1st trip out.
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4999
Printed Date: 18 May 2025 at 3:09pm
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Topic: 1st trip out.
Posted By: johnremmett
Subject: 1st trip out.
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2014 at 11:02am
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Picked up a 2015 178 last week and wife and I took our first trip last night. Drove from North Georgia to Pigeon Forge in the rain. Due to traffic and a late start had to set up in the rain and dark. Pleased to learn that hookups are easy and can be done fairly quickly. The only problem was the water heater. Thanks to posts on this site I learned about the switch under the outside cover albeit after reviewing the Forest River owners manual which is no help.
Wife purchased a memory foam mattress overlay and the bed slept wonderfully. Got up this morning and got acquainted with the shower. Both of us found it to be quite acceptable. Just have to master the pivot in one place move. The water heater does well once learns how to turn it on. All in all very pleased thus far. Hope to post pics soon. |
Replies:
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2014 at 12:10pm
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Welcome to the group!! ------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: guppyfam
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2014 at 3:49pm
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Any other suggestions to us newbies? Me and my family are picking up our 178 tomorrow and have our first trip planned for Monday. Any helpful hints would be VERY appreciated. Thanks! ------------- Jeff & Kyra 2015 178 2011 Toyota Sienna |
Posted By: johnremmett
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2014 at 7:12pm
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Get the things you will need and stay at a campground with full amenities like a sewer hookup. You will need a water supply hose, water pressure regulator, sewer drain hose, cable TV line, 4 scotch blocks, camco blocks to place under stabilizer jacks and to level side-to-side (or pieces of plywood or 1" boards). You will also need a small level of some sort. You will need a 2" ball as the RPod coupler is that size. I got a weight distribution hitch with sway bar which helps your ride and stability although I drove 400 miles home without it when I picked mine up. I would hate to drive in strong crosswinds without it.
For the inside a foam mattress pad will make the bed more comfortable. Also I would get a rug for the area inside the doorway and probably a larger rug for the walkway area. Get Queen size sheets but the foam mattress topper for a full size bed will fit. Finally if you hook up to electrical service there is a switch on the outside panel that you will have to turn on to get hot water. Turn it on only after you have hooked up water and bled air out of the system. When you get ready to leave drain the water heater( there's a place on the outside panel) and also all other tanks. |
Posted By: johnremmett
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2014 at 7:14pm
| Good luck. I hope you have as good a time as we did. |
Posted By: johnremmett
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2014 at 9:38pm
| Thanks Leo. Hope you enjoy your new 179. |
Posted By: dsmiths
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2014 at 10:48pm
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and get ready for the tours, and then the questions , can you stand up in it, it has a shower, and a t.v. you mean it has a hot water heater, and a microwave too. it has betters cabinets than our house. We love the people that want to see inside and then they say , it looks bigger inside that I thought. have fun. pods are a blast. ------------- Dane and Donna Smith 2011 RP-172 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer 4X4 lift kit prodigy wireless brake controller |
Posted By: Marx
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2014 at 6:18pm
| Welcome from another newb! |
Posted By: Phanorque
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2014 at 2:10pm
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5 month old 177 has seen close to 3000 miles so far. we are long-time campers of one sort or another and are coming off an RV. Pod gets mucho attention at gas stations: How's it tow? Ya got a kitchen? I have a question about the cover from FR. My Pod arrived with the downspouts sealed on and the cover, of course, has no provision to slide over them. I want to cut a hole in the vertical side of the cover to let them stick through. Wife said something like "no way". Same with the antenna on the roof? Who designed this cover??? ------------- I go where I'm toad. |
Posted By: rlb
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2014 at 5:12pm
first outing this past w/e- 171. Battery died night one which lent to frig stopping and gas detect alarm waking us up mid sleep. Didn't stop us from having great trip.  ------------- rlb-rn |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2014 at 7:29pm
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Welcome. Make sure you disconnect the battery from the pod between trips, but then reconnect it to the pod, and plug the pod in overnight, every 30 days. Then disconnect the battery from the pod again. Alternatively you can leave it all plugged in all the time, but it will use a lot more electricity. If you have an older 171 with an original battery, it may be at the end of its life. ------------- 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: codycountry
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2014 at 7:36pm
Congrats, you'll love it and learn as you go. We have used ours on four outings so far. I have just discovered that the "George Washington crossing the Delaware" pose, like in the famous painting, works really well in the shower. 
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Posted By: guppyfam
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2014 at 9:09pm
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Thank you to everyone for the suggestions! We have two trips under our belt and have learned ALOT! Jeff and Kyra ------------- Jeff & Kyra 2015 178 2011 Toyota Sienna |