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Leo B View Drop Down
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podders Helping podders - pHp
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Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Location: Lyndonville, VT
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Posts: 4508 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: New RP 180!!!
    Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 6:16am
Congrats!!  
Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
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Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
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Posts: 2587 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 8:26am
Now it's time to head up CA198 up to Red Fir, or CA190 up to Quaker Meadow.  Big smile
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
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OldNeumanntapr View Drop Down
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Joined: 23 May 2018
Location: CA
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Posts: 204 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 8:27am
Where is the rPod rally in Oregon this summer? Might be fun to check that out.
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Location: Near Nashville
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Posts: 1446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 8:34am
Originally posted by OldNeumanntapr


Drove to the coast over highway 46 and pulled the 1,740 six percent grade in almost 100 degree heat. The Tacoma pulled the rPod just fine in fourth gear with the overdrive locked out. I was taching about 3,800 and the truck never felt like it was straining. 55 and 60 mph but that was just fine.

One thing I am very glad I did with my FJ Cruiser is add an auxiliary transmission cooler.  Around $50 to $60 and 30 minutes work.  Drops the transmission fluid temps about 30°.  If your Tacoma is like my FJ it doesn't have a transmission temperature gunge so I added a Scanguage (which has to be tweaked to get the TF temp).  Normal is around 180°.  The worst of the Smoky Mountains was 250°+ without the cooler.

Toyota won't tell what's too hot for TF but the longer it's hot the more it deteriorates.  Oh, yeah.  There is a TF light.  From what I can tell when it comes on it doesn't mean let things cool down, it means you TF is cooked and needs to be changed. 

Fourth gear is good.  Going up a long hill, if the tranny is dropping to 3rd you'd do well to shift manually to 3rd too so as to avoid having the auto transmission search for gears.  That's what really builds up the heat.

Check out a Tacoma forum and ask about pulling a 3500 lb trailer.  I'll bet the biggest response will be to add a transmission cooler.

All that said, if you have the factory tow package you may already have enough transmission cooling, but it's still something to look into and be sure.

TT
2010 176
FJ Cruiser
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OldNeumanntapr View Drop Down
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Joined: 23 May 2018
Location: CA
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Posts: 204 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 8:41am
Already have the trans cooker as part of the towing package. My truck just 60,000 miles so will be getting the trans flushed this coming week in a major service along with new plugs and new oil in the rear diff.

I’m a member of the Tacomaworld forums. Thanks for the tip on the trans temp gage. Sounds like a good idea.
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OldNeumanntapr View Drop Down
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Posts: 204 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 8:42am
Trans cooler. Stupid auto correct😟
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Joined: 04 Apr 2018
Location: albertville mn
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Posts: 43 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 9:28am
I agree that the WDH is major benefit.  We got a Husky WDH from Amazon and the difference was night and day.  I towed our Pod home without it and felt like I was driving a boat.  Very light front end and the rear sagged about an inch.  With the WDH the Tacoma is level and there is very little sway.  
I found that 60-65mph was my sweet spot for highway speed.  I may be imagining, but I also thought driving in "4" instead of "D" resulted in less automatic tranny shifting.  
2018 Tundra
2018 176t
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DavMar View Drop Down
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Joined: 04 Aug 2017
Location: Lexington, NC
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Posts: 592 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 8:03pm
Originally posted by OldNeumanntapr

Already have the trans cooker as part of the towing package. My truck just 60,000 miles so will be getting the trans flushed this coming week in a major service along with new plugs and new oil in the rear diff.

I’m a member of the Tacomaworld forums. Thanks for the tip on the trans temp gage. Sounds like a good idea.


Congrats on your maiden voyage of your new 180! I too am a member of Tacomaworld forum you know its my truck by their sticker in my Tacoma back window. I have no problems towing my 180 but I do run it in manual shifting with the ECT in the ON position. On flat grades, interstate and such, I have no problem with it running highway speeds with up shifting into 5th gear. I did put in a set of Sumo Springs to help handle the 180 tongue weight and have the  rear shocks run cooler. I would also suggest, especially since you live out west maybe running in the windy plains of the west, to seriously think about looking into a WDH.
Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the
wonder dog.
2017 Rpod 180
2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4
Lexington, NC
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OldNeumanntapr View Drop Down
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Joined: 23 May 2018
Location: CA
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Posts: 204 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 11:15pm
Thanks. It was fun. Several times the wife and I high-fived each other. We are over the moon. Such a world of difference from the old dilapidated tent trailer trailer.

Met another new rPod owner at the campground who also just got one, a 2017 179 from a dealer in Los Angeles. He had a new WDH and told me that someone he knew with an rPod who did a lot of towing with a standard hitch wore down the rear tires much too fast. Didn’t think about that.

Today took the dogs to the beach and used the outside shower to wash them. Took the table outside and placed towels over it and bathed the dogs one at a time in a Rubbermaid bin with the outside shower. Had to off load the soapy water to my five gallon bucket to pour into the campgrounds dump station so we didn’t get water on the ground.
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Joined: 17 Apr 2017
Location: No. California
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Posts: 240 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 11:54pm
Originally posted by OldNeumanntapr


Drove to the coast over highway 46 and pulled the 1,740 six percent grade in almost 100 degree heat. The Tacoma pulled the rPod just fine in fourth gear with the overdrive locked out. I was taching about 3,800 and the truck never felt like it was straining. 55 and 60 mph but that was just fine.

Camping now at Morro Bay Dunes, private RV Park. Just picked programmer the TV and checked out the cable TV !
Still marveling at how much nicer the rPod is compared to the tent trailer.
Highway 46 is wonderful! And we love Morro Bay. So glad you folks are already having such a fantastic time with your new Pod. 
2017 R-Pod 179 HRE (the green one)
His:Ford F150 double cab 4WD; Hers/mine:Tacoma V6 double cab 4WD
Still love rugged, diggin' comfy too
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