Help choosing WDH w/FSC
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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6071
Printed Date: 17 May 2024 at 6:33am
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Topic: Help choosing WDH w/FSC
Posted By: R-Pod'nFJ
Subject: Help choosing WDH w/FSC
Date Posted: 12 Apr 2015 at 9:12pm
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I'my not worried about what the FJ reciever can handle with the 179 but I think a WDH would be smart. The suspension springs are soft for off roaring and I think it's going to be sagging too much by time we add our gear and any occupants.
Here are the two systems I'm looking at from etrailer for $255. They both have great reviews Pro Series PS49902 witch is rated for a 550-750 TW or Pro Series PS49901 witch is rated up to 550 max TW Our 179 is fully loaded and sounds like the dry weight is around 2800. There might be times when we will be hauling water and it looks like the tank is ahead of the pod's axle? Plus we will have a 50# dog, gear, and the pod's spare tire on the roof rack since there will be a bike rack on the back of the pod. I'm leaning towards the PS49902 but what do you guys think? Is there wiggle room in either system as far as weight goes? I'm new to this so any advice is welcomed and appreciated. ------------- 14 Cement Gray FJ Cruiser 15 R-Pod 179 71 Honda CB750 cafe racer project 71 Honda CB350 75 Honda XL350 81 KZ550 Ltd. street tracker project Scott & Kerri |
Replies:
Posted By: Seanl
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2015 at 9:12am
Of the two the PS49902 is overkill the PS49901 is plenty of hitch for the POD. The dry hitch weight is only 285 lbs so 550 lbs of spring will be lots. Inlucding the Swaycontrol is good. I have the 600 lbs E2 hitch from fastways. I carry a 100 lbs generator set mounted on the tounge of my trailer.  And I don't have any issues with the 600LBS spring on my hitch. This is my hitch http://www.adventurerv.net/equalizer-weight-distribution-equalizer-hitch-6000-lbs-p-1376.html - http://www.adventurerv.net/equalizer-weight-distribution-equalizer-hitch-6000-lbs-p-1376.html . It is more expensive but you do not have to remove the sway control before you back up like you do with the one you are looking at. ------------- Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition 
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Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2015 at 9:18am
I don't think you should put a 50# dog on the roof rack.  The PS49901 is plenty enough WDH. ------------- |
Posted By: R-Pod'nFJ
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2015 at 2:07pm
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After posted this thread I did some calculating and it was basically out to be less than 550# so I was going to get the 49901. Now I'm liking the Equal-I-Zer that Seanl posted. Its a much cleaner setup and I like that it's capable of handling up to 600#. Like I said, most of our trips involve campgrounds that have water but there are a few that we'll have to bring water and I just wanted to make sure I had a system that can handle it. I also like that it has continuous anti-sway, no separate bars, doesn't need to be removed to reverse, and a lifetime warranty is great. It's worth the extra $150 so I'll be ordering this one; thanks Seanl! Oh, and furpod? Our chow chow is a tough little Dude and he'll be just fine strapped to the roof rack with the spare tire  ------------- 14 Cement Gray FJ Cruiser 15 R-Pod 179 71 Honda CB750 cafe racer project 71 Honda CB350 75 Honda XL350 81 KZ550 Ltd. street tracker project Scott & Kerri |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2015 at 4:47pm
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Going to get messy if he pees on that tire at speed.. Remember, even though your FW tank is ahead of the axle, it's not anywhere near the coupler. If you fill it all the way it weighs 250lbs or so, but it only adds a fraction of that to the tongue weight. The Pods frame acts as a lever, and the axle a fulcrum. The closer the weight is to the fulcrum the lower the percentage of it's weight acts upon the "handle end" of the lever (the coupler). ------------- |
Posted By: R-Pod'nFJ
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2015 at 9:20pm
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Thanks for the info. I knew it wouldn't be holding all the weight of FW but I wasn't sure how the percentage of weight that is transferred would affect the TW and needed someone with Pod experience to give me their perspective. Thanks again. I think the Equal-I-Zer is going to work well for me. Thanks again. ------------- 14 Cement Gray FJ Cruiser 15 R-Pod 179 71 Honda CB750 cafe racer project 71 Honda CB350 75 Honda XL350 81 KZ550 Ltd. street tracker project Scott & Kerri |
Posted By: Seanl
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2015 at 9:49am
I just realized that I put the link for the Equal-I-Zer hitch. I have the E2 hitch they are similar but the Equal-I-Zer is better because it has 4 points of sway control where the E2 only has two. Sorry about that. I wanted the Equal-I-Zer when I got mine but it was not in the budget. The only negative thing I can say about them is that at low speeds they are noisy. The sway control is metal on metal friction so it makes a grinding sound when you turn a low speeds. I just ignore it but my wife thinks there is something wrong all the time. Three things I would recommend. 1. Buy the ball from the same people you buy the hitch from. I found it hard to find a 2" ball with a 1 1/4" shank. I ended up getting a sleeve that allowed me to use a 1" shank. 2. You will need a thin walled socket to put the ball on with. a think walled socket will not fit. One other thing to note is I had to move the emergency brake cable to get the brackets on. This is the E2. This is not where I got mine from but I see that they have gone up in price. If I had to pay this much I would have bought the Eqal-I-Zer. http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-hitches/sway-control-hitches.htm - http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-hitches/sway-control-hitches.htm  ------------- Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition
