Setting-up New 2021 R-189
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Topic: Setting-up New 2021 R-189
Posted By: kmhappel
Subject: Setting-up New 2021 R-189
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2021 at 8:49pm
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Hi, I have a new R-189 that was unloaded from the transport today. Not being anywhere near the dealer, I was wondering where I could get advice on setting it up. I have a blue-ox sway bar/hitch to be assembled, a CURT plug brake controller that needs to be dialed in and questions about battery usage and where the internal/external power switch is. Do the sewer and grey water pipes have covers, none were present (can I make or buy some?). I can't find a lucid description of the instrument panel and answers about about winterization. What do you think a fair price for a setup up at a local r-pod dealer would cost? Since we bought it online, I have read the forest river manuals that are less informative than our year with a Thor Vega class A. There is a large mall parking lot that will get us up to speed towing and backing up at night. Thanks.
------------- May God Bless Your Day ___________________________________________ 2021 R-Pod 189 East, Solar, Lift kit, Anti-sway 2020 Jeep Gladiator, Tow & Offroad Upgrades Sea Eagle FSK16 Inflatable Bass Boat |
Replies:
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 27 Jan 2021 at 9:05am
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Lots to unpack here.
First, you should run through all the systems in the trailer, make sure you know how they operate, and inspect everything. There have been lots of quality issues with rpods (and pretty much all travel trailer manufacturers). Check for leaks in particular, those can cause hidden damage which is very difficult to repair. As for installing the wdh, you can fo that yourself if you have a basic tool set and are semi handy with auto repairs. Even if you have someone else do it, you should go through the setup procedure yourself so you understand it and can adjust it later when you make loading changes. With any wdh, the objective is to end up with the trailer level and the height of the front suspension back where it was before hitching up the trailer (without a wdh the front axle load gets lighter when you connect the trailer). Ditto on the brake controller, make sure you know how to set it up and understand how to use it’s features. You want to be able to firmly stop the rig with only the trailer brakes by putting the manual control on its max setting, short of locking up the trailer wheels. That sets the max braking action. There is usually a second adjustment on the brake controller that sets how aggressively the trailer brakes come on when you use the tow vehicle brakes. That adjustment is a personal choice based on conditions, you might for example want to increase aggressiveness going down a steep grade to save your tow vehicle brakes. Be sure you know how to adjust that while in the road. There is no external power switch, when you connect to shore power you will have grid power to your trailer, including 12v output to your battery system. Without shore power you won’t have ac to the receptacles, air conditioner, microwave, electrical heating element in the water heater, or ac power to the fridge. All the12v lights, fan, water pump, propane heat for the water heater, furnace, and propane operation of the fridge will work as long as you have a charger battery. If you don’t already have a battery and are planning on having shore power then a single 12v deep cycle battery will be fine. If you are planning to boon dock, consider getting two 6v golf cart batteries (size gc2). Be careful with your tongue weight though, dual batteries will add about 80 lbs. Regardless, you should load up your trailer and tow vehicle as you plan to use it, including water if you boon dock, and get weights on the whole rig, each axle, and the tongue. If you use the search function you can find my posts on how to do that at s public scale. There should already be covers on the gray and black water drain lines. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 27 Jan 2021 at 10:22am
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Sounds like this owner has to do his own PDI.....wow.... Hey, for a round trip plane ticket to Vegas, a rental car, (nothing TOO fancy, I'm reasonable) and a 3 day stay at Mandalay Bay, I might be able to find a two hour block of time to help you out!  ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: EchoGale
Date Posted: 27 Jan 2021 at 10:41am
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Tangentially related, I bought my Rpod used from another owner. I've had a difficult time here in Florida getting any dealership that is at all interested in helping with much of anything (I don't mean for free, I mean even at their hourly rates). They primarily sell RVs and their service centers exist to service what they sell. And they stay so busy it's not worth their trouble. ------------- Julie |
Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 27 Jan 2021 at 2:52pm
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welcome to the Forum and the pod world. There are lots of good people with many years of RV experience on this forum. Most of them are happy to answer questions and help. The best thing to do is learn as much as you can from this forum's back posts and internet research. Go back through the forum and also use the search function. go through all of the systems and make sure you know how they work. Load up what you think you will need then go camping in your driveway for a night. that will teach you a lot. You will quickly realize how important knowing how everything works and where everything is located. You will also add some items you forgot and delete some you didn't need. Then hook up to the tow vehicle and get weighed per Offgrid's notes. then go camping. start with an easy place that has full hook ups and that will help. Increase the experience a little more each time and soon you will have your system down pat. everybody has a different sustem depending on where they camp and how they use their trailer. Everybody was a beginner at some point. Ask detailed questions and the answers will be forth coming. Travel safe Vann ------------- Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 https://postimg.cc/0zwKrfB9"> 
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Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 27 Jan 2021 at 3:30pm
