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Topic ClosedWe're expecting! a 195 on the way
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2630 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: We're expecting! a 195 on the way
    Posted: 24 Mar 2019 at 4:18pm
Originally posted by mjlrpod

One thing nobody has mentioned is, the pass through storage, and (i'm guessing) under the bed storage will be a direct effect on tongue weight. To me water isn't much of a concern since i can choose to fill, or not fill. I would think the water tank is in the rear, near the sink, and the bathroom. Wouldn't make much sense to have it elsewhere. I figure the lay out will be the same as my 172. The black and grey just before the axle, the fresh just after the axle. It might help the tongue to run with water in the fresh tank.  I can't wait to see the 195 in person so I can decide if I'm buying, so I hope you'll let us know how it is. 
The 195 is very similar in layout to the 179; kitchen, bathroom, bed, pass through,  and dinette/slide-out in almost exactly the same places. The major differences are the width and length. So I would expect the tanks to be similar as well. Will be curious how it turns out in any case.
bp
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mjlrpod View Drop Down
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Posts: 1214 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Mar 2019 at 3:30pm
One thing nobody has mentioned is, the pass through storage, and (i'm guessing) under the bed storage will be a direct effect on tongue weight. To me water isn't much of a concern since i can choose to fill, or not fill. I would think the water tank is in the rear, near the sink, and the bathroom. Wouldn't make much sense to have it elsewhere. I figure the lay out will be the same as my 172. The black and grey just before the axle, the fresh just after the axle. It might help the tongue to run with water in the fresh tank.  I can't wait to see the 195 in person so I can decide if I'm buying, so I hope you'll let us know how it is. 
2017.5 Rp-172
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Mar 2019 at 11:17am
If a 195 gets set up with all that stuff on the tongue, plus water in the tank, it could easily go over 600 lbs on the tongue, depending on where the tank is placed. If I added another propane cylinder to my 179 it would be at 590 lbs or so. Then there is that nice 8-10 inch foam mattressLOL....
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2630 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Mar 2019 at 11:14am
I will concur what offgrid is saying. If the dry weight of the 195 is 3400 lbs, then the full up weight could be well over 4400 lbs. See if you can find out what the cargo capacity will be. If it is around 1000 lbs, then the weight you should have in mind is going to be in the 4400 lb neighborhood. Then figure about 12% tongue weight, and you're talking about 530 lbs on the tongue. Don't be in too big a hurry to abandon that Dodge. You may not need it, but you're getting close to the wire with a Ridgeline.
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Mar 2019 at 11:10am
Is the Ridgeline FWD or AWD? Towing ratings are lower for the FWD. 

The 195 is also a bit wider, so towing mirrors might be needed for the Ridgeline, and the frontal area will be increased, along with the A/C unit up top and the awning which add both weight and wind drag. Not to mention all the storage space, the big pantry, and the big fridge that you will probaby fill up quickly. 

Then add dual propane tanks, dual batteries, and maybe a generator and gas for that in the tow vehicle, and you will have a big load on the Ridgeline. I'm guessing full curb weight will be right around 4500 when its all said and done, putting the tongue weight around 500.
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Mar 2019 at 11:09am
If you really want to fully understand what you have, take a look at this calculator. When you get your new trailer,  load it and your TV.  You can then run through a public scale and add an axle at a time, then subtract to get the load on each. Then drop the trailer and run the TV through one axle at a time and you can get both the axle weights of the TV and the tongue weight by subtracting the TV axles total weight with and without the trailer. If you have any questions feel free to either PM me or ask on the forum. 

Plug all this in the calculator and it will tell you how you're doing against your specs, and also what a weight distribution hitch could do for you. With the Dodge I don't imagine you'll need one, but if you go to a lighter TV you probably will.  


One other unanswered question about the 195 is what axle FR is going to be putting on it. The 3500 lb axles on the other rPods and the tires and wheels being used are a bit on the light side so have had some issues on the heavier pods. This gets worse with a weight distribution setup because that redistributes some weight from the hitch to the trailer axle as well as to the TV front axle. Hopefully this new even heavier pod will have a heavier axle, tires and wheels. If not you can as a minimum upgrade your tires to a higher load rating. 

Have fun with your new trailer!
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lostagain View Drop Down
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Posts: 2587 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Mar 2019 at 10:16am
k - welcome to the forum.  Hope you enjoy your new pod.

We live on the east side of the Sierras and are also only a short drive from wonderful camping spots, but I have to say, I am glad our Dakota is well matched to the weight we are pulling.  Heading up some some of the passes in the Sierra is a challenge and if the TV wasn't really up to it, you'd be frustrated quickly.  
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k-countrycamper View Drop Down
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Posts: 8 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Mar 2019 at 9:51am
Offgrid you comments make complete sense. I hadn't thought of the base model without options.  We are getting AC and convection micro etc.  We are not in a huge hurry to trade out the dodge, so I think you are right, maybe we should do a few trips and weigh the sucker fully loaded. 
while most of my trips will only be 35 min to 1.5 hr away, I do live next to the rockies, and I would love to take the trailer to Jasper and into BC so we will definitely be crossing high mountain paths.

If you have any other tips and tricks please share!
  
if you don't like my dog on the couch, you can show yourself out.

soon to be 2020 rpod 195
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Mar 2019 at 9:34am
Water is 300 lbs, the dry weight doesn't include the 6 gallons that sits in the water heater. The empty weight on rPods doesn't include any options, so if you have roof air add 100 lbs, 50 for a microwave. No battery either so add 50-60 lbs for that or 130 if you boondock and go to dual batteries. Add 40 lbs for a second propane cylinder. 

My 179 which is supposed to weigh 2750 empty and 292 on the tongue comes in at 550 on the tongue and 3700 lbs total. That's with water, dual batteries, and a single propane cylinder, maybe a couple of hundred pounds of gear. Travel trailer tongue and empty weights are very misleading. And so are tow vehicle specs, usually the trailer towing capacity assumes there is just one skinny driver and nothing else in the tow vehicle. 

I tow my 179 with a Highlander, a similar spec vehicle to the Ridgeline, and I wouldn't tow in the mountains with anything lighter. And the "empty weight" of the 179 is about 650 lbs less than the 195. 

I  highly suggest you keep your Dodge until after you get your 195, fully equip it, and actually weigh it and its tongue. Take it on a couple of trips. Then decide what you're going to be comfortable with towing it with.  

Just my $0.02. 
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k-countrycamper View Drop Down
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Posts: 8 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Mar 2019 at 9:16am
Thanks for your reply, we currently have a dodge 2500, we were going to go down to a 1/2 tonne but we were also looking for something fuel economical as it is his daily driver. 

Weight (dry) on the 195 is 3400. then plan on 250 for water, 200 for cargo. we don't know tongue weight yet.

tow capacity for the ridgeline is 5000, he is planning on putting airbags in the back suspension, definitely have sway bars. tongue weight capacity is 500lb. i can't see the 195 being more than 350 tongue weight but the specs aren't out yet on that.

Is this still a concern?  I appreciate any input!
if you don't like my dog on the couch, you can show yourself out.

soon to be 2020 rpod 195
2007 dodge 2500 cummings diesel

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