Breakaway 171
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: I need HELP!!!
Forum Discription: Perplexed/need help with a problem - ask here
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14627
Printed Date: 15 May 2024 at 4:25pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Breakaway 171
Posted By: Nvan 171
Subject: Breakaway 171
Date Posted: 11 May 2021 at 10:56am
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Hi Everyone! Recently purchased a 2013 171. I towed the Pod home from the previous Owner with no problems. Being new to trailers, I watched the previous Owner hook up the trailer to my vehicle. Only after I got home did I realize that there was no breakaway hooked to the vehicle. So I took a closer look. There is no plug in the break away! Looking under the Pod and following the wires, it definitely doesn't look right. The wheels do obviously turn as I had no problems towing. I'm trying to find a photo of how the wiring should look. Wondering if someone could share a couple photos of the wiring (or provide a resource link). Side note: There definitely is a power drain as well. Wondering if the brake system is electrified. (I'll worry about this after!) Thank you. NorthVan Pod Owner!
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Replies:
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 11 May 2021 at 11:08am
https://postimages.org/">
------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 11 May 2021 at 11:17am
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Sounds like maybe the breakaway plug got pulled out and someone dragged the trailer with the brakes engaged. Are the drums hot after you tow? Do they stop the rig when you manually engage your brake controller?
Either way I'd suggest pulling the wheels and doing a brake inspection. You have an older trailer so it needs to be done anyway. Repack the bearings while you're in there. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: Nvan 171
Date Posted: 11 May 2021 at 11:42am
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Thanks Marwayne! Would you be able to post a picture of where those wires go to? (under the trailer). It's this part that doesn't look right. If I'm tracing the wires correctly, they both connect to the same terminal..... that can't be right! offgrid: the wheel seems to turn freely BUT I do have an appointment to have the breaks etc looked at. Thank you both!
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Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 11 May 2021 at 1:54pm
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When you pull out the little pug it will activate the brakes when your trailer gets disconnected while driving. There is a cable that is attached to the plug the other side of the cable is attached to the TV just a little tighter then the brake away chains. https://postimages.org/">
 ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: Pod_Geek
Date Posted: 11 May 2021 at 2:34pm
That can't be a good thing. Wonder how far the OP towed the unit home. ------------- 2020.5 R-Pod 195 Hood River 2018 RAM 2500 6.4L |
Posted By: Nvan 171
Date Posted: 11 May 2021 at 7:45pm
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Sooooo problem solved. Backstory.... I think you'll all like. Drove 5 hours to purchase this Pod. Used my Tesla Y. Why not... I was on a road system that had the super chargers. Shortly into the way home I saw the 'Gas' dropping like crazy. Doing the math in my head.... I was going through 3.5 to 4 times the power I would without towing. Thinking to myself..... what a piece of garbage car. Plus then realized.... there is no way I'm going to make it to the next charge station. Had to drop the trailer and drive, fingers crossed that I'd make it. Still had 20km to go when the car hit "0%" I know it had a reserve but 20km and a big hill right at the end where the charger is? Coasted into a VW dealer right near the end to top up for a fee minutes. Lucky I did. I wouldn't have made it. Anyway full charge, then back to get the trailer, back to the same charger to top up and on my way home. Had to stop at EVERY super charger along the way. Again, all the way thinking what a pile of garbage vehicle. Fast forward to today. With your input etc, I had a new breakaway controller in my hand, ready to install. I decided to try the pin first. As soon as I put it in I heard the whole trailer release..... Got my neighbour out to listen as i tried with and without the pin. Yup. Brakes were ON the entire 5 hour journey home. Not enough to lock them up fully. Just enough to cause me a near heart attack. I take back all the #%$ I said about the towing capabilities. HA HA. Got an appointment for tomorrow to get the brakes redone!
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Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 12 May 2021 at 7:57am
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Wow interesting story. And an interesting tow vehicle. Just a dumb question, you do have a brake controller in the Tesla, right?