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Presumably your Pod was shipped to you from a dealer. One would hope that the dealer did the pre-delivery preparation and inspection, even if you couldn't be there. So that dealer should have set the basic operations of the trailer up. From the paperwork from FR that I saw when we bought our new Sonoma, the dealer is required to show you how all the basic systems work and obtain your signoff. You may want to reach out to FR to find out how this is done with a remote location sale. They may help you find a willing local FR dealer to help you out if no walk through was previously arranged. Given their aversion to risk, it is likely that they'd want to see that you can use the trailer safely rather than taking a chance that you may blow the thing up and be invited to the lawsuit by your survivors. Delivering trailers without a basic review of the systems by the seller is pretty risky business, aside from being irresponsible. If you can't cajole FR into helping you out, you may want to hire an independent RV repair shop to walk you through the basic systems. They're pretty generic for the most part. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: kmhappel
Date Posted: 27 Jan 2021 at 9:40pm
Thanks so much, I know the basics about the wdh, just never actually done it. I did the upgrades to my jeep so I guess I can do it, but would like someone who knows it's setup right to check it. The instrument panel etc. is another thing. I can figure the various bit out but worry like crazy that there are fatal settings like our class a had. Called for new caps today. ------------- May God Bless Your Day ___________________________________________ 2021 R-Pod 189 East, Solar, Lift kit, Anti-sway 2020 Jeep Gladiator, Tow & Offroad Upgrades Sea Eagle FSK16 Inflatable Bass Boat |
Posted By: kmhappel
Date Posted: 27 Jan 2021 at 9:41pm
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Thanks is a great help... ------------- May God Bless Your Day ___________________________________________ 2021 R-Pod 189 East, Solar, Lift kit, Anti-sway 2020 Jeep Gladiator, Tow & Offroad Upgrades Sea Eagle FSK16 Inflatable Bass Boat |
Posted By: kmhappel
Date Posted: 27 Jan 2021 at 9:43pm
Sorry, but we would love to share dinner if we cross paths! ------------- May God Bless Your Day ___________________________________________ 2021 R-Pod 189 East, Solar, Lift kit, Anti-sway 2020 Jeep Gladiator, Tow & Offroad Upgrades Sea Eagle FSK16 Inflatable Bass Boat |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 28 Jan 2021 at 4:19am
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Nice looking Jeep.
But If that’s what you’re planning to tow the 189 with then it’s undersized. It has a 3500 lb tow rating, right? 350 lb tongue rating? And those are with no passengers or gear in the TV. The 189 loaded is going to weigh closer to its 3859 max gross weight and tongue weight will be closer to 500 lbs, especially if you plan on boon docking, with water, batteries, maybe a generator, extra propane, etc. etc. You’ll want something with at least a 5000 lb tow capacity to safely and comfortably handle that trailer. I do and I still have to load cautiously and keep things light. Just sayin’. Load up both the tow vehicle and trailer and get your actual weights. Pay close attention to the total rig weight in comparison to the MCGVWR and to tongue weight. The wdh does not allow for an increase in tongue weight, it only rebalances it. Decide for yourself how close to the vehicle ratings you want to operate, but not over. Stay safe and legal. You certainly have the skills to set up your wdh. Put a piece of painters tape on the front fender on each side. Find a dead flat parking lot. Measure from the ground to each of the tapes. Hitch up the trailer. Measure the front fender heights again. They will be higher because the rear of the TV has been pushed down. Now tension the wdh until the front fender heights are back where they were without the trailer, or just slightly lower. You are not trying to get the TV to “look level”, the rear of the TV will be lower than without the trailer when you’re done., Then measure from ground to bottom of the trailer box front and rear. If those measurements are within about a half inch or so then the trailer is level and you’re done. If not readjust the hitch height to get both the trailer level and the front fender height where you want it That’s it. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 28 Jan 2021 at 9:05am
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Undersized Jeep and oversized travel trailer. Yikes! ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: Colt
Date Posted: 28 Jan 2021 at 5:59pm
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Yeah, you really should buy a bigger Jeep (or a smaller R-pod). There is no reason you HAVE to tow it any where near Max weight, but Forest River says it starts at 3075 lbs and they habitually provide light weights. Even trying to be as light as practical, I put 175 pounds of rugs, pots, dishes, towels, .... stuff in mine. 3500 - 3075 = 425 lbs for hitch, gasoline, passengers, purses, ... That's not much usable weight. As for setup, are you asking about the hitch and brake controller, or beyond that to accessories, hoses, filters, cords? Your dealer will help with that. Are your gonna drive to get it, or have it delivered to you? ------------- John '16 R-Pod 180 |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 28 Jan 2021 at 8:42pm
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Reading post number one, the OP bought the trailer online and it has been delivered. ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: kmhappel
Date Posted: 29 Jan 2021 at 8:33pm
Thank you all for your help. We love the jeep, she is one of the last JKs made (my wife name it Suzy- Q!).  Camping World will set up the EZ Hitch WDH and anti-sway. The jeep can pull the 189 as long as we don't fill the water tanks all the way up. I will weigh it carefully. The UVW is 3000 clean. The lip weight is 289 unloaded. Both are rated for 350 loaded. The Curt Echo brake controller works like a wonder. Plugged it in, checked lights, set accelerometer and made a test drive. Very nice smooth brake control. I'm impressed. I installed the Jeep parts 7-pole plug harness last year, was easy but a tight fit. The local r-pod dealer won't help me at all. Offered to pay whatever and they literally said, "You didn't buy it here, we won't help you". No run through no answers to simple questions, They even refuse any warranty work. Camping World were champs. Our house has a gated RV hole with 30 amp power, so we put her away for the night. Now all I need to do is figure out where all the systems are. Any Las Vegas owners want to earn a hundred bucks or a dinner with my wife and I at the angry butcher? Ken  ------------- May God Bless Your Day ___________________________________________ 2021 R-Pod 189 East, Solar, Lift kit, Anti-sway 2020 Jeep Gladiator, Tow & Offroad Upgrades Sea Eagle FSK16 Inflatable Bass Boat |