R-pod Owners Forum Homepage

This site is free to use.
Donations benefit a non-profit Girls Softball organization

Forum Home Forum Home > R-pod Discussion Forums > Introduce Yourself
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: New RP 180!!!
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Calendar   Register Register  Login Login

Topic ClosedNew RP 180!!!
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12345 7>
Author
Message Reverse Sort Order
  Share Topic Share Topic  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
DavMar View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 04 Aug 2017
Location: Lexington, NC
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 592 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: New RP 180!!!
    Posted: 07 Jun 2018 at 9:46pm
OldNeumanntapr, your choice of WDH anti sway seems more then adequate to me but hey what do I know? Wink
My only other suggestion to you is to look at upgrading your tires because remember you only have two hitting the road compared to four on larger RV campers on the road.
 
Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the
wonder dog.
2017 Rpod 180
2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4
Lexington, NC
Back to Top
OldNeumanntapr View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 May 2018
Location: CA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 204 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jun 2018 at 9:26pm
Thanks everyone for your advice. After much thought, and talking with a variety of shops, I have decided to go with the Equalizer 500 WDH with 4-way sway control. The local hitch company will be installing it in the next couple of weeks. There were a couple of models, but this one is rated for 4,000 lb GTW and 400 lbs TW. I looked at a lot of hitches on line and liked the Equalizer because it is American made. Is this the appropriate model for the rPod? It seemed to be but I thought I'd ask.
Is this all I need? Will this help with the bouncing over bridges and raise the rear of the truck to a more level position?

The shops told me that because the rPod is a single-axel trailer, and is tall and has a lot of surface area, it can sway in the wind more than a double-axel trailer. Plus, my truck is not 50% heavier than my trailer so the WDH was recommended.

This has all been a learning experience. Just today I had the local Toyota dealer do a large service on my 2011 Tacoma V6 PreRunner. It had just turned 60,000 miles so I had new plugs put in, and had the trans flushed and all new synthetic trans fluid installed. Also had the gear oil in the rear differential changed, along with an oil and filter change.

Looks like a good start for the summer camping season. Looking forward to the meet up in OR in August! 
Back to Top
OldNeumanntapr View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 May 2018
Location: CA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 204 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jun 2018 at 8:21pm
We are excited. It looks like fun. Haven’t been on the Oregon coast in 20+ years.
Back to Top
Live2Camp View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 17 Apr 2017
Location: No. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 240 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jun 2018 at 1:34pm
Originally posted by OldNeumanntapr

We got reservations for the 2018 Cannon Beach Meetup! Yay! We will be there all three days.

Good! We'll see you there. 
2017 R-Pod 179 HRE (the green one)
His:Ford F150 double cab 4WD; Hers/mine:Tacoma V6 double cab 4WD
Still love rugged, diggin' comfy too
Back to Top
OldNeumanntapr View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 May 2018
Location: CA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 204 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jun 2018 at 12:19am
We got reservations for the 2018 Cannon Beach Meetup! Yay! We will be there all three days.
Back to Top
OldNeumanntapr View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 May 2018
Location: CA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 204 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2018 at 9:37pm
All good advice. Thanks to all who have offered their comments. I will have to carefully decide which route I shall take. Leaning now to the WDH but will have to convince the wife, as she is always texting me little emojis of dollar bills flying away with sad faces.
Back to Top
mcarter View Drop Down
podders Helping podders - pHp
podders Helping podders - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2018 at 2:51pm
I think there is a bit of half truths here. A WDH transfers weight to all axles of both the TV and the TT. Does it assist with front end rise - yes, most say a WDH is a good idea if TT is 50% of weight capacity of TV. Do your headlights shine into the sky, your TV rear end sag, you notice sway or control issues, then WDH is a good consideration. Absolutely agree beefing up rear suspension is not the right answer, the right answer is to distribute weight. And a WDH does that across ALL axles. I wouldn't let the forum WHD shame me into adding something I don't need. I know many of this forum use them, do they all need them, I guess so if they think so. I don't have a WDH and I tow fine. BTW - I would not go with dealers recommendation, this is about you and your towing experience.
Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
Back to Top
GlueGuy View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2631 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2018 at 2:37pm
The Tacoma is a great tow vehicle for pretty much any R-pod. If you poll this forum, you will find that a significant percentage are towing with a Tacoma. As long as it's the V6, you should be fine. I'd probably prefer having the WDH, simply because I like having all four wheels with good traction/control.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
Back to Top
OldNeumanntapr View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 May 2018
Location: CA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 204 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2018 at 12:38pm
TV is a 2011 Tacoma V6 PreRunner Access Cab with the factory tow package (upgraded alternator, bigger battery, receiver hitch and trailer wiring. GVWR on the truck is 5,250 I believe. More than the trailer weight but not by a significant amount. I notice that most people go with the WDH.

(The truck has the TRD Off Road package with the off road gas shocks. I never take the truck off road but liked the higher ground clearance of the PreRunner and I wanted a V6 because I knew when I bought the truck that I would eventually replace the tent trailer with a travel trailer and I didn’t need four wheel drive.)
Back to Top
GlueGuy View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2631 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2018 at 11:59am
Originally posted by OldNeumanntapr

Would a good WDH do a better job of leveling the back of the truck than just the overloads alone?
In a word. Yes.

The overload springs do nothing, zilch, nada to transfer any load to the front axle (the steering axle). So while it may look OK from a level point of view, you still have effectively "unloaded" the front axle by whatever the moment arm is. If the tow vehicle is big/heavy enough, then no problem. However, if the vehicle is relatively light and/or front wheel drive, then you might be in for an unpleasant surprise. That's the main job of a WDH, it takes a portion of the tongue weight, and transfers it to the front of the tow vehicle. The exact dynamics vary with the size and weight of the TV and TT; no two situations will be exactly the same.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12345 7>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.64
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz