Maiden voyage and Tuna Fishing(sway) problems - R-pod Owners Forum

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Motor7

Senior Member

Joined: 09 Jan 2019
Location: E. TN
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 196

Topic: Maiden voyage and Tuna Fishing(sway) problems
Posted: 19 Feb 2019 at 8:43am

Well if the house floods we should have built an arc....it's 300' above the creek on a bluff. My 20ac of bottomland pasture is wrecked though. We are used to floods, but the one last week was epic.

I have towed a lot of trailers and am just not used to having sway. I am intimately familiar with improperly loaded trailers as a 4x8 utility trailer flipped my CJ7 in '86(my fault-----I loaded the trailer)) so maybe that is why I want to eliminate any and all sway. If I have to go with a WDH I will but I am kinda bummed that I even need one with this tv.

2016 R-Pod 176T

offgrid

Senior Member

Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290

Posted: 19 Feb 2019 at 8:21am

motor7, sorry about your flooding. Look at it this way, at least its not in your house!

You can get sway on a trailer towing with any TV. I suggest proceeding to weigh things as you are planning, and if your tongue weight is less than around 10-11%, move some load forward to add tongue weight. See if that stops it. At that point you should have a stable trailer.

Consider the Hayes system as the suspenders and having a stable trailer as the belt. If you want you can add a second set of suspenders with a wdh/antisway system too. Big smile

Re towing with a lighter SUV, I guess its a matter of what you're used to. I don't expect to not feel like there is a trailer back there with my Highlander. It doesn't sway at all and the weight is properly balanced so its just a matter of horsepower and braking. I've only infrequently had it to 65 mph and doubt if I've ever hit 70, and I always drive in sport mode in the mountains to keep the gearing up both up and downhill. I do about 50 towing up or down 10% grades.

My first vehicle was a 40hp 1960 VW bus. My previous RV was a Toyota pickup based class B with 97 hp. The WWII deuce and a half towed everything everywhere on only 91hp. My Highlander V6 is 280hp, it almost seems overpowered. Tongue

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Motor7

Senior Member

Joined: 09 Jan 2019
Location: E. TN
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 196

Posted: 19 Feb 2019 at 7:42am

We have been flooding here at at home for on and off for over a week. Besides slopping through the mud, I just could not look at the damage to my fencing and swimming hole gazebo/deck anymore. So we loaded up Pod and headed to Hunting Beach SP, SC for 3 nights.

I did not weigh anything, but did have about a 2" slant forward to the hitch when attached to the Avalanche. I started out with a 12" long receiver shank(trying to get the tailgate down while hooked up without hitting the crank handle....but it still hits). On the highway the Pod was Tuna Fishing slightly and even though it was not a real problem, I stopped and changed out to a standard length shank. 80% of the tuna fishing went away, but I still have it and it bugs me.

I am running a Hayes Sway Master electronic, and going through the Gorge(I26/40 Blue Ridge Mtns) and had it engage the trailer brakes several times. Not from sway, but simply while going around some of the tight sweeping curves. Not sure if I like it doing that when it's not needed, but it is good to know the device actually works.

Anyway, it's time to get the scale out and weigh the tongue, then take measurements when hitched to the Avalanche. I am kinda concerned since I bought a TV capable of towing 8K and I am getting sway when not even fully loaded for a long trip and no water in any of the tanks. So where should I begin my search to kill the sway...?

On another note, with all the hills and mtns, I had to tow in 'TOW' mode and in 3'rd gear. I was running 65-70 and the Avalanche(3.73 rear-end) really knew a trailer was back there. I have pulled 6K trailers that seemingly pulled easier than my Pod. Based on this trip, there is no way I would attempt to pull this 176T with a lighter-weight SUV.....how do you guys do it and feel comfortable on the road?

I have a pinion noise in my rear-end. It's not a problem yet, but I will have it re-built before we head to the GC. Would y'all ditch the 3.73, and go with 4.10 gears?

2016 R-Pod 176T

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Motor7 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 09 Jan 2019 Location: E. TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 196	Topic: Maiden voyage and Tuna Fishing(sway) problems Posted: 19 Feb 2019 at 8:43am
	Well if the house floods we should have built an arc....it's 300' above the creek on a bluff. My 20ac of bottomland pasture is wrecked though. We are used to floods, but the one last week was epic. I have towed a lot of trailers and am just not used to having sway. I am intimately familiar with improperly loaded trailers as a 4x8 utility trailer flipped my CJ7 in '86(my fault-----I loaded the trailer)) so maybe that is why I want to eliminate any and all sway. If I have to go with a WDH I will but I am kinda bummed that I even need one with this tv.
	2016 R-Pod 176T

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 19 Feb 2019 at 8:21am
	motor7, sorry about your flooding. Look at it this way, at least its not in your house! You can get sway on a trailer towing with any TV. I suggest proceeding to weigh things as you are planning, and if your tongue weight is less than around 10-11%, move some load forward to add tongue weight. See if that stops it. At that point you should have a stable trailer. Consider the Hayes system as the suspenders and having a stable trailer as the belt. If you want you can add a second set of suspenders with a wdh/antisway system too. Re towing with a lighter SUV, I guess its a matter of what you're used to. I don't expect to not feel like there is a trailer back there with my Highlander. It doesn't sway at all and the weight is properly balanced so its just a matter of horsepower and braking. I've only infrequently had it to 65 mph and doubt if I've ever hit 70, and I always drive in sport mode in the mountains to keep the gearing up both up and downhill. I do about 50 towing up or down 10% grades. My first vehicle was a 40hp 1960 VW bus. My previous RV was a Toyota pickup based class B with 97 hp. The WWII deuce and a half towed everything everywhere on only 91hp. My Highlander V6 is 280hp, it almost seems overpowered.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Motor7 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 09 Jan 2019 Location: E. TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 196	Posted: 19 Feb 2019 at 7:42am
	We have been flooding here at at home for on and off for over a week. Besides slopping through the mud, I just could not look at the damage to my fencing and swimming hole gazebo/deck anymore. So we loaded up Pod and headed to Hunting Beach SP, SC for 3 nights. I did not weigh anything, but did have about a 2" slant forward to the hitch when attached to the Avalanche. I started out with a 12" long receiver shank(trying to get the tailgate down while hooked up without hitting the crank handle....but it still hits). On the highway the Pod was Tuna Fishing slightly and even though it was not a real problem, I stopped and changed out to a standard length shank. 80% of the tuna fishing went away, but I still have it and it bugs me. I am running a Hayes Sway Master electronic, and going through the Gorge(I26/40 Blue Ridge Mtns) and had it engage the trailer brakes several times. Not from sway, but simply while going around some of the tight sweeping curves. Not sure if I like it doing that when it's not needed, but it is good to know the device actually works. Anyway, it's time to get the scale out and weigh the tongue, then take measurements when hitched to the Avalanche. I am kinda concerned since I bought a TV capable of towing 8K and I am getting sway when not even fully loaded for a long trip and no water in any of the tanks. So where should I begin my search to kill the sway...? On another note, with all the hills and mtns, I had to tow in 'TOW' mode and in 3'rd gear. I was running 65-70 and the Avalanche(3.73 rear-end) really knew a trailer was back there. I have pulled 6K trailers that seemingly pulled easier than my Pod. Based on this trip, there is no way I would attempt to pull this 176T with a lighter-weight SUV.....how do you guys do it and feel comfortable on the road? I have a pinion noise in my rear-end. It's not a problem yet, but I will have it re-built before we head to the GC. Would y'all ditch the 3.73, and go with 4.10 gears?
	2016 R-Pod 176T