178 Tongue weight capacity
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Topic: 178 Tongue weight capacity
Posted By: knoopr55
Subject: 178 Tongue weight capacity
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2015 at 8:25pm
| Any one have an idea of the tongue weight capacity for the RP 178 bike rack hitch? Wanted to put a cargo carrier with 200 lbs generator. Let me know. Thanks and happy new year, |
Replies:
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2015 at 8:38pm
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I don't have any handy documentation but I'm pretty sure Forest River puts a 150lb limit on the hitch. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2015 at 9:05pm
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I believe TT is right. I wouldn't put a genset back there. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2015 at 9:24pm
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I hall two bikes on the back of my 178 and it flexes pretty good. It wouldn't take much to beef it up though. ------------- Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2015 at 11:12pm
 ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2015 at 11:02am
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marwayne wins the Internet. I still wouldn't put a genset back there without beefing up the support, even if you keep the weight below that number. It will stick out farther than bikes so leverage will come into play, meaning dynamic loading as you go over bumps will be much higher than its design. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2015 at 1:36pm
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Doug, I did beef up my frame by sliding a 2 1/2 x 1 1/2, 1/8 wall thickness inside the frame tubing and bolted them together. The inner tube goes from the back of the box all the way to the front of the trailer. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2015 at 7:29pm
Oh I'm sure yours can handle the weight of an entire pod.  Just want the OP to know the limitations.------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: HuronSailor
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2015 at 3:19pm
Any pictures to share? I may be interested in doing this. ------------- .: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :. |
Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2015 at 3:20pm
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Honestly, I think you'd be better off reconfiguring the tongue - move the battery and propane around and make room for the genny up front. Assuming, of course, that your tow vehicle can handle the additional weight. ------------- Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150 |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2015 at 4:19pm
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Mark, there realy isn't much to see, it's a tube within a tube. I did add shims at the spots where I bolted the tubes together. The other thing I had to do is remove all the bolts to clear the main tube. After I inserted the smaller tube put all the bolts back in.
------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2015 at 4:41pm
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I agree with Outbound. You might want to look at a Trailer Tray: http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/trailer-tray-a-frame-cargo-carrier/70918 - http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/trailer-tray-a-frame-cargo-carrier/70918 I considered one for a little bit, but the extra weight of my dual 6 volt batteries and hitch mounted bike rack lead me to parking the genset in the back of my TV. fred ------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: Seanl
Date Posted: 06 Jan 2015 at 9:27am
This is what I did with my Genset. I got a cover for it after I took this to keep it out of the elements  ------------- Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition 
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 06 Jan 2015 at 11:25am
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Another option is to keep the genset off of the pod entirely. This is what I did: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3689 - http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3689 ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Luv2Q
Date Posted: 06 Jan 2015 at 12:58pm
Sean, with your genny mounted on the tongue, what's it like in the trailer as to sound, vibration?. TIA .. ------------- John & Teri Tundra 5.7L V8 / RP 180 E2 WDH / Integrated controller (POS) replaced by Tekonsha P3 |
Posted By: knoopr55
Date Posted: 06 Jan 2015 at 9:11pm
| These are all great ideas, Thank you and when I figure out may plan I will post pics when it is done |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 07 Jan 2015 at 9:14am
I worried about sound and vibration, too, which is why I went with the truck-based mount. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Seanl
Date Posted: 07 Jan 2015 at 2:29pm
I don't run it mounted. I take it off to run. Its a bit of work at 125 lbs but I was worried about the noise as well. I thought about rubber mounts for it but I was not sure if you could isolate it from the frame well enough.
------------- Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition
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Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 07 Jan 2015 at 3:25pm
That is why I lift the geny when in use.
 ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: Seanl
Date Posted: 08 Jan 2015 at 8:09am
This is a neat idea. I will have to see if you can adapt something similar for my setup. Were you a engineer Marwayne? You have some of the most innovative Ideas.
------------- Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition
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Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 08 Jan 2015 at 1:36pm
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No Seanl I'm not an engineer, I'm a German trained finishing carpenter and furniture maker. We had a saying on construction, When ever there is an architect or engineer involved there is trouble. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: Seanl
Date Posted: 08 Jan 2015 at 2:45pm
LOL. Sorry did not mean to insult you. My dad was a carpenter and he used to say that no engineer ever designed anything that could actually be built as designed. ------------- Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition
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