Towing vehicle question
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Printed Date: 19 May 2025 at 11:24pm
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Topic: Towing vehicle question
Posted By: kellyandkelly
Subject: Towing vehicle question
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2015 at 9:50am
| Hello! We just purchased an rpod - 2015 Hood River edition 178. We love it! But, we are towing with a Jeep Liberty and as we were bringing it home last night, the trailer is jumping all over. The Jeep has a towing capacity of 3500 lbs, so it should be fine to tow. Someone suggested getting a weight distribution system. Thoughts on this? |
Replies:
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2015 at 9:52am
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welcome to the group! Congrats on your 178. We town a 179 with a Dodge Grand Caravan with no problem. Can help on the wdh as we do not use one. Somebody will be able to advise you on it ------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: Mountainrev
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2015 at 11:44am
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You will definitely want to get an anti-sway bar, but I'm guessing you really need a weight distributing hitch with anti-sway, such as Equal-i-zer. ------------- 2014 177 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee Turbodiesel "I lift my eyes to the hills." 
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2015 at 12:14pm
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+1 on what Mountainrev said. ------------- 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: Leighbeelu
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2015 at 2:33pm
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Is a sway bar actually necessary? I have a 2006 Nissan Xterra that is supposed to be able to tow up to 6,000 lbs. I have taken out my 179 only once and it seemed fine but I don't want to take any unneccesary chances.
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2015 at 3:14pm
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Tow rating doesn't mean much for sway. Wheel base does (see info on controlling sway in the link in my signature), and while a higher tow rating partially depends on wheel base, what matters is having more room between the TVs axles. As cheap as sway bars are, and easy to install, it is cheap insurance IMO. ------------- 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: Tri-Pod
Date Posted: 06 Apr 2015 at 7:59am
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Being safe is always better than being sorry having said that we pulled our rpod for two years (4800 miles) with out a WD hitch and never had a problem but the cost of one is pretty cheep insurance. We use one now on our Surveyor SP 240!and have never had a problem. Talk with your dealer they normally know best based on what you are pulling with and you trailer. There is nothing worse than seeing a rig go down the road swaying back and forth, especially on a two lane road that you can't pass on. Good luck. ------------- 2010 PR 176 sold 2012 replaced with 2013 SP 240 w outside kitchen 2012 Toyota Tundra Crew Max 4x2 5.7L V8 Me, My Honey, and Max our GSP |
Posted By: Luv2Q
Date Posted: 06 Apr 2015 at 8:53am
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Sway can turn into bad news in a heartbeat. Real bad news. After spending tens of thousands on TV + Pod, spending a comparative pittance on anti-sway - if it gives me *any* chance of avoiding sway problems - seems like a no-brainer. I suspect my Tundra would have little if any problem with our little 171. With the E2 WDH, it's a non-issue. JMO, of course, and YMMV.
On talking with "a dealer" to get advice on what works & what doesn't, I guess Tri-Pod and I have had different experiences. Many dealers I've run across would tell you that, sure, you can pull that 40-footer with your Sentra! If OTOH you have a dealer which is trustworthy, that's another story. ------------- John & Teri Tundra 5.7L V8 / RP 180 E2 WDH / Integrated controller (POS) replaced by Tekonsha P3 |
Posted By: Craneman
Date Posted: 06 Apr 2015 at 10:41am
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We tow with a 2011 Ford F-150 and use only a sway bar and don't have any problems. Moe ------------- Jo and Gary, 2010-174,2011 F150 
Jo and Gary 2010 174 2011 Ford 150 |
Posted By: chiman
Date Posted: 06 Apr 2015 at 10:57am
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I have a 2015 178 Hood River Edition and I would guess that with a battery installed and full propane tank along with any of your gear inside you are pushing a real world weight of your trailer at around 3,000 lbs. Although your TV is rated to pull 3,500 lbs you are getting close to maxing out in real world towing. You for sure need a WD set up which will help out a lot. Towing a 20 ft trailer with a short wheel base TV without a WD is a sure fire method of producing pain in the rear towing and really rough on your TV. I strongly suggest you get a good WD setup including the sway control. Be prepared for slow going up hills but the suggested WD set up will make your towing a more pleasant experience; just remember that you are getting close to the max towing of your TV when you load all your personal gear in the trailer and I would not tow with any water in your tank which can rapidly add up more weight. Even a full water heater tank will add close to 50 lbs to your overall weight. ------------- 2017 180 "Frog" towed by 2017 Toyota Tacoma with co-pilot "Willow" a 80 lb Labradoodle |
Posted By: cosmo751
Date Posted: 07 Apr 2015 at 9:10am
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Please have your trailer weighed soon, and more importantly - the tongue weight measured (not estimated). My new 177 weighed 2875 pounds as delivered, and only had 240 pounds on the tongue. On some vehicles this is quite close to unsafe. I've towed extensively with my Liberty and it IS sensitive to tongue weight percentage. Try for 12%. My TV is now a 2012 Wrangler Unlimited and it has a 116 inch (versus 104" on the Lib) wheelbase - a significant difference. At 12% tongue weight it tows like a dream - The 177 loaded for touring is a bit over 3300 pounds. All the heavy stuff had to go to the front to get the tongue weight where it needed to be. Including a 180 pound generator secured inside just aft of the dining table. If it's an option you might do better with a longer wheelbase TV. By the way, your Lib will love a weight distributing hitch - Go for one with anti-sway capabilities like any of the trunnion-type hitches. Cheers - Ken ------------- "He not busy being born is busy dying." |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 07 Apr 2015 at 12:56pm
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Welcome, and good advice. ------------- 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: GlibGuy
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2015 at 4:52pm
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I recently bought a 2010 171 and don't have a tow vehicle (you might call it "ready, fire, aim"). I am considering several TVs and one is a 2011 Nissan Frontier, V6, 4X4. It's rated to tow 6,500 lbs but I'm wondering about the handling as it's not very big overall. Anyone had towing experience with a Frontier? ------------- MICK |
Posted By: jbsimm2
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2015 at 11:39am
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I tow my 178 with a Nissan Xterra. it's pretty close to the frontier,I think it has the same engine but only rated at 5klbs.(due to shorter wheelbase) the 178 is alot bigger and heavier than the 171. I thought at first it was underpowered but stability wise it was great. After towing it a few more times, the xterra does just fine. ------------- 2012 Nissan Xterra 2014 RP178 (Death Pod) |