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First time RV'er - 2020 RPod 195
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JSeiley View Drop Down
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Joined: 17 Feb 2025
Location: Utah
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Posts: 8 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JSeiley Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: First time RV'er - 2020 RPod 195
    Posted: 24 Aug 2025 at 12:00am
Finally retired from tent camping.  Just can't (won't) do it anymore!  Picked up a 2020 RPod 195, and we love this thing!  Steep learning curve, but really enjoying the education process.  I'm pulling the RPod with a 2023 Toyota Tacoma OffRoad.  Did some research and purchased a REDARC Tow-Pro Liberty electric trailer brake controller kit from Amazon.  Successfully installed it myself thanks to excellent videos online.

We've eased in to RV'ing on a few local trips here in Utah, which fortunately offers many beautiful options to us, suitable for a rookie RV'er.  Backing up has been a fun challenge, as I don't have a ton of trailer pulling experience.  So far so good.  I just installed a wireless backup camera so hopeful that will be helpful.

This forum is the reason I solved my first RV problem, which was tripping the inverter breaker by overloading the GFIs.  Thank you forum members!

I put new tires on the RPod, but want to be prepared to change one should that happen.  Can anyone recommend a jack for me (one recommendation I've received is for the Big Red 10 ton bottle jack), and also, where on the RPod do I place the jack to jack it up?

Thrilled to be in the RV community and especially excited to be part of this forum!

Have a great day!
JoeS
2020 RPOD 195
2023 Toyota Tacoma OffRoad
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Pod People View Drop Down
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Posts: 1093 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Pod People Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Aug 2025 at 11:22am

Welcome to the forum-there are lots of great people here with thousands of collective hours experience.  Most of us are happy to help.

We have had 2 R Pods , driven lots of miles and had more than 1 flat tire.
We discovered on the first flat that our pod(179) with a flat tire was too low to the ground to use a bottle jack. We ended up buying a light weight floor jack from Harbor Freight.  It has been an excellent piece of equipment for us.  It is heavier than a bottle jack, but work in all situations so far.

As to the jacking point, I can't tell about your particular model, but everything i have ever read or seen specifically says DO NOT put the jack on the axle-it is hollow and can be damaged by jacking.

One suggestion-when backing a trailer, put your hand at the bottom(6 o'clock) of the steering wheel turn the steering wheel in the direction that you want the trailer to move.  Use a spotter and your mirrors. go to an empty school parking lot and practice, practice and it will become much easier.

Travel safe and often
Vann

Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179
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JSeiley View Drop Down
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Posts: 8 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JSeiley Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Aug 2025 at 12:14pm
Thank you Vann! Love the backup ideas, thank you. I will definitely take your suggestion about finding a big empty parking lot and practicing. Where do you store the jack when traveling, in the RV or in your truck?
JoeS
2020 RPOD 195
2023 Toyota Tacoma OffRoad
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Joined: 22 Aug 2019
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Posts: 138 		Post Options Post Options   Quote poohbill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Aug 2025 at 1:43pm
Originally posted by Pod People


As to the jacking point, I can't tell about your particular model, but everything i have ever read or seen specifically says DO NOT put the jack on the axle-it is hollow and can be damaged by jacking.

If Pod People don’t know and I have been so lucky as to never had a flat, then the question is worthy of throwing out to Any and All.

Where does one jack?
2016 179 Gastropod
2017 Ridgeline
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JSeiley View Drop Down
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Posts: 8 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JSeiley Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Aug 2025 at 2:37pm
Thanks poobill, good idea. I’m new here, so is there a particular part of the forum where I should post the question about where to jack? An appropriate “topic” where that question should go? (I’m still learning forum decorum).
JoeS
2020 RPOD 195
2023 Toyota Tacoma OffRoad
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poohbill View Drop Down
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Posts: 138 		Post Options Post Options   Quote poohbill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Aug 2025 at 2:51pm
It seems my posts almost always fall under I Need Help!!!
2016 179 Gastropod
2017 Ridgeline
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JSeiley View Drop Down
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Posts: 8 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JSeiley Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Aug 2025 at 2:52pm
JoeS
2020 RPOD 195
2023 Toyota Tacoma OffRoad
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poohbill View Drop Down
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Posts: 138 		Post Options Post Options   Quote poohbill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Aug 2025 at 2:53pm
By the way, you might want to hold onto the tent. Ten years into trailering, some need or another arises for camping where the Pod won’t go.
2016 179 Gastropod
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Posts: 8 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JSeiley Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Aug 2025 at 3:12pm
Good call. We’ve kept all our gear for that reason. Plus for friends or family to us who want to camp with us, but don’t have gear. That way they can toss and turn tent camping, while wishing they had an RPod 😆. (I'm terrible, I know😉).
JoeS
2020 RPOD 195
2023 Toyota Tacoma OffRoad
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Posts: 6483 		Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Aug 2025 at 12:28am
Okay. I have had reason to need a jack (blowout and bearing greasing).

I made a block that cradles the axle tube in a V shape and lets the weight be carried by flat spots that use the axle attachment points to carry the weight. I also bought a small trolley jack and carry that. It gets low enough to go under the axle, even with a flat tire from a blowout. A bottle jack can't do that and scissors jacks are just as likely to bend as to work (ask me how I know that :( ). There is no design for the cradle. It was two 2x6 pieces of wood put together with screws and cut to fit the axle shape. I no longer have the R-Pod and the new trailer has its own issues with jacking since it has leaf springs instead of the torsion axle.

Like you, we gave up tent camping when it got too hard to get up after lying down. Have fun and make many great memories with your R-Pod!
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
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