Newest style WD Hitch |
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6326 |
Topic: Newest style WD Hitch Posted: 31 Aug 2017 at 11:06am |
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I'm looking forward to hearing your results when you get the hitch. I sent a couple of questions to KAAD Engineering via eBay. One has to do with how the hitch accomplishes sway control. Another has to do with backing, especially if there is a significant angle. I can see where this design would limit sway and try to keep the trailer centered but I can't see where it would allow backing if there is a significant angle that has to be negotiated like into my driveway from the road.
Also, when looking at the pictures on the KAAD Engineering web site, I see what appears to be multiple versions of the hitch. I asked about that as well since the picture you posted (from the eBay site, I assume) showed eye bolts at both ends and on the web site, it showed a lever and spoke of clevis pins. I want to know which is the current model. |
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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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spydie
Senior Member Joined: 25 Jul 2017 Location: New Mexico Online Status: Offline Posts: 159 |
Posted: 31 Aug 2017 at 11:35am | |
Yes, StephenH, you are right on almost everything. I can see no sway control and I don't believe the springs have anything to do with that. Anderson accomplishes that with the special tapered ball shaft in a friction material. I think the KAAD is strictly an equalizer. Also, there is going to be some limit to backing angles with all equalizer hitches. I think the ones with the bars that lie in a saddle and provide friction in the saddle have the best angles, but only if the saddles are not mounted too far back so as to cause them to fall out in a sharp turn (that happened to me). The oldest style ones with the chains on the end of the bars would have the same backup angle as the KAAD (IMHO), but KAAD is brand new, trying to start a revolution in WD hitches and is practically giving them away to get them out in use and reports on them (they cost him over $80 each to build). The first two he actually gave away because people are afraid of new technology that doesn't cost a lot of money. He said he'd ship mine out next Monday. I think right now he hand-builds each one until and if they get popular enough that he can put them into production. You're right on the various pictures. I'm sure some of those are prototypes and he's still refining how to hook things up, but the physics behind it remains the same as the expensive Anderson.
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2018 R-pod 176
2017 RAM 1500 5.7L Hemi |
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bob-Pod
Newbie Joined: 25 Sep 2016 Location: Bremerton, WA Online Status: Offline Posts: 16 |
Posted: 31 Aug 2017 at 9:16pm | |
I'm also very curious on how it will work. We are putting a cargo tray on the tongue and adapting it to carry our bikes. With the weight on the cargo carrier, bikes and rack, I will be adding a fair amount of weight to the tongue. So I am finally looking to add a WDH after towing Rpods for 8 years. I have almost sold myself on the Andersen hitch. I wish someone would have had one at PNW roundup. Hopefully you will be able to test out the new one before I have to buy one.
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2015 RPOD 178 HRE (2015- ) 2010 RPOD 171 (2009-2015)
2010 Toyota Tacoma Quad Cab |
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spydie
Senior Member Joined: 25 Jul 2017 Location: New Mexico Online Status: Offline Posts: 159 |
Posted: 31 Aug 2017 at 11:38pm | |
Hold out a little longer. I hope to do the test and review by the end of next week. If he mails it on Monday like he said, it should be here by thursday and my mail doesn't go until late in the day so probably won't get to test it until a week from tomorrow (Friday) Sept 1. I should have the review up by Saturday Sept 9. I still don't think it has any anti-sway, and if you need that, you can add a conventional sway bar for about $50. Or you can spend $474 and get the Anderson. They work the same except you'll pay about $400 for anti-sway part of it! (smile) Today I took the spare tire off my Pod and weighed it. With the tire mount it weighs about 67 lbs. I decided to help my trailer sway by hauling the tire in the back of my truck. If I need more tongue weight, I'll put a spare-tire mount on the tongue of my Pod and move it that. I'm hoping to eliminate all sway with a full tank of fresh water (300 lbs way behind the axle.) and not have to use a sway bar, but we'll see how that works. |
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2018 R-pod 176
2017 RAM 1500 5.7L Hemi |
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CharlieM
Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797 |
Posted: 01 Sep 2017 at 9:41am | |
I assume you meant 300 lbs ahead of the axle. 300 lbs behind the axle would be bad news. |
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Charlie
Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
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spydie
Senior Member Joined: 25 Jul 2017 Location: New Mexico Online Status: Offline Posts: 159 |
Posted: 01 Sep 2017 at 9:44am | |
No, I meant behind. The fresh water tank is placed the farthest to the rear. Ahead of that, and still behind the axle is the grey water. Ahead of the axle is the black water. A very poor design. Forest River really has no idea how to design a travel trailer after all their years in business.
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2018 R-pod 176
2017 RAM 1500 5.7L Hemi |
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CharlieM
Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797 |
Posted: 01 Sep 2017 at 12:16pm | |
In that case I wouldn't tow very far with a full FW tank; just from the last water source to the campsite. Not good from a sway and an MPG standpoint.
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Charlie
Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
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CharlieM
Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797 |
Posted: 01 Sep 2017 at 12:35pm | |
I guess, given the alternatives, FR chose the best of bad options. The FW tank is the easiest to fill or empty, even without a dump station. The black tank position is determined by the toilet location so the gray tank falls wherever. There's no perfect solution to all requirements. Just watch the tongue weight. |
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Charlie
Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
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spydie
Senior Member Joined: 25 Jul 2017 Location: New Mexico Online Status: Offline Posts: 159 |
Posted: 01 Sep 2017 at 1:19pm | |
They should at Least have switched the fresh water and grey tank. Very bad design. The campsites I go to don't allow me to find water when I get there so I have to pull with full tank. It doesn't affect the mpg any measurable amount. Sway can be controlled and no RV should ever be built that you can't Tow with a full tank
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2018 R-pod 176
2017 RAM 1500 5.7L Hemi |
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poston
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 28 Mar 2018 Location: Nevada Online Status: Offline Posts: 197 |
Posted: 17 Dec 2020 at 12:21am | |
Did you ever get the KAAD WDH? If so, how did it do? |
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-- Jim Virginia City, Nevada 2016 R-pod 180 2015 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X |
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