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David and Danette View Drop Down
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Joined: 24 Nov 2009
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Posts: 1215 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Tongue Weight
    Posted: 18 Jan 2010 at 3:20pm
     I was checking the tongue weight on our 171. With spare tire and bracket the weight is 228 LBS., without tire and bracket it is 268. I did not expect that big of a difference 40 LBS. Our bathroom scale could be off a few pounds. I think with that difference the trailer would tow better with the spare tire moved to the front. I checked Northern Tools and they have a bracket for 25.00 to mount tire up front. I will try that and when trailer is fully loaded I will do a final check. We have a class 2 hitch the tongue weight limit is only 300 LBS. We need to be careful , may need to switch to a class 3 hitch I would feel safer. Does anyone have any suggestions or thoughts.    David and  Danette
2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-              
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019)
2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014)
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TerryM View Drop Down
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Joined: 16 Nov 2009
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Posts: 1950 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jan 2010 at 4:14pm
There is a little leeway in what the hitch will take but I would be more than just a little worried about that weight.  That is cutting it a little close for comfort, for me at least.

Terry
RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4
Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jan 2010 at 4:27pm

Thanks for the question D&D.  I don't know anything about the subject, but that's never kept me from speaking in the past.  Can I clarify?  The tongue weight was 268 by only removing the spare from the rear of the Pod (and not resting it on the front)?  I ask because if you remove weight from the rear, it will shift more weight to the tongue.  Also, could you mention your tow vehicle?

Others have posted some very good references on this very subject and are much more knowledgable than myself.  My "knee jerk" reaction would be to suggest moving up to a class 3, but there may be some additional things to do also.
 
Hope to see you "out there"
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2010 at 10:59am
Our popup wasn't the most stable thing to tow.  After much experimenting, including taking the tire off the rear, I found the biggest difference came when I made sure the front of the camper was slightly lower than the rear.  Take a look at your rig when its fully loaded ('pod and TV) and see if the 'pod is nose-up, level, or nose-down.  Nose-up will give you sway, you should be level according to the experts but I still found I had sway, nose-down helped a lot.
 
If you take the tire off the rear you would do best to put it in the TV, or on the floor of the 'pod near the axle so it has little effect on the tongue weight.  I would play with the angle first.  However, I've tried nose-up and nose-down with our 'pod (first few trips out I hadn't switched my ball around to lower the nose) and I didn't detect any sway in any configuration.  Even w/o a sway bar - which was mandatory with our popup.
 
Let us know what kind of issues you are experiencing.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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David and Danette View Drop Down
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Posts: 1215 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jan 2010 at 6:05pm
     I mounted the spare tire to the front of the trailer with a bracket we bought from Northern Tool today. With trailer partly loaded no liquids, the tongue weight is now 298 LBS. So with that much weight I ordered a valley class 3 hitch with a 4,000 LB. trailer weight capacity and a 400 LB. tongue weight, we will feel safer now.      David and Danette
2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-              
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019)
2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014)
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2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab


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TerryM View Drop Down
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Posts: 1950 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jan 2010 at 7:12pm
I was just wondering something.  When you weighed the tongue, was the tongue at the same angle as when it is hooked up to your tow vehicle?  If not it could change everything.

Terry
RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4
Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jan 2010 at 8:24pm
Are you having sway issues?
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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David and Danette View Drop Down
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Posts: 1215 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jan 2010 at 10:09pm
     You are right Terry when I checked the tongue weight it was a little lower than the towing heighth when connected to our saturn vue. Guessing I would say no more than 3 inches. And yes I was having a little trouble with sway . We were traveling with a strong headwind at times and a strong cross wind, and when large trucks passed us the trailer would sway. I traveled before from Kentucky to Florida with the trailer loaded heavy in the front and it pulled very well no sway with strong winds and many large trucks. So I normally would not have that many things to pack inside so I was wanted to move the spare tire forward for the weight. I was always a little unsure about the class 2 hitch. With the class 3 hitch I ordered I feel better. Perhaps with the trailer actually loaded as we would for a trip and the tongue at the same height as the TV hitch I will have a better Idea of the tongue weight. Time will tell.        David and Danette
2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-              
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019)
2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014)
Middle Tn
2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab


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Joined: 25 Feb 2009
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Posts: 663 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2010 at 12:54am
What needs to be determined here is how much your vehicle can tow and the hitch weight.  If your vehicle can tow only 3500#'s, replacing the hitch from a class 2 to a 3 isn't going to increase your towing capacity or hitch weight.  If you are having sway problems that is another problem and easily solved by using a sway control device and rearranging items in the trailer.  Also keep in mind the additional weight of the hitch going from a class 2 to a 3.  What is the towing limit on your Vue?

Former owner of 2009 172
Darlene & Jim, Ewok our Lhasa
Roada our 2004 Roadtrek C190Popular


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TerryM View Drop Down
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Joined: 16 Nov 2009
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Posts: 1950 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2010 at 2:25am
If it is the 3.5L they will have a 3,500lbs. tow limit.  The hybrid version has a 1,500lbs. limit.

Terry
RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4
Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565
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