Newbie items needed before pod pickup

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   Hi all,  I'm planning to pick up my 178 in a couple days.  I want to make sure I have everything I need,  installed and ready.  I wasn't able to find a list, so I'm hoping my experienced podders can help me out.  I've purchased a Tekonsha Primus 90160 IQ brake controller, a 7 point wiring harness ( I currently have a 4 point), and I got my insurance estimate.  The dealer suggested I get the Fastway E2 Sway Controller.  Does anyone have opinions on that?  Of course you do.    Is there another brand that works as well.  The dealership wants $500 (installed).  I've seen it on Amazon for $273.  It looks like the install is tightening bolts, but I may be oversimplifying it.  Am I missing anything?  I need to be able to drive in, connect and go.  Is there anything else I need to make that happen?  I do plan to video the walk thru.

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Watts Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 03 May 2017 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 9	Topic: Newbie items needed before pod pickup Posted: 09 May 2017 at 11:22pm
	Hi all, I'm planning to pick up my 178 in a couple days. I want to make sure I have everything I need, installed and ready. I wasn't able to find a list, so I'm hoping my experienced podders can help me out. I've purchased a Tekonsha Primus 90160 IQ brake controller, a 7 point wiring harness ( I currently have a 4 point), and I got my insurance estimate. The dealer suggested I get the Fastway E2 Sway Controller. Does anyone have opinions on that? Of course you do. Is there another brand that works as well. The dealership wants $500 (installed). I've seen it on Amazon for $273. It looks like the install is tightening bolts, but I may be oversimplifying it. Am I missing anything? I need to be able to drive in, connect and go. Is there anything else I need to make that happen? I do plan to video the walk thru.

Danielw1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 01 Apr 2017 Location: Oregon Online Status: Offline Posts: 115	Posted: 09 May 2017 at 11:56pm
	If you need to just drive in and go, a ball and light connector will get you there. Not sure how far your going but that trailer should move easy without a bunch of fancy whatnot!

computerfixitguy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 04 Jun 2016 Location: Littleton, CO Online Status: Offline Posts: 91	Posted: 10 May 2017 at 12:21am
	Congrats.. you will love it. We love ours. I don't know what you tow with, but my weight distribution hitch quite possibly be the best thing ever, mine is the Equalizer which was $700 installed and you want that because they will level it to your vehicle. Also, take 2 golf cart batteries and have them keep the 12v. They last way longer. Save the money on the one the dealer gives you. We also had the dealer put on a motorized hitch jack so I don't have to crank up and down. Another great decision. There are bug shields for the vents that are cheap you can have them put on or put them on yourself. Trailer comes with nothing, so you will either buy a starter kit for the black tank drain, but you can do that when you get back. My list for pickup was: Dealer to provide: WDH hitch , bug shields, electric hitch jack, and make sure there are NO leaks.. double check this. Once you leave, its all yours I brought with me: 6v batteries with enclosures and wires, fresh water hose and 90 degree fitting, black tank hose, leveling blocks, Cordless DRILL with lug wrench for scissor jacks, 35amp shore power cable, brake controller, Costco propane tank with empty gauge. 35 amp to 20 amp adapter. What went wrong: heater wasn't secured, trim was falling off, screws were missing on our door , KEYS WERE WRONG, VIN was actually different from trailer to chassis, lost black tank hardware heading home and bent heck out of scissor jacks. Have the dealer make sure everything is attached and there are no water leaks both from the roof and from the guts. Its important because now that peak season is upon us, you will not be able to get it in to be fixed because everyone is busy. I discovered little things, like the framing under the seats / storage area was not completely framed. You will discover them too. Seal around door wouldn't seal. All 3 keys were completely wrong. I thought about recording the walk through, but it wasn't that bad. The part I have to remember is how to turn on the water heater. If you want the list of what I have done since we brought ours home, I can do that too. Derek

Richand Cindy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 16 Apr 2016 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 328	Posted: 10 May 2017 at 7:55am
	The Fastway is the cheapest (our dealer charged $450 installed) of the best. It is simple to install just bolting it to the frame. Watched as the dealer did it in 30 minutes. BUT installing it properly to the correct specs will be tough to do on your own. Would recommend just paying the dealer. After reading many posts and conferring with experts I came to the following conclusions. With the small lightweight RPOD weight distribution is not an issue especially if you will tow with a truck and not an small SUV. Therefore it is not mandatory. However sway control is important. People say they towed without it cannot believe how much better they tow once they added sway control. Since Fastway and others are both sway control and weight distrbution why no just get both. The Fastway, Equalizer, Blue Ox and all top of the line can back up without having to unhook the bars. The Fastway is cheaper than the others since it only has 2 point instead of 4 point anti sway. But my dealer who sells all three said for a small light TT anything more than the Fastway is overkill. I asked for the Equalizer but he said he could not sell it to me in good conscience. They guy who installed it agreed, he only puts Fastways on the RPODS. I like the fact that if you lift the RV up you can attach the Fastway bars without using any tools it just slides on. When you lower it back friction takes over and the bars are tight. You can search on my posts and there is a list of must haves and nice to haves. You already covered the big items. Enjoy
	OLD 2017.5 RPOD 180 + 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk NEW: 2018 Passport Elite 23RB + 2017 Ram 1500 Diesel

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2591	Posted: 10 May 2017 at 9:23am
	We got our Fastway E2 from the dealer for about $450, installed, but if I had it to do over again, I'd have purchased one on the Internet and installed it myself. If you follow the instructions, the installation is very simple. As a matter of fact, I had to practically re-install/assemble the hitch myself because it had to be adjusted for the height of my truck's receiver and they didn't put the round bar brackets at the same height on the tongue. I agree with Richard's comments about the Fastway. It's easy to use and really stabilizes your ride, both on curvy mountain roads and on freeway straight aways.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

jato Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3237	Posted: 10 May 2017 at 3:52pm
	Am curious as to how long you go with your 2 6v golf cart batteries w/o having solar or vehicle to recharge them. We have 2 12v deep cycle batteries that last 3 - 3.5 days each (take it down to 1/3 SOC) and that is during the off season when the furnace gets used a fair amount (spring/fall, lows in the upper 30's to upper 40's). They are now beginning year 7 so I have been quite pleased with the 12v batteries and with how long they have lasted so far.
	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."

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6298	Posted: 10 May 2017 at 5:17pm
	I know that two 6V batteries will be taken down overnight if the refrigerator is set to use 12V. The first night of our first big trip, we towed with the refrigerator on battery and then did not switch it. We got an early wake-up when the refrigerator started beeping. That is also when we found out that the propane wasn't working properly because of a mud-dauber nest which caused the flames to shoot out backward and burn some wires. We had only had the R-Pod for one week, and it was December. No way wasps were active then. We were at the start of a big trip, and had to use the refrigerator on propane, even with the burned wires after the dealer cleared out the nest. Later, after we got back, it went back and the burned wires were replaced. Since then, I installed the bug screens to keep the wasps out. I also do not use the 12V option. It is either propane or shore power.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

Subzilla Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jan 2017 Location: Concord, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 302	Posted: 11 May 2017 at 7:50am
	That was one of the more useful tips the dealer tech told us to do....put bug screens on all of the openings. Bought them from Amazon to cover the 2 openings for the furnace, the 2 for the water heater and all of the openings for the fridge (and there are alot of them). Lots Dirt Daubers and wasps in the Carolinas.
	Mark Concord, NC 2017 RP 179 "Podzilla" 2011 Silverado 1500 4X4

Watts Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 03 May 2017 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 9	Posted: 11 May 2017 at 11:24am
	Thank you, thank you to everyone. I have 2 dealers working the numbers and they know about each other. They offer the same perks: battery, full propane tank, so I told each, the final number is the only factor. I'm driving 12.5 hours or 14 hrs for the pick up. Fingers crossed.

Watts Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 03 May 2017 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 9	Posted: 15 May 2017 at 3:19pm
	Thank you all for your help. I'm pulling out Friday afternoon and heading out to get my trailer. I've heard good and bad about RV-Nation, so I'm praying for good. They absolutely beat out everything close to home. The difference was close to 3k and I'd still have to purchase the R-Dome, electric jack, battery or tank cover. They're included in my purchase. I'm coming under 15K and I think that was pretty cool. I'm so excited..... and I just can't hide it .......... I'm about to get my Pod, and I think I like it!