Anyone tow w/Honda pilot & 17FT. Casita - Page 5 - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 11-29-2018, 11:47 AM   #81
Senior Member
 
Civilguy's Avatar
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: Escape 21 & Jeep GC 5.7 (Previous 2012 Casita FD17 & 2010 Audi Q5)
Puget Sound, WA
Posts: 1,775
Registry
Yes, silver car owners are clearly the most reflective...
__________________
~ “It’s absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious.” Oscar Wilde ~
~ “What the human being is best at doing is interpreting all new information so that their prior conclusions remain intact.” Warren Buffett ~

Civilguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2018, 12:24 PM   #82
Senior Member
 
John in Santa Cruz's Avatar
 
Name: John
Trailer: Escape 21, behind an '02 F250 7.3 diesel tug
Mid Left Coast
Posts: 2,940
Quote:
Originally Posted by Civilguy View Post
Yes, silver car owners are clearly the most reflective...
this was my invisible turbo.... I regularlly cruised 85-105 mph on rural highways, and got very few tickets, and those were always something dumb like 40 in a 35.



ok, ok, way off topic, so....

p.s. it was rated to tow 3500 lbs, and probably would have handled a casita 16 hah hah!
John in Santa Cruz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2018, 12:59 PM   #83
Senior Member
 
Name: Brad
Trailer: Interested
Montana
Posts: 130
The thing is with civilguy and his posts are you pretty much got to take what he says as a true fact.He has a way about writing that makes you want to believe he knows what he is talking about.
But back to the color of a tow rig.As you can read here the reasons for us not choosing black,white or silver are clearly stated.But I want to add a little bit I learned about the black color.From experience the interior gets hotter in the summer than other colors.For older folks as we age we can't handle anything that gets to hot.
Montana Brad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2018, 02:09 PM   #84
Senior Member
 
Borrego Dave's Avatar
 
Name: Dave
Trailer: Casita SD17 2006 "Missing Link"
California
Posts: 3,738
Quote:
Originally Posted by Montana Brad View Post
Dave?
I would you think that tan would be a color to avoid should you be towing in the desert? Especially when you run into a haboob!
Don't think any color makes a difference as common sense should kick in. Pull way off the road, turn off your lights and wait it out. Leaving your lights on is just asking for another driver, searching for the road, to see yours and aim towards them....bam .
Borrego Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2018, 03:23 PM   #85
Senior Member
 
Name: Patrick
Trailer: Shopping for new RV
North Carolina
Posts: 702
Glenn, I don’t know what you got with your “paint protection plan” but back about 10 years ago I got some extra commission whenever a buyer signed on for paint protection, fabric protection, or an extended warranty.....just another way to boost income for the salesman and the dealership.

Someone asked what trailer I tow...right now none...sold my most recent travel trailer and now am considering one of the new generation Class B motor homes like the ones built in Canada on the Mercedes Benz delivery van platforms by the folks at Leisure Motorhomes.
Uplander is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2018, 05:23 PM   #86
Senior Member
 
Name: Dave
Trailer: 2010 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe
Wisconsin
Posts: 216
Quote:
Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz View Post
this was my invisible turbo.... I regularlly cruised 85-105 mph on rural highways, and got very few tickets, and those were always something dumb like 40 in a 35.



ok, ok, way off topic, so....

p.s. it was rated to tow 3500 lbs, and probably would have handled a casita 16 hah hah!
Sorry to burst your bubble but that car was not invisible, the cops just assumed the driver was north of 65 years old driving it and not worth the effort to rehabilitate grandma for speeding, the typical Volvo station wagon driver, lol.

Just kidding, please take no offense, but truth be had, I used the "Minivan Pass" many times. That one is the cops know you are a Dad or a Mom driving the "Mom Bomb" losing track of your speed in a tourist area. I was near Jackson Hole, WY enjoying the view and looked up to see a State Trooper waving his arms out the window in a downward motion. I was doing far north of 80mph.
Vtec is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2018, 08:50 PM   #87
Junior Member
 
Name: Peter
Trailer: 1979 boler 1700
British Columbia
Posts: 21
Pilot towing

We own a 2016 Pilot touring with the 9 speed transmission and got the 5000# tow package which is essentially a transmission cooler. We have a 1979 boler 1700 (17 foot model) which is full of stuff and redone in and out. Basically, it probably weighs 3000# + when camping with all of our add ons.

The pilot has no problems whatsoever with this in mountains etc., as it has 30 more hp than the previous Pilot models and weighs 300# less. The new generation dreamworks engine does not go through oil like previous models.

We are a family of 5 with an 85# labradoodle .... lots of stuff/weight.
...........no problems at all.......great vehicle and fun to drive
pete
Bolerpete is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2018, 10:16 PM   #88
Member
 
Name: Jim
Trailer: Casita 17 SD - sold - Lance 1475
Tennessee
Posts: 76
What's your mileage, Pete?
jimiller5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-02-2018, 01:04 PM   #89
Junior Member
 
Name: Peter
Trailer: 1979 boler 1700
British Columbia
Posts: 21
Mileage on our Pilot is about 50,000 km. Fuel consumption while towing is about 10% more on similar grades than driving without the trailer. We do not have a stabilizer hitch and keep the hitch weight at about 300#. You don't notice it while driving at speed and feel a slight tug upon acceleration, but you can come up to speed quickly with the Pilot towing our Boler.
We found that about 110km/hr is the safe max for this rig and that at speeds above this the trailer can start to move especially in crosswind conditions. Slow and steady wins the race.
Hope this helps
Pete
Bolerpete is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2018, 01:57 AM   #90
Senior Member
 
John in Santa Cruz's Avatar
 
Name: John
Trailer: Escape 21, behind an '02 F250 7.3 diesel tug
Mid Left Coast
Posts: 2,940
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bolerpete View Post
We found that about 110km/hr is the safe max for this rig and that at speeds above this the trailer can start to move especially in crosswind conditions. Slow and steady wins the race.
so basically under 70 MPH, yeah, I think we all try and stay under that mark. I get much better MPG at 60 MPH (96 km/h) in either of my last couple tow vehicles.
John in Santa Cruz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-29-2018, 02:54 PM   #91
Member
 
Name: Perry
Trailer: Casita 17' SD
California
Posts: 50
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bolerpete View Post
We own a 2016 Pilot touring with the 9 speed transmission and got the 5000# tow package which is essentially a transmission cooler. We have a 1979 boler 1700 (17 foot model) which is full of stuff and redone in and out. Basically, it probably weighs 3000# + when camping with all of our add ons.

The pilot has no problems whatsoever with this in mountains etc., as it has 30 more hp than the previous Pilot models and weighs 300# less. The new generation dreamworks engine does not go through oil like previous models.

We are a family of 5 with an 85# labradoodle .... lots of stuff/weight.
...........no problems at all.......great vehicle and fun to drive
pete
Wondering if the Pilot with the 9-speed transmission is constantly hunting for the right gear when towing? We tow our '17 Casita with a '17 Ridgeline AWD which has the 6-speed transmission. If towing at legal highway speed (55mph in California) the RPM is about 1,900 if left in drive, which gives really good fuel mileage on the flats, roughly 17.5-18.1mpg and upshifts when necessary. If we use the transmission lock into 4th gear the RPM between 55-60mph is in the 2,800-3,000 RPM range where the engine seems to offer lots power and torque and great for hilly terrain. Not sure which is better for the engine.
EggRoll is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-29-2018, 10:05 PM   #92
Junior Member
 
Name: Peter
Trailer: 1979 boler 1700
British Columbia
Posts: 21
2016 Pilot tranny in mountains

Since the Pilot Touring has a 9 speed transmission, you can get stuck in a too sluggish gear for those looooong hills. We have the Coquihalla highway in B.C. which has 30 km long continuous and fairly steep graded climbs. I choose the sequential option on the electronic transmission selector which can lock a gear without shifting. Upon acceleration or deceleration you can manually upshift or downshift and lock the gear that best suits your needs.
In this mode there is no searching for gears as you would have in other automatic transmissions.
Peter
Bolerpete is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-29-2018, 10:23 PM   #93
Senior Member
 
Glenn Baglo's Avatar
 
Trailer: Escape 17 ft
Posts: 8,317
I have a RAV4 with a five speed transmission. I put it in 4 ( as per the manual ) and when I need to go faster, I press heavily on the gas pedal. It gears down to 3 and is not sluggish ( just noisy - as it would be ).
The grade in question on the Coquihalla is 17 kiloimeters with up to 8 per cent grade.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
Glenn Baglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2019, 06:17 PM   #94
Member
 
Name: David
Trailer: in the market
Idaho
Posts: 85
In regards to whether it is best to use a lower gear and more RPMs while towing or whether to use a higher gear and fewer RPMs, I am in favor of keeping the RPMs up.

Every time the piston goes up and down there is a little wear. It isn't much but it isn't nothing either. Higher RPMs also mean more inertia loads on the engine. Those increase as the square of the speed so they build up quickly.

On the other hand, lower RPMs mean you need more torque which means higher cylinder pressures and temperatures. More cylinder pressure makes the rings press against the cylinder walls harder which also leads to more wear. This is probably more important than more revolutions. Higher temps make the oil thinner and everything weaker leading to increased wear and increased stress.

On balance it is better to run the engine near it's midrange than near the maximum RPMs and at mid throttle rather than full throttle. Not only is it better for the engine stress-wise but it is better for economy and driveability.

When running empty and light it is possible to have low RPMs and low throttle at the same time which gets the best economy and wear. When towing though it is often the case that you have to compromise one or the other. By staying near the middle on both you can minimize the adverse effects.

An automatic transmission almost never wears out the gears inside. When a transmission goes it is the clutches that die. Clutches only wear during a shift. Once the shift is done the clutches don't wear at all. Clutches that shift a lot absorb a lot of power and get hot fast. If a transmission is constantly hunting back and forth between gears, the clutches can get hot enough to be damaged even if they aren't worn out.

For this reason it is a good idea to shift an automatic transmission into a gear it can live with and let the engine take a little more wear instead.

I have a car that tries to figure this out for me. It does an okay job but using a tow/haul button works better. By using tow/haul mode you cause the transmission to calculate shifts with a different goal in mind. The computer tries to protect the transmission by staying in lower gears and shifting less.

As far as the transmission is concerned, a really firm, borderline harsh, sift is best because it involves less slipping and so less heat buildup. People don't like to even feel that the transmission is doing anything. We like slow, gradual shifts that we can't feel. These are pretty hard on the clutches.

It isn't easy to make a drive train that will do everything any of us can think of and do it well. Things are pretty well sorted right now but when we have all electric vehicles we will wonder why we ever put up with all of this nonsense.
mizterwizard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-29-2019, 12:54 PM   #95
Junior Member
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: 2017 Casita Spirit Deluxe
New Mexico
Posts: 3
Little late with this response, but to Montana Brads original query. We tow a 2017 17'Casita Spirit Deluxe with a 2017 Ridgeline and have no complaints. I am conscious of my mpg and drive conservatively. Probably average 63 mph. We just got back from a 1600 mile trip, Santa Fe NM to Palm Springs, and averaged 18.2 mpg. We have averaged as high as 19 and as low as 17.8 on other journeys.
sfmiguel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2020, 06:31 AM   #96
Junior Member
 
Name: Brendan
Trailer: Casita
Boulder
Posts: 3
2014 Honda pilot Anderson WDH for a 2020 Casita Heritage Deluxe

Has anyone been towing a casita with a WDH? We need to decide if we want it as an add on.

On the one hand this thread seems to suggest the entire back of the car will be rolling down the hill with our casita but some posts say its about hitching it correctly.

Can anyone who has WDH with a 2014 (or similar year) pilot chime in?
oulous is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2020, 07:01 AM   #97
Senior Member
 
John in Santa Cruz's Avatar
 
Name: John
Trailer: Escape 21, behind an '02 F250 7.3 diesel tug
Mid Left Coast
Posts: 2,940
I used a wdh for awhile with our 16' Casita towed by a Tacoma TRD, because without it, that trucks soft off-road suspension gave a pitching ride, porpoising on bumps and dips.

