Maintenance & Restoration

WaltP · 03-08-2018, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

The issue with the Casita 17D is tongue weight, which can easily exceed 400 pounds. That limits how much cargo you can carry in the back of the vehicle without overloading the independent rear axle. Obviously others have made it work, but it is something to take into consideration as you plan.

If the Ridgeline is anything like my Pilot, Honda is very clear and detailed in the owner's manual about how passengers and cargo affect the tow ratings.

Yup, the Ridgeline is actually a SUV (Pilot) disguised to look like a pickup.

If I recall correctly the tongue weight rating of my Ridgeline is 600 lb. The tongue weight on my Escape fully loaded, including full fresh water tank, measured at 410 lb.

Walt

Glenn Baglo · 03-08-2018, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WaltP

The tongue weight on my Escape fully loaded, including full fresh water tank, measured at 410 lb.

Walt

My 17B tongue weight is 320 - 340 lbs loaded. Fresh water tank is aft of the axle so when full would unweight the tongue. Not sure how you manage to get to 410 lbs. Is there that much difference between 2008 and 2017?

Pete_Tallahassee · 03-08-2018, 06:04 PM

Never really thought about Tongue Weight. I'll look into it.
I will be carrying a 350 lb Honda CRF 250 L motorcycle in the truck bed.
Anyone hear of someone putting that much weight on the front or back of the Casita? It would free up the truck bed so I could put a cap or tonneau cover over the bed. Just a thought.

WaltP · 03-08-2018, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

My 17B tongue weight is 320 - 340 lbs loaded. Fresh water tank is aft of the axle so when full would unweight the tongue. Not sure how you manage to get to 410 lbs. Is there that much difference between 2008 and 2017?

Not sure. They are a new design, with new molds and all. And I have the front bin on the tongue well loaded.

Walt

Glenn Baglo · 03-08-2018, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WaltP

And I have the front bin on the tongue well loaded.

Walt

That would do it. I don't have that bin.

Jon in AZ · 03-08-2018, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete_Tallahassee

Never really thought about Tongue Weight. I'll look into it.
I will be carrying a 350 lb Honda CRF 250 L motorcycle in the truck bed.
Anyone hear of someone putting that much weight on the front or back of the Casita? It would free up the truck bed so I could put a cap or tonneau cover over the bed. Just a thought.

The cap or tonneau adds its own weight, especially a cap.

As to the bike, the truck bed is definitely the best place. Hanging it from the back of the trailer will reduce tongue weight and can cause the trailer to become unstable (sway). More important, I doubt the frame is designed to carry that much weight back there. It's not just the static load, but what happens when you hit a bump and the back of the trailer does a whoop-de-do. Putting it on the front doesn't solve anything, as most of the weight is on the tongue, which is supported by the truck's rear suspension. Besides, there'll be times you want to drop the trailer at your campsite and take the bike somewhere else to ride.

You need to do some careful math, guided by your owner's manual. By adjusting how you load the trailer, you can reduce the Casita's tongue weight somewhat, but I wouldn't count on anything less than 400 pounds. Whether that leaves enough payload to carry the bike is what you have to figure out.

Overloading the rear suspension is bad for steering and braking, and because it's an independent suspension, it may throw your alignment off enough to cause uneven tire wear. A light duty weight distributing hitch might be a solution, but that's above my pay grade. I've never used one. Honda "does not recommend" its use on the Pilot; I don't know about the Ridgeline.

Maybe you need an Escape 17B instead of a Casita 17D. According to the Trailer Weights in the Real World database (see the General Chat section), an Escape 17B averages 2974 pounds with 353 pounds tongue weight, while a Casita 17D averages 3278 pounds with 417 pounds tongue weight.

WaltP · 03-08-2018, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

That would do it. I don't have that bin.

Right. That front bin is a major plus for the Escape in my mind. I love it.

Walt

Pete_Tallahassee · 03-09-2018, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

The cap or tonneau adds its own weight, especially a cap.

As to the bike, the truck bed is definitely the best place. Hanging it from the back of the trailer will reduce tongue weight and can cause the trailer to become unstable (sway). More important, I doubt the frame is designed to carry that much weight back there. It's not just the static load, but what happens when you hit a bump and the back of the trailer does a whoop-de-do. Putting it on the front doesn't solve anything, as most of the weight is on the tongue, which is supported by the truck's rear suspension. Besides, there'll be times you want to drop the trailer at your campsite and take the bike somewhere else to ride.

You need to do some careful math, guided by your owner's manual. By adjusting how you load the trailer, you can reduce the Casita's tongue weight somewhat, but I wouldn't count on anything less than 400 pounds. Whether that leaves enough payload to carry the bike is what you have to figure out.

Overloading the rear suspension is bad for steering and braking, and because it's an independent suspension, it may throw your alignment off enough to cause uneven tire wear. A light duty weight distributing hitch might be a solution, but that's above my pay grade. I've never used one. Honda "does not recommend" its use on the Pilot; I don't know about the Ridgeline.

Maybe you need an Escape 17B instead of a Casita 17D. According to the Trailer Weights in the Real World database (see the General Chat section), an Escape 17B averages 2974 pounds with 353 pounds tongue weight, while a Casita 17D averages 3278 pounds with 417 pounds tongue weight.

"the Ridgeline can tow up to 5,000 pounds and haul up to 1,580 pounds"
From Edmunds
Tongue weight is 500 lbs

Jon in AZ · 03-09-2018, 06:46 AM

Don't go by Edmunds. Go by your owner's manual. There are often caveats and exceptions Edmunds does not take into consideration. For one thing, towed weight and payload are mutually exclusive to some extent. You cannot, as they seem to imply, tow the full rated trailer AND carry the full rated payload in the truck at the same time.

I suspect you may be okay, but your manual has the last word. Mine has a chart showing how the trailer ratings decrease as you add passengers and cargo. The full tow rating only applies if you have two people and no cargo. Tongue weight runs out before trailer weight.

WaltP · 03-09-2018, 08:11 AM

You cannot, as they imply, tow the full rated trailer AND carry the full rated payload in the truck at the same time.
Right. An important point.

Mine has a chart showing how the trailer ratings decrease as you add passengers and cargo.
Hey, that's nice. What vehicle? I wish they'd all do that.

Walt

Jon in AZ · 03-09-2018, 08:36 AM

Honda Pilot., Walt. Interesting thing is it's not linear. When you start putting people in the 3rd row (or cargo at the very back) allowable tongue weight drops precipitously. Makes sense. Weight in the middle of the vehicle is distributed across both axles. Weight at the back and tongue weight is all on the rear suspension.