Towing vehicle question |
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kellyandkelly
Newbie Joined: 26 Mar 2015 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7 |
Topic: Towing vehicle question Posted: 26 Mar 2015 at 9:50am |
Hello! We just purchased an rpod - 2015 Hood River edition 178. We love it! But, we are towing with a Jeep Liberty and as we were bringing it home last night, the trailer is jumping all over. The Jeep has a towing capacity of 3500 lbs, so it should be fine to tow. Someone suggested getting a weight distribution system. Thoughts on this?
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Leo B
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Lyndonville, VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 4508 |
Posted: 26 Mar 2015 at 9:52am |
welcome to the group! Congrats on your 178. We town a 179 with a Dodge Grand Caravan with no problem. Can help on the wdh as we do not use one. Somebody will be able to advise you on it
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Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
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Mountainrev
Senior Member Joined: 22 Jul 2014 Location: Eagle, Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 193 |
Posted: 26 Mar 2015 at 11:44am |
You will definitely want to get an anti-sway bar, but I'm guessing you really need a weight distributing hitch with anti-sway, such as Equal-i-zer.
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2014 177
2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee Turbodiesel "I lift my eyes to the hills." |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 26 Mar 2015 at 12:14pm |
+1 on what Mountainrev said.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Leighbeelu
Newbie Joined: 01 Dec 2014 Online Status: Offline Posts: 24 |
Posted: 30 Mar 2015 at 2:33pm |
Is a sway bar actually necessary? I have a 2006 Nissan Xterra that is supposed to be able to tow up to 6,000 lbs. I have taken out my 179 only once and it seemed fine but I don't want to take any unneccesary chances.
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 30 Mar 2015 at 3:14pm |
Tow rating doesn't mean much for sway. Wheel base does (see info on controlling sway in the link in my signature), and while a higher tow rating partially depends on wheel base, what matters is having more room between the TVs axles.
As cheap as sway bars are, and easy to install, it is cheap insurance IMO.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Tri-Pod
Senior Member Joined: 17 May 2011 Location: Liberty Hill Online Status: Offline Posts: 112 |
Posted: 06 Apr 2015 at 7:59am |
Being safe is always better than being sorry having said that we pulled our rpod for two years (4800 miles) with out a WD hitch and never had a problem but the cost of one is pretty cheep insurance. We use one now on our Surveyor SP 240!and have never had a problem. Talk with your dealer they normally know best based on what you are pulling with and you trailer. There is nothing worse than seeing a rig go down the road swaying back and forth, especially on a two lane road that you can't pass on. Good luck.
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2010 PR 176 sold 2012 replaced with
2013 SP 240 w outside kitchen 2012 Toyota Tundra Crew Max 4x2 5.7L V8 Me, My Honey, and Max our GSP |
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Luv2Q
Senior Member Joined: 30 Aug 2014 Location: Central TX Online Status: Offline Posts: 309 |
Posted: 06 Apr 2015 at 8:53am |
Sway can turn into bad news in a heartbeat. Real bad news. After spending tens of thousands on TV + Pod, spending a comparative pittance on anti-sway - if it gives me *any* chance of avoiding sway problems - seems like a no-brainer. I suspect my Tundra would have little if any problem with our little 171. With the E2 WDH, it's a non-issue. JMO, of course, and YMMV.
On talking with "a dealer" to get advice on what works & what doesn't, I guess Tri-Pod and I have had different experiences. Many dealers I've run across would tell you that, sure, you can pull that 40-footer with your Sentra! If OTOH you have a dealer which is trustworthy, that's another story.
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John & Teri
Tundra 5.7L V8 / RP 180 E2 WDH / Integrated controller (POS) replaced by Tekonsha P3 |
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Craneman
Senior Member Joined: 12 May 2013 Location: Tokeland,wa Online Status: Offline Posts: 387 |
Posted: 06 Apr 2015 at 10:41am |
We tow with a 2011 Ford F-150 and use only a sway bar and don't have any problems.
Moe |
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Jo and Gary, 2010-174,2011 F150
Jo and Gary 2010 174 2011 Ford 150 |
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chiman
Groupie Joined: 03 Dec 2013 Location: Oregon Online Status: Offline Posts: 44 |
Posted: 06 Apr 2015 at 10:57am |
I have a 2015 178 Hood River Edition and I would guess that with a battery installed and full propane tank along with any of your gear inside you are pushing a real world weight of your trailer at around 3,000 lbs. Although your TV is rated to pull 3,500 lbs you are getting close to maxing out in real world towing. You for sure need a WD set up which will help out a lot. Towing a 20 ft trailer with a short wheel base TV without a WD is a sure fire method of producing pain in the rear towing and really rough on your TV.
I strongly suggest you get a good WD setup including the sway control. Be prepared for slow going up hills but the suggested WD set up will make your towing a more pleasant experience; just remember that you are getting close to the max towing of your TV when you load all your personal gear in the trailer and I would not tow with any water in your tank which can rapidly add up more weight. Even a full water heater tank will add close to 50 lbs to your overall weight. |
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2017 180 "Frog" towed by 2017 Toyota Tacoma with co-pilot "Willow" a 80 lb Labradoodle
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