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Old 03-03-2011, 09:31 PM   #1
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Default Towing a 189FDS with a 2011 Honda Pilot 2WD

My wife and I are thinking about purchasing the FunFinder X-189FDS but I am concerned about my tow vehicle. I have a 2011 Honda Pilot EX-L 2WD. The towing capacity is 3500lbs. I know the FDS Weight is 3040lbs so I am thinking it is OK. Any feedback would be helpful.
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Old 03-04-2011, 06:38 AM   #2
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Default towing FF-189

In the forum thread two back from yours a fellow asks if his Ford Explorer will tow a 26 ft trailer. The answer given by Webslave is very informative and you should read it carefully. Towing capacity is only one aspect of the answer. To get a more complete picture you need to know the GVWR of your Jeep and estimate how much additional weight in gear, trailer tongue weight, and people you will be carrying. I imagine that Jeep's web site has lots of good information on towing. Having said that, everyone's circumstances are different. Your location, the terrain you intend to travel, roads, etc. all effect towing. you can also see by reading prior threads that good advice is often ignored with the comment that "the dealer says I'll be ok". The dealer is probably the last person to ask. You have a good start on towing safely by asking questions before you purchase a trailer. Please continue your research so we'll all safer.
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Old 03-04-2011, 06:53 AM   #3
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Default towing FF-189

Jeeptopia:

Sorry about refering to your "Jeep". The post got away before I could change it to Honda Pilot. My bad.
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Old 03-04-2011, 09:17 AM   #4
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When I was talking to my dad about buying my first trailer, he had some good advice. He told me, "It's not what you can tow, it's what you can stop."
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Old 03-04-2011, 12:26 PM   #5
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Default Seems like too close to the max towing weight

We bought a funfinder x 160 a year ago and I tow it with my Nissan Pathfinder V6 3.5 liter. The trailer weighs 2500 lbs and my truck is rated to 5000 lbs. I have to say that when we travel with all our junk loaded, the truck strains to make it up long grades. I am even thinking about getting a V8 truck for the extra power.
When you have all the stuff you need for dry camping or a long road trip, your Honda Pilot will be woefully underpowered to tow the trailer. Best to calculate GVWR (as pointed out before) and then determine your capacity. Generally speaking, more power is better.
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Old 03-04-2011, 12:35 PM   #6
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I think the 2wd pilot at 3,500 lbs towing is comming in a little short.I wouldnt do it. You will be over 4,000 lbs easy when loaded and thats without H20'

If you had the 4wd 4,500 lbs you would be OK.

Even with the 4wd you must add a power stearing cooler and a trans cooler as the pilots manual states to have the 4,500lb tow rating.
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Old 03-04-2011, 01:19 PM   #7
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Can't do it...

Your Honda Pilot is rated for 3,500 lbs. It has a Class III hitch (it won't support adequate tongue weight) and the 3,500 lbs it is rated for is for a small utility trailer, small boat or maybe a small pop up style trailer.

The 189FDS is 3040 dry, empty (no LPG or even a battery) and is rated up to 6000 lbs. You will be over your 3500 lbs well before you are ready to hit the road and more than likely would exceed the maximum weight capacity of the Pilot itself. Sorry, but, a Honda Pilot is not a tow vehicle suited for the 189FDS.



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Old 05-11-2011, 10:39 AM   #8
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Default First few days with our 189FBR - Cost of fuel -

Wow, we went for a quick visit to Connecticut and Rhode Island this weekend... We love our bran new 189FBR... One unfortunate thing turned us off... Gas milage!!! Outrageous!!! We have to drive 450miles to get there. We have the 189FBR that waits 2700Lbs dry and around 3000Lbs loaded (we travel light with no liquid in it). We have a Kia Sorrento 2011 V6 with a towing capacity of 3500Lbs... The truck is great handles the rig easily, until... We hit the higway at 60mph... I have a fuel economy display on our truck... Guess what? We we're going at 60mph and the fuel consuption was showing 9.05 MPG... We had to gas every 175miles... Enough to make us think that the Kia dealer pushed us to by the Sorrento and telling us that this truck would be best for our buck! However, we still had a great time!
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Old 05-11-2011, 11:24 AM   #9
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9 mpg is pretty typical actually. Maybe as high as 12 heading downhill with a tailwind.
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Old 05-11-2011, 01:14 PM   #10
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Really??!! How much per gallon you do with your set up?
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Old 05-11-2011, 05:16 PM   #11
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Actually I've never really done the math the with trailer. Towing my boat , a 20 ft open bow I/O that weighs less than half of what the trailer weighs I averaged around 12 mpg or so. That was with a 99 Tahoe rated to tow 7800 lbs.
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Old 05-11-2011, 09:07 PM   #12
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With our rig... 10.7 real average. Worst we've gotten, 8.7 and the best was 11.8. That average is over almost 30,000 miles with the rig in my signature.



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