Products featured in this video*: - Lynx Levelers: amzn.to/2yQoFl8 - Camco Chocks: amzn.to/2Ko4I6P - Blue Ox Weight Distributing Hitch: amzn.to/2lEIanH - Husky Power Tongue Jack: amzn.to/2txSWAj - Power Tongue Jack Cover: amzn.to/2MZTCXm *Affiliate Link Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. These commissions help support the future development of this channel.
Glad the videos are helpful. I really try to help those getting started. I also put a lot of quick tips on my Instagram account if you want more material. All the best!
Watching you walk back and forth to the door is why I leveled my trailer and attached graduated levels to the front-side and front-panel before I ever took it camping. On a downhill slope like this, you can get a sense from the front-side level marks of whether you'll need risers under both wheels, since my manual jack sometimes bottoms out before it's level front to back. It's a cheap way to save some steps!
John, A circular level works fine when leveling my rpod171. I've checked it on the floor of the rpod as you did and I found I can use it on the tongue since verifying that there is no difference. It makes it much easier when leveling by yourself. I always make sure my stabilizing jacks are the last thing that I engage with plastic pads under them. Thanks for your very informative videos! John Michael
For safety, I always wait to remove the safety chains until after I get the trailer off the ball. That way, if something goes terribly wrong with the chocked wheels and it starts to roll, it can only go the length of the chains. You won't lose the trailer. Also, if you camp at state parks and other more unimproved campgrounds, make sure you have the levelers/wood to raise one side of your trailer by at least 6 inches (and that you can get the wheel chocked with your levelers).
Very informative. I just had my first camping experience with my 2018 R-Pod 179. We lucked out with a level site. I am definitely also going to invest in the memory foam mattress topper for the queen and the sofa bed. Will also try the deep pocket full size sheets. I like to use a duvet for a cover, so no tucking. RE morning coffee: a french press or pour over coffee set up works well whether you are using an electric kettle or a kettle on the gas stove. I brought along an electric fry pan as well and used it outside, plugging into the exterior outlets. Will watch the rest of your reports.
John, Loved the idea of the rubber mallet to set the chocks. I think, a Level Mate Pro would help a LOT; just ck your smart phone, instead of walking back/forth. Good tips, indeed, in the vid. Y'all Be Safe!
Something to consider about your distribution hitch - if your truck bed is full of a lot of weight, you’re actually transferring a lot of that weight to your trailer axel, which may not be rated to carry much more than the trailer’s gvwr.
Good point Mike. I do adjust the chain link on my Blue Ox hitch to put weight forward occasionally. If I ever feel like the front wheels are floating it usually means too much weight is on the trailer. You always need to be aware of how the trailer and truck are working together. I've noticed with the recent floor repair (see Floor Fix videos), FR added structural support under the kitchen floor. It added about 150 lbs. (best I can tell) behind the axel, which isn't great for towing. I had to make adjustments accordingly. All the best!
Glad this was helpful. I have 12 videos curated for those getting started if your are interested: johnmarucci.com/getting-started-with-rving-12-videos/
Oh also one tip for disconnecting for a short stay - leave the vehicle where it is and just remove the hitch to lower the tongue to level. Then when you go to hook up again just reinstall the hitch and you don’t need to back the vehicle to it again.
Thanks for the video, John. We pick up our R-Pod i about a week and your instructions pretty much reinforced the steps I figured I needed to setup properly. (Got one good tip - just added a rubber mallet to the list of things to pack!). BTW - Good eye on the initial jack extension...would have been a shame if you had to go through a re-hookup to finish the job!
hi john, i am new to the world of smart phones and just discovered that my phone "Measure" app has a level built into the Iphone. i tried it out and it is just as accurate as a real level.
Excellent video and steps to take! We do everything in our power to level and not un-hook if it is just a night or two. A successful trip is if we only un-hook when we have side trips planned... great job of explaining!
Same here. It especially hurts to have to unhook if it is a quick overnight stay leaving early the next morning. I don’t like making noise hooking up before light in the early morning, but sometimes you have to. Thanks for watching!
Great video, as always. If you do have an out of level situation such as this, why is it so critical to be level...thinking that it's just gonna be a sleep and get up early and go?
Craig, great question. A few reasons and these really can depend on your preferences: first, in most Pods the bed is positioned across the cab, so if you don’t level side-to-side, you’ll either sleep with your feet higher than your head or have to move to the opposite side (not a huge deal); second, if you plan on cooking inside on the stove, you may find off-level somewhat difficult depending on how much off level you are. Third, the Dometic refrigerator can act up sometimes it the trailer is off level. One last issue is rain and your slide. Generally you don’t want rain water moving toward the cab, if your slide is higher than the cab, rain water can pool against the cab and leaking can occur. If you leave the slide in, then no worries. Hope this helps. Thanks again for your question!
Great video John. Question: why is getting the trailer so critical when self-contained units, like class b &c or sprinters just back in to the spot and camp without leveling?
Hey Richard. The units you mention (b&c class) actually should be leveled similarly as a travel trailer, unless the until has self-leveling power jacks, which do it for you. Otherwise on a site like we had, it would be tough cooking or sleeping at that angle.
I am looking at buying a R-Pod (RP-180), and I have really enjoyed the R-Pod series you have put together, there is a lot of great information. A couple of questions... First, I did not think R-Pods were big enough to require a class-4 hitch setup, do you run this because of your tow vehicle? Second, have you thought about getting a bluetooth level sensor that would send level information right to your phone, keeping you from having to run back and look at the level. Also, several of these will give you the exact amount that the trailer has to be moved to get to level.
DargoDog, The bluetooth level sensor sounds like a great idea. Right now I am old school with a mid-sized carpenter's level. If you have a specific recommendation, feel free to post it in the comments. As far as the Class-4 hitch set up, I went with the Blue Ox Sway Pro weight distribution hitch: www.blueox.com/trailer-towing/swaypro/ which is upgradable by changing the bars to a higher tongue weight. My Tundra can tow much more than the current set up.
I use a weight distribution hitch towing with my Toyota Tundra and did with my Honda Pilot. I think they really help both with sway and properly distributing weight to the front and rear axels of the tow vehicle. They also provide addition peace of mind when towing, especially in difficult conditions. You may want check out my video on towing with a Honda Pilot and the properly understanding towing capacities. Here is the link and thanks for watching: th-cam.com/video/WAIMgWv7Zjo/w-d-xo.html
Many thanks, John. I watched the Honda Pilot vid and learned a lot. What I know at this point; engine size alone does not accurately indicate towing cap AND, weight distribution is an important factor to towing safety. Makes finding a used tow vehicle require lots of homework.
Hi John, great video. My wife and I are closing in on retirement, and want to buy either the RPOD 178 or 179. But we also will need a tow vehicle. How did you decide on the Tundra, vs. F150, vs an SUV ? How does the Tundra do, towing your RPOD 179 ? Did you consider the Toyota Tacoma ? Thanks !
Gerard, first congrats on the upcoming retirement! Really great question. This response may be a bit long-winded, because there is a lot to cover... In April of 2016 I bought an R-Pod 171 and towed it with my existing 2014 Honda Pilot. I owned it for a year and really enjoyed it, but it was too small for my plans of working more remotely. A year ago, to the day actually, I bought the 179 I now own. I decided to upgrade to a full-sized truck for a couple of reasons. First, I wanted to future-proof my tow vehicle, just in case at some point I wanted a larger rig, like say a 25' Airstream, that weighs in the high-6000 lbs. loaded. Most SUVs or the Tacoma would be pushing any potential trailer upgrade. Second, I wanted a better towing experience. The Pilot is a great SUV, but it was just an adequate tow vehicle for the 171. It sits on a Honda unibody (same as Accord) and really isn't primarily designed for towing an RV. As you probably saw from the videos, we just went from Michigan to Florida and back, and honestly towing the 179 with the Tundra was a pleasant experience. Most of the time I didn't even notice I was towing anything. So think about your plans as far as future-proofing the tow vehicle purchase. I like having plenty of margin when towing. Ok, so what about Tundra vs the F-150 vs Tacoma. I ruled out the Tacoma mainly because of the future-proofing, but I did test drive the Tacoma. My impression was that the Tundra was a much smoother ride vs the Tacoma. I also liked the higher ride of the Tundra, so I was willing to sacrifice gas mileage for the increased capacity, ride comfort and height. OK, so what about the F-150? I did much research on the F-150 and GMC full-sized trucks and built out many online to see what it would cost to get everything that already came with the Tundra. When I equipped the Ford and GMC vs the Tundra, I kept coming back to the Tundra on price. It is important to understand that the current Tundra model is near the end of its lifecycle, there is no variable cylinder management. Which means the gas mileage is abysmal, but it also means you are likely to get a pretty good deal for something on the lot. I love the Tundra after owning it a year, and yes the mileage is not good at (13/17, and about 11-12 towing), but it is just a solid lower-tech, well-built truck. One last thing, I have owned a Toyota before and it was just a fantastic reliable car. With that said, I am sure the F-150 or Tacoma would be a fine tow vehicles for whatever R-Pod you choose. I'd recommend test driving everything and knowing the full cost with proper brake controller, 4WD, etc. included in the package. Let me know how it goes and thanks for watching! John
@@JohnMarucci just wondered if you considered a Toyota 4Runner and what your opinion is of it cuz I've been thinking about about a 4Runner for myself towing an r-pod. Thanks!
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Products featured in this video*:
- Lynx Levelers: amzn.to/2yQoFl8
- Camco Chocks: amzn.to/2Ko4I6P
- Blue Ox Weight Distributing Hitch: amzn.to/2lEIanH
- Husky Power Tongue Jack: amzn.to/2txSWAj
- Power Tongue Jack Cover: amzn.to/2MZTCXm
*Affiliate Link Disclosure:
As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. These commissions help support the future development of this channel.
Me and the wife are getting an rpod! This makes me feel so much more prepared to go out camping soon!
Glad the videos are helpful. I really try to help those getting started. I also put a lot of quick tips on my Instagram account if you want more material. All the best!
Really appreciate your thoughtful, clear explanations. Been a huge help for me. Thank you!
Glad to here it. Thanks for the comment!
Watching you walk back and forth to the door is why I leveled my trailer and attached graduated levels to the front-side and front-panel before I ever took it camping. On a downhill slope like this, you can get a sense from the front-side level marks of whether you'll need risers under both wheels, since my manual jack sometimes bottoms out before it's level front to back. It's a cheap way to save some steps!
Gary, good idea, however, it adds to my step count every time I set up! Thanks for watching!
John,
A circular level works fine when leveling my rpod171. I've checked it on the floor of the rpod as you did and I found I can use it on the tongue since verifying that there is no difference. It makes it much easier when leveling by yourself. I always make sure my stabilizing jacks are the last thing that I engage with plastic pads under them. Thanks for your very informative videos!
John Michael
John, great idea concerning the circular level! This would definitely save some time in the leveling process. Thanks for watching!
For safety, I always wait to remove the safety chains until after I get the trailer off the ball. That way, if something goes terribly wrong with the chocked wheels and it starts to roll, it can only go the length of the chains. You won't lose the trailer. Also, if you camp at state parks and other more unimproved campgrounds, make sure you have the levelers/wood to raise one side of your trailer by at least 6 inches (and that you can get the wheel chocked with your levelers).
Thanks for adding your tips!
Thanks for another great video. I needed the tip about the level and rubber mallet...
Richard, thx for the encouragement and for watching!
Thanks John. Good info. I usually put my level on the floor of the front cargo bin. It saves a few steps.
Good idea. I’m afraid I usually have too much stuff in the front cargo area to do this! Thanks for the comment and for watching!
Very informative. I just had my first camping experience with my 2018 R-Pod 179. We lucked out with a level site. I am definitely also going to invest in the memory foam mattress topper for the queen and the sofa bed. Will also try the deep pocket full size sheets. I like to use a duvet for a cover, so no tucking. RE morning coffee: a french press or pour over coffee set up works well whether you are using an electric kettle or a kettle on the gas stove. I brought along an electric fry pan as well and used it outside, plugging into the exterior outlets. Will watch the rest of your reports.
+Anne Trow Congratulations on the first trip with your 179! Glad the videos are helpful. Thanks for watching!
John, Loved the idea of the rubber mallet to set the chocks. I think, a Level Mate Pro would help a LOT; just ck your smart phone, instead of walking back/forth. Good tips, indeed, in the vid. Y'all Be Safe!
Raymond, thanks for the idea on leveling using the app you mentioned. All the best!
