advice
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12822
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Topic: advice
Posted By: mdballou
Subject: advice
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 8:13pm
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Hi all. Do like this site. Wanted to ask several things. Buying a R pod from RV Nations. Thinking about getting the Equalizer hitch. Should I, and should I get it from the dealer. Also, single propane tank or two, and should I get it from the dealer. Next, getting a battery from the dealer, not sure about details, thinking about two, again, from dealer or do it on my own. Looks like I could pick up a good deep cell from battery plus. Would thank you for any advice.
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Replies:
Posted By: PilotPodder
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 9:11pm
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To me it really depends on your camping plans. If you generally plan to be off the grid and dry-camping primarily, then having two batteries and an extra propane tank would come in handy. I rarely dry camp and mainly stick with state parks that have 30 amp shore power. So I just don't go through much propane and am almost always hooked up to shore power. ------------- Portage, MI — 2017 RPod 179 - sold / 2017 Toyota Tundra — https://johnmarucci.com/r-pod-video-list/ - My RPod YouTube Videos |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 9:57pm
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Check out the prices from other sources. For example for hitches, weight distribution/anti-sway hitches check Amazon and e-trailer. For propane tanks, Costco has them right now in many stores for less than you'd pay elsewhere. But unless you're going to do extensive boondock camping where you're using a lot of gas or have difficulty lifting to change the tanks, keeping your tongue weight under control may be a priority. As for batteries, again Costco is a good source for pretty good quality 6 volt golf cart batteries. Check some of the specialty battery companies too, such as Trojan. Compare pricing before you buy. It is rare that a dealer will beat the prices of other sources. Good luck with buying a new Pod and welcome to the site. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 10:04pm
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Should you buy the Equal-i-zer hitch from the dealer? That depends totally on how comfortable you would be in setting it up yourself. The reality is that you will probably need to adjust it after you get your RPod home and loaded anyway. You would need to make sure you have all the tools needed if you went the purchase separately and install yourself route. Batteries? If you go the dual 6V batteries route (I did), then consider that you also need to get a jumper to go between them. If you are planning on taking them with you when you go to pick up your RPod, you will need to make sure the dealer knows not to install a 12V battery ahead of time. You should get credit for the battery they would not be installing. My dealer did that. Of course, I had to install the 2 batteries myself also. If you do, make sure you have the wrench needed to install the cables as you would likely not be able to borrow them from the dealer. Single or dual propane tanks? The Pod comes with one. I carry a spare when we travel. I have not bothered with trying to change the mount for a dual tank with auto switchover. I already have enough on the tongue and trying to fit that plus the hitch brackets would be challenging. So far, sticking with the single and carrying a spare has worked out well for us. Last, welcome and congratulations on your RPod. I hope you have many fun adventures with it and make many great memories doing so. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 07 May 2019 at 5:24am
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Re the weight distribution hitch, it depends on what tow vehicle you have, which rPod you're buying, and how you load the two. If its a big truck then you probably don't need one. if its a midsize SUV then you probably do. Even if you don't need a weight distribution hitch its still advisable to have some type of sway control. You should for sure check your actual tongue weight against your tow vehicle specs before deciding to get dual batteries and/or propane tanks. If you're considering those mods you're likely planning on boondocking so also may wind up carrying fresh water in your water tank. Depending on where the water tank is in the rPod you're getting you could easily end up doubling the manufacturer's listed tongue weight by the time you're through. Mine did. Neither of those mods are particularly challenging DIY projects. In addition to the battery series connection cable StephenH mentioned, you'll need two GC2 case size battery boxes. They should fit in the existing battery rack on the rPod. The boxes I got from Amazon came with tie down straps. If you do the dual propane mod you might want to get an automatic tank changeover regulator so you don't have to get up in the middle of a cold night to switch tanks when one runs out. If you know you want to do either of these two mods and are still negotiating with the dealer you could either get a discount from him for the battery as StephenH suggests or try to get a good price to do the mods for you prior to delivery. Enjoy! ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 07 May 2019 at 11:14am
