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Keith-N-Dar View Drop Down
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Joined: 03 Apr 2011
Location: Mayville, WI
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Posts: 1447 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: New Everything... Need Advice
    Posted: 18 May 2018 at 3:17pm
Your Grand Caravan is longer and heavier than an Escape.  The OP needs to be careful NS TOW SLOW.
Keith-N-Dar
Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers)
2011 R-Pod 177
2010 Ford F-150
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Leo B View Drop Down
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Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Location: Lyndonville, VT
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Posts: 4508 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 May 2018 at 1:05pm
We towed our 179 with our Dodge grand Caravan for 3+ years. You can tow a pod with a 3,600 rated vehicle. We tower up and down the east coat, White Mountain of NH, Green Mountains of Vermont, Pocono Mtn in eastern PA. No problems and I feel safely.
I will admit it is a lot better towing with our Ford Pick up now. But it is all up to how you feel when you start towing.
Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
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ArenaBlanca View Drop Down
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Joined: 07 Sep 2016
Location: Alamogordo, NM
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Posts: 158 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 May 2018 at 9:30am
If I were you, I would call a company that will rent a pickup truck and tow the pod back to Fla with that.  I know that Enterprise will rent them but they are a little pricey.   However, a couple of weeks of truck rental may be cheaper that car repairs, monthly truck payments, and/or hospital bills.  Better safe than sorry.
Enjoy Life!!
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Happy Tripping View Drop Down
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Joined: 27 May 2014
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Posts: 473 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 May 2018 at 3:40pm
Originally posted by LMS

I'm concerned about the Escape having the ability to adequately tow.  Its going to require a lot of effort to keep our weight at 3,500#;  We will be driving from FL to Indiana to pick-up our unit and expect to travel ~2500 miles over 3 weeks on our return trip.  

I would definitely prefer more towing capacity but out east, if you stay away from mountains with long grades, and you keep your speed down to 60 mph and your total weight down as much as possible, I think you'll do just fine and have a good trip. 

Then you can start adding weight to it if you feel you are doing ok.
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SqueakyToy17 View Drop Down
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Joined: 16 Mar 2017
Location: Washington
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Posts: 21 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 May 2018 at 2:45pm
STRONGLY SUGGEST - Borrow a truck to tow your trailer home. The DRY weight on the trailer ALONE is 2700. Your vehicle tow UP TO 2,000. Never want to max out your tow capacity!

Get AAA before you leave if you decide to tow it with your vehicle.   
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Bucky Dutchman View Drop Down
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Joined: 30 Jan 2017
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Posts: 10 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 May 2018 at 2:35pm
We tow with a 2L EcoBoost AWD 2017 Escape with a load leveler/anti sway hitch ... but we have a 172. We are relatively light packers, keep it under 60 mph max, have encountered pretty strong crosswinds and HUGE trucks (3 trailers!) passing us and never felt in peril.
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LMS View Drop Down
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Joined: 16 May 2018
Location: Apopka, FL
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Posts: 3 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 May 2018 at 1:08pm
Thanks for the feedback.  Wow...Looks like I'm sending a boy to do a man's job.  I'll let you know how my Escape handles the return trip back to Florida (if it gets that far).  Worst case scenario, my RP-189 will be for sale ASAP.  Good thing I'm saving a lot of $$$ over Florida best offer... I might actually be able to breakeven on this ill-fated buy.  Best case scenario, it might be workable for a couple who is in no hurry to get from place to place.  Still looking for someone who has towed a Pod with an Escape...  seems like a rare breed. 
Lew
RP-189
2017 Ford Escape
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
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Posts: 2630 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 May 2018 at 8:41am
I'll add my voice to the chorus. I think you need a higher capacity vehicle. For a 189, I would be looking for something with ~~ 5,000(+) lb towing capacity.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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Ghosthawk View Drop Down
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Joined: 01 Apr 2018
Location: Fargo ND
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Posts: 128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 May 2018 at 6:50am
Agree with texman.

2.5L I-4 FWD

1500
1.5L EcoBoost FWD

2000
1.5L EcoBoost AWD

2000
2.0L EcoBoost FWD

3500
2.0L EcoBoost AWD

3500


Not enough, not for me. And not enough horses either.  We recently bought a used 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee to get that capacity up over the 5000 mark.

Figuring 3,000 for the trailer, food, clothing and you and your wife puts you right at max. Take nothing else, make no extra stops.

That tail is going to be wagging the dog. Add in heavy truck traffic or crosswinds and you have a recipe for disaster.
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 May 2018 at 4:31pm
I think you are at max for the tow vehicle selected. Personally I would consider a change. I agree with LEO, SH towed with an Escape, right up to point of impact.
Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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