Summer travel setup

[2bz]

A picture from the vermillion cliffs on the way home from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Love this setup!

[cofetym]

Nice, Very Nice

[casio]

looks really nice mate

[Xeption]

Wow, can my pilot really do that!!?? Gotta love them pilots!! Love the setup
aswell!

[2bz]

Yup, it handles the pop-up very nicely. The bikes on top definitely add a noticeable amount of drag which leads to a bit more downshifting but its still good for towing and great for the other 49 weeks of the year...

[cofetym]

Looks like the Pilot is squatting a bit in the back or is it just my old eyes.

[Xeption]

After you pointed it out I notice it now. Btw does the touring edition come w a different suspension, or is it just the "Jones's edition????

[2bz]

There is some squat but its not enough that I worry about it. I recently replaced the OEM tires (@ 27k- topic for another thread) and the wear was even across all four.

This is an EX-L but it has the same susp as the touring.

[cofetym]

What tires did you buy to replace the OEM ones ?

[2bz]

I wound up with Goodyear Fortera Silent Armors. Originally I went with Bridgestone Dueler Alenzas based on Tire Rack reviews. In the first 6 miles I didn't like them, they did NOT corner as well as the OEM Forteras, the sidewall just felt squishy and they took forever to take a set in a corner. My drive from the tire shop to work had a clover leaf in it and the handling felt horrible. I know there is mold release and all that but this was a basic handling characteristic of the Alenza, they just didn't respond the way the old Forteras had. So far I'm happy with the Silent Armors and if they only last 27k Discount will honor the 65 or 70k warranty so I'll get a good discount on the next set.

[cofetym]

I like that kind of warranty. Thanks for sharing

[Xeption]

This is an EX-L but it has the same susp as the touring.[/QUOTE]


I also own a EX-L. I thought that it would be somewhat reinforced or totally upgraded. Thanks for the response.

[BiplanePilot]

Nice, will try to emulate that next summer.

[rcase13]

Yep the Pilot does just fine towing. The camper weighs in at 4000lbs and the tongue weight is right at the 450lb maximum. We tow with nothing in the back of the Pilot. If you follow the manual to the letter you should have nothing in the back of the Pilot when your tongue weight is at the maximum. We are at the max of what the Pilot can tow comfortably as far as travel trailers go. Any bigger and a bigger truck would be needed.

We towed the trailer all the way to Florida and maintained a constant 55 to 60 mph. We averaged between 10 and 12 mpg. On another trip we went up through the mountains and averaged about 45mph that was the best it could do. Full size trucks were flying past me towing larger campers. They were probably getting about the same gas mileage as well.

We also take the Pilot off road into deep soft sand and so far have not gotten stuck. It does fine. We love the Pilot for what it is. We can park it in the garage and open the tailgate with the garage closed. You can't beat that. My friend has a full size SUV and he gets 14mpg average and has to park it outside. The only way he can get it into his garage is to clean everything out and park it with the nose touching the wall. He can forget about opening the hatch in the garage. We average 19mpg and can do 80% what the full size SUVs can do. We would like a bigger camper with bunks in the back so eventually we will end up in a full size truck/suv. But for now we are really loving the Pilot.

[2bz]

rcase13, that looks like a nice rig. Glad to hear that the Pilot handles it OK. I'm jealous that you don't have to put anything inside the Pilot, ours is usually stuffed to the gills when we travel.