5.0TA and Short Bed, 5'2" bed, GMC Canyon - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Tech > Towing and Hitching
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 12-08-2019, 09:15 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
fchen7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Coarsegold, California
Trailer: 2021 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 13
5.0TA and Short Bed, 5'2" bed, GMC Canyon

I believe some of you in this forum are using a midsize truck to pull the 5.0TA. But anyone knows if it's possible with a short bed like mine ? 2017 GMC Canyon Diesel short bed, 5' 2". Escape tech support says it's wont work, unless i get a 8" adapter. If you have a similar setup, please advise me what hitch setup you have.
I plan on getting anderson hitch, a gooseneck, it seems like best way. But i am looking for information on this 8" adapter..

frank
fchen7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2019, 06:59 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
Escape Trailers use a local company in Chilliwack, called Trademasters located close to ETI, I'd contact them for some answers https://www.vehiclesolutions.ca
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2019, 07:58 PM   #3
Junior Member
 
fchen7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Coarsegold, California
Trailer: 2021 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 13
bad news

i just got a reply from Escape tech support. He said short bed like my truck can't tow the 5.0TA. I would need a different truck or a different trailer. tks. I guess i have to go with a Scamp 19 5th wheel.

frank
fchen7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2019, 08:25 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by fchen7 View Post
i just got a reply from Escape tech support. He said short bed like my truck can't tow the 5.0TA. I would need a different truck or a different trailer.
Really? Reace (designer of all Escape trailers and retired former co-founder of the company) towed a 5.0TA with a short-box F-150 it has a box only a

Especially with the mid-sized truck, it would be better to have a longer box, for more cab-to-axle distance, to keep the hitch point not so far behind the axle line.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2019, 08:28 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by fchen7 View Post
Escape tech support says it's wont work, unless i get a 8" adapter. If you have a similar setup, please advise me what hitch setup you have.
I plan on getting anderson hitch, a gooseneck, it seems like best way. But i am looking for information on this 8" adapter..
Strange, since Escape doesn't endorse the use of any adapter, other than the Andersen Ultimate 5th Wheel system. That system includes (not using any other adapter) offsetting the ball about 6" from the centre of the hitch (which is conventionally at or just ahead of the axle line); with a short box it would be set to offset rearward.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2019, 08:29 PM   #6
Site Team
 
Donna D.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,023
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
Really? Reace (designer of all Escape trailers and retired former co-founder of the company) towed a 5.0TA with a short-box F-150 it has a box only a
Yes he did. Here's a pic showing he could turn the 5.0TA nearly 90 degrees before it hit the cab.
Attached Thumbnails
Reace-90degree-truck.jpg  
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
Donna D. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2019, 10:33 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: North of Danbury, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21C
Posts: 3,033
Now is a great time and you have the perfect excuse to step up to a new Ford F150
This would allow you to get the trailer you really want , an Escape 5.0 TA
A “ Win-Win” in my estimation !!
steve dunham is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2019, 12:30 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Perry Butler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Lanesboro, MN, between Whalan and Fountain, Minnesota
Trailer: 2016 Bigfoot 25RQ - (2018 Escape 5.0 sold)
Posts: 2,141
Somebody better inform our neighbors that they can't pull their 2018 5.0TA with their GMC Canyon with a 5' 2" bed!

Should I call Robin and Bethany and inform them that despite their success pulling their 5.0 there seems to be people here and Escape tech that say/imply they can't?

Enjoy,

Perry
__________________
Those who know everything use pens. Intelligent people use pencils.
Perry Butler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2019, 07:36 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
rubicon327's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,111
Quote:
Originally Posted by fchen7 View Post
i just got a reply from Escape tech support. He said short bed like my truck can't tow the 5.0TA. I would need a different truck or a different trailer. tks. I guess i have to go with a Scamp 19 5th wheel.
Frank: Did you read the threads I linked to in the other thread you started? I have no experience with this but it is clear that several people are doing it. I would do some more research and also call Trademasters in Chilliwack. Resorting to the Scamp 19 is taking a step WAY back IMO.

