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Topic Closed4-cyl towing thoughts?
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: 4-cyl towing thoughts?
    Posted: 25 Feb 2020 at 6:14am
Originally posted by malkbean2

I tow with a front wheel drive grand caravan without weight distribution hitch. Although it is perfectly level i get real nervous going up steep grades on gravel roads found at some campgrounds. i keep thinking i should practice backing up more.

I wouldn't base my use or non use of a wdh on whether the rig looks level or not. The purpose of a wdh is to move load from the rear axle of the TV to the front axle and trailer axle. The load on the TV front axle will inevitably go down when you hang the trailer on the hitch unless you have a wdh. Having more load on the front axle is even more important with a FWD than for a RWD or AWD vehicle, because greater weight equals more traction on the drive wheels. 

You might want to try adding a wdh to your rig and using it to increase your front axle load. Get the front axle load back to or even a couple hundred pounds above what it was without the trailer. Weigh your axles at a public scale so you know you are staying well within your TV's rated front axle load limit. Don't worry too much about how it looks. While FWD can never be ideal for towing, that might give you more confidence towing uphill or on low traction surfaces.  
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ToolmanJohn View Drop Down
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Posts: 451 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Mar 2020 at 7:53am
 I would rank WDH as :

1) CONTROL - puts weight back to the front axle of the tow vehicle, where you steer from, and most of your braking power will be.
2) See # 1

There's no downside to a WDH unless you count $$$, proper setup, and which type you choose and how easy it is to connect and disconnect. For the R-Pods, the Andersen WDH is very good, and easy, but if I had to do it over again, I would just buy a Blue Ox WDH rated for the tongue weight for the R-Pod. Simply an easy way to connect and disconnect, provides WD and sway control. There are versions that do not require bolting through the frame or welding. the frame rail mounted clamp version is the best. And if you switch trailers and tongue weight is different, all you have to buy are the new spring bars. 
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mjlrpod View Drop Down
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Posts: 1214 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Mar 2020 at 8:38am
one thing i've noticed is, there are more names given to the two steel bars, than there are names given at a nursery. They are called spring bars (above) , transfer bars, friction bars, etc.. I think spring bar might be correct, but I tend to call them friction bars (thinking of the sway control). Somehow we all know what people are talking about. 
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malkbean2 View Drop Down
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Posts: 80 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Mar 2020 at 8:39am


Dear Offgrid
"I wouldn't base my use or non use of a wdh on whether the rig looks level or not."

Altho level does matter somewhat, the reason for concern for a wdh is the unibody construction not levelness of the minivan. The manufacturer is silent on use of a wdh. I would like to hear from the knowledgable folks on this website as to the appropriateness of using a wdh on a unibody vehicle.
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Mar 2020 at 9:20am
Here is my $0.02.

There is no good reason to worry about towing or using a wdh with a unibody vehicle per se. Unibody construction is very strong and stiff in a minivan or suv vehicle with C and D pillars which effectively make the vehicle body a truss structure. There is no great advantage to unibody construction in a pickup structure (like the Honda Ridgeline) because there is no roof structure to tie into.

OTOH, there is every reason not to exceed the tv manufacturer's specs, regardless of whether the tv is body on frame or unibody construction. If your tv manufacturer doesn't rate your vehicle for use with a wdh then you are essentially being a test pilot if you do so, regardless of the construction of the vehicle. 
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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Posts: 1797 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Mar 2020 at 8:16pm
I towed an RP 172 with a 2010 Honda Pilot using the E2 WDH for a year. The Pilot was Unibody and, since it was 4WD, rated at #4500 towing. In the year I owned the Rpod I had no issues regarding the WDH with Unibody construction. I definitely recommend using a WDH.
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OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
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