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Towing 177

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BJNelson View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BJNelson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Towing 177
    Posted: 20 Apr 2010 at 9:38pm
I have a 2010 Ford Escape and looking at the 177.   I have talked to the Ford Dealership
My local Pod Dealer and couple of places that install hitches.  All of them say I can pull the 177 with
no problem.   I have read the postings saying that it is too heavy for this vehical and gone on to
the changing gears website as noted.  As I would be new to towing who does one believe
 
Thanks for any help
BJ
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Outbound Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Apr 2010 at 10:52pm
You've got 40 more horses than me, but will be towing a heavier trailer...

As long as you aren't heading into the mountains, and are willing to travel at 55 mph while towing, I think you'd be ok.  Just ok.
Craig :: 2008 Mazda Tribute :: 2009 r-pod 171, The Johnnie Ray
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PodPatrol View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PodPatrol Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Apr 2010 at 10:55pm

A delima indeed !

Go with the numbers. IMHO I would go with the specs and take a good guess as to how much weight you will be adding to the TV and the Pod.
Understand the terms used when referring to weight specs. There are a few you'll need to know.
 
 
The above link is a condensed information type site. There are many more.
 
After comparing (your) numbers then make the best educated decision.
 
Hope this helps.
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photog View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote photog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Apr 2010 at 1:04am
We have a 2009 Ford Escape and initially looked at the 177 but decided on the 171. Have not towed it a lot, just home from the dealer (5o km) in very heavy crosswinds and of course we live in the foothills and there seems to be nothing but grades. The car did OK but a little more power would have been welcome.
 
In retrospect I'm glad that we decided on the 171, the slide on the 177 adds app. 250 lbs to the trailer and that is weight that I don't need.
 
If you don't travel in the mountains you might be OK but please do your research, here is an easy weight calculator:
 
Take care,
Heinrich and Elly

2010 Dodge Dakota Crew Cab
Prime Time Tracer 205 M
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ratdog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Apr 2010 at 7:44am
Originally posted by PodPatrol PodPatrol wrote:

A delima indeed !

Go with the numbers. IMHO I would go with the specs and take a good guess as to how much weight you will be adding to the TV and the Pod.
Understand the terms used when referring to weight specs. There are a few you'll need to know.
 
 
The above link is a condensed information type site. There are many more.
 
After comparing (your) numbers then make the best educated decision.
 
Hope this helps.
That's a good link but be sure to verify the numbers in the charts on that site with your TV dealer or owner's manual. They list the towing capacity for my vehicle as 2000 pounds. That is the correct towing capacity of my vehicle without the factory towing package. With the factory towing package, the towing capacity is 3,500. But they don't say that.
 
-- Steve

Steve, Anne, and Paige the Rat Terrier
2013 Lexus RX 450h Hybrid AWD
2011 RP-177 (aka: The Circus Wagon)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jinhe&Me Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Apr 2010 at 10:05am

As with Heinrich, I am in the foothills of the Rockies and have only towed home from the dealer.  While we decided on the 176 (which is heavier than the 177), we really had to look at trade-offs considering we too are towing with a 3500lb capacity vehicle.   As I just have one young daughter as a passenger, I could afford the extra 200lbs for the slide which was important to us.   If we were a robust family of four that would not have been a consideration.  Be realistic about the size of your family both in terms of number of passengers and their weight. 

We passed on the convection/microwave because the 51lbs that added was not worth it to us.  We plan to carry little to no water weight, no generators, no extra batteries or propane tanks, kayaks, inflatable boats and other toys that add up.   Everything that is being packed into the Pod is given a great deal of consideration about its value and its weight.  I find that I have to think of "or" rather than 'and' when considering what I am equipping the trailer with as I am aiming to keep it around 2800 lbs loaded.
 
That being said, I will be camping with lots of friends who are towing with the same capacity tow vehicle, larger families, heavier trailers and cross the mountains regularly with no problems. 
 
Kathy
 
 
 
R-Pod 176
2010 Nissan Pathfinder LE
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote yizit Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Apr 2010 at 10:21pm
We based our decision on this statement:

The best way to look at it is to take each and every maximum rating and make sure you are under every one of them. Especially after you are loaded, fueled and ready to get on the road.  Exceeding any of the weight ratings of the RV or the tow vehicle is nothing more than a negligence lawsuit waiting to happen. If it's proven that you exceeded the manufacturer's ratings in any way, it can easily be argued that constitutes negligence on your part in the event of an accident. That can lead to problems ranging from very large settlement amounts to even the possibility of your insurance company refusing to pay the claim due to the negligence on your part. Simply put, don't exceed these weights under any circumstances.

Former owner of 2009 Rpod 172
Darlene & Jim, Ewok our Lhasa
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rpodmania Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Apr 2010 at 12:27am
Originally posted by Jinhe&Me Jinhe&Me wrote:

As with Heinrich, I am in the foothills of the Rockies and have only towed home from the dealer.  While we decided on the 176 (which is heavier than the 177), we really had to look at trade-offs considering we too are towing with a 3500lb capacity vehicle.   As I just have one young daughter as a passenger, I could afford the extra 200lbs for the slide which was important to us.   If we were a robust family of four that would not have been a consideration.  Be realistic about the size of your family both in terms of number of passengers and their weight. 

We passed on the convection/microwave because the 51lbs that added was not worth it to us.  We plan to carry little to no water weight, no generators, no extra batteries or propane tanks, kayaks, inflatable boats and other toys that add up.   Everything that is being packed into the Pod is given a great deal of consideration about its value and its weight.  I find that I have to think of "or" rather than 'and' when considering what I am equipping the trailer with as I am aiming to keep it around 2800 lbs loaded.
 
That being said, I will be camping with lots of friends who are towing with the same capacity tow vehicle, larger families, heavier trailers and cross the mountains regularly with no problems. 
 
Kathy
 
 
 
That said Having  towed my 171 with our midsized SUV 3500lb tow limit
anything other than flat ground towing I think you might be unhappy with your towing 
experience with said vehicle
A lot of people on the forum say no problem towing with 3500lb capacity
I beg to differ 
As far as even heavier trailers with 3500LB capacity I cant believe it
I have towed my 171 bare bones no extras on board with my mid
 size SUV 3500LB tow rating in the foot hills of the rockies up here in Alberta and I can say that bogging
down to 70KMH on even a slight grade in the foothills I wouldnt even try the mountain passes
In going on holidays to Vancouver Inland this summer(headin over the rockies)bought a full size truck for that reason
 as I could no see struggling to pull the 171 over the Rockies I think it would be a bit of a nightmare
That just my 2 cents



2010 171
Ford f-150 5.4L
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lewcrippen12 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lewcrippen12 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 5:30am
Hmm.........it's seems to be considerable.............! Well I also agree with all above help,or u may also take help of net.



Thanks for sharing



Regards
Lew

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote postalpanzer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Sep 2010 at 1:26pm
we are pulling a 177 with a Mercury Mariner which is the same vehicle as an escape it has a 3L 240 hp engine.  We have no problems towing the 177 but we dont plan on going over the appalachians or the rockies.  Since we have a class II hitch we are careful to not load alot into the pod because it would put our tongue weight over the hitch specs.  I think there is an escape that has a lower horsepower engine and is only 2 wheel drive which might have issues.
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