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Pod613
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Joined: 11 Sep 2017
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
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Topic: Towing setup for new RP176 Posted: 19 Mar 2018 at 11:26am |
Originally posted by furpod
As I remember, the Pilot and Ridgie manuals advise against a WDH, because if improperly installed or adjusted, they could damage the unibody construction.I know owners of both, who do both. Towing comfort is subjective.
That said. I (I) believe towing trailers, is "truck stuff", and I believe doing truck stuff requires.... a truck.
Do people tow with Subarus and Kias and Escapes and such? sure. Would I? Nope.
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The 2016 manual now says
"Your vehicle is designed to tow without the need for a load distributing hitch. If you want to use one consult your trailer maker for proper installation and set-up. Improper set-up could degrade the handling, stability and braking performance of your vehicle"
Anyway, I think the solution is simple, I can try it without and then put it on if required.
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2019 RP176
2016 Honda Pilot EX-L AWD
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furpod
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Location: Central KY
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Posted: 19 Mar 2018 at 9:45am |
As I remember, the Pilot and Ridgie manuals advise against a WDH, because if improperly installed or adjusted, they could damage the unibody construction.I know owners of both, who do both. Towing comfort is subjective.
That said. I (I) believe towing trailers, is "truck stuff", and I believe doing truck stuff requires.... a truck.
Do people tow with Subarus and Kias and Escapes and such? sure. Would I? Nope.
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ArenaBlanca
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Location: Alamogordo, NM
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Posted: 19 Mar 2018 at 9:36am |
In light of the comment about the value of experience, I would say you could safely tow from the dealer to home and then make the call. I would also check to see if the TV is level when the Pod is connected. If you are towing when headlights are needed, you don't want the headlight pointing at the stars.
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Enjoy Life!!
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malkbean2
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Posted: 19 Mar 2018 at 7:50am |
There is no advice being given - except perhaps yours. Stating factual experience is not advice and by the way I personally believe experience is way way way way more valuable than theoretical calculations and also keep in mind that any engineering spec worth its salt always throws in a fudge factor and 150% would not be uncommon. That being said, if you can afford it and it suits your needs, I believe it is always better to oversize your TV.
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Pod613
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Posted: 18 Mar 2018 at 9:22pm |
I’m back with another question.
We purchased a 2018 RP176 and expect to get it in April, can’t wait!
The dealer is advising me that I do not require a WDH with my Pilot. A stabilizer is all they recommend. They could up sell me easily but are not.
My Pilot manual says my vehicle “should” not require a WDH but my gut tells me I should get one. It’s not a question of cost to me but safety.
Thoughts?
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2019 RP176
2016 Honda Pilot EX-L AWD
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voisj
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Location: San Luis Obispo
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Posted: 09 Feb 2018 at 12:04pm |
Good call and happy travels!
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SLOPODMODS
John&Sue,SLO,CA
2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost
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Pod613
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Posted: 09 Feb 2018 at 11:04am |
Hi all,
Lots have changed since my first post. I did more research on my own and concluded that I needed to upgrade my TV. I have since gone to a 2016 Honda Pilot with towing package. This give me much more confidence.
My wife and I are going to the RV show tonight and I expect we'll be buying it then!
Thanks everyone for the good discussion.
Looking forward to posting more about my experiences.
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Hayduke
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Posted: 02 Jan 2018 at 2:29pm |
Originally posted by malkbean2
i'm towing a 178 with a 3.6L dodge Caravan. for about 8000 miles. The 178 weighs in at 2650 well below the max tow weight of the TV. I don't use a WDH because I am a little wary of the stress it could put on the frame. Been doing fine with just a sway bar. Only problems are from big trucks. Their turbulence sometimes tries to induce a little sway but stops almost immediately after they pass. (not even sure if the sway is from the trailer swaying cause I feel the semis pushing the minivan even without the trailer hitched). Havent had any problem powerwise with east coast mountains, I have yet to challenge the western mountains.
I am violating 2 TV specs: 1. the trailer frontal area -- this is a wind resistance issue and as long as i keep the speed down the only thing that suffers is the gas mileage
2. tongue weight -- the recommended TW is 360lb.. I took the back seats out to take some weight off the axle and hitch receiver and purposely added tongue weight on the tongue to ensure a stable ride
I have very little additional cargo weight in the trailer, all the heavy stuff is stored in the van.
The itemized Dodge component sheet shows that the grand caravan comes from the factory with beefed up suspension, alternator, and trans cooling. I don't know if Honda comes like that, i f, not you will likely need it.
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I would bet good money that your trailer weighs at least 3100-3300 lbs when hooked up and towing. As mentioned already, the listed empty weights are not an accurate representation.
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2012 177 HRE
2017 Tacoma Double Cab
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malkbean2
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Posted: 31 Dec 2017 at 9:02am |
they not only give unclear specs on stuff but sales people seem to purposely muddy it up to confuse things further.
Doing your own research and balancing the many facets of towing is paramount.
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malkbean2
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Posted: 31 Dec 2017 at 8:50am |
i pretty much keep it mt while towing except for some extra weight on the tongue.
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