I later added airbags to the back of the truck and never messed with the wdh again
John in Santa Cruz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2020, 09:41 AM   #98
Senior Member
 
Trailer: 2009 17 ft Casita Freedom Deluxe
Posts: 857
We towed our 2009 Casita 17 FD with a 2008 Ridgeline. When we picked up the trailer in Rice, we were prepared to lay out the extra for a WDH and/or a sway bar. We, including the tech, decided to try it without either to see how it pulled. We traveled for well over 25000 miles the next several years and never felt the need to change.

We now have a 2019 Pilot but a much smaller trailer. Still no need for the WDH, but I haven't decided if I would want a WDH on this car with a 17'. The ride seems a lot softer although it still has the 5000 tow rating.
Quote:
Originally Posted by oulous View Post
Has anyone been towing a casita with a WDH? We need to decide if we want it as an add on.

On the one hand this thread seems to suggest the entire back of the car will be rolling down the hill with our casita but some posts say its about hitching it correctly.

Can anyone who has WDH with a 2014 (or similar year) pilot chime in?
Dave Fish is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2020, 11:48 AM   #99
Member
 
Name: Ed
Trailer: Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe
Washington
Posts: 60
Quote:
Originally Posted by oulous View Post
Has anyone been towing a casita with a WDH? We need to decide if we want it as an add on.

On the one hand this thread seems to suggest the entire back of the car will be rolling down the hill with our casita but some posts say its about hitching it correctly.

Can anyone who has WDH with a 2014 (or similar year) pilot chime in?
It is a matter of personal preference, at least if you are talking about an AWD and not FWD. I think FWD needs a WDH to keep your front wheels in firm contact with the pavement. As to comfort, some don't seem to mind the porpoising effect and others do. We fall into the latter category. If you put in a couple 500 mile days, the porpoising really wears you down, IMO. We have a lot of sectioned pavement in Washington State.

Our TV is a 2018 AWD Ridgeline and despite it handling the tongue weight of our 17SD Casita much better than our 2010 Tacoma, we still get a much smoother ride and an improved feeling of safety using a WDH with sway bar. We often find ourselves saying, jokingly that a large white vehicle is following us too close, meaning our Casita. This is because we are riding so smoothly, we often cannot feel it back there.

Ours is a standard spring arm WDH and not the Anderson. The name of ours is EZLift Elite with the 600/6000 model. We also use a friction sway bar. We have never had a safety issue while towing, despite an emergency maneuver a long time ago to avoid something in the road ahead of us. So we are sold on a WDH. It allows us to have a TV that is comfortable and soft riding while empty, but still handles the weight of the Casita very well while towing. I think you too will find a WDH beneficial given the Pilot suspension is tuned for riding empty and not towing a heavy object.

Another thing to remember is, you never know if you need a piece of safety equipment until you discover the hard way, you do not have one. I refer to a friction sway bar here.

As to a WDH, we will not leave home without one. Once they are adjusted properly, they are a snap to add to your hitching routine and take only about 5 minutes extra if that.

I hope you enjoy your new rig! Happy Camping!
Casita Ed is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
casita


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
TV advice-RAV4 V6 vs Honda Pilot, + adding tow hitch StacyT Towing, Hitching, Axles and Running Gear 28 10-06-2018 01:24 PM
Anyone use a Honda Pilot for Tug ? Tim Wood Towing, Hitching, Axles and Running Gear 50 01-26-2018 07:46 AM
2016 Honda Pilot Towing Specs Jon in AZ Towing, Hitching, Axles and Running Gear 0 05-20-2015 12:16 PM
Honda Pilot Towing honda03842 Towing, Hitching, Axles and Running Gear 86 09-11-2014 09:05 PM
Honda Pilot to tow 17' SD? GerthT Towing, Hitching, Axles and Running Gear 25 10-20-2012 08:29 PM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:41 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.