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Topic ClosedNew tow vehicle questions - Event Date: 31 Oct 2018 - 10 Nov 2018
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1Hpod View Drop Down
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Joined: 25 Aug 2017
Location: Baltimore, MD
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Posts: 22 		Direct Link To This Post Calendar Event: New tow vehicle questions
    Posted: 31 Oct 2018 at 9:35pm
The W just got an awesome new to her 2015 Ford F-150 FX4 Off Road super crew cabStar
Me, I tool around in the Prius for my daily commutes Angry. With the heavy suspension, and automatic sway control (I'm normally not a fan of it) we were debating whether we needed the anti-sway bars and the load leveling equalizer hitch (we had used for the previous tow vehicle).  I'd have to get a drop hitch but it would be easier and faster to hookup than the other heavy unit. THX 
H&Rpod

'16 179
Tow '15 Ford F 150 FX4
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voisj View Drop Down
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Posts: 471 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Oct 2018 at 9:42pm
I tow with a 2013 f150 EcoBoost and I have neither sway control nor weight distributing hitch. I've logged over 20,000 miles towing the pod and have had no issues. The Pod tongue comes in at about 4 to 500 pounds which shouldn't be a problem for an F150. But I'm sure someone else will chime in because I understand that sway control can be a good thing. The pod should come in about 3,600 lb loaded and your truck weighs closer to 7000.
SLOPODMODS
John&Sue,SLO,CA
2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost
 
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Posts: 2704 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Oct 2018 at 11:06pm
If the F-150 has the towing package, the Ford manual says you don't really need a WDH until you exceed 500 lb tongue weight. I think ours is happy with or without the WDH, but I use it in case of big cross winds. It also seems to ride better when the R-pod is in tow.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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Posts: 22 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Oct 2018 at 11:18pm
Thx
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'16 179
Tow '15 Ford F 150 FX4
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Nov 2018 at 4:41am
I don't agree about the 179 tongue weight maxing out at 500 lbs.

It depends on how you load the 179 and what kind of camping you do. My 179 tongue weight is running about 550-570,  loaded for boondocking.  Full water tank and dual batteries, nothing heavy in the forward storage areas, everything heavy stored aft as much as possible. If I put a second propane tank on I'd be at 600. With one battery, single propane and a dry water tank it might be in the 450 lb range, maybe. 

So if Ford says a wdh is required above 500lbs and you're planning on carrying water and or dual batteries or propane tanks if it was me I'd put it on there, manufacturers don't sell more vehicles by being conservative with their performance limitations.  The ride will be better anyway and there is no significant downside, WDH's are fiddly to set up the first time but after that its only an extra couple of minutes. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2704 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Nov 2018 at 8:36am
Originally posted by offgrid

I don't agree about the 179 tongue weight maxing out at 500 lbs.
I never said that. I was talking about the F-150 and not about the 179.
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: 01 Nov 2018 at 8:58am
I know you didn't say that GlueGuy, I was referring to voisj's post. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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Posts: 62 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Nov 2018 at 3:24pm
I tow our 179 with my Tacoma, using an anti-sway bar. But we travel light. But nothing wrong with more safely towing your pod if you have concerns.
Life is good.
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voisj View Drop Down
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Posts: 471 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Nov 2018 at 3:30pm
Glueguy,
From the factory empty, my 180 tongue weight was 390 lb with two batteries. Loaded for travel with a full tank of freshwater in the tank I was right at 500 lbs. However I do have the heavy duty payload package with heavy duty trailer towing (7 lug special, actually had 7 lugs nuts on each rim) and airbags. And you are correct with all my mods I ended up at 625 lbs,(two golf cart batteries, two propane tanks a tool/battery box,moving the spare underneath instead of hanging it out the back end and the twin bed mod with drawers and the nightstand. After I discovered this I put it on a weight loss/ weight distribution plan by adding a rear bumper, putting the spare tire back out there and removing the heavy battery box. and I was back down to 525 fully loaded. And I put some of the heavy things (and one of the propane tanks) from front storage in the back of my truck under a shell. My truck comes in at 7200 lb(also modified with bumpers and winches and such) and has a towing capacity of 10800. So really my situation may be different than other people.my only advice is that everybody should know what their vehicle is capable of and what their towing/tongue weight capacity is.
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John&Sue,SLO,CA
2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost
 
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Nov 2018 at 4:01pm
+1 voisj, my only objection was to letting folks think that they wouldn't be over 500 lbs tongue weight with a 179/180. Actually weighing it is the the only way to really know.  

You and I have both experienced being way over that. I'm going through the same process now to get my 570 lb tongue weight  back down to about 500. I can't put my 2nd propane tank in my TV because its an SUV. So my plan is to go to Lithium batteries and locate them just in front of the spare tire at the rear of the pod. That alone gets 130 lbs of weight off the tongue!

Of course, you also need to be sure you don't go too low on tongue weight as water gets used from the fresh tank and fills the gray and black tanks farther aft. That limit is a little harder to be certain of, I'm going with the 10% minimum tongue weight assumption. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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