Rookie nerves
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Forum Name: Introduce Yourself
Forum Discription: New Members - tell us about yourself and your r-pod
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=2864
Printed Date: 14 May 2025 at 9:40am
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Topic: Rookie nerves
Posted By: burge16
Subject: Rookie nerves
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2012 at 10:33pm
| This is for first time trailer haulers. When you get out on the highways and things don't feel comfortable when you're towing, be sure to take your Pod to the dealer and have things checked out. I have gone on 6 trips around my area, and with each trip I experienced a few "white knuckle" moments when I felt like I was fighting with my trailer, especially when it was windy. I thought it was just my inexperience, and figured I was just being a baby about towing, as I have equalizer bars on my trailer. I've never gone over 85-90kms an hour while traveling, because there was too much movement from my trailer. My last trip was the point where I thought "Ok, something has to change, this isn't right." I wondered if towing wasn't for me, and if I would have to get rid of my RPod and get a motorhome. When I took into my dealer here in Kamloops (South Thompson RV) I gave them the keys and told them to take it out. They returned very shortly, and informed my that there was something wrong, that was NOT what towing should feel like, and why had I not come to them sooner. I was in big trouble with them. I explained I didn't know something was wrong, I thought it was my problem, not the trailer. Needless to say, they spent quite a bit of time adjusting the ball and equalizer bars, and after a few more test drives added a sway bar. Things seem better now, and I'll be trying it out again in a couple of weeks. So please don't hesitate to go in and have things checked if it seems like something isn't right, you don't want to be an accident waiting to happen like I was!! |
Replies:
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2012 at 10:43pm
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Sorry to hear you've had some white-knuckle towing experiences. I had them all the time with our popup so I understand. If I read this right, you now have an Equalizer weight distribution hitch AND a sway bar? That shouldn't be necessary. For starters most here will agree that the pods tow very stably - I didn't add a WDH (with sway control) to mine for a year. And if you have an Equalizer you really shouldn't need a sway bar, too. That WDH has a ton of sway control built-in. The related E2 doesn't have as much but still has some (I have that one).
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: TerryM
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2012 at 3:31am
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Makes me wonder if the axle wasn't installed correctly. Slim chance but something is wrong some where. What are you towing with? Terry ------------- RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4 Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565 |
Posted By: burge16
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2012 at 10:44am
| I'm towing with a 2010 Ford Escape. My understanding is I may be having trouble because it has a short wheel base. |
Posted By: Goose
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2012 at 11:29am
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A longer wheel base does help as does having a TV that is a little heavier than the Escape. Goose ------------- Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee 
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Posted By: Racer|X|
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2012 at 4:43pm
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I own and Escape too, and wouldnt pull my Pod with it. X ------------- |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2012 at 10:24pm
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For a year and a half I towed my pod with a Toyota Sienna (short wheelbase), and I pulled a much heavier popup for years before that. My popup absolutely required sway control and I still had white knuckles all the time. As I mentioned above, I didn't use anything at all during that year and a half. Like Terry I think something else is going on. Did you often tow with the water tank full? Make sure your pod's tires were inflated to their maximum sidewall pressure? Same with your truck's tires while towing (personally I leave mine several pounds lower for ride comfort, but only a few)? Did you load a bunch of stuff in the front of the pod - or in the rear? ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Goose
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2012 at 10:48pm
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Good questions Doug, they all could make a difference. Goose ------------- Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee
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Posted By: burge16
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2012 at 10:49pm