Excellent. Very well done video on a nightmare setup. Thanks!
Something to consider about your distribution hitch - if your truck bed is full of a lot of weight, you’re actually transferring a lot of that weight to your trailer axel, which may not be rated to carry much more than the trailer’s gvwr.
Good point Mike. I do adjust the chain link on my Blue Ox hitch to put weight forward occasionally. If I ever feel like the front wheels are floating it usually means too much weight is on the trailer. You always need to be aware of how the trailer and truck are working together. I've noticed with the recent floor repair (see Floor Fix videos), FR added structural support under the kitchen floor. It added about 150 lbs. (best I can tell) behind the axel, which isn't great for towing. I had to make adjustments accordingly. All the best!
Wow new to rv this video will help thanks
Glad this was helpful. I have 12 videos curated for those getting started if your are interested: johnmarucci.com/getting-started-with-rving-12-videos/
Oh also one tip for disconnecting for a short stay - leave the vehicle where it is and just remove the hitch to lower the tongue to level. Then when you go to hook up again just reinstall the hitch and you don’t need to back the vehicle to it again.
Yep Mike, always a good idea if you can do it on an overnighter. Thanks!
Awesome vid Mr John. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the video, John. We pick up our R-Pod i about a week and your instructions pretty much reinforced the steps I figured I needed to setup properly. (Got one good tip - just added a rubber mallet to the list of things to pack!). BTW - Good eye on the initial jack extension...would have been a shame if you had to go through a re-hookup to finish the job!
Congrats on the new R-Pod! It was a very close call on leveling. The rubber mallet is really handy for various things. Thanks for watching!
hi john, i am new to the world of smart phones and just discovered that my phone "Measure" app has a level built into the Iphone. i tried it out and it is just as accurate as a real level.
Paul, that iPhone level app does work well. Thanks for leaving the comment and thanks for watching!
Excellent video and steps to take! We do everything in our power to level and not un-hook if it is just a night or two. A successful trip is if we only un-hook when we have side trips planned... great job of explaining!
Same here. It especially hurts to have to unhook if it is a quick overnight stay leaving early the next morning. I don’t like making noise hooking up before light in the early morning, but sometimes you have to. Thanks for watching!
Great video, as always. If you do have an out of level situation such as this, why is it so critical to be level...thinking that it's just gonna be a sleep and get up early and go?
Craig, great question. A few reasons and these really can depend on your preferences: first, in most Pods the bed is positioned across the cab, so if you don’t level side-to-side, you’ll either sleep with your feet higher than your head or have to move to the opposite side (not a huge deal); second, if you plan on cooking inside on the stove, you may find off-level somewhat difficult depending on how much off level you are. Third, the Dometic refrigerator can act up sometimes it the trailer is off level. One last issue is rain and your slide. Generally you don’t want rain water moving toward the cab, if your slide is higher than the cab, rain water can pool against the cab and leaking can occur. If you leave the slide in, then no worries. Hope this helps. Thanks again for your question!
Well done video. But every time I watch this procedure I wonder what it looks like in the pouring down rain.
Setting up or breaking camp in the rain is never fun for sure. Maybe I’ll make a video on the topic sometime. Thanks for watching!
Great video John. Question: why is getting the trailer so critical when self-contained units, like class b &c or sprinters just back in to the spot and camp without leveling?
Hey Richard. The units you mention (b&c class) actually should be leveled similarly as a travel trailer, unless the until has self-leveling power jacks, which do it for you. Otherwise on a site like we had, it would be tough cooking or sleeping at that angle.
Nice video. What model WDH are you using for your R-Pod?
It is a SwayPro Blue Ox WDH. The dealer installed it when I bough the until last year. It's been outstanding. www.blueox.com/trailer-towing/swaypro/
hope you didn't end up down the ditch over night.. looks like you were level... good job :)
+LINDA Thanks Linda, it worked out fine! Thanks for watching!
I am looking at buying a R-Pod (RP-180), and I have really enjoyed the R-Pod series you have put together, there is a lot of great information. A couple of questions... First, I did not think R-Pods were big enough to require a class-4 hitch setup, do you run this because of your tow vehicle? Second, have you thought about getting a bluetooth level sensor that would send level information right to your phone, keeping you from having to run back and look at the level. Also, several of these will give you the exact amount that the trailer has to be moved to get to level.
