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dmpablo View Drop Down
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Joined: 22 Sep 2012
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Posts: 2 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Another future RPOD owner?
    Posted: 25 Sep 2012 at 12:23pm
My wife and I have been looking at RPODS for over a year. We are new to RV camping and traveling. We've day camped with our kids and their pop up camper but stayed at motels at night. Enough to know that we wouldn't like a pop up. My main concern is can our Town and Country with the 3.8 engine safely pull a 177. I've been reading as much as I can on the forum and sure am learning alot prior to buying. Most of our travels are on the northern shores of lake Superior and into the boundry water area north west of Grand Marais. 
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Seanl View Drop Down
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Posts: 633 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2012 at 12:51pm
What year is your town and country? The newer ones have a higher towing capacity that the older ones.
Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition
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this_is_nascar View Drop Down
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Posts: 466 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2012 at 1:02pm
Originally posted by dmpablo

My wife and I have been looking at RPODS for over a year. We are new to RV camping and traveling. We've day camped with our kids and their pop up camper but stayed at motels at night. Enough to know that we wouldn't like a pop up. My main concern is can our Town and Country with the 3.8 engine safely pull a 177. I've been reading as much as I can on the forum and sure am learning alot prior to buying. Most of our travels are on the northern shores of lake Superior and into the boundry water area north west of Grand Marais. 
 
 
I don't know the answer, but I'm glad you asking here instead of your TV or RV dealer.  Someone will hook you up with the proper answer, then we can debate if it will work safely or not.  Too many people purchase first, before knowing the right answer as to whether or not their combo will function properly.
 
 
"Ray & Connie"

- 2017 R-Pod RP-180
- 2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD-Off Road
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dmpablo View Drop Down
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Posts: 2 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2012 at 1:26pm
We have a 2009 that supposedly has all the extra cooling capacities, both radiator and transmission, necessary. I believe it is rated at 3500 lbs. I had no problem towing my sons popup and I think it is around 2100 lb? 
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Seanl View Drop Down
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Posts: 633 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2012 at 2:10pm
I am on the fence on this one. Your horsepower looks a little low to me at 195. Mine is 210 and it is not to powerful. On the other hand you have a 6 speed trans where I only have a 4 in my Jeep. The six speed transmission and the longer wheelbase of the van lead me to believe that this rig might work as long as you were not looking to tow at high speeds. That would be at speeds much over 60mph. I think there are a couple of people towing with this rig so it will be interesting to see that they say. 

The big issue with the Pod is not the weight but the wind resistance caused by larger frontal area than the popup. Thats my two cents worth for what its worth.  

btw I looked it up and the 2009 Town and Country is rated at 3800lbs
Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2012 at 4:14pm
Welcome.  I towed for almost two years with a Toyota Sienna with similar stats, 3500 pound tow rating and 210 hp.  It only had a 4-speed transmission which made it marginal to tow with.  Safe and capable, yes, but the 4-speed forced it to downshift into 2nd gear at highway speeds much more often than I would have liked.  As Sean said, with a 6-speed you will probably be ok, I think even at highway speeds.  I found I actually did better at 65 than I did at 60.  That little extra bit of momentum kept it from downshifting into 3rd as often.  I highly recommend you get a weight distribution hitch like the Equalizer or E2, I wish I had installed one much earlier than I did.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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cathyntim View Drop Down
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Posts: 3 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Sep 2012 at 3:04pm
We just picked up our R-Pod 177 yesterday!  We decided to use our Jeep Grand Cherokee with V8 as our tow vehicle - it cost us $1200 getting that set up to tow!  We debated using the BMW M3 but that was going to get too close to maxing out the towing capacity (3000 lbs). 
SO EXCITED to take our maiden voyage to Malibu on Saturday.
CatnTim
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