Introduce yourself

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   Offgrid,We will be traveling pretty light. We have ultralight bikes and kayaks will go on top of the 2016 Highlander. I have plenty of experience weighing trailer axels from pulling a construction trailer. But thanks for the warning,we appreciate your help. 
Chuck 

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chenschel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 02 May 2020 Location: IL Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Topic: Introduce yourself Posted: 03 May 2020 at 8:55am
	Offgrid, We will be traveling pretty light. We have ultralight bikes and kayaks will go on top of the 2016 Highlander. I have plenty of experience weighing trailer axels from pulling a construction trailer. But thanks for the warning,we appreciate your help. Chuck
	Lucky CHUCK :Y:

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: 03 May 2020 at 8:54am
	Welcome! Take a look at my post just above, I think the same weight issues will apply to your Pilot as to the Highlander. You will want a weight distribution/sway control hitch but it doesn't have to be a Blue Ox. There are several manufacturers and if you check the discussions on this and other forums there are plenty of folks who favor one over another for various reasons. IMHO the Blue Ox stuff is overpriced.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Andyrpod190 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 03 May 2020 Location: NH Online Status: Offline Posts: 40	Posted: 03 May 2020 at 8:44am
	Hi there! Andy here and my wife and I are in the process of purchasing a 2021 R-Pod 190. Getting it in a couple weeks and glad I joined the forum. Will try to follow advise and add a more secure tie to the black water tank drain or empty spot as many seem to suggest. Will also be looking to add a bike rack and interested to understand what is needed for 2 mtn bike. I assume the best way is to get a hitch attachment between camper and car? We will be using a 2012 Honda Pilot Touring to pull this camper. I have been advised to get a "Blue Ox Sway Pro" for leveling and equalizing weight distribution. Will also be installing brake controller and wiring for the power(to charge the battery and brake wires with a 7 way round charge line. Looks like I should research better tires for the camper and bring along a few wrenches and zip ties as needed for any sudden repairs... Anything else come to mind? The 2021 comes with a central vac so that should be handy. Thank you and happy camping!
	AC

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: 03 May 2020 at 8:32am
	Welcome. I tow my 179 with a Highander. It works but I keep things light as possible (except for water, I boondock so I travel with a full fresh water tank). Looking at what you are planning I think you will be pushing it with that tow vehicle. You'll be surprised how fast the weight adds up in both the TV and trailer. Your Highlander is AWD I hope, FWD does not work well for towing. I suggest that you weigh your rig as you want to travel and see where you are before adding the bikes and kayaks. Load up as you want to travel and go to a public scale. You can use the search feature of this forum to get a weighing procedure I wrote up in a couple of posts that will give you the weight on each axle, the total weight, and the tongue weight. There is also a link there for a towing calculator that you can load your specs into and will tell you how far you are over or under on each. Also, I suggest that you get a weight distribution hitch (after you do the weighing, don't have the wdh tensioned up when you go through the scales). Happy and safe travels!
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

chenschel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 02 May 2020 Location: IL Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 03 May 2020 at 8:01am
	Mark, Thanks for the heads up. I was thinking the same thing! The rear hitch doesn’t look like it’s any use for anything but the spare. And the back of any trailer gets tons of dirt and rain in inclement weather. A tongue mounted rack looks like the best solution. Kayaks may be going on the top of the Highlander. We are retiring this spring, so we hope to do a lot of traveling as soon as we can get done sheltering in place. Our kids are in Oregon and Washington so we are headed to the great Northwest! Cheers, Chuck
	Lucky CHUCK :Y:

mjlrpod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Sep 2016 Location: Massachusetts Online Status: Offline Posts: 1214	Posted: 03 May 2020 at 7:41am
	Welcome and congrats. We love our pod, and have gone on many adventures each summer. I hope you will also. You might want to avoid bike racks on the rear of the pod. As enticing as it is, it's not a great choice. The rear hitch is not very strong. It's a long running conversation, that some say you can. I think just taking a look at how it's constructed tends to say don't do it. I and many others, have gotten a tongue mount bike rack. I use the stromberg carlson bike bunk for my 2 bikes, and it's great. Kayaks are a whole different issue. Roof racks or ladder racks if you have a pick up truck,will be your best bet.
	2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding

chenschel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 02 May 2020 Location: IL Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 03 May 2020 at 7:22am
	Hello Rpod owners, My wife and I just bought our first Rpod and we are very excited to begin this new adventure. We bought a used 2019 190 from a RV dealer in Rockford Illinois. We are both avid cyclists and amateur kayakers and look forward to years of outdoor activities and camping. My first project will be outfitting our our pod with a bike rack and figuring out what to do with the kayaks? all suggestions are appreciated. thanks for the help. Regards, Chuck and Diana
	Lucky CHUCK :Y: