Shamrock/Roo 17 Towing Question

[CT14Camp]

I have a 2016 Honda Pilot AWD SUV with factory installed towing package and am looking at purchasing a Shamrock 17 or a Rockwood Roo 17 Expandable trailer will I be okay with towing?

[bikendan]

The problem I have with Honda products, is the company's anti-WDH policy, on both the Pilot and the Ridgeline.
That's why we dropped the Ridgeline from consideration when we were shopping for a new TV.

So I can't recommend them for towing any full height TT or HTT.

[KDHfan]

I would suggest another tow vehicle. My opinion is that the Roo/Shamrock will be much too heavy to safely tow with a Pilot. I can almost assure you it won't be a pleasant towing experience.

[CT14Camp]

Thank you for the insights, this is what I am looking for. Unfortunately I don't have another towing vehicle what I have is what I have....

Would I be better off looking at a unit more like a Viking/Clipper 16RBD?

[HONDAMAN174]

What is it that you like about the roo17?

I am also looking at whether Honda has changed their position on wdh on the pilot because they allow on new ridgeline and it's the same basic design. I will post what I find out.

[HONDAMAN174]

Ok. Per you owners manual-

Your vehicle is designed to tow without the need for a load distribution hitch. If you wish to use one, please consult your trailer maker for proper installation and set-up. Improper set-up could degrade the handling stability and braking performance of your vehicle.

So...pick a hitch! PM me with any questions or if you request tips.

[rbq]

Noticed that the new Ridgeline in no longer unibody construction. The bed & cab are separate now.

[jking46]

Per Honda specs, towing capacity is 5000 lbs. What I can't find is the payload or cargo capacity of the Pilot.
Loaded Rock 17 max is 4500 lbs.
Loaded tongue weight would be 450...500 lbs.
Subtract 500 from payload rating .
This amount is what you can carry in the Pilot, including passengers.

Without knowing your payload rating, I can only speculate, but I think you would be within the Pilot's max. You really need to find your max payload.

All this aside, a v6 powered Suv is not the most capable tow vehicle. On fairly level ground like Minnesota, fairly short trips should be OK. The big frontal area of a full sized trailer will keep you in a lower gear for the most part but still doable.
Have you considered a big high wall pop up?

[ASH]

Originally Posted by CT14Camp

I have a 2016 Honda Pilot AWD SUV with factory installed towing package and am looking at purchasing a Shamrock 17 or a Rockwood Roo 17 Expandable trailer will I be okay with towing?

I also have the 2016 Honda Pilot AWD,and I tow a 21DK. I normally go on 3-4 hour trips and also have a weight distribution hitch. I have had no issues with towing capabilities. My only only issue is the poor gas mileage but thats to be expected.

[Mainframe]

I think you should look into a roo 19, I think it will tow better

[ebcobra93]

I tow a Roo 183 with a Ford Explorer Sport. It has similar towing capacity to your Pilot. But, as someone else already mentioned, you need to look at payload capacity more than towing weight. Fully loaded, with gear and passengers, I am within a hundred pounds of my total payload and rear axle weight limits, but not over.
The Explorer pulls the setup very well with no issues. I also use an Equalizer WDH.

[DocRob]

I purchased a Roo 17 a couple of years back and love it. Couple of things you should know.
The hitch wt. is off - mine runs at about 500 lbs with 1/2 a tank of water so when I was towing it with a Ford Escape I loaded the rear wall with a couple of totes of food, firewood, etc. to keep the tongue wt. down. I was at the limit of the capacity for the Escape (3500 lbs) and the wt. police would have a fit on this forum, but it towed well once I added active sway control. I had an older Reese hitch and was able to add the dual cam feature that made a big difference over the friction sway control. I put a couple thousand miles on the Escape before I purchased a pickup from my son because he was spending too much on payments. The Escape is still setup for towing and wouldn't hesitate to take it out again but the pickup does work better. Your Honda shouldn't have any problems with the Roo and you can expect to get around 11 mpg if you keep the speed to under 60. Power shouldn't be an issue, I pulled my Roo up about 2500 ft. of incline with a 2 liter eco boost in my escape. I crested the hill at over 55 without an issue and wouldn't have been able to crest it at over 45 in by old pickup. I think you will feel more secure with some form of active sway control because that is a big sail behind you. My only issue to date is a bad case of RV modification syndrome but it's winding down now that I've changed most of the systems at least to some extent. Happy camping.

[bikendan]

If Honda has changed their No WDH policy, I think you'll be fine with the 17.
Just get a good WDH, like the Equal-i-zer.

[HONDAMAN174]

Payload is 1340lbs

Make sure you have the trans cooler installed

[rocknroos]

My daughter and son-in-law have a 2015 Roo 17 which they tow with an Acura MDX, which essentially is a Honda Pilot. They do not have a WDH and have never had a problem towing with the MDX. Towing capacity for the MDX with factory tow package is 5000 lbs. Well within the weight of the Roo 17. On a side note she is going to be selling her Roo 17. Just recently she took a job in Boston and they have decided not to take the Roo to Boston with them. It is a 2015 and was used only 4 times. If you are interested let me know

[jaymemiller]

I'd assume you know to put a brake controller on. But read your manual. I tow a 21dk with my tacoma, but the manual is specific on what weights to use a brake controller, wd hitch, and if the tow needs dual axles. I have no problems. Don't know much about pilots.