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f3...tml#post317627
__________________
Mods to Rubicon: https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post249508
“One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.”― W.F.
rubicon327 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2019, 07:49 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
Definitely contact Trademasters and get it from the horse's mouth so to speak...
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2019, 08:19 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
Perry Butler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Lanesboro, MN, between Whalan and Fountain, Minnesota
Trailer: 2016 Bigfoot 25RQ - (2018 Escape 5.0 sold)
Posts: 2,141
Robin and Bethany saw our 5.0 last winter and the next day put their Scamp 19 up for sale. There was no hesitation on their part! When we looked at their Scamp it was obvious to us why they made such a quick decision.

Enjoy,

Perry
__________________
Those who know everything use pens. Intelligent people use pencils.
Perry Butler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2019, 08:32 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: North of Danbury, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21C
Posts: 3,033
Never understood the rational that if someone does something no matter how foolish and nothing bad happens then it must be OK .
I would assume that since Escape is in the business of selling trailers that when they state that the Escape 5.0 TA should not be towed by vehicle X it is based on sound logic / reasoning with the customers best interest in mind .

By the way , we owned a Scamp and it served us well
Scamp makes a great trailer at a price point that fits many people’s limited budget
I would assume there are owners of Bigfoots , Olivers & Airstreams that question the wisdom of buying an Escape
steve dunham is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2019, 12:40 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Olympia wa, Washington
Trailer: 5.0TA 2017
Posts: 2,255
I pull my 5.0 with a F150 short bed using the Anderson hitch. But there were several measurements that we took to be sure it would work height etc... i know most short bed Ford 150s work but it might be a different story for other brands.
Fox hunt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2019, 12:45 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by steve dunham View Post
I would assume that since Escape is in the business of selling trailers that when they state that the Escape 5.0 TA should not be towed by vehicle X it is based on sound logic / reasoning with the customers best interest in mind .
I suspect that this is a sincere but misguided statement by an Escape staff member, rather than an actual position of the company.

When Reace was still there, the way to resolve inconsistent statements from Escape was to contact Reace directly. I don't know what to do now.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2019, 07:08 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Perry Butler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Lanesboro, MN, between Whalan and Fountain, Minnesota
Trailer: 2016 Bigfoot 25RQ - (2018 Escape 5.0 sold)
Posts: 2,141
Quote:
Originally Posted by steve dunham View Post
Never understood the rational that if someone does something no matter how foolish and nothing bad happens then it must be OK .
I would assume that since Escape is in the business of selling trailers that when they state that the Escape 5.0 TA should not be towed by vehicle X it is based on sound logic / reasoning with the customers best interest in mind .
Don't know who you are addressing here, but you made an assumption that someone has done something foolish.

Robin did his due diligence on whether his Canyon can pull his Escape. The first thing I told Robin was to contact Escape and inquire if his Canyon could safely pull the 5.0. I'm sure he did. I also asked him to check the cargo capacity on his door pillar and it was somewhere between 1,500 and 1,600 pounds. Since a Canyon is smaller and has a small box they don't have the room to carry too much stuff, so he's good there. He's using a Andersen hitch that puts the tow point slightly further back from the conventional hitch that he sold with his Scamp 19, so has no problem with hitting the back of his cab.

I just got off the phone with Robin and they had no problems pulling their 5.0 from Minnesota to southern Florida and laughed at the though someone might feel he's foolish. He said previously they get around 15 mpg when pulling. We got around 13.7 mpg when pulling ours with our 3.5 EB. Hopefully we'll get the same or better with our new truck.

fchen7's diesel should have no problem pulling the camper. He should check his door pillar to make sure he has enough cargo capacity. We just traded in our 2015 F150 XLT for a 2019 F150 Lariat. The cargo capacity went from 1,980 #'s to 1,730 #'s because we went from an extended cab XLT to a quad cab Lariat with more bells and whistles. At 1,730 #s' we still have plenty of cargo capacity. Again, fchen7 needs to check his cargo capacity and if its probably over 1,400 #'s he should be good to go.