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We tow our 179 with a Ford Expedition and use the Equalizer . I think it is a matter of choice depending on the size/weight of the tow vehicle as far as the weight distribution aspect. We probably don't NEED the weight distribution, but it is helpful. However, the anti-sway aspect is always auseful no matter what tow vehicle you use. We have used the Equalizer on 2 different tow vehicles and with 2 different pods(we used to own a 173 and pulled it with a chevy Astro van). the Equalizer hitch has always been easy to install and adjust and makes us comfortable with the entire towing/anti-sway aspect. As to the dealer installation--that depends on the cost and your ability to install it yourself. As Stephen said, you will probably have to adjust it once you get the pod and tow vehicle loaded anyway. so, if you have the tools and the ability I would suggest that you save the money and do it yourself. Propane--we boondock a lot and propane will last 2-3 weeks of continuous use depending on the water heater and furnace usage. the stove and refrigerator are not heavy users. I would suggest that you use one tank and see how your camping/traveling style works. You can always carry a spare tank if you want to be certain not to run out. we generally will get ours refilled or exchanges when we "feel" like it is about to be empty. there really are no reliable gas gauges. so far, we have only run out 1 time in 8 years of podding. the batteries have been discussed above. We have 2 6 volt golf cart batteries from Sam's Club that gives us enough storage for about 5 days of boondocking. If you don't plan to boondock, you don't need extra storage capacity. Your camping/traveling style will dictate what type/how many batteries you need. congratulations on your new pod-enjoy and travel safe. Vann ------------- Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 https://postimg.cc/0zwKrfB9"> 
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Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 07 May 2019 at 12:54pm
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As others have stated. We use one propane bottle, and it lasts for quite a long time. That said, we often cook outside with a separate (small) gas canister and our weather out here is relatively mild, so furnace usage is low. Our pod was delivered with a pair of 12V batteries, and they last a good long time as well; at least several days with our usage, but we can easily top them up with our tow vehicle. ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 07 May 2019 at 1:24pm
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The most reliable way is by weight, but that requires taking the tank out and weighing it. The most practical way is to heat up some water and pour it over the tank. After a couple of seconds, feel the tank. The line where the temperature changes is the liquid level in the tank. It is a simple and reliable way to know how propane level.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: mhfnet
Date Posted: 16 May 2019 at 9:30am
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I have a 2018 Rpod 179 for about a year and I'm towing it with a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0L turbo rated for 3500 lb towing. Loaded the Rpod is right around the towing limit but I found the Santa Fe tows it very well, probably due to the excellent torque curve of a turbo, as I found towing it from Seattle to the Grand Canyon and back almost 3500 miles and in all kinds of conditions. I average about 12 mpg towing but it ranged from 8 (high head wind conditions) to 14 mpg on flat roads. I am currently using a sway bar only, which is a must with this rig as it sways like crazy without it, and there are times I am wondering if I should have gotten a weight distribution hitch? I get about a 1" drop in the rear wheel well and 1/2" rise on the front-end and when I talked to an adviser at etrailer.com they said that a drop up to 1" is acceptable, which is why I went with just the sway bar, which costs about $50 vs $250 to over $500 for a weight distribution system and is easy to take on and off when backing up or disconnecting. I do a lot of dry camping and I found one battery is not enough as I could only go maybe 1 day or up to 2 days with the car connected but I am worried about draining the car battery so I added a second. One full tank of propane lasted me almost the full 21 days on my Grand Canyon trip but I was on the go a lot so I could run the fridge on battery (it will suck down a battery fast if you forget to switch over to gas when camped) and I carry a second tank in the back of my tow vehicle just in case. I do carry a generator to run the A/C if not hooked-up but I have yet to use it as I haven't been in hot temperature places yet without hook-ups. With the generator I do carry a full 2.5 gallon gas can made by "Easycan" in the back of my SUV that does not leak gas smells. It save my butt on my Grand Canyon trip as something went wrong with my gas gauge and the vehicle ran out of gas in the middle of the Mojave Desert even though said there was still a little under a 1/4 tank left! I don't know what happened as the gauge is working fine again. |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 16 May 2019 at 9:55am
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We always carry two or four 5 gal gas cans for long trips if we are going to remote areas or will be passing through areas with sky high gas prices. Only once have I actually needed to use the gas. And we have two spare propane tanks that we can bring along if we might need them. Our generator runs dual fuel so we can hook it up to propane and avoid messing with the messy, stinky gasoline. As for your fuel gauge, it's obvious what happened. Poltergeists got into your gas tank and messed with the sending unit. Maybe they escaped when you opened the cap to put in the spare gas.  ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 16 May 2019 at 11:09am
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If you have a 3500 lb tow rated vehicle it’s tongue weight limit is most likely 350 lbs. If you have dual batteries on your 179 plus a full propane tank your tongue weight is well above that. Weigh it so you really know.