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Posted By: R-Pod'nFJ
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2015 at 12:36am
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Yeah, for the slight price increase it sounds like it will be worth it for the 4 point sway control but your E2 still looks like a nice unit, and still less complicated than the Pro Series I was originally looking at. I have a 2" ball but I'm not sure what the shank size but I'll have to check it out, thanks for the heads up. I can get the thin walled socket but I won't have a torque wrench big enough to torque down the 3/4" bolts. I'll probably just get it set up and snugged up then take the actual hitch to a truck shop to have it torqued up. I can't imagine they would charge much if anything at all for that. ------------- 14 Cement Gray FJ Cruiser 15 R-Pod 179 71 Honda CB750 cafe racer project 71 Honda CB350 75 Honda XL350 81 KZ550 Ltd. street tracker project Scott & Kerri |
Posted By: Seanl
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2015 at 10:15am
I just ran them in with my impact wrench and I have not had any issue with them coming loose. The bolts on the brackets on the other hand I have to tighten up all the time. I considered welding them on but Then it would be difficult to take it off. I just make sure that during my pre trip setup I put a torque wrench on them and snug them up. ------------- Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2015 at 8:19pm
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I used a pipe wrench on both of my WDH hitches, on the big bolts. I agree the E2 L brackets needs constant tightening, even then the flat part of the bracket tends to tilt one way or the other which doesn't give good contact for anti-sway friction. I considered just welding them too. Another option to consider is one of the dual cam models, like the Reese Dual Cam, which is what I have now with my larger camper. It actually prevents sway from starting where E2 or Equalizer can only stop it after it starts (like a sway bar). If you want to go to the top of the line there is the Hensley Arrow which actually guarantees no sway. I think either are overkill for the pods, though. ------------- 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: Pod People
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2015 at 10:36pm
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We have the Equalizer 4 point hitch and had the same problems with nuts and brackets getting loose. After many attempts, I have finally gotten them so the nuts stay tight and the L brackets don't move. I use double nylock nuts with thread cement(get the kind that it is not permanent) and double lock washers on each of the 4 bolts that hold the L brackets in place. I had to get new longer hardened bolts to accommodate the extra hardware. I torqued them to mfg specs and they haven't come loose yet. The problem with the L brackets was that they kept getting pushed backward by the spring bars friction. I looked closely and measured carefully to discover that the problem happened because the R Pod frame height was about 1/16" shorter than the space between the upper and lower bolts. this was enough space for the L bracket to be pushed backward at an angle. After looking at many options, I used one half of an exterior door hinge as a shim between the top bolt and the trailer frame. I had to cut off the hinge pin barrels and grind a little off of the overall thickness in the center where the bolts was located. . I made it a very tight fit. After the bolts were torqued, there is no slop or movement between the top bolt and the L bracket because it is solid with no space. It hasn't moved since. I still check them frequently with my torque wrench. Vann ------------- Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 https://postimg.cc/0zwKrfB9"> 
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Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2015 at 10:49pm
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I need to clarify one mistake from my earlier post I said I made it a very tight fit. After the bolts were torqued, there is no slop or movement between the top bolt and the L bracket because it is solid with no space. I should have said I made it a very tight fit. After the bolts were torqued, there is no slop or movement between the top bolt and the TOP OF THE TRAILER FRAME because it is solid with no space. sorry about that Vann ------------- Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 https://postimg.cc/0zwKrfB9">
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Posted By: Seanl
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2015 at 9:29am
I think I will give this a try. As soon as the snow melts around my pod. I have some flat bar around somewhere that I should be able to use as a shim. ------------- Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition
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Posted By: R-Pod'nFJ
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2015 at 9:20pm
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Thanks for the all the responses. Our Equil-I-Zer just got here yesterday and it go to here really fast considering I bought the cheapest shipping. Pod People, thanks for the advise on how you got your fasteners to come loose. As for installing my hitch, I might be able to barrow a torque wrench from work. I really want to make sure I have the big bolts tight enough. I have a smaller torque wrench for the smaller hardware. We are going to be pulling the pod for the first time in a few weeks so I have to start getting it ready and sterilizing the FW system. ------------- 14 Cement Gray FJ Cruiser 15 R-Pod 179 71 Honda CB750 cafe racer project 71 Honda CB350 75 Honda XL350 81 KZ550 Ltd. street tracker project Scott & Kerri |