Don't assume! Find out the facts first!

Enjoy,

Perry
__________________
Those who know everything use pens. Intelligent people use pencils.
Perry Butler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-25-2019, 10:37 AM   #16
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Sequim, Washington
Trailer: 2018 5.0TA towed with a 2017 GMC Canyon V6
Posts: 143
Quote:
Originally Posted by fchen7 View Post
I believe some of you in this forum are using a midsize truck to pull the 5.0TA. But anyone knows if it's possible with a short bed like mine ? 2017 GMC Canyon Diesel short bed, 5' 2". Escape tech support says it's wont work, unless i get a 8" adapter. If you have a similar setup, please advise me what hitch setup you have.
I plan on getting anderson hitch, a gooseneck, it seems like best way. But i am looking for information on this 8" adapter..

frank

I pull our 5.0TA w/ a 2017 GMC Canyon V6 and have posted about it on this forum. Very happy with the setup.
jkordzi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2019, 11:09 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
Kent's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Bozeman, Montana
Trailer: 2018 5.0TA / 2018 GMC Canyon/Duramax
Posts: 561
Quote:
Originally Posted by fchen7 View Post
I believe some of you in this forum are using a midsize truck to pull the 5.0TA. But anyone knows if it's possible with a short bed like mine ? 2017 GMC Canyon Diesel short bed, 5' 2". Escape tech support says it's wont work, unless i get a 8" adapter. If you have a similar setup, please advise me what hitch setup you have.
I plan on getting anderson hitch, a gooseneck, it seems like best way. But i am looking for information on this 8" adapter..

frank
I tow with Canyon Diesel and 6.2" bed I'm very happy with my setup and no issues as the 6.2" bed allows for the king pin to be placed above the axle and I can still make 90 degree turn.

There are some that tow 5.0TA with Canyon and 5.2" bed, but I believe this setup really impacts how sharply you can turn and places the king pin weight to be biased behind the axle. You might think you would never need to turn very sharply, but life always presents unexpected circumstances out of your control and you might find yourself needing to make a pretty sharp turn.

King Pin weight should be above the axle. If you look at any of the 5th wheel installation manuals. Placement of the king pin is always above the axle, this setup disperses the king pin weight to all 4 wheels and one of the advantages of the 5th Wheel setup over a bumper pull.

On the Canyon comparing the 6.2" bed versus 5.2" the twelve inch loss is between the cab and axle.

I'm sure some will say they are towing just fine etc. At the end of the day it is up to you to do your own research and determine what is best for you and what you are comfortable with.

Trade Masters in Chilliwack as already recommended would be a good source for information and their opinion regarding your tow vehicle and the 5.0TA.
Kent is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-27-2019, 09:52 AM   #18
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Sequim, Washington
Trailer: 2018 5.0TA towed with a 2017 GMC Canyon V6
Posts: 143
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkordzi View Post
I pull our 5.0TA w/ a 2017 GMC Canyon V6 and have posted about it on this forum. Very happy with the setup.

Should have added that my 2017 Canyon is the short 5'2" bed. Yes, I can't do a 90 degree turn, as the trailer would hit the cab. However, although I can get close, I've never needed to make so sharp a turn and I've been all over the western U.S.
jkordzi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-27-2019, 09:58 AM   #19
Senior Member
 
Perry Butler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Lanesboro, MN, between Whalan and Fountain, Minnesota
Trailer: 2016 Bigfoot 25RQ - (2018 Escape 5.0 sold)
Posts: 2,141
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkordzi View Post
Should have added that my 2017 Canyon is the short 5'2" bed. Yes, I can't do a 90 degree turn, as the trailer would hit the cab. However, although I can get close, I've never needed to make so sharp a turn and I've been all over the western U.S.
What do you have for a hitch, and if an Andersen, do you have it towards the front or rear of the pickup bed?

Enjoy,

Perry
__________________
Those who know everything use pens. Intelligent people use pencils.
Perry Butler is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:14 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.