Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks: Towing and Weight Distribution

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Towing and Weight Distribution

Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
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=8622
Printed Date: 26 Jun 2025 at 3:15am
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Topic: Towing and Weight Distribution

Posted By: Neserk
Subject: Towing and Weight Distribution
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2016 at 7:37pm

I have been excitedly going through the forum and looking at threads, seeing modifications, and getting a feel for how things work.

After introducing myself, one of you was kind enough to offer some very good advice about the planned purchase of a tow vehicle.   After a brief discussion, we decided to switch from purchasing an Odyssey to going with a Pilot.

Which brings me to the next question.   We anticipate Poding mostly as 3-4 day getaways, with an occasional (annual or every other year) longer trip.

How do people pack?   It will just be the two of us so we only need the vehicle size because of the tow capacity. Does it make the most sense to leave the R-Pod basically empty and pack our things in the vehicle? Is there a distribution of weight between what has the engine and what is being towed that is ideal?

I can see on a longer journey not wanting to have to move things back and forth between the R-pod and the TV, but on shorter trips, I'm thinking it makes more sense to put most of the "stuff" in vehicle.

Replies:

Posted By: bjk
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2016 at 8:03pm

I actually spend a week or so before my trips and make a couple of checklists (menu and what to bring). I tend to keep it light and just what I've planned for.

There was a video on this group posted a week or so ago that should the differences of loading the trailer on the ends versus the middle. It explains a lot why the pantry and fridge sit close to on top of the axle. With that said, you should have 15% of gross trailer weight (including contents) on the hitch, so shift the weight in the trailer accordingly.

The only things I didn't pack in the trailer was my ladder, lawn chair, generator (and fuel), camera and laptop. I also only put 2-3 gallons water in the black tank and 5 or so gallons in the fresh to keep it light. On my last long trip, where I was going to be totally dry camping, I filled my fresh tank at the last place possible I could find before my campsite.

I suspect, however, that you'll find how people pack their trailers as varied as there are trailers and destinations.

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2016 HRE R-179 "CapPODccino"
2011 F-150 SLX

Posted By: Rustler
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2016 at 11:21pm

You might take a look at my thread http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7980&title=spreadsheet-for-rpod-tow-vehicle-loading - Spreadsheet for Tow Vehicle and Rpod Loading .

The spreadsheet can be downloaded uploads/5337/Camper_and_Tow_Vehicle_Loading-2.zip - here or uploads/5337/Camper_and_Tow_Vehicle_Loading-3.zip - here .

You can change all the specific load items, weights and their distribution between tow vehicle and trailer. I've found it to be quite useful versus just guessing how the load is best distributed between the two vehicles. In my case with a Toyota RAV4 as tow vehicle nearly all the cargo is best carried in the trailer to avoid going over the GVWR of the RAV4.

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Russ
2009 Toyota RAV4
V6 w/ tow package
2016 Rpod 171 HRE