Many (most?) Of us find the rpod brakes will not lock up the wheels even with full brake controller output. But they should stop the rig from 15-20 mph in a flat parking lot without using the tow vehicle brakes If they were dragging for hours the shoes should be replaced and the drums turned or replaced. The bearings most likely overheated too. You can get full kits (brake assemblies, drums, and bearings) and just replace everything from the axle out. That's what I did. Not very expensive and less labor. Also. If the pin is pulled the brakes will draw current from the rpod battery so check the status of that as well. Once you get things working correctly it would be interesting to hear how much range you're getting with your Tesla towing the rpod. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: Pod_Geek
Date Posted: 12 May 2021 at 8:15am
From a towing test of the Y with a 3000 lb trailer:
https://insideevs.com/news/454286/video-tesla-model-y-tow-travel-trailer/ Another interesting take: https://insideevs.com/news/487873/video-tesla-model-y-why-not-to-tow/ My take: Hope there are a lot of charging stations along whatever route one decides to take towing with a Y...
------------- 2020.5 R-Pod 195 Hood River 2018 RAM 2500 6.4L |
Posted By: poston
Date Posted: 12 May 2021 at 9:20am
And you're not in any big hurry ... ------------- -- Jim Virginia City, Nevada 2016 R-pod 180 2015 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 12 May 2021 at 10:09am
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I'm not 'buyin it'.... Not once did you see smoke coming from the wheels? Not once did the r-pod skid or scratch it's tires on loose gravel or dirt? During the entire 5 hour (approx) return trip, not ONCE did you smell overheating brakes? Not once did you notice the entire rig slowing down rapidly when you released the throttle approaching stop signs?(regen braking can be set to minimal, I'm assuming you did this) You can't drag these trailers with electric brakes for a couple hundred miles with the brakes fully or nearly fully applied without some bad stuff happening. Now maybe...just maybe....the r-pod battery was so dead that only a couple of volts were being fed to the brakes for a little while...not enough to apply them fully....just enough to cause a wee bit of drag...could be that happened. Maybe. But you still should have been able to smell overheating brakes and/or see some smoke from the wheels. I fall back on this: What a POS that any all-electric vehicle is for towing in the real world. Sorry...call em like I see em.
------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 12 May 2021 at 11:01am
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From what is being described both things are likely true.
The brakes were engaged and disengaged when the pin was replaced, as they should. The brakes obviously weren't working properly, at most dragging a bit, we don't know how long that had been going on or the status of the battery providing current to them. We also know that the Tesla Y is going to have a max range of at most around 100 miles towing an rpod at highway speeds. 75 kwh battery, about 700 wh/mile towing has been reported numerous times by owners. So once the brakes and bearings are fixed and the rig and brake controller set up correctly I'm looking forward to hearing what the results are. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 12 May 2021 at 11:25am
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What I'm sayin that I'm not buying is: that dragging brakes is the reason for VERY short towing range with the Tesla. The rest of it yeah....stuff happens. ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 12 May 2021 at 12:17pm
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Very short range depends on what the expectations are. No one should be expecting more than around 100 miles at best.
Nvan 171 is saying he's using 3.5 to 4x the energy he would be not towing. That's on the high side of what's being reported and we all know speed matters a lot. So it could be that the brakes aren't dragging at all or they could be bringing the range down somewhat. We'll have to wait and see. I do give Nvan 171 lots of credit for trying. AFAIK this is the first time an EV tow of an rpod has been reported on this forum. I'm sure it won't be the last. Nvan 171, please keep us posted. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: Nvan 171
Date Posted: 19 May 2021 at 10:15am
| Well aren’t you just a ray of sunshine. Thought these forums were for constructive conversations. |
Posted By: Nvan 171
Date Posted: 19 May 2021 at 10:23am
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Thank you all for your input. (Except the one ass).
Brakes and bearings were serviced. Nothing destroyed. Brakes needed to be adjusted. Tried towing again locally to see how the range was. Still over 500W. Slightly better but not enough to do a long trip. Was worth testing out. We have an alternate vehicle made for towing and will be using this moving forward. Might still use the Tesla for weekend get-a-ways. |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 19 May 2021 at 11:25am
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Thanks for reporting back. Glad things are getting sorted.
Actually 500w is very good. That's encouraging. What were the conditions (speed, wind speed and direction, climbing or descending hills, or flat ground)? ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 19 May 2021 at 11:42am
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The Fast Lane Truck has done a number of tests towing with an EV. At present it's not pretty. Here is just one of several looks at what they've learned. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjklex38lkQ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjklex38lkQ ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |