65 year old women...scared I don't know enough

[BadSaver]

I've a 2017 R-pod 179. It pulls great. The trailer has much less wind resistance than other small trailers I've pulled.

Weight become a much bigger factor when going up or down a grade. Just take your time, you will be fine. Use lower gears when going down a grade. The engine should do most of the braking. It's very easy to over heat the brakes on a long downhill otherwise. Also, the R-pod like to cuts corners when following - more than I'd expect of a trailer that length. In gas stations, be very careful to not take out a pump. Backing takes practice.

We plan to eventually live in our pod as well. We are going out in 10-day to 2 week spurts until we retire. By the way, the Pod feels warm in the winter (walls don't feel cold to freezing), compared to other trailers we've had. Very easy to heat. But, it gets very hot sitting in the sun on a 100 degree day. However, The AC can handle this. We don't see any reason the Pod won't meet our requirements.

We've always been campers. We've spent a lot of time in the desert riding and racing dirt bikes. We look forward to wintering in the desert.

Things I have that help:
Impact drive (black & decker $68) from Walmart to extend the sissor jacks.
Walmart has wire shelving and small containers that expand your storage capacity.
Non-stick pans save a lot of water. Wipe them out rather than washing them.
I have a surge suppressor - to protect the trailer electronics.
I added an electric tongue jack.
Generator. Tire pump. Extra Fuses. Small ceramic heater (save propane when on grid).
Ant spray, insect repellant, camp stove, lantern, flashlights.

 

[jimindenver]

Take the trailer to a empty big box store lot and slowly back it all the way around the lot a few times. Then turn it around and slowly back it all the way around the other way a few times. Once you have done that you will be able to drop it into any spot on the lot with ease. Backing up for distance gives your mind time to get use to going backwards, time to get use to making hundreds of adjustment, time to figure out if I move my hand this much the trailer will do....It will also learn what not to do because you will make plenty of mistakes, some it will be easier to just pull forward, straighten out and start over. Just remember SLOWLY

 

[GotSmart]

It sounds like you will do fine.  Great actually.  You learn backing up by practice,  and by watching Youtube you can see how people are fixing things.  I taught my girls enough to know when a mechanic is lying.  (Last year they surprised me by changing out a brake rotor themselves, because the mechanic wanted $300.)   By seeing how things are done, you will know if the truth or a BS sales job is being told to you.  


Good cell service, and Roadside assistance is a must.  Always google to get information about unknown places, situations, and companies.  Other than that, enjoy the adventure.  

You did not survive this long by being anything other than sharper than the average bear. 

 

[BadSaver]

When backing remember that the trailer goes the opposite direction as the top of your steering wheel.

First learn to back straight primarly (check all mirrors) using your left side view mirror. When the trailer goes left (in the mirror) turn the top of the wheel into it. If it starts to diasappear turn your wheel right to bring it back. Don't let the trailer get out of your mirror. In other words, The top of the steering wheel is always meeting the mis-direction of the trailer forcing the trailer to get back in alignment with the tow vehicle. Once you've mastered backing straight, it's not such a big skill jump turning it into a parking spot.

So, when you back the trailer into a spot. Try to line the trailer up as much as you can by pulling forward. Try to always keep the parking spot to the left of the tow vehicle and trailer, this way you can watch it go into the spot. The other side is your blind spot.

Always use a ground guide. Go slow.

 

[BadSaver]

I think someone calculated that the GRoss (fulled loaded) trailer weight to be about 3,800 lbs. This sounds about right. The R-pod axle has a 3,500 pound rating, therefore the other 300lbs (approx.) is resting on your tow vehicle via the hitch.

The point I wanted to make is that 300lbs isn't that much. I don't have a weight distribution hitch installed. On my setup I'm only using a friction anti-sway bar. The trailer is very stable and I've not encountered any sway to date.

I've had trailers that sway a lot. Passing big rigs, that gust of wind, turned into white knuckle events. If you get into a sway situation, let off the gas and lightly put on your trailer's brakes (brake controller). This should straighten everything out right away.

The electric brakes on my NEW R-pod were stiff (barely worked). I was running the full 13 vdc my controller put out. At first I was workied something was wired wrong. After some use, they began working well and I'm running 10 vdc and some boost. So, there's a break in period with the new trailers brakes.

 

[BadSaver]

So, about not knowing enough. The Rpod will seem complicated at first. Those aren't the real complications. Even though I know how everything works, things have an order.

For example, unpluging the trailer: 1. Turn everything off inside 2. Turn off circuit breakers 3. Turn off campground circuit breaker 4. Unplug Trailer.

So, my wife and I were camping this summer. We needed to take the trailer over and dump the tanks and return to our camp site. A hassle and I didn't take it as seriously as I should. At the time we were also being attacked by ants. As I was winding up the scissor jack my wife started yelling about ants. I stopped what I was doing to help her. I got out of sequence, never went back to finish winding up the jack. Moving the trailer I bent the jack. Pushed it back in with my foot. Now it has a wobble. It still works and I have extra scissor jacks. I may buy a Save A Jack. Things can go wrong for anyone.

Anyways, it's the order of things I like to keep my eye on. Not the complexity of things. I'm not letting an apparent emergency knock me off my mental list again. So, last week running the scissor jack up with my impact driver my wife wants me to go do something else. I was like, no way! We already did that once. I'm finishing what I'm doing.

 

[clontheroad]

As a recently retired truck driver, I am impressed with all the great advice posted in this thread. My experience has been and still is with fifth wheel trailers. We currently own an old 18.5 foot Prowler and pull it with a half ton Silverado with a 4.3 liter v6. My goal here is to reinforce points already made and possibly add some from experience with a similar (in weight) set up.

Downshifting on downgrades has been mentioned and is excellent advice. It will keep brakes from overheating and reduce the chance of hearing damage caused by screams of fear when brakes fail. All joking aside, this why so many big trucks creep down steep grades. Not mentioned (that I saw) was downshifting on steep upgrades. My Chevy has a 4 speed automatic with a towing selector. If it is left in Drive on steep pulls, it will shift up and down quite a bit. Shifting down to a lower gear eliminates this. Just be sure not to overrev the engine. Yes, you will have to slow down, but you will get to the top and it is not as hard on engines and transmissions.

On backing, all of the advice, top of wheel/ bottom of wheel was spot on. Everyone develops their own technique and all are correct. The one phrase that has stuck in my mind through the years refers to the top of the wheel technique and states "turn the wheel toward the problem". So with hand on top of the wheel, if the tale of the trailer moves too far to left, turn the wheel to the left and vice-versa. Remember also that short trailers are harder to back than long trailers because they react to turns of the wheel very quickly. To make it easier, move the wheel in small increments and go slow. When backing into a parking space, put the space on your left (sight side) so you can see just by looking out the window. Don't be afraid to pull forward to straighten things out. I hate to say don't trust anyone to help you back in, but this your rig and you will pay for repairs to anything you damage. I read the word goal on mirrors for years and I would suggest remembering it if not actually putting on your own mirrors. Goal = Get Out and Look, it's a good practice.

That's my two cents, hope something I said helps somebody.

 

[TxLady]

I would not be worried so much about the towing and backing up and parking so much as the hitching. My son has had two boats and my husband and I would often go to the storage unit to pick up the boat. I could do the cranking, hitching plugging and chains after my husband did the backing up and alignment. It used to take us several tries to get it lined up so i think the hitch guide is a great idea. My husband finally learned to do it by himself. So maybe I was a bad hitch guide? Lol! My son always said he could back that trailer into a dog house and I've no doubt he could! He towed boats (his own and several friends) all up and down the Texas coast from Louisiana to almost Mexico. So when the time comes for me to learn, I've got the best teacher available!

 

[BadSaver]

Great point. Hitching a trailer alone is a hassle. I'd wondered if there was a wifi camera that Would work with my iPad. Perhaps that's too complex... I've seen the Reese Towpower solo hitch alignment... Also, I found these, Hitchin' Rods, which look EZ to implement.

https://www.hitchinrods.com

 

[LilNomad]

I was a newbie when I purchased my trailer. The same person that does my repairs gave me lessons on hitching, towing, etc. We also spent a day driving together and practicing in a parking lot. I feel I had good training and am safe. Hitching isnt a hassle at all for me and im 5'1 and travel solo. Theres no cranking whatsoever. I have the power hitch jack thingie that raises trailer up and down. I back up my Suburban, hitch it up and go. Sometimes takes me a few backups but thats without the camera. I also have a Swift Hitch Magnetic Camera (check amazon) but was told to learn to do it without it and I did so I never use it. You can do it!
LilNomad
Knead2Travel.com

 

[Solitary Spell]

Don't laugh, but I found the best, step-by-step illustrated advice on all things towing in this book: 

http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Glamping-with-MaryJane-p/vts-486.htm

You might be saying "Glamping?" Puh-leeeeze." But give it a chance, this book is a treasure for any woman wanting to learn all about camping (including towing) in relative safety and comfort.  

 

[Solitary Spell]

Forgot to say too, I second Train Chaser's advice to read The Gift of Fear by Gavin DeBecker. Wonderful book!!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gift_of_Fear

It teaches you to listen to your own intuition rather than to outside sources trying to instill fear where there isn't really much risk. It also teaches you to recognize threatening (and non-threatening) behavior in others. DeBecker's a very good writer and uses real-life examples to illustrate his points.