Ultimate Mod: R-Pod 'Toyhauler'?
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Category: Non-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Mods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Same as podmods, just... not for pods
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14466
Printed Date: 05 May 2025 at 3:52pm
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Topic: Ultimate Mod: R-Pod 'Toyhauler'?
Posted By: podwerkz
Subject: Ultimate Mod: R-Pod 'Toyhauler'?
Date Posted: 15 Mar 2021 at 11:39am
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Lets think outside the 'box'...and have some fun. I have been kinda wanting to be able to haul my motorcycle or my ebike (or e-trike) and e-bike trailers along with my r-pod and the pickup tow vehicle has a topper, and it aint coming off. I have been perusing the websites, considering maybe a pop-up or an a-frame with the cargo deck up front...but as we all know, pop-ups can be a pain and any of these things can cost over 20 grand right now when bought new. Some of us know the possible weak link in the smaller r-pods is the torsion axle, its propensity to 'give' a little too much when loaded at or near it's factory rating. I have an idea I'm working on...only in the 'what if' stage right now.... Suppose I buy a 20 (or maybe 22) foot double axle utility trailer, remove the running gear from the r-pod, including the tongue, and drop it all on the flat utility trailer. Bolt it all down. Now I have a much heavier trailer of course, but with double axles and a way to load up a two wheeler and extra cargo either ahead of or behind the r-pod 'body'. Obviously there are things to consider. Front-rear balance, and tongue weight, for one. Access to holding tanks and underbelly wiring and tubing will be limited, so some of that will have to be modified and/or re-routed. The VIN number...I guess that will now be the utility trailer VIN number...hmmm... I would have to rework the fold-out steps, obviously. The entire thing will be wider and longer so parking and maneuvering and camping will be forever changed to one degree or another. The 171 has no slides so this is not a concern. And my pickup tow vehicle will easily handle double the weight of an r-pod, so this is also not a problem. But I really like the r-pod and dont want to trade or sell it and start all over with a new or used camper of some other design...I chose the 171 r-pod cuz I like it. I've seen odd pairings of truck campers installed on flat trailers and travel trailers installed behind straight truck cabs.....so its nothing new really. Just in the 'what-if' stage at this time....but you never know! ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Replies:
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 15 Mar 2021 at 2:32pm
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Reminds me of the 'quad-pods' that FR built back in 2012-2013. Don't know if they have been built since then but they are pretty neat looking. With that you had room to add a 4-wheeler or similar to the front cage area in front of the pod. Remember those? ------------- 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." |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 15 Mar 2021 at 7:07pm
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Ideas like this have been around for years and for great reasons. I remember the school bus we converted in the 60s to go camping, what a great project. How about camping trailers on pontoons making houseboats. A camping trailer on a flatbed with a cargo area for toys is a great idea, maybe some plumbing mods and you're good to go. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2021 at 7:34am
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I like it. Why not? Just remove the torsion axle and fenders and cut the tongue off. Leave the rpod frame rails or the thing will collapse like the house of cards it is 😜.
Maybe build your own rather than buy a utility trailer, then you could position its crossmembers to mate up with the rpod frame where they wouldn’t interfere with the existing plumbing? The waste lines would need to be lowered to clear the new trailer frame, but that shouldn’t be too hard, the way FR installs them they want to fall down anyway.... The other thing you could do is double the existing frame rails by adding new 4x2 tubes under the existing ones. If you remove the riser kit at the same time the rpod would only gain about 1/2 inch in height. That would quadruple the strength of the frame (section modulus goes up with the square of the height of the tube). Cut off, double, and extend the tongue so you could roll your bikes on in front of the trailer box. Most of the additional weight will be on the tongue but you should put a heavier axle on at the same time anyway. Might be easier and cheaper, don’t know. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2021 at 9:09am
