Hood River Edition - Clarification Needed
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Topic: Hood River Edition - Clarification Needed
Posted By: Dromsie
Subject: Hood River Edition - Clarification Needed
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2017 at 10:30am
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Hi All, I tried searching the forum and can't seem to find a good answer. I purchased a 2017 182G HRE (1st half of year, not the blue design), and I was surprised to find no axle risers as I thought this was standard equipment. Clearance seems low especial for the remote places I like to camp. I ordered the 3" riser kit, but during my conversation with Forest River they said that newer (the guy I spoke to seemed to think 2016 and on) HRE models had a re-design in the axle that gives the same clearance as the old HRE with risers. Can anyone clarify this? I have the Lippert axle. Anyone see any issue adding risers to this model?
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Replies:
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2017 at 10:34am
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To summarize other posts, the pitch angle of the axle was changed so that the height is approximately the same as the old angle with the risers. Some have found it still to be a little low. If you look at the arms on the axle, do they look like they point upward from the axle to the hubs or down? If they point upward, that is the old style. If they point downward, that is the new style. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: Dromsie
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2017 at 10:41am
| Mine are pretty much parallel to the ground. Any idea what year they made this change? |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2017 at 4:20pm
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I >think< it was for the 2017 model year.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: Dromsie
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2017 at 4:36pm
| Sorry to be a pain, but all 2017 or just the new blue ones? |
Posted By: voisj
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2017 at 5:53pm
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I can tell you my 2016 hre has the relocked axle with the arms pointing down a bit and no risers and parked next to a blue one, 2017 1/2, the blue one is 3" taller and I ~think~ the blue one has 3" risers. And Earlier 2017 green hre's dont.
------------- http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9426&title=slopod-180-mods-johnsue - SLOPODMODS John&Sue,SLO,CA 2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost 
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2017 at 7:58pm
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If it was the 2016s, it was the later ones. I have an early one and it lacks several features of the later 2016 models. It has the older axle, but does have the risers.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: voisj
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2017 at 8:37pm
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Stephan, I just crawled under the 180 and it has the Lippert axle, is this the older axle? The Pod was manufactured on 9/4/15 and I bought it on 6/15/16 the paperwork says it was a 2016 model. and the axel arms are just barely angling down. They also had the early 2017 models on the lot but they were $2000 more and there were only a few minor differences, and were not any higher. rgds John ------------- http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9426&title=slopod-180-mods-johnsue - SLOPODMODS John&Sue,SLO,CA 2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2017 at 9:18pm
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Lippert axles can come in different pitches so the name alone does not indicate which one. The arms on mine are definitely pitched up. If yours had all the weight taken off the axles, you would see the downward pitch as more pronounced. Yours definitely has the newer axle. Our 179 was manufactured 5/15/2015 and we purchased it in December. It is a 2016 model, but between the time ours was made and the time yours was made, the axle change was made along with other changes. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: voisj
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2017 at 10:29pm
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You're a wealth of knowledge! Thanks for clearing that up. ------------- http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9426&title=slopod-180-mods-johnsue - SLOPODMODS John&Sue,SLO,CA 2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost
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Posted By: texman
Date Posted: 22 Mar 2017 at 4:05pm
This is a pic of the hood river axle that Dromsie has that i am posting for him for clarification. ------------- TexMan 2015 182g 2018 Sequoia http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9122&title=texman-182g-mods - TexManMods |
Posted By: rynosurf
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2017 at 2:09pm
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My 2016 179 doesn't have risers. I made a 3" lift because I kept bottoming out on the rear jacks. If I did it again I'd probably go with a 4". ------------- 2016 179 Hood River Edition 2006 4x4 Tacoma DC short bed |
Posted By: Dromsie
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2017 at 2:20pm
| I agree with you. I bought the 3" lift kit from Forest River. Did you need to go to a double step? |
Posted By: rynosurf
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2017 at 2:32pm
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I have the stock single step which is fine. ------------- 2016 179 Hood River Edition 2006 4x4 Tacoma DC short bed |
Posted By: Danielw1
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2017 at 10:18pm
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Man.... this really got me thinking. I just bought a 2015 hood river edition 178, I wanted to stick with the hre mainly for the higher ground clearance. How do I tell if it's the taller model or not? Look for a block on the axle?
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Posted By: Dromsie
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2017 at 10:26pm
| Look if there are risers. If so, hen you'd have to remove and have someone fabricate bigger ones: if no risers, and the torsion arms are parallel to the ground, then it's HRE that can cave risers added to bring it to same height as the new blue pods. |
Posted By: GlibGuy
Date Posted: 11 Apr 2017 at 10:26am
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I am thinking about removing the risers from my 2015 178. I go on long trips and feel that the extra height (trailer seems tall anyway) affects mileage. Also, I don't like the tall first step and I really don't need the extra ground clearance. Am I being sensible or am I crazy (like my wife says I am)? ------------- MICK |
Posted By: voisj
Date Posted: 11 Apr 2017 at 10:56am
I have a 2016 180HRE, When I bought it i felt it was to low and planned on adding risers. Then I got used to the height and like the single step. Then I bent both rear stabilizers coming out of a gas station in Fort Bragg and replaced the jacks with the low profile http://norcoind.com/bal/products/consumer/stabilizing_products/c-jack.shtml - BAL units and have a little better clearance and hope it works. 2" risers would be nice though. ------------- http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9426&title=slopod-180-mods-johnsue - SLOPODMODS John&Sue,SLO,CA 2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost
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Posted By: GlibGuy
Date Posted: 11 Apr 2017 at 4:13pm
Well, I did it. I arranged with my dealer to have the wheel bearings packed and just inquired about removing the risers. It got done along with the wheel work. Heck, if it doesn't work I'll put them back but I agree that 2" would be about right. ------------- MICK |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 11 Apr 2017 at 8:41pm
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Please let us know how it tows without the risers and how it compares to towing with them.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: GlibGuy
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2017 at 6:51am
I ended up putting the risers back because I needed the additional ground clearance for the type of places I go to camp. I did feel like it was more stable while towing but I was beating up the bottom and afraid I was going to maybe even burst one of my tanks! I bent my stabilizers and had to replace them also. So unless you're using totally flat terrain, I'd leave my risers on if you have them. ------------- MICK |