DargoDog, The bluetooth level sensor sounds like a great idea. Right now I am old school with a mid-sized carpenter's level. If you have a specific recommendation, feel free to post it in the comments. As far as the Class-4 hitch set up, I went with the Blue Ox Sway Pro weight distribution hitch: www.blueox.com/trailer-towing/swaypro/ which is upgradable by changing the bars to a higher tongue weight. My Tundra can tow much more than the current set up.
Do I need a weight distribution jack with an R Pod? I plan to use a Ford Escape (Eco boost-3500 lbs to cap).
I use a weight distribution hitch towing with my Toyota Tundra and did with my Honda Pilot. I think they really help both with sway and properly distributing weight to the front and rear axels of the tow vehicle. They also provide addition peace of mind when towing, especially in difficult conditions. You may want check out my video on towing with a Honda Pilot and the properly understanding towing capacities. Here is the link and thanks for watching: th-cam.com/video/WAIMgWv7Zjo/w-d-xo.html
Many thanks, John. I watched the Honda Pilot vid and learned a lot. What I know at this point; engine size alone does not accurately indicate towing cap AND, weight distribution is an important factor to towing safety. Makes finding a used tow vehicle require lots of homework.
Hi John, great video. My wife and I are closing in on retirement, and want to buy either the RPOD 178 or 179. But we also will need a tow vehicle. How did you decide on the Tundra, vs. F150, vs an SUV ? How does the Tundra do, towing your RPOD 179 ? Did you consider the Toyota Tacoma ? Thanks !
Gerard, first congrats on the upcoming retirement! Really great question. This response may be a bit long-winded, because there is a lot to cover... In April of 2016 I bought an R-Pod 171 and towed it with my existing 2014 Honda Pilot. I owned it for a year and really enjoyed it, but it was too small for my plans of working more remotely. A year ago, to the day actually, I bought the 179 I now own. I decided to upgrade to a full-sized truck for a couple of reasons. First, I wanted to future-proof my tow vehicle, just in case at some point I wanted a larger rig, like say a 25' Airstream, that weighs in the high-6000 lbs. loaded. Most SUVs or the Tacoma would be pushing any potential trailer upgrade. Second, I wanted a better towing experience.
The Pilot is a great SUV, but it was just an adequate tow vehicle for the 171. It sits on a Honda unibody (same as Accord) and really isn't primarily designed for towing an RV. As you probably saw from the videos, we just went from Michigan to Florida and back, and honestly towing the 179 with the Tundra was a pleasant experience. Most of the time I didn't even notice I was towing anything. So think about your plans as far as future-proofing the tow vehicle purchase. I like having plenty of margin when towing.
Ok, so what about Tundra vs the F-150 vs Tacoma. I ruled out the Tacoma mainly because of the future-proofing, but I did test drive the Tacoma. My impression was that the Tundra was a much smoother ride vs the Tacoma. I also liked the higher ride of the Tundra, so I was willing to sacrifice gas mileage for the increased capacity, ride comfort and height. OK, so what about the F-150?
I did much research on the F-150 and GMC full-sized trucks and built out many online to see what it would cost to get everything that already came with the Tundra. When I equipped the Ford and GMC vs the Tundra, I kept coming back to the Tundra on price. It is important to understand that the current Tundra model is near the end of its lifecycle, there is no variable cylinder management. Which means the gas mileage is abysmal, but it also means you are likely to get a pretty good deal for something on the lot. I love the Tundra after owning it a year, and yes the mileage is not good at (13/17, and about 11-12 towing), but it is just a solid lower-tech, well-built truck. One last thing, I have owned a Toyota before and it was just a fantastic reliable car. With that said, I am sure the F-150 or Tacoma would be a fine tow vehicles for whatever R-Pod you choose. I'd recommend test driving everything and knowing the full cost with proper brake controller, 4WD, etc. included in the package.
Let me know how it goes and thanks for watching!
John
@@JohnMarucci just wondered if you considered a Toyota 4Runner and what your opinion is of it cuz I've been thinking about about a 4Runner for myself towing an r-pod. Thanks!
John looks like the type of dude that would help you fix a flat and then buy you a beer lmao
+Dave Pollo Thanks Dave, appreciate the compliment. Thanks for watching!