Intro & R-Pod 190 advice
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Topic: Intro & R-Pod 190 advice
Posted By: CG Hap
Subject: Intro & R-Pod 190 advice
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2022 at 12:30pm
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Hello, I'm Chris & new to the forum, and about 90% likely to be buying an R-Pod 190 soon. I have already found lots of useful info on this forum and bookmarked it! I have reached out to other RV'ers for advice, but one thing I would like to hear from this group is whether my Highlander Hybrid is adequate (3500# max, 350# tongue) for this R-Pod. It appears it may be a close call... any thoughts? Thanks for any insights! |
Replies:
Posted By: poston
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2022 at 1:02pm
I don't think it's a go. The 190 shows a dry weight of 2979 lbs. My 180 is 2950 lbs dry, but when loaded for the road it's 3500 lbs (without water), and we pack on the light side as we came to the Rpod from tent camping. It's recommended that you reserve 20% of your max tow rating for safety. That leaves you with 2800 lbs for towing. You'll be overloaded just in total weight, without even looking at tongue weight. ------------- -- Jim Virginia City, Nevada 2016 R-pod 180 2015 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X |
Posted By: CG Hap
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2022 at 1:52pm
| Thanks pHp - I think you are looking at the 2022, the one I was looking at had a dry weight of ~2750#, tongue of ~305#. I calculated my load to be partial water fill and 2-250#s other, but that is still over your 20% target... I had targeted 10% (2475#), but maybe still too tight... Also not sure if being 'hybrid' is a positive or negative to consider other than the reduced limits. |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2022 at 4:17pm
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You are too close to the limit even if you pack light. For the first 8 years I towed our 177 (empty weight 2415, fully loaded 2940 which includes 36 gallons water) with either an '08 Explorer 5000 tow wt. or a '13 Explorer 5500 tow wt. It was adequate but towing in the Rockies was a workout on those long mountain passes. I cannot imagine towing more weight, as you will definitely have, with a TV with 1500-2000 # less towing capacity. Remember, things like the weight of the A/C unit (105 lbs), battery(s), propane tank(s) are not included on the label weight on your 190. At the light end add at least 200 lbs there. Then on the towing end of your vehicle add the weight of your fuel, passengers, and stuff you bring and that will begin to show how much you actually weigh. At the advice of Offgrid on this forum I went to our local county maintenance garage and had my 177 (fully loaded) with my tow vehicle loaded and had it weighed; it was a real eye-opener. I figured the 177 fully loaded was in the neighborhood of 2650, ended up being 2940 lbs. ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: CG Hap
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2022 at 5:09pm
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Whew... That's good to know! I thought the attached items like AC, LP tank, and batteries where included in the dry weight... most of the RV dealer reps have given me the thumbs up, so glad I checked here. I am going to have it weighed to see the actual weight. I had thought about trading in for an Explorer or non-HY Highlander, but now I'm doubting that too. Sounds like 5000# limit is even questionable. Ugh |
Posted By: poston
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2022 at 8:52pm
Don't get scared off! 5,000-lb capacity is definitely doable, depending on the details. Many forum members are towing with a vehicle of 5,000-lb capacity, including me. When you drop to 3,500-lb capacity, it gets dicey. ------------- -- Jim Virginia City, Nevada 2016 R-pod 180 2015 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X |
Posted By: CG Hap
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2022 at 9:11pm
| Thanks jim & all... this may be a silly question from a newbie and mostly just curious - is it possible to safely reduce the weight of the R-Pod190. I got the idea looking at some configurations and seeing what looked like lighter custom seating in the back. Thanks again to all! |
Posted By: poston
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2022 at 9:26pm
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[QUOTE=CG Hap]is it possible to safely reduce the weight of the R-Pod190. [QUOTE]
I think it is possible to safely reduce the weight, but I don't think it's possible to safely drop 700+ pounds to get in into the Highlander Hybrid's capacity. ------------- -- Jim Virginia City, Nevada 2016 R-pod 180 2015 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2022 at 1:54am
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I wanted to get a HiHy too but chose a std drivetrain 5000 lb rated Highlander for my 179 instead. The 190 weighs more than the 179, and even with the 5000 rating I was close to the limits with the 179. I carried the minimum in the Highlander and the rpod but I always boondock so water was a necessity.
Don't forget that the weight in the tow vehicle counts against you, the tow capacities are specified with minimum possible weight in the vehicle. If you find yourself asking if it is possible to do this or that thing to make something work out then that's a dead giveaway that you're pushing the limits. Why not swap the HiHy for a std Highlander with tow package? You will have essentislly the identical vehicle. Your fuel economy towing won't be much different, if at all. We all get around 14-15 mpg towing, at best. That is because the air drag of the trailer dominates the power requirements. So the hybrid drivetrain wont be operating under conditions where it will do you much good. The thing you lose by getting a std drivetrain Highlander is the excellent fuel economy not towing you get with the Toyota hybrid drivetrain. That is the tradeoff you will need to consider. If daily driving not towing is most important, get a smaller trailer like a pop-up or a Tag which can be safely towed by a 3500 lb rated vehicle. If travelling and camping with more space is most important, then swap out the HiHy for a std drivetrain vehicle. Or, do what I do and have the best of both worlds. My daily driver is a Prius so I get all the hybrid drivetrain benefits for most of my driving, saving the (relatively) gas guzzling non hybrid Highlander for towing and long trips. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2022 at 7:07am
The Explorer's we used did an excellent job for us for 8 years. The only time we felt it was working hard was when we were on those long passes, or off road areas, in the Rockies. Anywhere else, even in the Smokies, they never seemed taxed. Interstate travel, high winds, ect, we always felt comfortable with the Explorer. It is doable with that size SUV. ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2022 at 12:22pm
Hey Poston, looks like we were parked in the same spot for the fotos of our rigs.  I was a little north of Tonopah, on the way home to Dayton from Las Vegas.
------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: poston
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2022 at 3:37pm
Haha yeah, similar poses! We were at Father Crowley's Lookout at Star Wars Canyon on the west edge of Death Valley. ------------- -- Jim Virginia City, Nevada 2016 R-pod 180 2015 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2022 at 5:12pm
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Sounds a lot more scenic than Tonopah. On the other hand, Tonopah has the Tonopah Brewing Co., great beer and barbecue. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |