First Time Towing! |
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DD08
Newbie Joined: 05 May 2023 Online Status: Offline Posts: 12 |
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Topic: First Time Towing! Posted: 12 May 2023 at 12:13pm |
Hey All,
New to the forum here and signed up very intrigued with a dedicated R POD only forum.. really cool! My wife and I have been camping for years but alas with a young one on the way and a 70LB dog in a tent we just couldn't bear the thought of doing that one more summer. So we got an opportunity from a friend to purchase a 2015 R Pod 171 and picked it up just yesterday!! However.. I really haven't towed a single axle trailer before (typically just double axle dump trailers) and was quite surprised with the uneasy feeling I had on the road on this thing. I wouldn't say it was extreme.. but the jolting back and forth (slightly) and the continuous bouncing I was really in for a treat. I towed the trailer home on just a ball/hitch but really want to go overkill and get the E2 Fastway. I'm being told it really isn't necessary. Beyond being unable to back the darn thing in our driveway because my skills are just awful we had a few issues I'm hoping I can get some input on! 1) see attached picture with our current setup. I had a 2" ball with a 2" drop and it didn't appear to be enough. The trailer has a slight rise at the front which didn't look extreme.. but didn't look correct either. Could I benefit from a different assembly? I really felt like the bouncing was something out of the ordinary where I could see the trailer kind of tumbling around but not swaying at all. 2) Our driveway is the next issue. It's a ramp curb to start, then a flat peice and then immediate incline to the end as you can see attached. We get about 2 feet onto the driveway with the back end until the stabilizer jacks scratch the concrete.. even with these taken off I think we'd still get some bumper scrape. Is my only option here to build a ramp? Any help is greatly appreciated, and maybe there are some things I'm completely unaware of? Maybe when I get the cargo and trailer loaded for actual travel it will get some more weight on the tongue? Looking forward to chatting with you all. |
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pedwards2932
Senior Member Joined: 21 Sep 2020 Online Status: Offline Posts: 333 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 12 May 2023 at 5:49pm |
What is your tongue weight? Needs to be at least 11% of what your trailers total weight.
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lostagain
Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2595 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 12 May 2023 at 7:42pm |
+1 on tongue weight.
We've been using a Fastway e2 since we bought ourPod in 2016 and kept it when we replaced ourPod with our Sonoma. We've always found towing with the WDH to be much more stable and comfortable. Backing with an e2 has never been a problem for us except in the most extreme situation of uneven ground and a need for a very sharp turn. DD08, the driveway in your picture is nothing compared to the rolled curb and uneven ground I had to back over to park our trailer on the side of our house when we lived in NV, and now it's even steeper and more abrupt at our home in CT. Backing is just not a significant issue. Cruising with a WDH is much more relaxing as you hardly notice the trailer is there even with high cross winds. I can't speak for other WDH's but many on this board have their favorites. Check out the options on e-trailer for the different brands and configurations that are available and the archives for discussions about which are preferred brands.
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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
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GlueGuy
Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2654 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 13 May 2023 at 6:26pm |
+2 on the tongue weight and WDH.
Also, you may want to look at replacing the rear stabilizers with SaveAJack.
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6326 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 13 May 2023 at 7:49pm |
Your driveway is quite a bit sunken. You need to look into getting it lifted either by cutting the bad section out and pouring new concrete or by seeing if you can get it raised by concrete pumping or the alternative, foam pumping. As cracked as it is, removing and pouring new is probably the better solution.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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jato
Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3255 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 13 May 2023 at 8:06pm |
I know, I know. . . broken record +3 on tongue weight. Have towed a 177 for 12 years, 8 with a '08 and '13 Explorer's, the last 4 with a '11 and '17 F-150. Have towed over 43,000+ miles using a simple Curt friction bar over snow, sleet, hail and 25+ mph cross winds and have not seen a need for a WDH. Regardless of that, we also go with a 1" drop having the front of the 177 one inch lower than the rear. The fully loaded 177 with 36 gallons of water (tank is behind axle) and ready to go for a 30 day excursion weighs in at 2940 lbs. 11% x 2940 = 323 lbs. needed on the tongue to reduce/eliminate sway. With two 12v batteries and two 20# propane tanks on the a-frame, the tongue weight is 340, as a result sway is never an issue. Our driveway makes yours look flat as a pancake by comparison, we were always dragging the rear stab's going up or down our asphalt driveway until we got smart and installed a 3.5" lift kit from FR, totally cured that problem. Finally - tires. The first 2 sets were "C" rated tires, set at 50 psi. The last set purchased are Carlisle Radial Trail HD, are "D" load rated tires, set at 60 psi. Makes for a more stable and smooth ride, especially noted on windy days.
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God's pod
'11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
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Pod People
Senior Member Joined: 22 Sep 2011 Location: Chapel Hill,NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 1078 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 14 May 2023 at 9:59am |
Lots of good advice so far. I will third/fourth/fifth??? the above as to wdh usage. It will make a world of difference in your towing experience. We have used the Equalizer 4 point sway system on 2 different tow vehicles and 2 different R Pods. Love it and would definitely buy it again. I also agree about good tires. The factory tires usually are the cheapest available. Better tires will have stronger sidewalls which will help limit the bouncing and swaying. Higher load range(D is preferable) is also helpful. so far, nobody has mentioned 2 of you questions-level trailer and jolting back and forth the trailer should be level for several reasons. being level will help remove any tendency for sway and could also help raise the rear end to stop dragging the jacks. There are lots of different shanks available with 2"-10" of drop. get the trailer level while parked and then measure from the top of the ball receiver to the ground. then measure the tow vehicle from the top of the ball to the ground. the difference is the amount of drop that needs to be used on the shank to keep the trailer level. this assumes that a wdh is installed to keep the rear end of the tow vehicle from sagging under the tongue weight of the trailer. this is another good reason for using a wdh system. Another issue you mentioned is jolting back and forth. this usually occurs when the shank is not tight in the receiver. It can be from extensive wear , different sized shank or wrong mating of the h=shank to the receiver. the 2" ball is correct. We use a hitch tightener similar to this https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Anti-Rattle/Roadmaster/RM-061.html It keeps the shank tight in the receiver and will stop a lot of the back/forth and side /side movement of the shank which will make for a smoother tow. this is what it looks like installed Good luck with your new R Pod Travel often and safe Vann |
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GlueGuy
Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2654 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 14 May 2023 at 10:02am |
One more thing. Backing up a trailer needs some practice, and do it with a spotter with a handheld radio if you can. Steer from the bottom of the steering wheel (if you want the trailer to go left, move the bottom of the steering wheel to the left). as soon as it starts moving the direction you want, follow it (straighten the turn a bit so you're following in the same arc). If it gets too far out of whack, do not be afraid to pull forward and try again.
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
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James07
Newbie Joined: 19 Feb 2020 Location: Sacramento Online Status: Offline Posts: 24 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 14 May 2023 at 12:44pm |
I have almost same set up. 2015 R pod 178 and new Ranger. No problems towing with E2 WDH on 7,500 mile round trip California to Alaska last summer. I added a second battery to give more weight to the front and carry very little water (since tank in back). Only recommendation is that you get E2 with 450 or 600# trunnion bars. Trunnion because of your driveway and 450/600# because the R pod is very lightweight and you want some bending. Don't want it too stiff.
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mjlrpod
Senior Member Joined: 27 Sep 2016 Location: Massachusetts Online Status: Offline Posts: 1215 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 14 May 2023 at 2:29pm |
Surprisingly no one has mentioned adding a lift kit to the camper. They sell a 3 1/2 or 4 inch lift kit for the pods. It will make a huge difference on your ground clearance.
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2017.5 Rp-172
2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
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