Those were the days.... (yeah right...!!!)  

I have a 2010 172.

 

Posted a bit more about my towing experience over here:

 

 

Ooooo, that pyroclaw looks nice.  I burn 24/7 at home all winter so I appreciate a good man-fire-toy.  Not sure about $35 each, though.

 

It was tense.

 

However, 4 Pyroclaws just landed on my front porch, sent by the company via USPS Priority Mail. I will be distributing them to the other clawless (not clueless) guys this weekend at a bonfire we're tentatively calling Clawfest '09.

 

My thermostat must be more sensitive than yours! In similar temps with wondows closed, my furnace cycled every 30-40 minutes. Either that or you are a deep sleeper

 

Speaking of campfires, check this puppy out. This is the greatest man tool ever invented.

 

This is some serious tool. The disclaimers take up most of the hang tag attached to it. One of them reads: Serious consequences may result from the use of this tool, including, but not limited to, serious injury or death. Wow. Beyond death, even.

 

No I do not work there.

 

If you'll be camping with "shore power" available, put your fridge on the AC setting and take along a small space heater, then you won't need propane at all.

 

Based on your needs I would tend to agree.   Two batteries up front and a second LP tank in storage seems to make sense.    I have seen quite a few boondockers carry a spare LP tank in the shower while traveling, then chain it to the trailer outside when they camp.   Since you are looking to use a second tank just for BBQ and not for the trailer, that might be a good option.   But if you have room in the bed of the truck, I have a feeling that is even more convenient.    Check out the  tank bases that makes it easier to keep tanks from moving around while you have them in a bed of a truck or in a shower. 

 

My 172 started off with a bit lower dry hitch weight of 179,  so had a bit more room to start with when it came to adding weight to tongue. 

 

Thanks for the great infoe g-man !!!

A possible set-up could be to put the two LP tanks and one battery on the tongue, then carry a fully charged battery in the back storage in the Pod. (thus helping to balance the weight)

 

Or .... Put two Batteries and One LP on the tongue, and carry the other LP in storage, or perhaps the bed of the truck, thus easing the lbs on the tongue.

 

I like the second idea better, cause both batteries will be used for the Pod, and one of the two LPs will be for "outside" uses. Changing over a LP tank could be easier than changing over a battery in a pinch, depending on how its all setup.

 

Thanks g-man !!! I appreciate the help on that .....

 

I have been going up to the wallowa valley over over 30 years now.   Have learned all the good places to fish, eat, and sleep which pretty much covers all my essentials.    Alot of good fishing up there along the river once you get to know the folks.    Beautiful country with a lot of generous and friendly people.

 

Need to sitdown and put a excel spreadsheet with distances from trailer to calculate actual weight additions for trailers based on distances from ball and axle.    So following is rough estimates.

 

From what information I have on the 177.  It starts out with a dry tongue weight of 238, which includes one "empty" tank.   So you are looking at 20lb of LP which adds about 19 to tongue weight.   So about 257.  

 

The last info I got from FR said dry tonque doesn't include battery, as its added by dealer. 

So a size 24 battery is around 35 pounds.   So two of those is around 70 pounds.  But since they are about 3 feet back from ball, maybe about 50 or so is carried by the hitch, so  that gets you up to 307.   You add another 5 gallan propane tank at 38 pounds(full), and that puts you pretty close to to the 350 of a class 2 hitch.   If you have a class 3 hitch it wouldn't be a big deal.    Off course if  go to sears and buy about 50 pounds of tools to haul around in back compartment, then you can counter balance the weight. :)  

 

The trailer can handle the extra weight on the tongue, just depends on whether your hitch/Tow vehicle can handle the extra weight and or whether the load out of your trailer counter balances he extra tongue weight.

 

The ice/snow sliding down the back of the trailer was odd, was pretty cool watching it go past the window.   Was quite the pile of snow near spare tire.

 

Over the summer had added a second 5gallon (20lb) tank to my trailer.    Average 20lb tank is about 18lbs empty, 38lbs filled.    I cut the single mounting plate box off my 172, welded on two more supports then attached one of these http://www.rvwholesalers.com/catalog/dual-tank-rack-dual-tank-rack.html on the frame.

Added an auto switch over regulator and new hoses.   If you can't do it yourself, I would assume a local RV or trailer shop could do it in under an hour.

Throttle96,

 

My trailer wasn't setup for winter camping, and wasn't expecting to do it this time.   So a bit of preperation would have made things easier.

 

This is what I did, when things started getting a little nippy.  I left my fresh water tank dry and hooked up to city water.   Left sink dripping just at a slow drip to keep fresh water line from freezing.    (made a run into town for quick supplies)   I put RV antifreeze into the grey and black water tanks, and filled up the black and grey tanks to about 1/2 full to give them enough water mass to resist freezing at night.   Each night when I went to bed, put a just a bit more rv antifreeze into the shower drain and sink drain, just out of paranoia to keep the P-traps from potentially freezing.    My water pump etc is under the sink (on the 172), so left cabinet door  open a bit to allow air circulation.     Using a roll of black plastic I picked up at the local hardware store, I made a makeshift plastic skirt around the base of the trailer (from the floor to the ground) around the trailer.   This was my attempt to keep heat in around tanks and pipes.   It seemed to keep it about 5 degrees warmer.    I also tried to keep interior as warm as I could 70ish, as that kept everything else warm.    I had previously replaced metal blinds with cellular blinds, which made a big difference.   With blinds closed there was very little "draft" from cold windows.

 

I have put a dual tank setup on my 172, so regulator is now in a different spot and sheltered.   On a stock R-POD you would want to put a foam cover (the ones that go on faucets work well) to keep ice from building up on regulator and having it possibly freeze.

 

Alot of this was very makeshift on the spot.   In a previous trailer life I had 12v heating panels (built for RV's) under the tanks, and had insulated the water lines, and had a prebuilt canvas skirt and would hang a 40w drop light (hooked to a GFCI) under the frame to keep air warm under trailer.

 

Hope that helps.

Lol, glad to know I don't have the market cornered.  :)

Since I hadn't done any cold weather modications ot the trailer, was worried that by staying I might freeze something on the trailer or myself.   Most meals I had where setup to be cooked outside on the grill and not inside (due to smoke created by me burning/cooking food).  The night I BBQ'd, walked down to a pizza place that was about a mile down the road.    It was closed sign and quick note scribbled on the door "Boss called it, wasn't coming in due to weather.   So we all went home."  So I went back to the camp, and proceded char some steaks.