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Yes, the r-pod frame stays, obviously....but the holding tanks....hmm....I might just remove them...not sure is there is enough room under this trailer or not, or I might have to order smaller tanks... http://www.happytrailersales.com/default.asp?page=xInventoryDetail&id=10157699&p=2&s=Year&d=D&filter=tandem%20axle%20utility&fr=xAllInventory - https://www.happytrailersales.com/default.asp?page=xInventoryDetail&id=10157699&p=2&s=Year&d=D&filter=tandem%20axle%20utility&fr=xAllInventory What I like about this one, besides the fact that it is nearby and the price is decent, is the ramps that are up front. This allows me to use them to load my e-bike and ebike trailer or small electric trike (or moped or scooter, etc) easily on the trailer ahead of the nose of the rpod. I would of course have a place off to the side to mount the spare tire, the batteries, and the propane bottles. I would most likely need to raise the ground clearance of this trailer....that dovetail rear will probably drag too often if I don't. The trailer bed is 20 feet by 83 inches, the 171 body dimensions (not counting tongue and spare tire)are about 16 feet long by about 78 inches wide....so this gives me a fair amount of room. I have a nearby shop that can do any welding I need, and they have a large forklift that can place the r-pod on the trailer once the wheels, axle, and fenders are removed. I'd probably cut some openings in the wood deck to accommodate the drain fittings and access to the other underbelly items. It's still just a thought experiment....at this point anyway. It might ending up looking very 'Rube Goldberg'....lol.....but I think the practicality for me might be worth all the effort. ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2021 at 6:03pm
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Hmmm. Having to strip all that stuff off the utility trailer and modifying the tanks and all on the rpod makes me think it would be less trouble to double your existing frame rails and get a new axle. You could end the doubled frame rails just behind the axle attachment so you didn’t reduce ground clearance in the rear. You’re not adding any weight back there anyhow so the current frame will be fine. In the front you could cut off the tongue just forward of the trailer box and add the length needed for your bike(s). The welding shop could set that up for you with the bike rack(s) to your specs. The doubler rail can end just short of the ball coupler, the frame bending load there is actually pretty low. Most of the materials cost would be the new axle and 6 lug wheels and tires.
The biggest problem I see with this approach is how to access the gray and black tank drains. The doubler rail will interfere with whichever one is in front of the axle on your trailer. Just a thought, of course you can do the utility trailer route if you prefer that, ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2021 at 10:38pm
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Yep, a custom set-up like that is easy to imagine, but might prove difficult in this little one-horse town. I have been looking at the trailer selection from PJ and found that they make a 77" wide trailer, 22 feet long, with removable side rails...and a straight deck (no dovetail). The 77" deck width is almost exactly the width of the r-pod (body only) that I have.
I am thinking I would build up some lateral runners (probably treated 4x4's) across the width of the utility trailer that will raise the r-pod frame up about 4 inches or so, and use some heavy removeable fasteners (such as turnbuckles with hooks, and D-rings) to hold the r-pod frame to the deck of the utility trailer. Removable, so that the r-pod can be jacked up in case the tanks or underbelly wiring needs to be worked on. The price for a complete trailer would probably be in about the same range as any custom build job I might have done.... The 22 foot length would allow a couple feet at the back for misc tote boxes and supplies, and then about 4 feet up front for a 'toy'...such as a moped, scooter, e-trike, etc. Hmmm...I might have to call my local dealer and ask them for a quote...I'd have to order this configuration. ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2021 at 6:56am
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I like the idea of raising the rpod up off the deck, that way you don’t need to fool with the tanks. You might even be able to leave the whole rpod intact except for the axle, then you could remove it, put the axle back, and sell it if you ever wanted to, and still have a useful utility trailer. You will be raising the center of gravity and side wind pressure moment arm a lot though, might want to keep the water tank(s) full... ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: ribet
Date Posted: 22 Apr 2021 at 2:55pm
| I imagine a boat trail frame with duel wheels. I have always wanted to extend my frame in the front to add a toy hauler base. Not sure if I would need to upgrade axle on the 180. |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2021 at 9:18am
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What you seek... only 25 +/- built, they come up for sale every now and then.. As far as I know they are/were all west coast.. https://postimages.org/">  ------------- |
Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2021 at 6:36pm
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Very interesting! do you know which model Rpod was the pod basis? do you remember what the unit was called or the year produced.? Ever hear fro any owners? Thanks for posting Vann ------------- Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 https://postimg.cc/0zwKrfB9"> 
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2021 at 9:00pm
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Whatever one it was, it looks like it was small. It was probably one of the 15x models. ------------- 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: 24 Apr 2021 at 5:51am
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A mirrored 172 floor plan maybe?
https://www.jerrystrailers.com/Pre-Owned-Inventory-2012-Forest-River-Trailer-265Q-R-Pod-Norfolk-Nebraska-2500626#unit-details-videos-gallery-heading - Quadpod ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2021 at 9:05pm
It was it's own floorplan. 178 sized body, but without a slide, door moved to the rear, bunks added in the rear. ------------- |