Weight Distribution Hitch for 2017 Ford Escape Titanium Towing R-Pod 180 Travel Trailer

Question:

I have a 2017 Ford Escape Titanium 2.0 Ecoboost 4WD vehicle. It has a class II factory towing package which includes a 3500 lb tow capacity and a 350 lb tongue weight. The RV I am wanting to get is a 2019 R-Pod 180 with a dry weight of 2,662 lbs and a hitch weight of 332. I am not sure if the propane tank is included with the hitch weight but I believe it is. When traveling, I plan on keeping the trailer under 3,000 pounds so I am not concerned about that. My concern is the tongue weight. What would your opinion be in regard to everything that I have mentioned? Thanks in advance.

asked by: Michael

Helpful Expert Reply:

You're smart to keep an eye on your Escape's towing capacity as you consider your choice of trailer and the R-Pod 180 will be a suitable match, especially if you keep its loaded weight at least a bit under the Ford's maximum 3500-lb towing limit. Since the 180's dry weight is 2662-lbs by the time you fill that propane tank, fill your fresh water tank and load your food and gear you'll likely be in the 3100 to 3200-lb range.

When a trailer weighs more than half the tow vehicle's curb weight (your Ford is right around 3900-lbs) you need to use a weight distribution hitch to prevent rear sag in the tow vehicle. Weight distribution/sway control (WD/SC) systems prevent the trailer tongue weight (TW) from lifting the front end of the tow vehicle, which tends to degrade both steering and braking performance. WD systems not only shift trailer TW onto the vehicle's front axle, they also prevent the trailer from going into uncontrolled swaying motion from wind gusts or the air blasts from passing trucks. A WD/SC system will make towing your R-Pod a much safer and less stressful experience. The linked article and video will help explain how these setups work.

Based on your specific trailer weight the system I recommend is the Equal-i-zer 4-Point # EQ37061ET which is shown in the linked video. This comes with a 2-inch hitch ball so all you need to add is a shank and thin-wall socket # ALL643216 for installing the ball. Select a shank like # EQ90-02-4500 with the rise or drop needed to keep the trailer level. The linked article explains. If you will have cargo in the Escape that sits behind the rear axle that weight should be added to the loaded trailer TW to help select the right system; if this is the case tell me the approximate weight of that cargo (such as a generator) and I will confirm the best system to use.

expert reply by: Adam R