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mcarter View Drop Down
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Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Partially filling fresh water
    Posted: 08 Mar 2017 at 6:03pm
For 178 owners: Malkbean2 and Irish Tom. The configuration of 178 tanks is different than other Pods. They have their own towing characteristics. 330 lbs is a significant weight when placed at the opposite end of the hitch. Malkbean2, you are already over the spec for your tongue weight for your TV. You could add water to your rear tank to offset the tongue weight to get your rig within spec, evidently you have capability to weigh tongue. You can also balance your loads between front and rear storage areas. I would suggest you go with a friction sway bar at minimum. Just makes sense. Irish Tom, my Pod is modded close to what you added, I do carry a genset on my Aframe mount. I'm at about 377 on tongue weight. I have modded my tank support beams. I removed all the 1" #14 sheet metal screws and did bolt them thru frame. I repaled the 1" screws with 1 1/2" screws.
Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Location: Wake Forest, NC
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Posts: 6288 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Mar 2017 at 8:09pm
Originally posted by Our pod

Stephen H and Tars Farkas: my concern re free-surface effect would be on its impact to traction from increased weight on the outside of the turn, perhaps result ing in a skid. I don't worry about capsizing (flipping) very much.

Given my experiences towing, I don't think you will have a problem.
Experience 1: Las Vegas headed northbound on I15. Needed to take exit and did not know how sharp that turn was. Had to really step on the brakes to make the turn and avoid hitting the wall. There were plenty of marks from people who had not successfully made the turn. If the water we had in the tank would have been an issue, then that is one place where it surely would have manifested itself.
Experience 2: December, I80 in western Wyoming: Crosswind gusting to 40 mph. Road turned to ice as we approached a bridge overpass. We started to fishtail and it got worse. We might have recovered if the back end of the trailer had not hit the bridge guard rail and kicked us around in a 180 degree spin leaving us facing the wrong way on the bridge. The fresh water tank was empty and the black and gray water tanks had minimal content at that point as we were dry camping due to travel in sub-freezing temperatures.

In both cases, the contents (or lack thereof) in the tanks did not determine the outcome. The water is, after all, just a fraction of the weight of a loaded R-Pod. Drive sensibly and you should be fine.
StephenH
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ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
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Irish Tom View Drop Down
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Joined: 27 Jul 2015
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Posts: 24 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Mar 2017 at 10:22am
Just for information, I did add a large rack to the front of my 2015 178 that was designed to carry a generator.  It bolts directly to the frame and is available on line.  I do not usually carry a generator, but put a large cooler or other bins on this rack in addition to the spare tire.  This helps my tongue weight.  I use the receiver on the back to carry two bikes.   I only use a anti-sway bar. (no WDH) and the Pod tows just fine.   The fresh water tank supports do scare me a bit.  Will look into adding the screws and bolts through the frame.  As we both know FR puts these RPods together fast and I have experienced many construction flaws.  Seeing that we both have 2015 178's, sharing information is awesome.

Happy Camping!

Irish Tom
2015 178
2014 Ford Explorer
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Joined: 03 Oct 2016
Location: Olympia WA
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Posts: 62 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Mar 2017 at 9:53am
Stephen H and Tars Farkas: my concern re free-surface effect would be on its impact to traction from increased weight on the outside of the turn, perhaps result ing in a skid. I don't worry about capsizing (flipping) very much.
Life is good.
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Posts: 80 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Mar 2017 at 8:47am
I have a 178 pulled with a 2016 grand caravan. It has the microwave, AC, TV, battery, and 20# propane, the calculated weight is 2700#. The tongue weight empty is 300#. When I add 170# of cargo at the door the tongue# goes to 351# and to 384# one step forward. The tongue # van spec is 360#. The empty rig rides level with a 4" rise  ball mount. No WD or SC. Would you be so kind as to provide tips on how to rig and load cargo and water so as not to exceed the tongue # spec and avoid trailer sway.

Thank You so much.

2016 RP178
2016 grand caravan avp 3.6L
(the caravan comes with electronic anti sway control, heavy duty radiator and alternator, engine cooling, trans cooling and Touring Suspension
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Mar 2017 at 5:01pm
Hayduke I called you by wrong name, sorry. Irish Tom - exactly what I experienced with my 178. 300 lbs on aft end makes a difference.
Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Mar 2017 at 4:55pm
Thanks Bum, glad this post generated some discussion. I personally will not travel with a full freshwater tank on a 178. My TV can handle the capacity, personally I want to ensure I have an adequate tongue weight, has nothing to do with slosh or water movement, as Hayride said, the farther you get from axle the less the effect. Good discussion.
Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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Joined: 26 Feb 2016
Location: Texas
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Posts: 1407 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Mar 2017 at 1:12pm
Originally posted by mcarter

Bum, thanks, is the tank on a 179/180 close to the axle. On the 178, the tank is the last thing on the aft of the trailer (behind the gray water tank), with the pass through above and behind it.


Gray is behind the axle, probably because of the rear kitchen. Black is immediately forward of the axle (middle bathroom) and fresh is forward of that.
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texman View Drop Down
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Posts: 446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Mar 2017 at 11:45am
this is an interesting discussion.  I always leave home with a full water tank (182g is in the front)because we are in well water and prefer the taste to chlorinated water.  I have never thought about traveling with the extra weight.  Return trip is whatever is left in water and empty gray/black if dump available.  I guess i have no idea if i am at the pods max weight or not since i have not weighed anything.  i have a bunch of "stuff" in there.  i did experience some sway an the last trip, but i had a 20mph side wind both ways on I-40. 
TexMan 2015 182g
2018 Sequoia
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voisj View Drop Down
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Posts: 471 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Mar 2017 at 11:19am
This has turned into an interesting thread.
I never really thought about water tank locations and how it could effect travel, just thought about full and empty as far as weight goes. The water tank in my 180 is way forward of the axle, the black hangs at the very back as far back as it can go and the the grey is snugged up to the black aft of the axle.
 
 So theoretically if i just fill the front fresh tank I've added 36 gal or 300 lbs near the tongue.  Then while camping, run out of water, and add 20 gallons using my water jugs, (i have done this). Before i go home I leave the campsite with 56 gal or 450 lbs hanging off the back in the grey and black. 
  I've driven hundreds of miles like this, on freeways, on mountain roads, and up to 9000 ft. If my TV was anywhere near it's limit of tow capacity, with no sway or weight dist, this could be really dangerous. Even though I have a TV with an 11,400 lb tow capacity I don't think I will do this again.
rgds John


180 water tank
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John&Sue,SLO,CA
2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost
 
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