Your rig swaying like crazy is trying to tell you something. It’s telling you your loaded 179 is just too much trailer for that vehicle. A weight distribution hitch won’t fix that, it’s not intended as a substitute for staying within your spec limits. Nor is sway control. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 16 May 2019 at 8:09pm
That's not all there is to the equation. You can have a light trailer sway for various reasons but one common reason is too little weight on the tongue. It's probably better to say too much weight behind the axle. You'll have problems if your trailer is too heavy, but regardless of how light your trailer is you want 10 to 15% of the overall weight on the tongue. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2fkOVHAC8Q - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2fkOVHAC8Q TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 16 May 2019 at 10:55pm
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I have the same trailer with dual batteries on the tongue as well. It’s tongue heavy. I don’t think I could get mine below 10% on the tongue if I tried. I have no sway tendency. The tow vehicle configuration also has an impact on sway. So In this case I suspect that the sway is occurring at a higher tongue weight than usual because the tow vehicle is so light. In any case, the sway is saying something is wrong, and the tongue and total weight is going to be high for that vehicle, so I think it’s important to know the weight of the trailer, tongue and tow vehicle as loaded for travel so that can be compared to the limits for each vehicle and the combination. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: mhfnet
Date Posted: 17 May 2019 at 9:51am
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I shouldn't say the sway is terrible but in high cross winds it can get going without a sway bar. A sway bar does a great job of damping it down so it's not a problem. My main question is whether the sway is inherent with the setup or due to load imbalance on the rear-end even though I only have 1" of sag in the rear end and 1/2" lift on the front-end with the trailer fully loaded, which an e-trailer adviser says in fine? If using a weight distribution hitch wouldn't help much to reduce sway over just a sway bar why get it? Also I am very confident of my AWD Santa Fe Sport to tow a trailer up to the 3500 lb limit and I think it could do more. The reason I say more is because it is designed like the longer Santa Fe model with a 3.3L V6, which is rated to tow 5000 lb, as they both have the same towing designed suspension and transmission cooler. The main difference is I have the 2.0L turbo, which is a remarkable engine and puts out nearly as much horsepower as the 3.3L V6 but with a broader torque curve. It pulls the trailer remarkably well up hills and rough terrain conditions! |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 17 May 2019 at 10:43am
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Wheelbase makes a big difference in towing capacity.
Again, my advice is to weigh your rig fully loaded for travel. By using a public scale and weighing it one axle at a time you can get the weight on each axle and the total rig weight. Then run through the scale again without the trailer. Your local waste transfer station is a good place to try for scale access. The difference in tow vehicle weights with and without the trailer is your tongue weight. You can then compare each axle, total trailer, and total rig weights to the maximum load specs for each. I can almost guarantee that you will be surprised. I was, I’m at 3800 lbs and 550 on the tongue. No way I’d tow with a 3500 lb tow rated vehicle. If after doing that you want to proceed with a weight distribution hitch you’ll have the weights you need to pick the right hitch and get it set up correctly. You’ll also need to be sure your receiver is capable of taking a wdh, many are not. This calculator is helpful: https://www.ajdesigner.com/apptrailertow/weightdistributionhitch.php ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 17 May 2019 at 10:43am
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mhfnet, you didn't mention whether your Santa Fe Sport is front wheel drive or all wheel drive. If it's front wheel drive, then you absolutely would need a weight distribution hitch. Shifting weight to the front wheels would help tremendously; especially because you are at the high end (and over) it's towing limit. ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: mhfnet
Date Posted: 17 May 2019 at 3:24pm
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Thanks "offgrid", that will help to figure whether I need a weight distribution hitch. Hopefully I can find all the information needed to fill in the data? I have a AWD and it handles quite well with the trailer attached.
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Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 17 May 2019 at 5:52pm
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You'll need to measure a couple of distances. The rest of the info should either be on the door jamb sticker of your tow vehicle, in its owner's manual, or on the rPod weight sticker. Most wdh's have about 18 inch bars and weigh something like 60 lbs. The wdh itself is considered to be part of the tow vehicle not the trailer, so add its weight that way. Once you get everything in you can adjust the tension of the wdh in the calculator to bring back the front axle weight to what it was for the tow vehicle without the trailer. That is generally the way the instructions say to set up wdh's, so you should end up right about there when you do it in real life. Have fun! ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: mhfnet
Date Posted: 30 May 2019 at 7:39pm
| Well I purchased a WDH from Amazon for $300, a https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W919F4K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 - Husky 32217 Center Line TS , and I am happy to report it made a big difference in the way it towed my Rpod 179. I now feels like my SUV and trailer move like an integrated system much like the SUV alone. I would highly recommend the Husky TS it as it heavy duty built, quiet (unlike sway bar systems) and offers integrated sway for a great price. You could easily spend double the cost and not get a better WDH. |
Posted By: Billy Bob
Date Posted: 31 May 2019 at 8:38am
nice find....hopefully it works for you and welcome to the pod family ------------- 2019 RPOD 190 2017 Chev Colorado 4 X 4 Yellow Lab and English Springer Spaniel |
Posted By: crankster78
Date Posted: 31 May 2019 at 8:40am
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Greetings: All good questions, I installed a equalizer hitch this spring. I did the install myself. However you need some large tools and a helper unless you have experience. I saved about $350. compared to a dealer. I have installed dual tanks. and a group 27 battery. I dry camp at least a week every year, and have a Honda inverter generator. My TV is a 07 F-150 with 125 k miles. The equalizer hitch really works and puts weight back on the front which makes it drive better. I have a post on the site on the install. Good luck and safe travels Crankster78 R-179 F-150 ------------- Crankster 78 R-179 2015 |