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09-02-2011, 11:34 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Three Oaks, Michigan, Michigan
Trailer: 2012 Escape 17B
Posts: 31
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19 + RAV4 V6 ... Pushin' it?
Hey all,
Does anyone use a RAV4 V6 to tow a 19? I'm guessing this is probably pushing it a bit, especially if the 19 has the array of heavier options?
Do tell.
__________________
Elizabeth & Dan
Oliver the 2012 17B
Fern the Golden Retriever
& Dovekie the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
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09-02-2011, 11:43 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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Re: 19 + RAV4 V6 ... Pushin' it?
I tow the 17 with a RAV v6. My buddy tows a 19 with a Hyundai Santa Fe.
He has fewer HP, but probably a heavier vehicle and keeps up with me.
I've had no issues, but I'd feel more secure with a larger vehicle. The 19 gives you so many opportunities to carry that much more weight.
baglo
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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09-02-2011, 11:56 PM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Three Oaks, Michigan, Michigan
Trailer: 2012 Escape 17B
Posts: 31
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Re: 19 + RAV4 V6 ... Pushin' it?
Baglo, would you personally even consider your RAV with a 19?
__________________
Elizabeth & Dan
Oliver the 2012 17B
Fern the Golden Retriever
& Dovekie the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
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09-03-2011, 12:10 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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Re: 19 + RAV4 V6 ... Pushin' it?
My gut says no. My pocket-book says yes, if I were to move up to a 19.
baglo
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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09-03-2011, 02:52 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Trailer: 2011 Escape 19
Posts: 111
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Re: 19 + RAV4 V6 ... Pushin' it?
I tow my Escape 19 with a Rav4 Limited V6 with the towing package but that does not mean that I would recommend it. My trailer weighs 3500 lbs ready to go including the 400 lb tongue weight which is right at the recommended towing capacity of the Rav. A lot the weight over the dry weight comes from the options such as: double pane windows (100#), air conditioning (100#), dual 6V batteries (125#), propane (40#), and water in Hot water tank (48#). The rest of the weight is regular camping stuff. We run with the tow vehicle empty except of me (150#), my wife, 2 kayaks on top (65# each), and the often wet kayaking gear such as PFDs, paddles, and spray skirts. I installed Firestone airbags inside the rear coil springs to take up the weight of the actual hitch and any cargo that I may be carrying, and I inflate them so the Rav is level before I hook up the trailer. The tongue weight is distributed evenly between the front and rear axle by the weight distributing hitch so the tow vehicle is still level after I hook up the trailer.
The Rav has more than enough power at 269 HP and the braking with the trailer is terrific thanks to the tandem axle on the 19 which gives 4 brakes to handle the extra load. The stability is very good, probably due to the tandem axle as well, and I have experienced no problems with sway even when meeting large trucks going the other way at high speed or changing lanes. The main thing missing to make this the perfect tow vehicle for the 19 is weight. At 3675 lbs curb weight, the Rav weighs about the same as the trailer so I run good tires and slow down for corners out of fear that the trailer will push the car off the road. I get 15 L/100 km (15.7 mi/US gal) on the highway at 90 kph (56 mph) which is the speed that I drive when there is no traffic or it is a divided highway. When on a 2 lane highway, I drive the speed of the other traffic even if it means going 110 kph (68 mph) and using 20 L/100 km (11.8 mi/US gal).
Towing at the rated maximum of the tow vehicle leaves little room for error by the driver or by other drivers. I am a very “aware” driver and am always conscious of the road conditions, the other traffic, and the feel of my vehicle. When driving the “no speed limit” Autobahns of Germany when I was younger, I learned that driving requires all of my attention and to this day when I drive, that’s all I do. On the other hand, surveys indicate that most people think that they are above average drivers so you should probably take the preceding with a gain of salt.
