Wave-like motion when towing with my Pilot - Page 2 - Escape Trailer Owners Community
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Old 05-21-2017, 03:08 PM   #21
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Hey Teddy, ease up on the WDH tension a bit. As you know I have the same 2017 Pilot and noticed that myself. The Pilot likes a bit more weight on the hitch. It pitches because the suspension is really very soft until it's loaded up. Once loaded, it doesn't pitch as much. I have a different WDH than you, but the concept is the same. Worst case, you can switch out for a WDH with spring bars. The Anderson is a whole different design.
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Old 05-22-2017, 11:33 AM   #22
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Thanks! I'll try to put more load on the tongue by playing adjusting the WDH springs and/or black water tank.
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Old 05-22-2017, 03:00 PM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by C&G in FL View Post
I have noted it sometimes when going over bridges, perhaps due to a sudden change in road composition. I have, however, read "complaints" in the past that the rear suspension Honda uses on the Odyssey and Pilot is a bit mushy. I think Brian may have hit the nail on the head with his assessment of the cause and potential corrective measure.
I got rid of my 2014 Pilot because of inadequate suspension and power, and purchased a 2014 Suburban. A Pilot is a finishing hammer and a Suburban, Expedition, Seqouia are all real hammers.
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Old 05-22-2017, 06:10 PM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan S View Post
I got rid of my 2014 Pilot because of inadequate suspension and power, and purchased a 2014 Suburban. A Pilot is a finishing hammer and a Suburban, Expedition, Seqouia are all real hammers.
A Suburban is definitely a much cooler ride.

However, we shopped and drove both and ended up with the Pilot, which was about $20K cheaper spec'd out as we wanted. They are really quite similar, but the Pilot seemed like a much better value proposition given the resale value. I'm averaging 24-25 mpg. It's a bit quicker too

2017 Honda Pilot:
19/27 MPG
6.2 sec 0-60
5,000 lb towing capacity

2017 Suburban:
15/22 MPG
7.1 sec 0-60
6,000 lb towing capacity
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Old 05-22-2017, 06:22 PM   #25
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Originally Posted by skyfree View Post
A Suburban is definitely a much cooler ride.

However, we shopped and drove both and ended up with the Pilot, which was about $20K cheaper spec'd out as we wanted. They are really quite similar, but the Pilot seemed like a much better value proposition given the resale value. I'm averaging 24-25 mpg. It's a bit quicker too

2017 Honda Pilot:
19/27 MPG
6.2 sec 0-60
5,000 lb towing capacity

2017 Suburban:
15/22 MPG
7.1 sec 0-60
6,000 lb towing capacity
Having towed with both a Honda Pilot and a Chevy Suburban ,
all I can say is the two are as much alike as apples and oranges.
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Old 05-22-2017, 08:24 PM   #26
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Originally Posted by skyfree View Post
A Suburban is definitely a much cooler ride.

However, we shopped and drove both and ended up with the Pilot, which was about $20K cheaper spec'd out as we wanted. They are really quite similar, but the Pilot seemed like a much better value proposition given the resale value. I'm averaging 24-25 mpg. It's a bit quicker too

2017 Honda Pilot:
19/27 MPG
6.2 sec 0-60
5,000 lb towing capacity

2017 Suburban:
15/22 MPG
7.1 sec 0-60
6,000 lb towing capacity
wrong, its 8000 for 4wd.
Wanna race? 326HP and 3:35 gears. My 2014 Z71 Suburban used was $32,750 in Texas. I bought my 2014 Pilot hoping it would be a good replacement for my 2015 Suburban as it had the most cargo space in its class and the biggest rear tailgate in its class. For us, it wasn't the replacement I was hoping for. I know I'll spend more on repairs than you. Hondas just don't break. Correction on your stats: 2014 Suburban, not 2017. 8000Lbs towing capacity and a gargantuan cargo area. We got 17.2 MPG on a 5,000 mile trip this March to Arizo, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexica pulling a 1800 Lb pop up at
65-70 MPH. In your court.
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Old 05-23-2017, 11:09 AM   #27
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No duels please.

We picked the Pilot due to my loyalty to Honda.. Having owned Civics, Preludes, S2000, Accord, CR-V, Odyssey here and abroad.
And, more importantly now with the baby, the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ crash test rating.
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Old 05-23-2017, 12:19 PM   #28
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Originally Posted by LJY View Post
No duels please.

We picked the Pilot due to my loyalty to Honda.. Having owned Civics, Preludes, S2000, Accord, CR-V, Odyssey here and abroad.
And, more importantly now with the baby, the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ crash test rating.
I understand your loyalty as I have owned 6 accords, 1 civic, and 1 Pilot. I was just having a little fun, no harm done.
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Old 05-24-2017, 03:56 AM   #29
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I "like" towing with black and gray tanks about 1/2 full. Try not to have a full fresh tank, yet anyways. Waste tanks up front, fresh over the axle (more or less). Do you have the front storage box?


Dennis set up my Andersen for the day of pick up (when my truck bed was loaded down). After getting the truck unloaded, and testing, I reduced my tightening from 7 to 2, maybe 3.

YMMV.
You can go to the CAT SCALES, at your closest truck stop. It is important to know your axle weights. Weigh your vehicle, weigh your trailer empty, and weigh your trailer loaded with your gear and passengers. I have 2 CAT SCALES near my house, one at the Flying J, and one at the Husky.

https://youtu.be/1mo5cJUZFv0
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Old 05-24-2017, 03:58 AM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BCnomad View Post
I "like" towing with black and gray tanks about 1/2 full. Try not to have a full fresh tank, yet anyways. Waste tanks up front, fresh over the axle (more or less). Do you have the front storage box?


Dennis set up my Andersen for the day of pick up (when my truck bed was loaded down). After getting the truck unloaded, and testing, I reduced my tightening from 7 to 2, maybe 3.

YMMV.
Sorry, I quoted the wrong post, see my last post.

https://youtu.be/1mo5cJUZFv0
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Old 05-24-2017, 11:15 PM   #31
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Will I be able to find tongue weight at these stations?
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Old 05-24-2017, 11:48 PM   #32
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Originally Posted by LJY View Post
Will I be able to find tongue weight at these stations?
I haven't done this yet, but one of the YouTube Videos I watched said to weigh just your vehicle keeping in mind to keep each axle on a different plate, then re weigh with your trailer, again keeping each axle on a separate plate. Then after you get your weigh in sheets, subtract the rear axle weight with just the tow vehicle from the rear axle weight with your trailer. It's not an exact tongue weight, but pretty close.
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Old 05-25-2017, 05:44 PM   #33
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https://youtu.be/LFLrg6I8_vU

another tongue weight one here
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Old 05-25-2017, 06:26 PM   #34
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I've done it like Doug says pretty much. Do get out and look at the scale first.

With the trailer hooked up pull up on the scale, front vehicle wheels on the forward steel plate, rear vehicle wheels on the middle plate, trailer wheels on the back plate.

Push the button, if you can reach it, and the operator will weigh the parts.

Pull off the scale, go inside and get your first reading after paying, usually costs me $20 for the 2 weighings.

Go park off in the parking lot somewhere out of the way. Drop the trailer and go back to the scale.

Again put the front wheels on the forward plate, rears on the 2nd plate and have the operator weigh it.

Subtract total from 2nd from 1st to get trailers weight.
The difference between the combined steer and drive axles on the 2 weighings will be your tongue or pin weight.

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+...tf-8#kpvalbx=1
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Old 05-26-2017, 07:01 AM   #35
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Adjustment update: I dialed back the Andersen WDH from 5 threads to 3, and most of the porpoising motion is gone when going on straights. I can definitely feel more tongue weight since the vehicle no longer takes off when releasing the brake pedal as with the 5 threads.
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Old 07-06-2017, 02:28 AM   #36
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Just wanted to update for newbie's in the future like me..

It turned out 2 things contributed to the uncomfortable porpoising:
1. they installed the hitchball height too high.. Reace helped me lower it to better height.
2. some how my fresh water tank was full from either the factory or the first night camping without me actually filling the fresh water tank.

Once I found out and drained the water along with appropriate ball height, towing was much better.
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Old 07-06-2017, 11:10 AM   #37
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Originally Posted by LJY View Post
Just wanted to update for newbie's in the future like me..

It turned out 2 things contributed to the uncomfortable porpoising:
1. they installed the hitchball height too high.. Reace helped me lower it to better height.
2. some how my fresh water tank was full from either the factory or the first night camping without me actually filling the fresh water tank.

Once I found out and drained the water along with appropriate ball height, towing was much better.
Hmmm... not sure I like that solution. Having to travel with empty water tanks wouldn't work for me. What happens when you are camping with no water hookups? Have you tried will full fresh tanks and the revised hitch height?

Having towed our 17B with the Pilot for about 1,000 miles on all kinds of roads including 10% grades, I feel like it's mostly just the nature of the vehicle rather than setup. It gets the job done, but that's about all I can say that's nice about it as a tow vehicle. It works for us as a once-a-month tow vehicle and a full time daily driver, but I do miss the Touareg TDI!
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Old 07-06-2017, 11:25 AM   #38
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I agree that you should be able to tow with a full fresh tank and no issues, something goofy on that. I towed a 17b for two years and whenever boondocking always went in with full fresh tank and no issues. I towed with a Nissan Titan and Frontier which are solid tow vehicles and never needed a wdh with either truck to handle the 17.
I'm not sure what you're towing with, but I'd guess it may be part of the issue.
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Old 07-06-2017, 12:29 PM   #39
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Since the op has not updated their avatar, no one knows what type trailer is involved....
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Old 07-06-2017, 12:36 PM   #40
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The level of the fresh water tank can definitely make an impact on tongue weights. With our traveling load on our 21, and the fresh tank completely full, it tended to make our tongue weight lighter than I was comfortable with. Now we travel with it 1/3 full. The 21 holds 28 US gallons of fresh water which weighs about 234# when full - all sitting behind the rear axles.

With both our 17B and now our 21, I experimented with measuring tongue weights with different amounts of water in the fresh tank so that I could come up with tongue weights I was comfortable with. As Donna says; YMMV.
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