Towing with a Honda Ridgeline

[air19]

Is anyone out there towing with a Honda Ridgeline or Pilot. I was wondering how long and heavy a vintage Airstream I could tow with my Ridgeline. It's rated for 5000 lbs towing, but I can't find a tongue weight limit anywhere on Honda's website. It's wheelbase is 122 inches vs. 106 inches for the Pilot.

I'm thinking that an early 70s Safari at 3500 lbs and 23 ft is about my max. Please share your thoughts and experiences.

[mswartz]

air19,
I've been towing my 2001 19-ft Bambi with a Ridgeline RTL since late March 2005 and am very pleased. So far have put about 6k miles with the combo. Towing economy is about 11mpg at 65mph on roads such as I81 (NY to NC), I90 (MA to IN) and so forth.

[CanoeStream]

Welcome to the forums air19!

Regarding a larger vehicle (the Nissan Titan) take a look at my reply on Titan vs GMC 2500. The same rules apply. A tow vehicle has a GVWR -- this will be in the manual as well as on the driver side doorpost. This may go by different names but generally look for a pound limit of onboard load. The weight of people and gear in the vehicle counts against that limit. The tongue weight must fit within the remainder. Figure 10-15% of trailer gross weight -- closer to 15% is realistic. Remember the load distribution/anti-sway gear sits right at the hitch, so it is hard to promise you'll always travel light.

A tow load with deliberately light tongue weight (by putting heavy gear behind the axle) becomes dangerously unstable! Imagine throwing an arrow with the fletching first. It is really necessary to put a minimum of 10% on the hitch ball.

Hope you find the ideal combination!

[mercury7]

Just so you know, the tongue weight on the ridgeline is 600lbs, I am getting ready to by a 1959 24ft tradewind to tow with my rtx

[air19]

Thanks Mercury7 for the tongue weight info.

I found a 53 Flying Cloud about a year ago and have been working with Trailerworks in South Carolina on the rebuild.

My final dry weight after the rebuild should be about 3000lbs, wet weight fully loaded hopefully around 3750, and tongue weight targeted around 450.

We will see when it is complete and I've gone to the scales. I'll be using an Equalizer hitch.

- Mike

[remcolent]

Why tow with rice.
I'm sorry but realy don't understand that.
I'm Dutch and realy love american cars.
That was the reason I bought A airstream .
A american car should tow a american trailor.

[bhayden]

Aren't the Ridgelines built in Ontario Canada? Cheese burners maybe


Rice is a much more a traditional Mexica food; probably enjoyed by the Dodge RAM workers at Chrysler Group's Saltillo, Mexico plant

Personally I prefer pasta; I'm looking for a Lamborghini 4wd as my next tow rig. The 118" wheelbase and 440hp V12 ought to get my Argosy over the mountain passes

-Bernie

[scottanlily]

What i think folks need to look at is what kind of vehical you are contemplating using .Try to gather the best info on the frame ,running gear
brakes and other components to ensure a Tv thats up to the job .The honda
pilot is a very small ,light weight vehical ,the suspension is tiny ,especially
the rear suspension ,nothing heavy duty about it ,It is not up to the job
of towing a trailer that I can see . On the other hand the ridgeline does
have some good size to it and appears to be a good choice for towing ,
depending on what you tow .

Scott of scottanlily

[mercury7]

although I have seen where some people do it anyway, I wanted you to know that honda recommends against using an equalizer hitch....it is debated as to why....stability issues maybe...or because it is a hybrid combination of ladderframe and unibody. just wanted to let you know....I am very curious to see how much my back end goes down when I pick up my trade wind friday

[BillTex]

Have you considered a Basecamp?
May be more suitable ...

[mercury7]

I seriously would not worry to much as long as you stay under 5000, the ridgelene owners forum is full of 100's of examples of people towing up to the limit with no problems, it is a v6 so you can expect to be turning some serious rpms going up hill but the truck is built to handle that....oversized brakes, oversized cooler etc already standard.....the pilot is not the same....only 7% shared components between them.

[scottanlily]

The pilot I hope is not even close ,and it makes no sense anyone would try to tow with such a small light weight vehical . The ridgeline has independent rear suspension and is more a carlike in the rear,you will find the rear end will
go way down with your tradewnd ,and with no WD ,it will be interesting for
certain .I tow the 60 trdwnd with my 68 travelall and definately need the WD
for it to get the control needed ,it was not fun for the first 100 miles without
it and not just because of rear squat ,just not having the weight distributed
across all the axles and frames .We had went to a RV shop and bought the WD bars (had the hitch head ) and put them on ,major difference and I new
we would be fine . you will also find that the v6 will be working itself like
crazy if you get any grade or hill with the trailer so be prepared .That earlier
experience when I first aquired the trdwnd taught me the rules right away.
Get the right TV and equipment and don't mess around ,as I did not have the bars or the sway control at first (only the first day) ,well I had the right TV
no question ,but needed to get the equipment right away !! Experience will
teach us all valuable lessons on trailer towing thats the facts.

Scott

[mercury7]

it will be interesting...the ridgeline tongue weight is 600lbs so I will just have to see how far down it goes.....There saying in the ridgeline forums that it only drops about 1.5 inches with that kind of weight. I'll report in with pics as soon as I know.

[Denis4x4]

There is a rumor that the Ridgeline is really an unsanforized Avalance that went through a hot water car wash!

[bluvalley]

I tow my 22ft CCD with a 2006 Ridgeline. Comfortable, smooth, decent gas mileage, reliable. Use a weight distribution hitch without any problems.

Don't knock it unless you've tried it.

Best of luck.

Bluvalley.

[mercury7]

thanks, did you start out with a weight distribution hitch or did you add one later , thanks, I will never be towing my 24ft more than about 30 miles at a time but want to ensure a good set up....I have an rtx with the honda hitch already installed

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by bluvalley

I tow my 22ft CCD with a 2006 Ridgeline. Comfortable, smooth, decent gas mileage, reliable. Use a weight distribution hitch without any problems.

Bluvalley.

Bluvalley... I'm hearing the same positive comments in the real world. I've talked with a number of Ridgeline owners who are towing substantial trailers and they have nothing but good things to say about them. One guy suggested that the rigid unibody has a lot to do with it.

[scottanlily]

The ridgeline is a nice size truck with good wheelbase and length to it
which makes it better for towing trailers ,that is part of the key to it.
driving and towing without any WD is not a good idea ,try it and you'll find out what Im talking about .

Scott