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Topic ClosedHow critical is "tow ball height"?
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Craneman View Drop Down
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Posts: 387 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: How critical is "tow ball height"?
    Posted: 20 May 2013 at 7:28pm
Originally posted by Kickstart

No, not necessarily, but if your trailer is nose up some, and/or your tow rig is marginal, then this will really lighten up your hitch weight with the added weight behind the trailer axle. In my case, I had just traded trailers, was nose up, hadn't dialed in my WDH yet, and had a partially full water tank behind the trailer axle. The state  patrolman who handled the wreck was a trailer guy, quizzed me, and said it was a "Perfect Storm" type deal with several things factoring in--inadequate WDH set up, low hitch weight due to added weight behind the axle, water slosh in that tank, short wheelbase truck (even though a fullsized P/U), AND the wind gust was so instant and severe that control was immediately lost. I had my choice of a 200' drop on the left and a rock wall on the right.  I wheeled it over and chose the wall. No injuries.  So a Prodigy, WDH, and sway control weren't enough to overcome Mother Nature and my ineptitude .
 
You're from Washington State, so you may be familiar with the winds in the Columbia River Gorge.
  
I filled the  water tank today and took the pod for a test run, and I'm getting a little sway. I have the nose down and it drops the truck just at 2" . Guess for traveling I'll just put 5 or 10 gal in it?
        Moe
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 May 2013 at 9:44pm
Take a look at this, see if there is anything you are overlooking:  http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723&PID=29812&title=creating-an-instruction-maintanence-manual#29812
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Craneman View Drop Down
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Posts: 387 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 May 2013 at 11:17pm
Techntrek,
 I Think I have most of those covered, where can the riser blocks be purchased?????
        Moe
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Goose View Drop Down
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Posts: 672 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 May 2013 at 11:29pm
Different models have there water tanks in different positions on the trailer, the 171 has it's water tank in front of the axle lending some stability to the trailer when you carry any amount of water. The black and gray tanks are behind the axle which I keep empty, dumping the gray every day that we travel as it is the tank at the very back. Those models with the water tanks behind the axle can have more stability issues with the more water carried like what Kickstart described. Goose
Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 May 2013 at 9:50am
Craneman, look for the contact numbers in a thread at the top of the podmod sub-forum.  You can call FR directly to order them but have your VIN number handy since they'll need that to verify which axle you have.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 May 2013 at 9:52am
Sorry, that was at the top of Reviews and General Information.  Here is a link:  http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=2747&title=misc-forest-river-contacts-and-other-info
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Kickstart View Drop Down
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Posts: 267 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 May 2013 at 10:50pm
 
 
  [/QUOTE]
I filled the  water tank today and took the pod for a test run, and I'm getting a little sway. I have the nose down and it drops the truck just at 2" . Guess for traveling I'll just put 5 or 10 gal in it?
        Moe
 
Way to be proactive rather than having to be reactive like me! If you're getting even a twitch with your rear tank full, then you need  to address some setup issues. Even a twitch means that you're near real problems if you have to deal with bad gusts or semi-suck. Having risers installed will also help save your leveling jacks if you try to camp in any of the uneven sites in the Forest Service or National Park campgrounds here on the Oly Peninsula. That's another ask me how I know that I don't wanna discuss!
'10 RP 175-Replaced by 2014 Kodiak 173 QBSL
'12 Toyota Tundra
'05 Sportster (half a Harley)
Retired-We're on Beach Time!
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Seanl View Drop Down
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Posts: 633 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 May 2013 at 11:05pm
Keeping weight on the tongue is key. If you are carrying weight behind the axle you have to balance it with weight in front of the axle. That's why I put a cargo carrier on the tongue not on the back.
Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition
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P&M View Drop Down
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Posts: 454 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 May 2013 at 9:52am
Originally posted by Seanl

Keeping weight on the tongue is key. I you are carrying weight behind the axle you have to balance it with weight in front of the axle. That's why I put a cargo carrier on the tongue not on the back.
I had read somewhere recently that the "recommended" guideline for weight distribution in a trailer is 60% in front and 40% in back ... does this sound right to those of you more experienced?
P & M ... and Comet too!
2012 171 -- The Monkey Pod
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 May 2013 at 6:59pm
What really matters is putting 10-15% of the trailer's total weight on the tongue.  I believe that rule is a little lower for boat trailers.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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