Reviews and General Information: RP 180

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RP 180

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Topic: RP 180

Posted By: jbar
Subject: RP 180
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2020 at 3:48pm

Hi. My gf and I decided we like the RP 180 interior configuration the best (no bunks or family-sized table areas). Are there any notable exterior differences from the other models? I'm thinking water tank location/hookups, etc... Were there any major changes year to year? Much appreciated

Replies:

Posted By: seafans
Date Posted: 29 Sep 2020 at 10:28pm

Are you referring to different years of the RP-180? I have a 180 and have rented these before purchasing one one I have. The tanks are the same size, about the biggest difference was the early ones had a dark interior including darker woodwork and floor. Mine which was built in nov 2018 had the Furrion radio and the older had the Jensen after using the Furrion I prefer it over the Jenson.

Posted By: jbar
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2020 at 5:04am

Yes, different years of the RP 180. Do you know when the interior changed? We felt the 178 was on the dark side but it was overcast. Thanks

Posted By: seafans
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2020 at 9:28am

The interior changed when the R-Pod changed from the green on the outside to the blue. About the only difference from the mid west build and western build is the axles and tires. Also the western version has a yellow swirl included with the paint scheme on the sides. Mine been fairly reliable with the appliances. Some of the interior woodwork has come loose and I have replaced the string in the window shades. The biggest issue was the brakes shoes were coated with grease from the easy-lube systems that has a lot to be desired. I cleaned the shoes and repacked the wheel bearing by hand and had no trouble since.

Posted By: jbar
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2020 at 10:41am

Thanks

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2020 at 7:31am

Originally posted by seafans

About the only difference from the mid west build and western build is the axles and tires.

It's just the lift kit that is different not the axle itself, correct? Wheels are 15 inch vs 14 I believe, or they were up until recently.

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: seafans
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2020 at 10:33am

The axles are different on the HoodRiver Edition than the midwest version. I live a few miles from the Sheridon,Or plant where the HoodRiver Edition is assembled. Next to the building are stacks of axles with wheels and tires installed. Lift kits are aftermarket additions installed by the owner.

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2020 at 6:25pm

At one point the hood river ones had lift kits and 15 inch wheels while the midwest ones did not have lifts and had 14 inch wheels, but the axles were both 3500 lb rated Lippert torsion axles (which is what I have). What do you have in yours and what model and year is it?

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2020 at 6:41pm

+1 to Offgrid, I will say my 2015 178, came with a lift, I did not install, it is not an HRE. It has 14" wheels and the same axle Offgrid references.

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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2020 at 6:54pm

I should have explained better. My 2015 178 has a lift and 14" tires. It is not an HRE. The frame is not unique to a Pod. In fact my frame is stenciled with Surveyor on it. Lifts are not unique to HREs. HREs have lifts. I would think because of the 15" tires which also were unique to HREs during a build period. Bottom line is lifts are not unique to HREs. Again during that build cycle.

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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2020 at 1:07am

+1. The 2015 rpod brochure shows the lift kit as an option. My 179 has them and had 14 inch wheels. So the lift was an option in the east with 14 inch wheels but standard in the West with 15 inch wheels. I have since put 15 inch wheels on mine, so it is configured the same as the 2015 HRE’s now.

I think the axles themselves were the same Lippert 3500 lb torsion axles east and west in 2015. My question is, did that change at some later point so the axles are now different?

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2020 at 2:19am

My Pod has a Dexter axle.

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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2020 at 8:24am

Interesting.

So we have your eastern 2015 178 with Dexter, my eastern 2015 179 with Lippert (I think StephenH's makes two?), and Toyanvil I think has a western 2016 178 with Lippert, bhessie has a 2015 western? 178 with Lippert. Then there is alandlearned's 2015 178 eastern? with Lippert.

Seems random. Is it just whatever FR happened to have in stock that day or does anyone else see a pattern?

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: JR
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2020 at 10:50am

Just some more data, we purchased in Michigan a new 179 (eastern edition) model year 2019 took delivery on July 2018. The RPod has 15" load range D tires with a Lippert axel rated at 3500 lbs and no lift kit.

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Jay

179/2019

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2020 at 7:43am

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but I think FR recently dropped the lift kit in favor of bringing off the axle torsion arms at a steeper angle so that all the rPods ride higher.

Did all of them go to 15 inch wheels at the same time? That would make the west and east versions the same now?

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2020 at 12:47pm

Our 2017 179 HRE (built in 2016) has the clocked Lippert axle and the 15" tires.

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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost