Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks: Honda Pilot TV

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Honda Pilot TV

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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=8310
Printed Date: 25 May 2025 at 8:57am
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Topic: Honda Pilot TV

Posted By: gpod
Subject: Honda Pilot TV
Date Posted: 04 Jul 2016 at 1:06am

I am thinking of switching my tow vehicle to an '06 Honda Pilot. Anyone using a Pilot to tow? I have a 182G and currently use an '05 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.7L. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

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Matt

Replies:

Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 04 Jul 2016 at 8:50am

I towed a 172 with a 4WD 2010 Pilot for over a year with reasonable success. I specifically chose the 172 to keep the weight down since I was planning to travel the Rockies. The 172/Pilot combination worked fine at lower altitudes and reasonably flat terrain, but it was marginal in the mountains. The combination of mountain grades and altitude tax small engines. Your 182G is at least 600# heavier than the 172 and that will further degrade performance. That said, if you don't plan Rocky Mountain excursions and/or can take your time climbing the hills it should work OK. If you're satisfied with the Jeep it's probably comparable. However, this assumes the Pilot will be 4WD. The 4WD model has much greater towing capacity and a transmission cooler. Don't even consider a 2WD (front wheel drive) Pilot.

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Charlie
Northern Colorado
OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD

Posted By: gpod
Date Posted: 04 Jul 2016 at 9:36am

Thanks for the input. With the Jeep, we have trouble getting up to 65 mph going up steep highways in Colorado, but overall the Jeep meets our needs. However, the wife wants an Outback and we're thinking of getting rid of the Jeep and keeping the Pilot since it is newer. Just want to know if we will get comparable performance before we go through the expense of putting a tow package on the Pilot.

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Matt

Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 04 Jul 2016 at 9:58am

I'm wondering what is involved with the tow package you're considering for the Pilot. My 4WD 2010 Pilot came stock with the transmission cooler, hitch, and HD alternator. The only thing Honda left off was the short cable and 7 pin Bargman connector. If you present Pilot is not 4WD I'd reconsider.

Do the math on the differential and gear ratios for the Pilot and Jeep. Honda has a 4.375 differential which is pretty high for SUVs. They compensate with transmission ratios, but it means 4th and 5th are both overdrives and you tow in 3rd. One problem I did have with the Pilot was the low ratio 1.888 reverse gear. The Pilot was unable to back the 172 up even a slight incline. Honda really blew it there! A strong argument for high ratio reverse gears (low speed) and two speed transfer cases.

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Charlie
Northern Colorado
OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD

Posted By: podsuperior
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2016 at 10:25am

We have a 2007 pilot (4WD) and a 177 - it is fine for us for local trips - going 55 - 60 MPH.

Mountains, I think would be a challenge for it.

It works for us - but when we can afford it - we will get a new TV with a higher towing capacity.

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2011 RPOD 177 - 2017 Tacoma

Posted By: COSPod
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2016 at 11:30am

For comparison on your mountain pass speeds, I tow with a '12 Tahoe, and 172, which i think is the lightest Rpod as mentioned, and I still struggle to get up to 65 (or 55.. sometimes even 45) on the big passes out here. Vail eastbound and Monarch are a couple of the more brutal ones I've had the pleasure of towing up, they are just looooonnnngggg and pushing up over 10/11k pretty much sucks the power out of anything (particularly w/o a Turbo).

If you were east or west at lower elevations I think the Pilot would be ok, but out here given the base elevation is 5-6k, and up from there, I'd expect it'll make for some very slow and stressful towing, in particular on I-70 out of Denver... that's a painful drive even w/o towing.

Posted By: HappyCampers
Date Posted: 12 Jul 2016 at 9:17am

We've been towing our 176T with a 2005 4WD Pilot with tow package for 3 summers, works well for us. No big mountains, though, so we don't have any information for you about that.