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2B's In A Pod
Newbie
Joined: 15 Oct 2017
Location: Edmonton, AB
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Posts: 7
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Topic: Add shocks to r-pod suspension? Posted: 07 Dec 2018 at 5:23pm |
We have a 2018 R-pod 172 Hood River Edition that we really enjoy. However when traveling off the pavement (eg. gravel roads, trails, etc.) we get alot of bounce even though we travel slow. Our TV is a Toyota 4Runner which rides smoothly on the rough roads. Our trailer has Lippert Torsion axles. Has anybody added shocks, or other mods, to this torsion bar suspension to improve travel off-road? If so how did you do it and was it successful?
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TheBum
Senior Member
Joined: 26 Feb 2016
Location: Texas
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Posts: 1407
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Posted: 07 Dec 2018 at 6:01pm |
I can't speak for off-road, but for bounce down the highway, going to D-load-rated tires made a huge difference.
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Alan
2022 R-Pod 196 "RaptoRPod"
2022 Ram 1500 Lone Star 4x4
Three cats
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mcarter
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
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Posts: 3419
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Posted: 07 Dec 2018 at 6:43pm |
What Bum is talking about is the easy stuff to modify a trailer, any trailer. Living on a ranch I modified several trailers with what would be considered normal suspension, like a leaf, mobile home axle to carry a 500 gal water tank across open praire. Or heavier stuff. Personally I do not think it is a wise idea for a Pod. It is not an off road camper. It involves what we used to call in the military second and third order effects. I have looked at Pod suspension and my take is know your limitations. I'm not wetting on your dream, because I think anything is doable, but end of the day it would take extensive mods to convert a standard Pod to a functional off road trailer. The frame has to be able to support the suspension mods and then the cabin has to be resilient to the mods. I would like to see anybody who has tried this. I don't believe it worked without extensive mods. Sure willing to listen to anybody who has tried.
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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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voisj
Senior Member
Joined: 19 Jul 2016
Location: San Luis Obispo
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Posts: 471
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Posted: 07 Dec 2018 at 8:53pm |
My two cents, it can only help if done right. I added shocks to my work trailer and less stuff was on the floor after bouncing around jobsites.
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SLOPODMODS
John&Sue,SLO,CA
2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost
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Awchief
Groupie
Joined: 04 May 2018
Location: Biloxi, MS
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Posts: 83
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Posted: 08 Dec 2018 at 10:04am |
My previous trailers (Airstream) had the same sort of axles as Rpods. They had shocks to dampen the suspension.
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Michael
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2B's In A Pod
Newbie
Joined: 15 Oct 2017
Location: Edmonton, AB
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Posts: 7
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Posted: 08 Dec 2018 at 10:36am |
Appreciate the comments folks. Prior to posting my question I did some research and found that Airstreams have shocks. What's good for Airstreams is good for Rpods... Anyways, I hear what you're saying Mcarter ie. Rpod not being an off road trailer and the mods I speaking of will have second and third effects. However the Hood River edition has higher clearance and off road tires. So although I'm not trying to match the off road capabilities of my 4Runner, I would like to travel 'smoothly' a wee bit more off road.
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furpod
Moderator Group - pHp
Joined: 25 Jul 2011
Location: Central KY
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Posts: 6128
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Posted: 08 Dec 2018 at 11:09am |
Among other things, an Airstream has frame outriggers, and a different style frame (I have had to replace 2 outriggers on ours). Since modifying the frame and axle will be involved, I would seriously consider waiting until your warranty is out. I don't normally worry about such, or warn against mods just because they may not be warranty friendly, but in the case of the frame and suspension, and the fact that it wouldn't be hard to argue a lot of issues with the modification in the future, I would advise waiting a bit.
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Tars Tarkas
Senior Member
Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Location: Near Nashville
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Posts: 1447
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Posted: 08 Dec 2018 at 11:21am |
Originally posted by 2B's In A Pod
Appreciate the comments folks. Prior to posting my question I did some research and found that Airstreams have shocks. What's good for Airstreams is good for Rpods...Anyways, I hear what you're saying Mcarter ie. Rpod not being an off road trailer and the mods I speaking of will have second and third effects. However the Hood River edition has higher clearance and off road tires. So although I'm not trying to match the off road capabilities of my 4Runner, I would like to travel 'smoothly' a wee bit more off road. | I'll be interested to hear how this goes if you decided to do it. I'm more of the same mind as MCarter though and I think there may (or may not) be a logical disconnect in the idea that what works for an Airstream will work for an RPod. I know next to nothing about Airstreams, but I can tell you that the off-roadness of the Hood River Edition Pods is almost 100% cosmetic. They are not higher off the ground than other Pods with axle risers, other than a few millimeters due to the 15" tires. There is no added strength in the HRE frame, body, or axle or anything else in its construction.
What makes a trailer an off-road trailer is largely a matter of opinion, just as is what "off-road" means. In my opinion, shocks might smooth things out a little but they won't make a Pod an off-road trailer. Which is not to say they won't help on some forest service type roads.... The cost:benefit analysis is up to you.
I just switched to load range D tires, and they do get rid of a lot of bounce, plus I'm pretty sure they added about 10% to my MPGs while towing.
TT
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2010 176
FJ Cruiser
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GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
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Posts: 2653
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Posted: 08 Dec 2018 at 11:47am |
Originally posted by furpod
Among other things, an Airstream has frame outriggers, and a different style frame (I have had to replace 2 outriggers on ours). |
What do those outriggers look like? I'm wondering if adding outriggers to an R-pod axle would improve the load capability; especially for those of us with the heavier (~~ 3800 lb GVW)?
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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mcarter
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
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Posts: 3419
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Posted: 08 Dec 2018 at 2:04pm |
I had an Airstream. The outriggers extend from the frame to the outside of the cabin and the TT is mounted on them, they add support to the cabin from the frame and are not part of the axle. The Airstream does have shocks (mine did) which are attached to the axle assembly. The composition of the frame is not at all like a Pod. A Pod has a basic trailer frame with an axle attached. +1 to Furpod and not trying this if you have a warranty.
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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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