R-pod Owners Forum Homepage

This site is free to use.
Donations benefit a non-profit Girls Softball organization

Forum Home Forum Home > R-pod Discussion Forums > Reviews and General Information
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: Read this before towing
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Calendar   Register Register  Login Login

Topic ClosedRead this before towing

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
GlueGuy View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2624
Direct Link To This Post Topic: Read this before towing
    Posted: 11 Aug 2019 at 12:39pm
I just saw this article from Consumer Reports, and realized that it's a good general-purpose overview of what goes into towing. Kind of a primer on vehicle capability and what it can and can not tow. It focuses on just pickup trucks, but is adaptable to any "tow-capable" type of vehicle.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
Back to Top
offgrid View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2019 at 1:00pm
Good summary of the basics in general but I don't agree with one statement:

"Tongue load should usually be 10 percent of the trailer’s total weight—if you’re towing 5,000 lb., then the tongue weight shouldn’t exceed 500 lb". 

Unless you enjoy trailer sway, 10% is the minimum the tongue weight should be, not the maximum. Also, they don't touch on the use of weight distribution hitches, which are a must have for many of us. 

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
Back to Top
GlueGuy View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2624
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2019 at 1:40pm
Originally posted by offgrid

Good summary of the basics in general but I don't agree with one statement:

"Tongue load should usually be 10 percent of the trailer’s total weight—if you’re towing 5,000 lb., then the tongue weight shouldn’t exceed 500 lb". 

Unless you enjoy trailer sway, 10% is the minimum the tongue weight should be, not the maximum. Also, they don't touch on the use of weight distribution hitches, which are a must have for many of us. 
You and I agree on that aspect of this. I consider the 10% number to be the minimum tongue weight, and generally aim for 10-12 percent. Over 12% is probably too much; or at least more than necessary. You want stability, not an overloaded TV.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
Back to Top
offgrid View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2019 at 3:04pm
I'm actually around 14% right now. Based on the rpod axle problems and now a frame problem too I'm starting to think that for us higher is better as long as you're not adding weight, just relocating it forward off the trailer axle, and you're not exceeding the TV tongue weight rating. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
Back to Top
jato View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 Feb 2012
Location: Kewadin, MI
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3215
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2019 at 4:44pm
I am at the 10-11% amount pulling my 177 with a full tank of water, which is located behind the axle on my 2013 Ford Explorer.  One thing that caught my attention was that I had to have both rear wheel bearings replaced, and I only have 112,000 miles on the Explorer.  I can't attribute the bearing failure to anything else but to excessive stress when towing the 177.  Our '08 Explorer towed the same pod for 5 years, no problems.  And my recently sold '94 F-150 with 322,000 miles, never changed a wheel bearing, no engine issues (5.0 L V-8).   About the only big thing changed on that was at 258,000 miles it needed a new clutch and throw-out bearing.  We have recently 'upgraded' our 2013 Explorer as a tow vehicle (we are still keeping her) to a 2011 F-150 with the 5 L V-8 Coyote engine.  Mileage won't be a good but the power needed when in the Rockies will certainly be an improvement.
God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
Back to Top
mcarter View Drop Down
podders Helping podders - pHp
podders Helping podders - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3419
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2019 at 5:21pm
If you go to any pickup dealer, they will never talk WDH. Not their product. Owned a gaggle of trucks and every time a dealer wants to sell the truck that covers all you want to tow with their options. Consumer reports talks WDHs, but never when discussing OEM options. Me, I'm a 10 percenter or close to that, with a friction sway bar. Very savvy on weights. 380 lbs with genset on rack. No water.
Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
Back to Top
offgrid View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Aug 2019 at 6:33am
Jato, re your bearing issue on the Explorer, were your running a wdh? That should help reduce bearing loads. 

As a boondocker I inevitably have to carry fresh water (in front of the axle) outbound and gray water (behind the axle) inbound. 

That weight shift gives me a tongue weight range of 11-14% (shifting 250 lbs of water from front to back makes a 3% or 120 lb tongue weight change on a 179) which is right in the middle of the generally recommended 10-15% range. I'm pretty happy with that, my biggest worry was the trailer axle, tires, and wheels, all of which I have now upgraded or reinforced. 

But after Olddawgsrule's frame issue and the calcs I just did on that I'm getting concerned about the frame at the axle attachment point too. Thinking a bit about what can easily and cheaply be done to reinforce that area now.....


1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
Back to Top
crankster78 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 08 May 2018
Location: Minn
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 163
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Aug 2019 at 9:15am
Greetings:
One thing not mentioned in the article is the wheelbase of the TV.  It makes a major difference in windy conditions and wet slippery roads.  Most full size pickups have a long wheelbase.  SUV's are usually shorter.  The single axle on the longer pods is maxed out, so one has to be careful to maintain proper tire PSI and check for any tire or axle damage.  I highly recommend a WDH.  

Crankster78
Crankster 78 R-179 2015
Back to Top
jato View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 Feb 2012
Location: Kewadin, MI
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3215
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Aug 2019 at 5:21pm
Offgrid:  Negatory, used only a swaybar on the Explorer.  That being said we put about 18,000 miles on our '08 Explorer towing the same 177 with no wheel bearing issues.  The '13 Explorer had about 8,000 miles towing our 177.  So. . . .maybe Ford cheapened wheel bearings over the years?  Not sure, but the mechanic told me that he has seen a lot of rear bearing failure on small SUV's like ours pulling travel trailers.
God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
Back to Top
offgrid View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Aug 2019 at 2:57am
Originally posted by jato

Offgrid:  Negatory, used only a swaybar on the Explorer.  That being said we put about 18,000 miles on our '08 Explorer towing the same 177 with no wheel bearing issues.  The '13 Explorer had about 8,000 miles towing our 177.  So. . . .maybe Ford cheapened wheel bearings over the years?  Not sure, but the mechanic told me that he has seen a lot of rear bearing failure on small SUV's like ours pulling travel trailers.

Roger that. There are a bunch of posts on Explorer forums complaining about getting short lifetimes out of wheel bearings, going back to as early as the Gen 3's. Lots of folks say they are getting <100k miles out of them so maybe you just got lucky with your '08 going as long as it did.... 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.64
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz