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Old 12-02-2019, 08:47 AM   #6
Bill
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
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I think you are good in the weight department. Most members of the Forum find that a fully loaded ready-to-camp TM weighs above 4000 pounds - and quite a bit more if you pack it heavily. So plan to pack light.

Re hitch weight, be aware that TMs are purposely made nose-heavy, in order to make them pretty much sway-proof. However, the result is that the hitch weight will almost always exceed 400 pounds. You can find several of our members' actual weights by using the Search tool on something like "hitch weight". You won't need sway control, but you probably will want a WDH (weight distributing hitch) with 600 pound spring bars, to take some of the weight off the tow vehicle's rear end and put it back on the tow vehicle's front end, where it is needed.

It is nice to see you have done your homework, and realize that the weight of all the stuff you put in the tow vehicle subtracts from its tow rating (or adds to the weight of the trailer - same thing). Vehicle manufacturers kind of hide this fact, meaning that most owners don't realize it.

Honda was one of the first to use J2807, so their tow rating should be realistic.

Your plans to stay in relatively low-altitude flat country are good. I can tell you that my wife and I towed our TMs through the Rockies and Sierras quite often, up to about 12,000 feet, in an Explorer V-8 with a 6800-pound rating. The vehicle handled the load and inclines and altitude OK - but just OK. No sign of distress, and we were able to maintain speed as required, but it was working hard.

The part of the vehicle that takes the biggest beating is the transmission. If your Ridegeline has an actual tranny temperature gauge, calibrated in degrees, rather than the idiotic Hot-Cold meter or no meter at all, then you are in good shape. If it does not have one, I suggest strongly that you buy one. Easy to use and install - it simply plugs into the vehicle's OBD-II diagnostic port under the steering wheel.

I think you have planned well. Go for it, and enjoy TMing.

Bill
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