Gear shifting and your tow vehicle...

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   I have a question.  I took my Pod for a long drive today and I encountered quite a few hills and mountainous climes.  I was wondering if you guys down shift on hills... up the hill or down? 
I'm not sure if it's normal, but my truck's RPMs kicked-in as I was ascending some steep inclines shifting from 2,500 to 4,100 RPMs.  I did shift it down to anticipate the hills, but it didn't seem to make a difference.  The TV still shifted down on its own and seemed to strain a little while trying to keep the speed at 60mph.  I know I sound stupid, but this is my first towing experience and I have no clue what my truck is capable of.  I do know that my truck has 275 horse power, and one of my friends, who is a mechanic, told me that my truck is more than capable of towing the Pod.  That being said (and don't laugh) I rarely, if ever, surpass 2,000 RPMs driving the truck on a regular basis.  I guess you could say that I drive like a grandma.   
On a separate note, I stopped at a weigh station today and they weighed the trailer with a full tank of water and the weight was 3,120 pounds.  Yawzer.  I know the water weighs 300 pounds, but I had no idea I had that much in there.  It is like a duplicate house with all the stuff I need to function and survive on the road, but I had no idea it was that much.  Is the maximum weight for the RP-172.... 3,179 pounds?  As I look at the sticker on the side of my Pod, it seems to appear so, but I'm not up on the nomenclature.

Thanks for the info.  

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secretbard Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 12 Apr 2011 Location: Budd Lake, NJ Online Status: Offline Posts: 195	Topic: Gear shifting and your tow vehicle... Posted: 27 Jul 2011 at 7:57pm
	I have a question. I took my Pod for a long drive today and I encountered quite a few hills and mountainous climes. I was wondering if you guys down shift on hills... up the hill or down? I'm not sure if it's normal, but my truck's RPMs kicked-in as I was ascending some steep inclines shifting from 2,500 to 4,100 RPMs. I did shift it down to anticipate the hills, but it didn't seem to make a difference. The TV still shifted down on its own and seemed to strain a little while trying to keep the speed at 60mph. I know I sound stupid, but this is my first towing experience and I have no clue what my truck is capable of. I do know that my truck has 275 horse power, and one of my friends, who is a mechanic, told me that my truck is more than capable of towing the Pod. That being said (and don't laugh) I rarely, if ever, surpass 2,000 RPMs driving the truck on a regular basis. I guess you could say that I drive like a grandma. On a separate note, I stopped at a weigh station today and they weighed the trailer with a full tank of water and the weight was 3,120 pounds. Yawzer. I know the water weighs 300 pounds, but I had no idea I had that much in there. It is like a duplicate house with all the stuff I need to function and survive on the road, but I had no idea it was that much. Is the maximum weight for the RP-172.... 3,179 pounds? As I look at the sticker on the side of my Pod, it seems to appear so, but I'm not up on the nomenclature. Thanks for the info.
	2010 Rpod 172 :) 2004 Chevy Trailblazer

Footslogger03 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Location: Laramie, WY Online Status: Offline Posts: 362	Posted: 27 Jul 2011 at 8:05pm
	Are you talking about an automatic or manual transmission. I'm guessing automatic. Regradless of what you do to the shift lever with an automatic transmission it will attempt to find a lower gear if it senses to much back pressure from increased grade. MJ
	Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger

secretbard Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 12 Apr 2011 Location: Budd Lake, NJ Online Status: Offline Posts: 195	Posted: 27 Jul 2011 at 8:10pm
	Yes, I'm an automatic transmission. That's what I thought, but I wasn't sure what the purpose of the 3rd gear was if not for downshifting to aid in ascent.
	2010 Rpod 172 :) 2004 Chevy Trailblazer

Footslogger03 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Location: Laramie, WY Online Status: Offline Posts: 362	Posted: 27 Jul 2011 at 8:15pm
	With an automatic transmission, D-1, D-2, D-3 etc are your way of "forcing" the transmission into a specific gear ratio/range, generally to give the vehicle a little more "umph" on uphills or to crank it down a bit on downhills. MJ
	Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger

Iteach5th Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 25 Nov 2010 Location: Floral Park, NY Online Status: Offline Posts: 109	Posted: 27 Jul 2011 at 8:25pm
	I keep it off D on my Jeep and put it in 4th. It will go through 1-4 gear as needed. Going up long hills the rpms went up to 4000 at times. Some times it didn't down shift as needed so I back off the gas a little and then the lower gear took over. Normal driving, I was doing close to 3000 RPM on the flats at about 60-65 mph.
	"Whether you think you can or think you can't, either way you are right"- Henry Ford 2011 RP-177 2009 Jeep Cherokee 1982 Coleman Redwood pup

secretbard Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 12 Apr 2011 Location: Budd Lake, NJ Online Status: Offline Posts: 195	Posted: 27 Jul 2011 at 8:33pm
	Hey teach, I was hoping you would chime in as you were just on a long trip of your own. Thanks for the insight. I guess I've never really pushed the truck. Light use I suppose. Thanks for your info too Slog.
	2010 Rpod 172 :) 2004 Chevy Trailblazer

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059	Posted: 27 Jul 2011 at 10:15pm
	On big hills, yup, 3rd and even 2nd are normal especially if you are doing 60. As for going downhill, at highway speeds I haven't found a hill yet that requires a downshift because of the drag once you get above 50. However, on steep back roads I will definitely downshift to help with braking, and some times I'll downshift to keep it in 2nd to keep it from hunting going uphill. According to the spec page on FR's web site the GVWR is 3179, so yes that is the max weight your 'pod should be. http://www.forestriverinc.com/nd/default22.asp?page=rpod&choice=brochure&nav=rec
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

TerryM Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Location: Saint Augustine Online Status: Offline Posts: 1950	Posted: 28 Jul 2011 at 4:44am
	Be sure to turn off your overdrive when towing. If you don't it will go in and out of overdrive so much you could over heat the tranny. Besides that it puts a lot of extra wear on 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

TIDALWAVE Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 21 Nov 2009 Location: MINNESOTA Online Status: Offline Posts: 315	Posted: 29 Jul 2011 at 9:34am
	As other members have taught me...use the 'tow-haul' option on your Auto-Trans if your TV has it. Even if your TV can pull your Pod without using the tow-haul...turning it on will really help the Trans last longer. It is cheaper to pay for the 1/2 mpg loss using the tow-haul than replacing the trans.
	TIDALWAVE

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059	Posted: 29 Jul 2011 at 10:09am
	Plus turning off the overdrive puts your engine revs deeper into the "power curve" so you don't have to wait for it to spin up as much when you press more on the gas. You will also get a little more engine braking on downhills.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual