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Topic ClosedNew tow vehicle questions - Event Date: 31 Oct 2018 - 10 Nov 2018

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jato View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Calendar Event: New tow vehicle questions
    Posted: 02 Nov 2018 at 8:36pm
Offgrid,  good point, weigh your tongue weight.  My son has an '18  F-250 with a 10" lift, nearly need a stepladder to get in the cab but it has a scale on the hitch to read hitch weight, pretty neat as I never saw one of those things before.  Wanted to see how accurate it was so we weighed it on a Sherline Scale and then transferred our 177 to his truck and got the exact same reading 350 lbs.  Originally I was going to take his receiver off and put it on my Explorer but noticed that the receiver on his truck is 2.5 inches, my Explorer is the normal 2".
God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Nov 2018 at 9:32pm
Never seen a hitch scale, sounds cool. If you want to know your hitch weight and don't have a Sherline or an F250 with a hitch scale and you don't want to mess around with the bathroom scale teeter totter method, there is an easy way if you have access to a commercial scale. Drive your tow vehicle over the scale, get the weight. Go get your trailer, (leave the wdh untensioned) and tow it to the scale. Roll the TV on the scale leaving the trailer axle off and get the weight. The difference is your tongue weight. I use the scale down at our county waste transfer station. Accurate to 10 lbs each measurement so the difference is accurate to 20 lbs. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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voisj View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Nov 2018 at 11:56pm
Here's the one I got it's pretty accurate
scale ball
SLOPODMODS
John&Sue,SLO,CA
2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost
 
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Nov 2018 at 6:49am
Thanks, looks like a great ad on, cheaper than a Sherline and always available. I'll have to measure my wdh and see if it fits in the available space. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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jato View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Nov 2018 at 7:51am
The one my son has is a Weigh Safe model WS8 2.5 and has an application of 14,500 lbs. max GTW and 2,200 lbs. max tongue weight, more than sufficient for any r-pod, even if overloaded.  Price is # 299.00 and is available for 2", 2.5", and 3" receivers.
God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Nov 2018 at 10:23am
Even the 10K lbs one is enough for two rpods... My issue is I have a Reese Pro wdh which has its trunnion bar engagement under the ball so it would be a tight fit. I like it though, thanks guys. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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crankster78 View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Nov 2018 at 10:25am
Greetings

I have a 2007 F-159 8 foot bed, standard cab.  My 179 has dual tanks and a single group 27 battery.  I did remove the truck spare tire and put it in the front of the box.  I've towed at least 15000 miles and have never had a sway problem.  I have 120000 miles on the truck and put on HD shocks with helper springs.  I get about 2 to 2 1/2 inches of drop when I hook up the 179 with full fresh water.   I'm not opposed to sway bars, but my truck has a 144 inch wheelbase.  Which makes a difference.  Just my experience.

Crankster78

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Crankster 78 R-179 2015
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jato View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Nov 2018 at 2:25pm
Totally agree with you crankster.  My 1994 F-150 4x4 is similar: 8 foot bed and standard cab with the same 144" wheelbase (but I got you beat on mileage at 320,000 miles and hopefully on deer kills - 31, and deer 'hits'- - -  too many to count). No issues towing encountering sway.  I will admit you probably carry more weight on your truck, as mine has been on a 'weight loss' program for the last 8 years due to severe rust.  Our 2011 F-150 4x4 is a supercab and a 6.5 foot bed, again, no sway ever encountered.  Same goes for our 2013 Explorer 2WD.  BUT on our 2008 Explorer 4x4 we could never get above 40 mph without severe trailer sway.  In fact on our maiden voyage going on our first camp out we turned around after 15 miles and brought it home, too much sway, nearly lost control of it at 40 mph, bummer for us, but after getting home purchased an anti-sway bar link and never had a problem again.  In summation, to agree with you, length of wheelbase plays a huge part in the 'sway' issue.
God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Nov 2018 at 3:06pm
Originally posted by jato

Our 2011 F-150 4x4 is a crew cab and a 6.5 foot bed, again, no sway ever encountered.
I don't know what the size differences are between the 2011 and the 2015, the F-150 starting in 2015 is a completely different animal than 2011. Our's is a supercrew, with the 6.5' box, and the wheelbase is 157". I can tell you that the ride with or without the R-pod attached is smoooo_oooth.

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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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Nov 2018 at 3:38pm
Hi Jato, I started another thread today on trailer and tongue weights vs. sway, can you let me know (preferably on that thread for continuity) what your trailer weights were when you encountered sway (if you know them), or if not, what you had on board (I can probably calc it pretty close from that)? I think you carry a full fresh water tank right? One battery or two? One propane or two? thanks!
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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