[twinjogger]

Last weekend I got my first chance on testing the RL towing a travel trailer. I have a 18' Hybrid Surveyor Lite, and was making the trip from Redondo Beach, Ca. to Las Vegas. Aprox. 650 miles roundtrip. The trailer is a single axle with a dry weight of 2,850 lbs. Tongue weight of 380 lbs. Trailer loaded was aprox. 3,400 lbs. The drop on the RL from the tongue weight was only about 1 - 2 inches so I didn't install load distribution bars. I do have a friction sway bar on the trailer. The trip to Vegas is pretty easy with two moderate climbs. Elevation went from sea level to 4,000' at the highest point. The trailer has electric brakes and I have a PRIMUS controller on the RL. Mounting the controller was easy, the only difficult part is making the connection for the pigtail. The RL brake connector is at the very top of the emergency brake and attached to another cable. I could only manage to get one hand up to the connector and it took me about 30 minutes to finally get the pigtail attached. The RL had no difficulties pulling the trailer, I could easily keep the speed up in the mid-sixties on the grades and had to back off on the downhill and flat sections. I was surprised on how many other cars/trucks I was passing on the uphill grades. The RL averaged 12 MPG both ways during the trip. This is acceptable to me considering the overall way the truck performed. I know the truck can handle a heavier pull load, but I think 4,000 lbs. and under is a good match for the truck with a high trailer. Overall the RL handled great and I'm happy with the trailer/RL match up.

 

[5S Dude]

Hi twinjogger, Great post! The Cajon Pass and the "hill" out of Baker sucked the life out of our mpg on our trip to the SEMA show in Vegas but the ride was wonderful with tons of passing power without a trailer. The last 15 to 20 miles of the new "improved" highway sounds like an airliner coming in for a landing though!!

 

[Norm]

Took our new travel trailer out for the first time this weekend. Round trip from Everett, WA to Ocean Shores, WA (total about 375 miles). Not a lot of elevation change and mostly freeway/highway. Trailer weights 3700 lbs and has dual axels. Per Ridgeline owners manual I didn't use the weight leveling hitch that came with the trailer but did use a friction style sway bar. Did use extension mirrors.

Good news: the truck towed the trailer very comfortably.

Bad news: Mileage dropped to about 10 MPG - ouch.

Norm

 

[DrJAG]

Glad to hear the RL does OK pulling a trailer. Just bought an RTL and will pull a large tent trailer. What extension mirrors did you use? - Thanks.

 

[redwoodhonda]

Hi

we bought our RL to tow a '64 Airstream, dry weight 2850 pounds, among other things. Thanks for the details.. it seemed like good fit, towing with the RL, but wondered about towing with irs. Bummer about the mileage, but nice to travel in the RL.

cheers, thanks a lot

Peter

 

[Truckin']

Glad to hear the RL does OK pulling a trailer. Just bought an RTL and will pull a large tent trailer. What extension mirrors did you use? - Thanks.

We have a large tent trailer also and just used the generic, strap on extension mirrors. One time passing a semi going the other direction on a two lane highway, the wind blast folded the mirror.

We get about 14 mpg and we always go into mountainous areas when camping.

 

[Webwader]

DrJAG, we too have a large tent trailer that grosses 3,500 lb. IMHO it does better than "OK". I am very happy with its towing capabilities. Like Truckin', I just use the generic strap-on mirrors that I used on my previous truck. The width of the RL helps the rear vision a lot. I get 13-14 mpg towing, which includes a lot of mountain driving.

 

[Truckin']

Oh, you just wanted a chance to show off those fancy CDC vinyl customized designs again. Nice photo.

 

[Webwader]

Oh, you just wanted a chance to show off those fancy CDC vinyl customized designs again.

That's about all I have to show off.

 

[DrJAG]

Thanks for the info on the mirrors. Nice picture of tent trailer and RL!

- DrJAG

 

[mswartz]

Towing Airstream Bambi with Ridgeline

Redwoodhonda,

I can tell you my Ridgeline behaves well towing my 19ft Airstream Bambi in all driving conditions including Adirondack and Appalacian mountains summer and winter. I'm using a WD hitch (Blue Ox BX2004) with Blue Ox antisway, and have the Honda-brand hitch receiver, along with Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller. The Bambi weighs in over 4500lbs.

Since I bought the RTL in late March 2005, I've put on over 7000mi towing out of 24000mi total. No surprises. The Ridgeline was purchased specifically to tow this trailer and it has met all my expectations. Average towing gas economy is 11+mpg over all towing miles, vs 22mpg on highway without trailer.

My dealer-installed 7-way trailer electrical harness had no provision for pin 7, the backup-light circuit, to be connected- there was no wire attached to the center pin. I connected it myself. This is required during state inspection of trailers which have the backup light circuit. My dealer notified Honda of this oversight, but I don't know if Honda has corrected this.

I noticed someone on this forum already published a picture I took in May 2005 of my RTL and Bambi in front of Major's RV on Cape Cod so I won't resubmit it here.

 

[Rayray]

webwader, Thank you very much for your post and for posting your Ridge and camper pic. I am seriously looking at the RT model, but have been having concerns about trailer weight. So far I had thought that I might top out with my tent trailer (a coleman look alike of yours) with dry weight of 3250 lbs.. So far no one has wanted to say that an RT could tow it - guarenteed, and the numbers were so close I didn't want to get in trouble in the appalachians (sp?). I made a trip last year from Everett, Wa to Groton, Ct (in Navy) towing my camper with a GMC vehicle [name not submitted to protect the guilty] and that trip nearly killed my tow vehicle! It is rated at a higher towing capacity than the RT so it has really had my wife concerned. especially after I weighed the camper "wet" - 6888 lbs. My dying POS is rated at 9850 lbs. but couldn't do it. Hearing yours and mswartz's posts (with your pics) my wife and I are now confident in our decision. Thank you ROC Members!
Pics coming just days after I can take delivery.

 

[Webwader]

You're welcome Rayray. There is a stretch of I84 in eastern Oregon that is 7-8 miles long and 6% grade. As I approach it I set the cruise at 55mph (it also has curves) and climb at a rock steady pace at 3,400 rpm in 3rd gear. The RL doesn't even break a sweat.

 

[Rayray]

I would like to thank all the ROC members and escially webwader for the assistance and for assuaging our (my wife and mine) fears and trepidations. Thank you all.

 

[jojolimited]

Cool, I thought a 19' Bambi would be too heavy. I've been looking at the
Shadowcruiser Funfinder TTs. All of them have a hitch and dry weight under the Ridgleline limit. Not Airstream quality of course, but aluminum framed to reduce weight. They have a great user group on Yahoo too.
I'm looking at either the T-189 FBR or the T-210. If any one here has one with their Ridge I would love to hear about it.

Joe C.