My next vehicle will probably be the Toyota Highlander which has a 5.3” longer wheelbase, a 3.6” wider track, essentially the same motor and transmission, weighs 551 lbs more, and is rated at 5000 lb towing capacity.
Tow vehicle ratings are a real mystery and the net is full of theories about marketing, European ratings being higher than North American ratings for the same vehicle, lawyers being involved, etc. I look forward to the new SAE rating system that is supposed to be coming where the rating is based on actual tests: http://www.leftlanenews.com/sae-anno...standards.html, http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2010/11...standards.html.
I have intentionally not posted about my tow vehicle before because I do not want to encourage others to do the same. I would definitely recommend a 5000 lb capacity tow vehicle for the Escape 19. The additional towing capacity will allow you to deal with the unexpected that is bound to occur sooner or later.
__________________
2011 Escape 19
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09-03-2011, 02:56 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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Re: 19 + RAV4 V6 ... Pushin' it?
Excellent, informed report.
baglo
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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09-03-2011, 05:05 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 43
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Re: 19 + RAV4 V6 ... Pushin' it?
Yes. An excellent report. Especially for the newbies here in the bunch.
Best Regards,
TurtleBax
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09-03-2011, 05:51 PM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Three Oaks, Michigan, Michigan
Trailer: 2012 Escape 17B
Posts: 31
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Re: 19 + RAV4 V6 ... Pushin' it?
Let me add to the chorus -- can't thank you enough. What a great, detailed, and specific report.
I've been on hiatus from the board for awhile -- we had to delay our 17B a year -- and it's amazing to me to come back here and be reminded of how generous and great everyone is.
I do keep wondering if we're gonna find it smallish when we include our two 70 pound pups in the mix. That said, we recently committed to a gently used RAV which we really love, so that's probably going to dictate this.
I recall reading about a bed extension -- do any of you recall where that post is? We're thinking about driving to Ann Arbor tomorrow to see a new 17B there, and it'd be good to think about it in terms of possible modifications.
~e
__________________
Elizabeth & Dan
Oliver the 2012 17B
Fern the Golden Retriever
& Dovekie the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
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09-03-2011, 11:18 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Silverdale, Washington
Trailer: No more Escape 21
Posts: 412
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Re: 19 + RAV4 V6 ... Pushin' it?
Harold, I have a 2008 Toyota Highlander and tow a 19' Escape. A nice combination of the best trailer made coupled with a nice riding tow vehicle and decent gas mileage, both towing and not towing. In face my younger son just traded in his Nissan Titan for a new Highlander and this weekend pulled the Escape to Pullman, Washington for a WSU football game.
You would be hard pressed to find better combination!
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2008 Toyota Highlander
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09-04-2011, 12:27 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
Trailer: 2011 Escape 17B
Posts: 250
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Re: 19 + RAV4 V6 ... Pushin' it?
Check out http://escapeforum.org/index.php?topic=1411.0 for amirie's comments about the bed extension.
In case you didn't know, if you return to the main forum page and use the search function there, it can search all posts - not just the section you are in at the time.
__________________
2011 17B - 2019 GMC Sierra HD3500 Duramax Diesel
Our "FIRE ESCAPE"
"Put the wet stuff on the red stuff"
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09-06-2011, 10:03 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 489
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Re: 19 + RAV4 V6 ... Pushin' it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by medora66
<snip>
I do keep wondering if we're gonna find it smallish when we include our two 70 pound pups in the mix.
<snip>
~e
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We camped with two 70-ish pound dogs in a 17 foot Casita for many years. The normal drill was to have the dogs on the floor during the night and "ask" them to move when one of us wanted to use the bathroom. During the day, if we were forced by weather to be inside, the dogs alternated between the floor and the bed, depending on where we wanted to be. In the mornings, I would get up to make coffee, and Deb would luxuriate in the bed with the hounds. It was okay once we got her a flea collar
Dave
__________________
There are 10 kinds of people in the world, those who understand binary, and those who don't.
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