 243hp  Escape 2.0 Turbo  - 245 hp.  StephenH was towing with an Escape and his accident involved high winds and ice....Do you think the 600 lb weight difference would have made a difference.  Again how do you define frontal area when the r-pod is not flat which is another reason I picked it. It's front end is very similar to a teardrop.  In checking the other forums on this there are a lot of people using Escapes as I am.....I am aware that it is not the best tow vehicle.  I feel like you are trying to look for reasons.  I appreciate the help I have gotten on the forum.

Not sure where you are getting your numbers. My Highlander curb wt is 4600 so it weighs about 1000 lbs more than the Escape. And its 270 hp, not that I think the hp matters much. And yes I really think that the wt and wheelbase difference are significant. As is the hitch weight capacity. And so does Toyota. The comparable compact SUV from Toyota is the Rav4, 3500 lbs curb wt, 106 inch wb, comes with the same 270 hp V6 as the Highlander, Tow rating 3500 lbs. I like Toyotas but I wouldn't tow my 179 with a Rav any more than I would with an Escape. 

Trailer drag is much more a function of the rear shape of the trailer than the front. That's because that's where a vacuum is created unless the taper angle is very shallow, around 15-20 degrees. Most teardrops' taper is much higher that, much less an rpod. And its easy to find lots of people doing lots of dumb things on the internet. 

No one is trying to look for reasons for you not to tow with your Escape. We are trying to share our experiences to help keep and others on the road with you safe. Do what you want.  But please as a minimum get your actual trailer, tow vehicle, and combined vehicle weights and see if you are within specs at least. You won't want the liability if you aren't and have an accident where others are involved. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
Back to Top
pedwards2932 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 21 Sep 2020
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 333 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2020 at 7:54pm
Well I got lucky......found the hayes sway control unit on e-bay....brand new for $210.00.  WooHoo!
Back to Top
pedwards2932 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 21 Sep 2020
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 333 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2020 at 8:42am
From the towing instruction from Ford:
The chart shows the maximum trailer frontal area that must be considered for a vehicle/trailer combination. Exceeding these limitations may significantly reduce the performance of your towing vehicle.

Doesn't say it will void warranty.  I was getting 15 to 16 mpg from Penn. to VA. and I ran between 55 and 60 most of the way.   So I am not seeing a big hit on performance.
Back to Top
pedwards2932 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 21 Sep 2020
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 333 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2020 at 8:26am
I really don't want to litigate this.  Lets compare a Highlander-  109in wb Escape 105in wb   Highlander 188in length Escape 178in  Highlander V-6 - 243hp  Escape 2.0 Turbo  - 245 hp.  StephenH was towing with an Escape and his accident involved high winds and ice....Do you think the 600 lb weight difference would have made a difference.  Again how do you define frontal area when the r-pod is not flat which is another reason I picked it. It's front end is very similar to a teardrop.  In checking the other forums on this there are a lot of people using Escapes as I am.....I am aware that it is not the best tow vehicle.  I feel like you are trying to look for reasons.  I appreciate the help I have gotten on the forum.
Back to Top
furpod View Drop Down
Moderator Group - pHp
Moderator Group - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 25 Jul 2011
Location: Central KY
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2020 at 8:06am
No, it doesn't include the vehicle front. And it does not mean there is no trailer it can pull, it means it can't pull an RPod. Many pop up and A-frame trailers are under 30sqft,and most real tear drops.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 23456 7>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.64
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz