Kodiak Cub Owners?

[persistent]

Valves come in all shapes and sizes. Plumbing routing is what ever the installer decided to do on the day he plumbed yours. Please post a picture.

My Kodiak Cub has a one valve system. The other is check valve. There is a second valve, but it is next to the water pump.

A two valve system may have a valve on the cold input and a second on the hot out pipe. They are typically gate valves with three pipe fittings. A lever type handle points to the pipe where flow will go.

On the cold side, the lever will point to the bypass pipe or hot water heater input pipe. To de-winterize, point the lever to the hot water heater pipe. On the hot side it is similar. Point the lever to the hot water tank output pipe.

Near the water pump there is a valve to suck anti-freeze from a gallon jug. Mine has a lever handled gate valve there as well. Point the handle to the pipe coming from the underbelly fresh water tank.

I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!

[barrieb24]

Thanks persistent! That’s what I was thinking but was concerned the valve on the hot water output would be “off” when turned towards the tank...but your answer makes sense.

You are correct in your description, mine has two valves on the hot water tank and another on the pump for antifreeze.

[twertsch]

Originally Posted by persistent

I usually fill the Kodiak Cub 50 g fresh tank before I leave home. It pulls smoother with my Nisan Pathfinder. I usually pull empty on the way home. There is more buffeting when pulling with empty tanks. There is more tongue load with full fresh tank. It seams to make no significant difference in MPG either way.
Paul Bristol

Paul, I'm very interested in this as I have a similar vehicle type. When I rented this model before buying one, I noticed some sway when I towed it. Do you use a weight distributing hitch and a sway bar to tow with?

[teacherman]

Hello Everyone,
I finally got a 24" Jensen TV, 12 volt and am wondering if anyone out there has wired it in? The unit just came with bare wires out of the power input. I'm guessing to somehow wire it down the backside of the TV mounting area down to the fusebox?


Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers from Northern Nevada

[persistent]

Originally Posted by twertsch

Paul, I'm very interested in this as I have a similar vehicle type. When I rented this model before buying one, I noticed some sway when I towed it. Do you use a weight distributing hitch and a sway bar to tow with?

I use an Anderson WDH. It has built in sway control. However, if you are going to use and Anderson, you need to use special custom installation methods to prevent crushing the Cub "A" frame channel while driving.



I had to put an inch of 3 inch long shims between the mounting bolts and the "A" frame. The bolts crush the bottom of the channel.



Preventing sway depends primarily on the tongue weight. I bought a $130 unit on Amazon and make sure I have at least 10% of the trailer weight on my hitch.


I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!

[persistent]

Originally Posted by teacherman

Hello Everyone,
I finally got a 24" Jensen TV, 12 volt and am wondering if anyone out there has wired it in? The unit just came with bare wires out of the power input. I'm guessing to somehow wire it down the backside of the TV mounting area down to the fusebox?


Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers from Northern Nevada

I have a 2018 176RD. It has a 120 volt outlet, an antenna jack, and a audio/video cable next to the designated TV mounting spot.


For 12 volts I would fish a 14 gauge cable down through the wall to the 12 volt fuse panel. Pick an existing appropriate 15 amp fuse circuit and attach there.



My fuse panel is directly below the TV outlet and cables. The service entrance / fuse panel is all in one box and pulls out after removing a couple of screws.


I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead.

[teacherman]

Thank you Paul. I have the same model/year as you do. If you have time for two more questions, they are 1. I bought a 100W solar panel. Do I need a controller if I simply plug it into the solar port? And 2. I forgot what the switch labeled "Electric" is on my panel (electric for water heater?). Thanks again. Hope to get out next week.

[franktafl]

yes, you need a controller of some sort when on solar.

[persistent]

Originally Posted by teacherman

Thank you Paul. I have the same model/year as you do. If you have time for two more questions, they are 1. I bought a 100W solar panel. Do I need a controller if I simply plug it into the solar port? And 2. I forgot what the switch labeled "Electric" is on my panel (electric for water heater?). Thanks again. Hope to get out next week.

Teacher,
As Frank said above, yes you need a controller.



The "solar port" is fine for a 100 watt panel. However, you do not need the "solar port". It is just a socket connected to the battery box just in front. It does have a fuse inside the battery box. No need to buy a special plug to fit the socket. Just connect to the battery inside the nearby battery box.



The "Electric" switch is for the electric water heater. Be sure there is water in the hot water heater tank before turning it on. The heating element will melt if there is no water around it.


I turn the breaker for the heater off before I drain the tank. And don't turn it on unless I plan to use shore power for heating water. It is too easy to accidentally turn the panel "electric" switch "on".



I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!

[teacherman]

Thank you to both who replied. This forum is extremely helpful. I was hoping the solar port routed into the system that controls the battery charge while hooked into shore power. Alas. I'll wire in the controller to the solar panel. Thanks for confiming the "Electric" switch for the water heater.

[Medisher10]

Originally Posted by coastal_canuck

Hello everyone!

Just picked up our new 2020 175BH last week. Spent the weekend doing a shakeout camp. Everything seems to work great, so far! Compared to our old Prolite Profil, it is huge and enhances our camping in so many ways. We had simply outgrown our previous unit. I know it won't be perfect, and that's been obvious here. But that's part of the fun of having a rolling home and seeing how you guys interact and share tips and knowledge, happy to join the Dutchmen and Cub club.

Cheers!

Dan

I have been searching online for Highlander owners who pull a Kodiak Cub 175 BH and I came across your comment. We have a 2011 Highlander Limited with tow package and just put a deposit on a 2021 Kodiak Cub 175 BH but I am starting to get nervous if a Highlander can handle it or not. How has your Highlander handled it? Have you had any trouble with tongue load? Did you have to have a 7 pin connector and brake controller installed in your Highlander?

[persistent]

Originally Posted by Medisher10

I have been searching online for Highlander owners who pull a Kodiak Cub 175 BH and I came across your comment. We have a 2011 Highlander Limited with tow package and just put a deposit on a 2021 Kodiak Cub 175 BH but I am starting to get nervous if a Highlander can handle it or not. How has your Highlander handled it? Have you had any trouble with tongue load? Did you have to have a 7 pin connector and brake controller installed in your Highlander?

I don't have a Highlander. I do know you need a 7 pin break connector and an electric break controller. All this requires an addition to the OEM wiring harness and includes at least one self resetting automotive circuit breaker. I recommend at least 8 gauge wire for the 12 volt lead and the 7 pin to ground lead. 10 gauge is typically used, but is not fully adequate.

Also you will need a weight distribution hitch.

Safe loading requires attention to tongue weight as well as weight of the TT. There is a sticker in the Highlander door frame that details the maximum load limits. It probably shows a maximum for each axle and a maximum gross weight for the vehicle. It may also show maximum cargo weight. If not, subtract dry weight from maximum gross weight. That would be cargo weight.

Start with the cargo weight. Subtract everything that has been added to the vehicle since it left the factory. All after market accessories like trailer hitch. Everything includes all passengers and luggage. Driver's weight in excess of 150# must also be subtracted.

What is left is available for tongue weight. Is there enough?

Actual weights are what matter. Don't rely on published weights. My Cub tongue weight was 800 pounds dry and 950 pounds fully loaded for travel. Published tongue weight was less than 500 pounds. I had to change the balance of the TT. I moved the battery off the tongue and put it under the dinette at the very back of my TT. Along with a few other changes. I got the tongue weight down to 700 pound fully loaded and 500 pounds dry.

You can weigh your Highlander at a local commercial scale for about $15. Load it up with everything you will take when you tow. Get the vehicle weighed. Calculate remaining cargo weight. Ask the dealer to measure the tongue weight. He will most likely refuse. He will cite the fictional published tongue weight. He knows that if you got the actual weight you might not buy it. He will not risk that.

You can get the maximum gross vehicle weight from a sticker on the left front side of the Cub. You will probably have to go get it for yourself. Dealer usually refuse to walk out on the lot to get it. I would not trust him if he did.

Most tow vehicle / travel trailer rigs work best at about 80% of rated towing capacity. Maximum towing capacity may be on your Highlander capacity sticker. Use the Maximum Gross Weight from the travel trailer sticker. Do not use the Dry or Unloaded weight from the travel trailer sticker.

If you need more advice, please ask. Asking the dealer to tell you if the Highlander is ok to tow the Cub is the same as asking him to take a pay cut. Salesmen are usually on commission. He will never choose the pay cut. He will always find a reason that you should buy his TT.

I wish you good luck and happy trials ahead!

[Medisher10]

Thank you so much for all the advice! Our Highlander is rated 5,000 towing and 500 for hitch. The dry weight of the camper is 3500 and the hitch is listed at 417. I’m pretty nervous about the hitch weight. We were pretty naive going into it. The dealer showed us the specs for the camper, it seemed good to us since all the numbers were under our weight capacity but we were a little ignorant about how those numbers aren’t really accurate when you consider all the factors that we didn’t learn until later, AFTER we already put a large deposit on the trailer (still being manufactured.) The dealer of course didn’t offer up any honest education about weights and towing to us first time buyers. Unfortunately, I don’t think we can back out of the deal without losing our deposit so if we can’t get it to work with our Highlander, the camper may just have to sit until we can trade in for a better tow vehicle.

Thanks again for all the advice and taking the time to respond!

[Bratworx]

First post here. We're out on our first trip with our 2020 177RB and are enjoying the creature comforts of a travel trailer - having graduated from tents and tent trailers. Looking forward to many years of "glamping".

[franktafl]

Originally Posted by Bratworx

First post here. We're out on our first trip with our 2020 177RB and are enjoying the creature comforts of a travel trailer - having graduated from tents and tent trailers. Looking forward to many years of "glamping".

Congrats. post some pics! Welcome to the forum.

[Seastheday]

Originally Posted by twertsch

Paul, I'm very interested in this as I have a similar vehicle type. When I rented this model before buying one, I noticed some sway when I towed it. Do you use a weight distributing hitch and a sway bar to tow with?

We have a sway bar set up and it greatly decreases the amount of sway we used to have in the wind and when big semi-trucks are passings us. Love it! We have not tried carrying fresh water to see if the weight would help but we are leaving on a short weekend trip of only a hundred miles so I might do that and see how it reacts.

[twertsch]

I did end up with a sway bar + distribution hitch set up. Seems to work very nicely, no real sway, and the 4runner seems to tow it pretty well. I towed a tank of water my last trip. I didn't feel any sway difference but did see a difference in gas mileage, though 12 vs normal 14 mpg is not significant.

[Seastheday]

We are going on a short camping trip this weekend. The route is normally a little windy with gusts. I pull my Kodiak Cub 175BH with an older 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500 and sometimes even with my sway bar I can feel it sway. Usually when we can cinch up to at least the 3rd link on the sway bar we are much better. This trip we are going to fill the water tank and see if the extra weight helps. We love this rig so much. We are empty nesters and it's just the two of us and 3 tiny dogs. :-)

[barrieb24]

Any advice on a bike rack for Kodiak Cub? Would like to go on the bumber, though mixed messages on if that's safe. I could move the spare over, but that bumper is hollow and not a continuous weld.

Also...going to put on a battery disconnect switch (found out the hard way that I should have done this long ago. This summer I put on a Husky Power Tongue Jack and I must have forgot to kill the power, or the kid flipped the switch to "on". Drained both batteries!). This job seems simple enough, but any advice is welcomed.

[TK on the road]

I mounted a bumper bike rack to my cub and it damaged the bumper as the weight pulled the welds apart! - when I returned from my trip I went to my local welding shop and had them re-weld the bumper and make it stronger to carry my bikes. When I told them what I was doing they said no problem as this bumper can barely hold the spare tire as it is hardly welded!
Once they finished and painted everything it looks and works great! I feel way better about taking my bikes now! Cost me about $200 for the welding work