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Sistahs View Drop Down
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Joined: 23 Feb 2010
Location: N. Fla
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Posts: 61 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: tow vehicle
    Posted: 17 Dec 2010 at 12:07pm
We need to get a newer tow vehicle. Need from your experience! Considering Honda Pilot. What do you think of them for towing a 171? appreciate any feedback.
F150/R-pod171
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TerryM View Drop Down
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Posts: 1950 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Dec 2010 at 3:39pm
Check the weight of the camper and then check the towing limit of the Pilot.  You will need, usually at any rate,  something bigger than a 3.7L motor also.  But a lot will depend on the type of terrain you will be driving in.  Flat land ALL the time or mixed flat and  hills, or mountains.   Your mileage will be cut in half when towing also.  Lots to think about isn't there!

Another thing.  Be sure whatever you get to use as a tow vehicle that it has the tow package.  Or it can be added.  Usually it is just better cooling for the motor plus a cooler for the tranny.

Terry
RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4
Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565
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Posts: 80 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Dec 2010 at 3:44pm
Originally posted by Sistahs

We need to get a newer tow vehicle. Need from your experience! Considering Honda Pilot. What do you think of them for towing a 171? appreciate any feedback.
 
My first question would be: Why would you go from a P/up to an SUV? As far as I am concerned a P/up is my "ideal" TV, extra gas can, extra propane bottle, Barbecue, leveling boards and whatever else one wants to take becomes a hassle in a SUV.
 
Once you are used to towing with a larger vehicle like your F150, towing with a smaller vehicle will be different, even if the power would be the same it will feel less stable.
 
The Honda Pilot is a nice vehicle, 3.5 l V6 and rated at 3500 lbs in two wheel drive version and 4500 lbs in 4 wheel drive version. If you stay in relative flat country it should be fine but for mountainous terrain it is, IMHO underpowered. Our Dodge Dakota has a 4.7 l V8 and for where we live here I would not want anything less.
 
Another thing, if you ever would want to upgrade to a larger trailer you would need a larger TV anyway. Just my 2 cents (cdn).
 
Take care,
Heinrich and Elly
2010 Dodge Dakota Crew Cab
2010 Prime Time Tracer 205M
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Dec 2010 at 4:30pm
I agree with the above (notice my TV below).  Personally, I wouldn't consider anything less than a 5000lbs towing capacity - large V6, or better, a V8.  I have 335 horsepower and I wouldn't mind having more.
 
There are a whole bunch of varibles to consider, if one wants to approach the matter "scientifically".  Total horsepower and torque, horsepower and torque curves (where they peak in the RPM range), transmission gear ratios, differential gear ratios, etc., etc.
 
I had an "old timer" tell me years ago to get twice as much towing capacity (in weight) as you need; ie: If your trailer weighs 3000lbs, get a TV with a 6000lbs rating - and you'll do OK.  I violated that advise when I bought my Pod and it cost me a bunch of money to upsize....lesson re-learned. Cry My $.02.
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Posts: 61 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec 2010 at 9:38am
My reasons for going from p/up to something else are: going from two vehicles to one for the family, need space for 4 adults plus dog crate in addition to towing the pod. Four adults won't be riding when I am towing, but have to have a double duty vehicle. I find insufficient room(protected space) for tools, la fuma chair, and other gear in the pick-up when camping. I like the power of the truck, but may have to live without the extra oomph given changing circumstances. Also, will be moving from rural FL to Portland Or in next few years and parking is an issue in any city.
F150/R-pod171
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Posts: 267 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec 2010 at 1:14pm
Hey Sistahs,
 
Take the posts from David, photog, and TerryM very seriously. I live a hundred miles or so north of Portland. If you're going to use your RPod steadily, you need a pretty able tow rig in this area. I, like David, underestimated my tow vehicle when I bought my RPod, and it had a 4800 lb. tow rating with a complete tow package. My Dakota had the smaller engine than photog's, but the engine wasn't the major problem. The transmission didn't have enough gears (4) to properly tow all of the elevation changes we deal with in this area.
 
My '06 Toyota Tacoma, with a 6500 lb. rating does a pretty good job with the hills and passes here, and I totally agree with David--double the rating is good. I towed small travel trailers with 2 different F150 4.6 v/8 engines, and they certainly weren't overkill for towing in the PNW.
 
Whatever you buy, I recommend that you make sure that you get a factory tow package. Trying to upgrade is like throwing dice--there are just too many variables that are easy to overlook when you try to upgrade a tow rig. Read David's post closely. Good luck and don't forget your rain gear when you move to Portland.
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Posts: 1214 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec 2010 at 5:08pm
    You may want to consider a Jeep Grand Cherokee the 2011's have a lot of good reviews, and you have the option of  the Hemi V8. They cost more than most mid size suv's but with the V8 they have a large towing capacity. With the optional V8 I think there priced some where around $ 34,000. If we had the money that would have been my choice.      David and Danette
2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-              
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Posts: 13 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Dec 2010 at 6:23am
Uh Oh - After reading these posts I am beginning to wonder if my 3500 lb. towing Tribeca can handle the Pod. I just took the weight amounts at face value -  that I can tow 3500 easily because the manual says so!.. Maybe I need to rethink this and go smaller with the trailer, or get a larger vehicle.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Dec 2010 at 9:05am
Originally posted by Brewsterivy

Uh Oh - After reading these posts I am beginning to wonder if my 3500 lb. towing Tribeca can handle the Pod. I just took the weight amounts at face value -  that I can tow 3500 easily because the manual says so!.. Maybe I need to rethink this and go smaller with the trailer, or get a larger vehicle.
Towing with a smaller vehicle is possible, but......
I'll re-tell my story - when I bought my Pod I had a 2008 CMC Canyon (like the Chevy Colorado) and it had a 3200lbs towing capacity.  My Pod was the RP173 and the weight sticker said it weighed about 2350 (plus the weight of the propane, battery and any "stuff" that I wanted to carry).  I "guesstimate" that I was pulling about 2500-2600lbs.  I traveled as light as possible - I didn't carry the R-dome, dinette table and I even frequently removed the tailgate from the truck to save weight.  I did make it to the Rocky Mts. and back, but most of the time, it was really working hard to do 60mph even on flat terrain, here in Indiana.  Any head wind or incline to the road, and the truck would want to shift from 3rd gear (I didn't even attempt to put it in "Drive") to second gear.  In 3rd gear I would turn about 3200-3300 RPMs.  When it would downshift, the RPMs would jump over 4000.  Not good for a motor (and the Canyon/Colorado motors have a reputation of having weak valve springs).
 
To sum it up; it can be done but, I didn't enjoy it and am fairly confident that the truck would have been  in the shop a lot.  I bought the Pod hoping  that with it's lighter weight and narrower frontal profile, that it would work.   For me, it didn't.  I want my travelling/camping experiences to be relaxing.  I want to go wherever I want, whenever I want, regardless of wind and road conditions.
 
I am not familiar with your particular vehicle but, I suspect your experience would be similar to mine.  Much of the time the performance requirements would exceed the performance capabilities of the vehicle.
I'm not "dissing" the Pod; it is what it is.  We are talking about tow vehicles and there is a great difference in them.
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Sistahs View Drop Down
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Posts: 61 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Dec 2010 at 10:36am
Thanks so much for all the input. Keep it coming. I am convinced I need to stay with the larger vehicle. Now looking at another F150 or Tundra. 
F150/R-pod171
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