Introduce Yourself: Tow Vehicles?

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Tow Vehicles?

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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Introduce Yourself
Forum Discription: New Members - tell us about yourself and your r-pod
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=11527
Printed Date: 29 Aug 2025 at 6:18am
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Topic: Tow Vehicles?

Posted By: Tom A
Subject: Tow Vehicles?
Date Posted: 06 May 2018 at 9:15pm

We are new to towing a camper, not new to camping. Previously our camping gear was carried on our backs and in the canoe.

We are a one car family, and I just bought a nice Rp-190 rated at about 3100#. I am towing it with my Toyota Highlander that has a 5000# towing capacity. I have towed a 12' open utility trailer without brakes for many years. Now the R-pod feels very different, obviously.

Putting it plainly, with this Pod attached there is a bit of lurching. I do have a weight distribution hitch and an anti sway bar. It is nothing serious, but it is much more noticeable on city streets and bumpy roads.

I have not encountered any hilly conditions around Chicago yet, but I am wondering what that will be like. I am able to cruise along with traffic on the Interstates, but I obviously don't have the responsiveness that I am used to.

I like the size and specs of my pod, but what are y'all towing with? I see lots of pickups in the photos. I don't want another pickup.

Are there any other Highlander tows out there, or do I need to step up?

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2018 Sequoia--2018 RP 190

Replies:

Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 06 May 2018 at 9:47pm

My FJ Cruiser has a 5000 lb towing capacity too. I put in a transmission cooler, which helps a lot. It pulls my pod very well. Yes, there are times I can certainly tell it's back there, but all across the country, in the Smokies and through the Rockies, it's done fine.

Personally, I think a 5000 lb towing capacity is about the minimum. As some people say, you never hear anyone complain about having too much towing capacity.

I'm not clear whether you have a brake controller. If not, you have to get one. Legally, at least in most states, and as an essential safety consideration.

TT

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2010 176
FJ Cruiser

Posted By: Tom A
Date Posted: 07 May 2018 at 4:50am

Oh yeah, I'm using a brake controller.

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2018 Sequoia--2018 RP 190

Posted By: Ghosthawk
Date Posted: 07 May 2018 at 8:12am

We like you are new to this. Just signed to buy a R-pod 189 with the R-dome.

Just bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee Larado for our TV.

No WD hitch, sway bar "Yet". I want to see how it feels.
Brake controller I was planning on.

I'm an old farm boy, and I know about heavy loads. A big part of it is driving far enough down the road.

What I mean is, don't drive by what you see just in front of your bumper. Put your eyes at least a half mile down the road. Anticipate. Go easy on acceleration, go easy on breaking. If you plan ahead far enough you should hardly have to tap the brakes.

Take your tow vehicle without trailer, roll it up to 55, and half a mile before an intersection remove foot from accelerator. Just let it roll.

Guessing that by the time you actually reach the intersection, you'll be doing about 15 mph. A light tap stops you on the mark.

Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance!

When you are wheeling 60,000 lbs of wheat in a single rear axle farm truck on gravel roads you HAVE to plan ahead. Stopping distance is something like 300 yards.

Give it a try, practice. Don't worry about the guy behind ya.
Your job is to get your tow vehicle and that precious cargo behind to where you want safely.
Don't spare a thought for anyone else. Worry about your job. Let them worry about theirs.

And if they are in such a hurry that they can't spare 3-5 seconds, screw em.

Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 07 May 2018 at 9:02am

Originally posted by Tom A

We are a one car family, and I just bought a nice Rp-190 rated at about 3100#. I am towing it with my Toyota Highlander that has a 5000# towing capacity. I have towed a 12' open utility trailer without brakes for many years. Now the R-pod feels very different, obviously.

First, the RP-190 has a gross weight rating of about 3800 lbs. Your Highlander is in the 4300 lb range. So right off the bat you have almost doubled the weight of the Highlander. Expect performance in all modes to be half of what it was before. It will take (at least) twice the time (and distance) to accelerate, at least twice the time (and distance) to stop. When you take a turn, the trailer does not follow behind you so much as behind and inside. IOW, if you take a track through a turn with your Highlander, the trailer will be following almost a foot inside the same turn radius. What I tend to do is take the TV on the outside of the lane, and the pod will be following along on the inside of the lane.

The lurching is just the fact that you are pulling something that weighs almost as much as the Highlander.

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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost

Posted By: TheBum
Date Posted: 07 May 2018 at 3:24pm

I haven't noticed any lurching at all when pulling our 179 with our 2012 Highlander. My wife describes the acceleration when hitched up as similar to her 2008 I4 Mazda Tribute, so the combination is far from being a dog. We use a Fastway E2 hitch and have the factory tow prep package (transmission cooler and beefier alternator) as well as the OEM hitch receiver.

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Alan
2022 R-Pod 196 "RaptoRPod"
2022 Ram 1500 Lone Star 4x4
Three cats