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mutcth · 02-16-2010, 08:08 AM

Hmmm. I'm towing a 3000lb trailer with my Honda Odyssey - same drivetrain as the Pilot. Can't say that I'm dropping below 3rd gear on hills, no problems maintaining the speed limit in the Vermont hills. I wouldn't mind more power on hilly two-lane roads - but I'm sure as heck not causing traffic to pile up behind me on the highway.

I'm also guessing that he's towing that pop-up without a weight distribution hitch. My 200-lb tongue weight T@B drops the back of my van more than my 500-lb Argosy does; the difference is the T@B has no weight distribution while I use it for the Argosy.

To each their own.

EDIT: It makes sense the (last generation) Vue was faster than the Pilot - it was smaller and uses the same drivetrain.

Tom

kevin242 · 02-16-2010, 08:13 AM

Here's BAD trailer towing taken to the extreme...

YouTube - car towing a trailer way too big

bryanl · 02-16-2010, 09:02 AM

2Air is illustrating just how deeply held some of these positions are. Anyone who dares take note of deficiencies in the Emperor's new clothes had better be prepared for an assault of the vilest order. Belittling other persons rather than addressing the points made is never a good way to foster useful discussion. We sure have some examples in this thread.

On the other hand, there are a few trying to clarify issues and balancing of factors.

The Ody is rated for up towing to 3500# and that rating is not a capability rating. There are a number of these minivans towing larger Airstreams. Honda seems to use the same drivetrain in many of its vehicles and it is the suspension and configuration that provide the major change in potential towing capabilities.

The note about the pop-up in interesting because some of the worst sway is with the smaller lightweight trailers. One of the best sway management articles I have seen is centered on a lightweight tow vehicle and a tent trailer.

Confusing and conflating load leveling with sway control is a common problem. They are related because of the loading on the steering axle. If the tongue weight lifts the steering axle and that lift is not compensated with load leveling, then your steering can get soft and that can exaggerate handling problems. If you have a vehicle that can take a thousand pounds on the rear bumper without lifting the steering axle (like some diesel pickups with short axle to bumper distance), than load leveling doesn't influence steering much.

Reasons that lightweight tent trailers may have significant sway problems include it being easier for them to be disturbed from their line of travel, the short axle to tongue distance (less leverage), and load distribution. Airstreams tend to have their axles set farther back than many other brand of trailers and they place the major load very close to the axles. That is one reason why many Airstreamers tend to travel with full water tanks as it can improve handling in those trailers.

I find it interesting that the Honda uses a 250 HP V6 with a 6 speed tranny. Many of the tow vehicles pre 1970 had only three gears with motors under 200 HP. None of this kind of discussion then. You just took what you had and made do.

Road Ruler · 02-16-2010, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryanl

I find it interesting that the Honda uses a 250 HP V6 with a 6 speed tranny. Many of the tow vehicles pre 1970 had only three gears with motors under 200 HP. None of this kind of discussion then. You just took what you had and made do.

How true it is/was Bryan. Back in the 60's this 180HP Dodge easily reached 90MPH towing the bullet on a test site.

2airishuman · 02-16-2010, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryanl

...be prepared for an assault of the vilest order...

bryan, i LIKE this notion...

so much so that it might just make a GREAT signature line.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryanl

...Belittling... is never a good way to foster useful discussion.

sure it is.

but who suggested this discuss was useful?

and YES folks towed with floppy, loose, LEAD eating, seatbelt less, bias plied rolling SOFAs and 9 kids in the back seat or windows...

in the good ol'days...

but the streams were smaller the speeds SLOWER, they had NO AC on top to increase drag and DAD was the boss.

AND the kids had a bowl of cold rocks for breakfast and wiped with corn cobs...

but only after DAD had used the cob first.

not that there's anything WRONG with that approach,

it's how many of our NORTHERN neighbors still travel NOW...

(more belittling but at least it's not directed at any 1 person)

joke is a 4 letter word bro...

cheers
2air'

purman · 02-16-2010, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevin242

Here's BAD trailer towing taken to the extreme...

YouTube - car towing a trailer way too big

Yep, thats pretty funny when it's not you.....

bryanl · 02-17-2010, 10:49 AM

look to where the conversation has been taken: ridicule, satire, addressing the person and not the issue,

Quote:

Yep, thats pretty funny when it's not you.....

yes, indeed.

wouldn't it be something if we could actually get into a discussion of towing capacity without having the trolls, the satirists, and those devolving to ridicule taking it over?

Road Ruler · 02-17-2010, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryanl

wouldn't it be something if we could actually get into a discussion of towing capacity without having the trolls, the satirists, and those devolving to ridicule taking it over?

For sure Bryan.... the FC* continues.

It is a shame that folks like the OP come here for insight and have to weed through the GP*.

Wondering if the forum administrators could set up a new subject in the forum. You could name it CPYFCAGPH*.

This could be a place where the children could play, a place where they could scratch out their useless scrawl. That way the adults here, the ones who take the subject of towing seriously could communicate without the annoyance of the whimpering koolaide kids and their BFB* distracting posts.

At the very least it would give the OP a half azz'd chance of getting through the applicable info.

*FC (Forum Clutter)

*GP (Garbage Posts)

*CPYFCAGPH (Children paste your Forum Clutter and Garbage posts here)

*BFB (Brain Fart Based)

Gumpdad714 · 02-18-2010, 04:55 PM

To all,

I had no idea that my question would prompt a debate. I havent had a chance to go through all the information that has been posted. I just would like to thank you. As I am new, this Airstream community is something I believe I will enjoy.

Lou (Gumpdad714)

Gumpdad714 · 02-18-2010, 04:59 PM

I am saying that the 2009 Honda Pilot 4WD is GVWR is rated 4500 lbs. The A/S that I am interested in is 20' Long with a GVWR rated 5000 lbs. Hope this helps.

Gumpdad714 · 02-18-2010, 05:15 PM

I am so new to this it took me a while to find my own "thread". To have a coherent discussion on this topic is great. I am not an "op" or baiting anyone. I started towing a popup with a Ford Windstar and a family of 6. I went on some fairly long trips. I didnt realize how bad the situation was until I purchased the Honda Pilot. Towing and traveling are now a breeze. I do not want to return to the situation I had where the vehicle really wasnt appropriate for the trailer. (I hope this makes sense.) Once again thanks to all who commented.