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Whiskeyjack
Newbie Joined: 23 Jun 2010 Status: Offline Points: 23 |
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Posted: 05 Jul 2010 at 6:35pm |
My wife and I picked up our new 175 from the dealer last week and camped a couple days on the way home. Here are a few observations. We have an 07 Dakota 3.7 with tow package and 3.91 rear end. It has a tow rating of 4800 lbs. Unlike some of the v8 Dodge engines, this isn't a great tow engine. Even with the 3.91 there's just not a lot of torque in the right spots. The Dakota towed our last rig, 19' Chalet 1930, well and got about 14 mpg. The RPod pushes a lot more air and weighs about 3-400 lbs more, ergo we got about 11mpg. That's about half what we get not towing on the freeway.
My shank has a 2" drop and that sets the RPod right at level. We encountered some sidewinds and Semi-suck which wagged our tail a little on the way home. If it were up to me alone, I would just tap the Prodigy and not worry about it, but my DH wants me to get another WDH. Does anyone have any experience with installing one that isn't a pain due to having to move LP mounts,etc.? The Equalizer E2 400/4000 looks interesting. I'm pretty sure, without weighing, that with the 175 loaded, the hitch weight must be light, but with the design of the trailer it's pretty hard to get more weight to the front--a bag of bowling balls strapped to the tongue? If we travel with ANY water in the freshwater tank, that would really add to the problem.
Trailer specific problems? Well, we got luke warm water from all taps--easy fix--one of the fittings behind the hot water heater was aligned wrong. Our LP tank makes for a pretty good mini high pitched fog horn imitation that's loud enough not to be ignored. E/mailed Forest River, as we live several hours from our dealer. We'll see what they come up with.
I removed the kick panel under the sofa to see if that was a good place to store shoes, as someone stated. Too many wires for me to want to do that, but I did notice I could see some light coming through the area where the slide mechanism is located. That helped me decide to make sure the slide is in when we store the trailer. Also the gears and such that control the slide are pretty fascinating looking, but they were totally dry. Should I grease them with something? I've always thought that to last any gear type stuff should be lubed.
This is the 5th trailer we've owned, and with a little personalization on the RPod and a little work on my tow rig, we're really looking forward to getting a lot of camping done. Sorry to be so verbose, but this is the net and you didn't have to read it if you didn't wanna.
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33 years in the classroom was enough. I miss kids, coaching, and some of the adults. Grading papers? Forget it!
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Sistahs
Groupie Joined: 07 Feb 2010 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 64 |
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Congratulations on your pod! I am with you on the 33 years in the classroom. It was great while it lasted, but I have never missed it for a minute. Well, maybe the kids, but little else. Sounds like your rig is shaking out about as usual. Lots of great fixes and suggestions on this forum. Welcome aboard.
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2010 R-POD 171
2003 FORD F-150 |
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yizit
Senior Member Joined: 25 Feb 2009 Location: Wis. Dells, WI Status: Offline Points: 984 |
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Welcome to the world of Rpods. Happy and safe travels.
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Former owner of 2009 Rpod 172
Darlene & Jim, Ewok our Lhasa Roada our 2004 Roadtrek 190P Conversion Van |
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PodPatrol
Moderator Group Joined: 24 Sep 2009 Status: Offline Points: 22287 |
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Welcome WhiskeyJ ... Id recommend a Sway Bar for that wiggle (had the same thing but used the manual on the P3)
Most have had the singing LP tank(s). I notified FR and they sent me a green-nut line and a new regulator. It quieted up alot, but didnt dissappear.
Welcome aboard !!
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sylviablue
Senior Member Joined: 30 Aug 2009 Location: Kentucky/CR Status: Offline Points: 1060 |
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Welcome and enjoy your new pod. The "kinks" will get worked out.
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In the end there's just a song comes cryin up the night
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David and Danette
Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2009 Location: Fort Myers Status: Offline Points: 317 |
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Whiskeyjack, we have a jeep liberty with the same engine, it would be nice to have a little more power and better gas mileage but it is not that bad. But we live in Florida were there are no mountains. We have the 171 model without the risers, we tried the Equalizer 4K hitch and the bottom of the hitch was about 5 inches from the ground with the trailer level. We were told that was to low by the dealer we bought it from, they have a rule of a minimum of 7 inches ground clearance. They told me to return it. We are just using a swaybar now. If you can find a WDH with more ground clearance, it would be safer to have one. David
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SWFL 171
2010 Jeep Liberty |
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sylviablue
Senior Member Joined: 30 Aug 2009 Location: Kentucky/CR Status: Offline Points: 1060 |
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Ft. Myers isn't far from our Pod's home in Lakeland! Hi David and Danette
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In the end there's just a song comes cryin up the night
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gepaine
Senior Member Joined: 16 Jul 2009 Location: Carnation, WA Status: Offline Points: 202 |
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Whiskeyjack,
I think your sway problem is best addressed by adding an anti-sway bar to your hitch rather than changing out your WDH. (My understanding is that a WDH shifts some of your tongue weight to the front wheels, but does not do much for stopping sway.) I have a 175 with a WDH and an anti-swaybar and have no problems with sway.
FYI: My 175 fully loaded for camping (food, clothes, cooking gear, full "basement", no other inside cargo, empty tanks, and two batteries) weighed in at 3100 pounds with a tongue weight of 260. (I weighed it at a public scale.)
Good Luck and enjoy your POD.
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Gene & Linda - 2007 Escalade - 24-Foot Keystone Cougar TT- Life is not just about gas mileage!
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happyrpod
Senior Member Joined: 16 May 2010 Location: Mt. Carmel, Tn. Status: Offline Points: 136 |
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Welcome in the group of the still few & proud but very much growing family of rpodders.
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Steve&Kathy
2010 Traverse 174 2009 Sassy too Golden Retriever |
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Whiskeyjack
Newbie Joined: 23 Jun 2010 Status: Offline Points: 23 |
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Hey, thanks for all the welcomes and advice. The six of us just got back from our second two nighter with the 175. No, it's not that crowded for six--my wife, me, Dudley, Nelly, Pete, and Mojo (30 total lbs. of Yorkshire terriers). Every time I would return from a back packing trip there would be another dog in the family. I only wanted 2, but the nice thing is that the last two bonded to me, so what can I say?
This trip was all on the flat, so we got a little better mileage with the Dakota, a little over 13 mpg. Everything on the trailer worked well, except our LP foghorn. The windows on the RPods are great! Neither trip did we get any condensation on any of the windows at night, and during the first trip we even forgot to open the vents and/or crack the windows. We have never had a complete lack of condensation, short of 90 degree nights, in any of our other trailers or campers.
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33 years in the classroom was enough. I miss kids, coaching, and some of the adults. Grading papers? Forget it!
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