New tow vehicle for my tent trailer - we aren't truck people

PUCampin gave a very good explanation. I drive a delivery truck with a 450 HP motor and it slows down on uphill grades too. Any vehicle will have to work harder and go slower up a grade while weighted by a carried or towed load. Don't be afraid to run the RPMs up some and let the motor reach it's"peak power". If your present tow vehicle is your daily driver it sometimes does not make sense to feed a larger one every day for an occasional tow.Food for thought.

camp-n-family wrote:
As per the title "we aren't truck people"

^^ That is a truck.

Really, looks like a SUV to me.

camp-n-family wrote:
As per the title "we aren't truck people"

^^ That is a truck.

GMT 800 K2500 Subs are Beastmode SUV. Just wish it was a big block 8.1 hog.

It may also be a matter of perception and learning to drive a bit different. During normal driving the computer is programed for max fuel efficiency, and will shift up as quickly as it can. You will rarely even see 3000rpm, and then only on enthusiastic acceleration for a short time.

Attach a trailer and you and now seeing a lot more time at 3000rpm and over. To someone used to every day driving, it seems the vehicle is working a lot harder. Climb a hill with the engine sitting at 4000 or 4500 rpm and it may seem like it is going to blow up. Most OHC engines make their power 4000-4500rpm, and are designed to spend time running at that rpm without trouble. However since this behavior is never really observed during non towing, it creates the perception that something is wrong.

This is especially true for the J35A4 in your Pilot, which makes peak torque at 4500rpm and peak power at 5500. Do not be afraid to let it run!

Also, the computer does not really adjust when you hook a trailer up. It will still get into high gear as quickly as it can and stay there under light throttle, but hit a small hill/bridge and it will downshift to make the power required to climb, then quickly upshift as soon as you let off the throttle. Same with climbing rolling hills, shift down under load, but back of a little and it will shift up. This hunting generates heat, and also leads to the feeling of inadequate power. When I am climbing hills or mountains, once the vehicle downshifts I will manually select that gear on the shifter so it holds, even when I let my foot off slightly, then when I add throttle again, the engine is already at rpm and power is there, not lagging while the trans shifts down again. This goes a long way in making the vehicle feel more responsive.

One other note, the poster who mentioned 91 octane is right on. I have owned a car where the factory tune put the engine at the wall power wise with nothing further to be gained short of replacing internals, but in order to only require 87, the computer would pull timing pretty quickly. Using the 91 allowed the engine run at rated output.

Check your Honda owner manual. On my Odyssey, the towing section notes that you really will have more towing power using premium gas. The Honda JA35 V6 (my van and your Pilot) is high enough in compression ratio that it had to pull timing after a short period of sustained power output using 87 gas to prevent pind (detonation). When you use 91, it won't pulling timing and you really will get more power out of it on those hills.

Note that this does NOT mean more power in unloaded stoplight green situations. In those situations, the cylinder temps are cooler and timing doesn't get retarded.

Depending on the year of your Pilot, a newer one might also be geared different. Our 03 Ody ran at very low rpms in OD for fuel economy. Our 2012 Ody runs higher and gets fuel economy (not towing) via the VCM cylinder deactivation, so it is geared higher and tows better. If your Pilot is old enough to not be VCM equipped, a new one will feel more powerful when towing.

I wonder if you can get tuner for the Honda, My 5-star tuner on my Excursion made a big difference. Get a 93 octane performance tune.

Another idea is to switch it out of overdrive while towing. It will have a lot more power. Fuel economy will suffer, but it is nothing compared to the price of a new truck.

Hondas are top shelf. I would spend a little on it to make it work.

As per the title "we aren't truck people"

^^ That is a truck.

With that payload, you must have 2500 sub ... that's nice.

I have 2,305 pounds payload, 7,600 pounds towing, 4 quad seats, and removed rear bench. I would only tow a max 6400lb hybrid with it. My current hybrid is 4400lbs loaded heavy to camp. I do not feel it with WDH, a semi passes, washboard road, or Non-WDH.

PAThwacker wrote:

Rustycamperpants wrote:
We pulled our PUP with an Acura MDX when we started out, it had the same running gear as the pilot / odyssey. The MDX was under powered and when we upgraded to a highwall, it was at the limit. We went with the Expedition so we could move up to a TT eventually and it was a much more pleasant towing experience.

You may want to consider something like a Traverse or Arcadia, even a Ford Flex. With my family I need the SUV as we use it as our daily driver too.

I notice you have an expedition towing a stick and tin 30ft trailer. How is that working for you?

I would not go any bigger on a TT that's for sure. I have plenty of power, but I admit to getting pushed around a bit sometimes on the interstate when some semis pass. We pack very light and never with water. I am working on dialing in the Equalizer more and I think it will help ... I wont know until next season as the TT is winterized for now. I want to take the unit to a scale this coming spring.