2009 5.0 height clearance vs F250

[shark8]

Hi
My husband and I are going to go look at a 2009 5.0 tomorrow. [emoji847] Problem (I think) is our tow vehicle is a F250 4x4. The height from ground to top of bed rail is 55". Too tall, right?

I believe the rig we are going to look at is currently being towed by a Nissan Frontier so from my understanding the 5.0 that this owner has is standard height (no lift pkg). The owner and I talked briefly about it and pretty sure it won't work but I wanted to see if anyone else had any input or ideas on the matter. Can the trailer somehow be rigged to work with maybe a different hitch?? [emoji848].

And yes, a vehicle trade in for a smaller truck is always a possibility [emoji6] but of course if avoidable we would want to know other ways/methods it could possibly work. I'm sure my husband wouldn't mind a new to him truck but as we know, money makes the world go round and it's not always available to spend so freely [emoji53] at least not for us [emoji1]



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[barry]

A lift kit can be purchased from Dexter, the axle manufacture, which will provide the necessary clearance. I was towing my 2012 5.0 single axle with a Ranger and just upgraded to a F150 with 56" rails. Escape installed the lift kit for $200 + the lift kit parts that were $160 (all Cdn dollars). Any RV shop could do it for you. My original height to the loft frame was 57" and it was lifted to 59 1/2" which is 3/4" less than the 5.0 TA.
Barry

[D&R_SC]

We bought a 2014 5.0TA used and pulled it with a 2007 Nissan Frontier and it sat level. We switched to 2017 F150 that a has a bed rail height of 55" and the Escape still sits level and has no rail clearance problem. We did switch hitches from a Reese Pro 15K to the Andersen Ultimate when we changed trucks, but I don't think that made much difference.

I'm not sure about the single axle 5.0, but the TA kingpin box has a couple inches of adjustment, if it's needed.

Good luck. Hope it works for you.

David

[Fox hunt]

55" isn't too tall for a 2017 5.0 TA but is yours a single axle? or were the older ones lower?

[elongest]

Perfect Casita has their Dexter #10 bolt on lift kits on sale $79.95.
Eddie
Dexter #10 axle lift kit

[D&R_SC]

The 5.0TA is a tandem axle. I don't know the height difference between single and tandem axles.

[Donna D.]

Does this help at all?

[shark8]

Thanks all! Your info is appreciated and it all helps. I am much more optimistic that we can make this work if this trailer is what we want. [emoji16]🤞🏼


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[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by D&R_MA

I'm not sure about the single axle 5.0, but the TA kingpin box has a couple inches of adjustment, if it's needed.

Yes, all vintages of 5.0 and 5.0TA have adjustable pin boxes. A 2009 is probably old enough to have the Atwood AB-34 pin box (link is just for the lower part, but it shows the shape), which has more range of adjustment than the current pin box (that's probably why the pin height range in the brochure shown by Donna has a 6" range).

The pin box adjustment only helps to match up the trailer with the hitch; it doesn't by itself address the issue of the trailer clearing the box sides, but all of the adjustments interact.

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

55" isn't too tall for a 2017 5.0 TA but is yours a single axle? or were the older ones lower?

Yes. Even though a 5.0 can have the pin box adjusted up to about the same pin height as a current 5.0TA, one of the design changes from the original (single axle) 5.0 to the later (tandem axle) 5.0TA was to increase the height of the front of the trailer, to better clear the growing height of pickup truck boxes.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by shark8

Hi
My husband and I are going to go look at a 2009 5.0 tomorrow. [emoji847] Problem (I think) is our tow vehicle is a F250 4x4. The height from ground to top of bed rail is 55". Too tall, right?

I believe the rig we are going to look at is currently being towed by a Nissan Frontier so from my understanding the 5.0 that this owner has is standard height (no lift pkg). The owner and I talked briefly about it and pretty sure it won't work but I wanted to see if anyone else had any input or ideas on the matter. Can the trailer somehow be rigged to work with maybe a different hitch?? [emoji848].

And yes, a vehicle trade in for a smaller truck is always a possibility [emoji6] but of course if avoidable we would want to know other ways/methods it could possibly work. I'm sure my husband wouldn't mind a new to him truck but as we know, money makes the world go round and it's not always available to spend so freely [emoji53] at least not for us [emoji1]



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Hi: shark8... You can always get the axles raised so the trailer rides higher. A good hitch shop will be your friend in all of this. I believe the owner uses a pin extender that allows more room behind the truck cab also. I know this truck/trailer combo!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Brian B-P]

Perfect Casita created their axle spacer kit before anything was available from Dexter Axle (the manufacturer of the Torflex suspension), and Escape previous used a custom-built spacer kit as well, but now the Dexter kit is available: part K71-707-01 (Frame Spacer Kit) on the Dexter Torflex components page. It is widely available, such as from eTrailer.

These spacers don't lift the axle; they lift the trailer higher above the axle (2-5/8" for Dexter, I don't know how much for Perfect Casita), which is what is needed to provide more clearance (if required) over the sides of the truck box. Both Perfect Casita and Dexter kits are intended only for installations originally using a side bolted bracket, and that's what an Escape with a Torflex has.

[shark8]

Thanks! I think the hubby is hinting/leaning towards a new truck. I think he wants to go back to his favorite make which is a Toyota. I'm not necessarily opposed. [emoji846] Either way I'm confident we can make something work if this is in fact the trailer for us. We should know this evening. [emoji38]


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[Greg A]

I remember seeing one if not the very first 5.0's built at the Bandon gathering. Great couple and she had picked the most incredible fabrics I've ever seen. I loved the trailer and while being a spacious nice layout it had a coziness about it that was very appealing.
Can't wait to hear the results of your visit and opinions on the trailer.

[shark8]

Originally Posted by Greg A

I remember seeing one if not the very first 5.0's built at the Bandon gathering. Great couple and she had picked the most incredible fabrics I've ever seen. I loved the trailer and while being a spacious nice layout it had a coziness about it that was very appealing.
Can't wait to hear the results of your visit and opinions on the trailer.

Well I must not have done ALL my homework, is the 2009 the first year they started making the 5er?


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[Greg A]

I'm not sure, one of the Escape history buffs can answer that, but I believe it was 2009 when we were at the July Bandon gathering and they hadn't had the trailer very long.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by shark8

Well I must not have done ALL my homework, is the 2009 the first year they started making the 5er?


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Nope, 2007. The very first 5.0 came off the line and into the lives of Ian and Paddy Waymark on Jan. 12, 2007. I had an opportunity to view this first 5.0 on Jan. 16, 2007 at Champoeg State Park. THAT was when I absolutely, positively knew there was going to be an Escape 5er in my future. For those that worry about picking up in the snow, these are the Waymark's pickup photos.

[shark8]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Nope, 2007. The very first 5.0 came off the line and into the lives of Ian and Paddy Waymark on Jan. 12, 2007. I had an opportunity to view this first 5.0 on Jan. 16, 2007 at Champoeg State Park. THAT was when I absolutely, positively knew there was going to be an Escape 5er in my future. For those that worry about picking up in the snow, these are the Waymark's pickup photos.

Nice!


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[barry]

Originally Posted by shark8

Thanks! I think the hubby is hinting/leaning towards a new truck. I think he wants to go back to his favorite make which is a Toyota. I'm not necessarily opposed. [emoji846] Either way I'm confident we can make something work if this is in fact the trailer for us. We should know this evening. [emoji38]


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You need to watch your payload if going to Toyota. I checked out the Tacoma before buying my F150 and the numbers didn't work. It was tight with my Ranger that was advertised at 1520lbs which then ended going down to 1300lbs with factory options.
The Tacoma can have as little as 950lbs payload with a 4x4 V6 Double Cab. It's not much better with the Access Cab where a 4x4 V6 has only 1150 lbs payload.
Barry

[Greg A]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Nope, 2007. The very first 5.0 came off the line and into the lives of Ian and Paddy Waymark on Jan. 12, 2007. I had an opportunity to view this first 5.0 on Jan. 16, 2007 at Champoeg State Park. THAT was when I absolutely, positively knew there was going to be an Escape 5er in my future. For those that worry about picking up in the snow, these are the Waymark's pickup photos.

Thanks, Donna. I couldn't recall the couples name or the details, but that is the 5.0 we saw at Bandon that year. They had done a beautiful job on the interior, very welcoming.

[shark8]

Looks like we just bought ourselves a rig!!! Eek! [emoji33][emoji847][emoji16]Deposit has been made and we will do the exchange in about a week or less. May even purchase their tow vehicle as a full pkg! Super excited and what a great couple to have met. They couldn't have been any more nice!
Either way, taking the advice and staying clear of the Toyota as a possible TV


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