| Wow, lots to know and think about! Yes, sometimes I traveled with full water because we were going somewhere in the bush so no hookups available. I've been really conscious about weight so I don't load too much in either the trailer or my suv. I haven't checked the tire pressure on the trailer ever, I'll have to see if the recommended pressure is written down somewhere. My SUV is rated for 3500 lbs, and the dry weight of the pod was 2410, so I thought I would be ok. I know a full water tank would add 250lbs, and that's why I try and not add a lot of weight, cause I don't have much wiggle room. Puts getting a generator out of the question I think. |
Posted By: burge16
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2012 at 10:51pm
| I noticed you own an explorer sport trac, and wondered how you like it? I was looking at one just recently. |
Posted By: Racer|X|
Date Posted: 26 Aug 2012 at 9:26am
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burge...I like mine a lot. I am a weekend warrior and love the convenience of the small truck bed. It is rare I ever need a full size bed so it has been perfect for my needs and use. I have the hard tonneau cover and bed extender, makes more useful when needed and the cover keeps gear dry. It drives and handles nice, just like an Explorer. It has plenty of tow power for my Pod and I also move around my 22 ft. Pontoon boat with ease. I have the class IV tow package and think it rates for 6800# towing. Now the bad news; like any V-8 pulling a trailer....gas mileage sucks. 9-10 mpg when towing. Overall I average about 17 with Regular ethanol. If you live where you can get non-ethanol regular, you can get 21-22 mpg. Ford no longer makes them, but I like mine. Hope it helps. X ------------- |
Posted By: Seanl
Date Posted: 26 Aug 2012 at 9:47am
I drive a Jeep Liberty which also has a short wheelbase. I also had sway issues. It went away for the most part when I put an E2 hitch on and got is adjusted properly. In a strong gust of wind I can get a little sway but it is easy to bring back under control. As for the dry weight that does not include things like propane tank 30 lbs, battery 50 lbs, air conditioning if you got it 100 lbs, microwave if you got it 50 lbs. There is another 230 lbs and the fresh water tank is 36 gallons on all the current Rpods so that is 360 lbs full not 250 lbs. That puts you at 3000 lbs.
------------- Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition 
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 26 Aug 2012 at 12:25pm
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Tire pressure on both vehicles is critical - sidewall flex in any of the tires will cause sway. Look on the sidewall of your TV tires and the pod's tires for the maximum pressure rating. I think the tires that came with my pod allow 50 psi, and my current TV is 44 psi. I fill the pod tires to 50 and my TV to 40-41, even though the sticker on the door says to fill the TV tires to 30. That makes them mushy - great for ride comfort but horrible for towing. Your total weight and the total weight of your cargo isn't important for the sway issue. What is important is the tongue weight. For campers you want this to be 10% of the weight of the camper (boats go about half that). Too light on the tongue will contribute to sway, and sometimes too heavy, too. That is why I was asking about water load and other load in the front or back. Depending on where the load is it can either make you "tongue heavy" or "tongue light". With my suicidal popup I played with this all the time, moving my spare tire from the back of the camper into my TV, moving my microwave and firewood to the front of the camper. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: burge16
Date Posted: 26 Aug 2012 at 8:24pm
| Thank you everyone for all your help, I'll try your suggestions and see how things work out. This site is invaluable, especially for new trailer owners like me. |
Posted By: burge16
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2012 at 9:57pm
| Well, here's an update...after having my ball and equalizer bars adjusted and one sway bar installed I took my pod out for the long weekend. I drove about an hour and a half on the highway in pretty windy conditions to my campsite. The difference was like night and day. I still felt the wind, but no longer feel like the steering wheel is going to be pulled out of my hands. I was able to comfortably drive 90 km/h when it was the posted speed and safe to do so. All and all, a much better towing experience than before. And like most other trips, I had about 10 people tour my pod, and all were very impressed with it! |
Posted By: Goose
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2012 at 11:46pm
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I just replaced the front struts on the Jeep and on the rear put on the heavy duty shocks for towing from Monroe, the ones with the helper springs around them. It made a huge difference in towing. The ride and the handing with the POD on the back was like riding in a Caddy. I don't use any anti-sway or load- leveling units. Goose ------------- Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 04 Sep 2012 at 9:27am
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Glad to hear things have improved for both of you. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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