Can I tow 17B with a Lexus RX 350 ??

disneydoc · 03-20-2015, 12:19 PM

I am a new comer to the RVing world and have not towed any thing for that matter. I am retiring soon and am looking to see the country in a 17' Travel Trailer along with DW.

We have a Lexus all wheel drive which my wife drives daily and it has the towing package with a capacity of 3500 lbs.

I have researched a Scamp 16' (I looked inside one too), a Casita Deluxe 17' and am presently looking into the Escape 17B.
My research for the most part is all limited to reading the Forums, my book knowledge is from reading whatever & wherever I can find the information to read about the Travel Trailers apart from some RV lifestyle & RVer blogs.

I have read posts about RAV4 & Sienna both with 3500 lb towing capacity towing the Escape 17B, do you think I can tow the same with the LEXUS RX 350 ??.

What did you like about the Escape, which you could not find in a Casita ? Do you think Escape is a better made, better quality Trailer ? I understand opinions may differ but I will appreciate any specific information which will help me narrow down the trailer.

We live in Central Florida and the Escape TT is sold out of the factory in BC, Canada. How do people tackle that distance ? any advice to a novice in getting the TT to Florida.

I will appreciate any and all information about a 17' Escape B, and thank you in advance.

Best regards

cpaharley2008 · 03-20-2015, 12:23 PM

Welcome Raj,
To our little Escape world. The 17' Escape looks like it may work, do you have a towing package with brake controller and extra cooling? Your owner manual will tell you the weight of trailer as well as your receiver type and weight. Please let us know and we can delve into this further. In addition Escape will deliver and if you get on a load with someone else coming into the states your cost will be less.

disneydoc · 03-20-2015, 12:30 PM

Thanks Jim for your prompt reply,

Although I need to look in the engine to make sure the Transmission Cooler is present, the sale papers do mention that it has towing package.

Best

cpaharley2008 · 03-20-2015, 12:33 PM

By the way, there is a rally being held in Tennessee next month where there will be at least 1/2 dozen Escapes where you can tour and inspect each one. here are the details TN 2015, April 16-18: 8th Annual Eggscursion Townsend, TN - Fiberglass RV
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...15-a-4899.html
I know of at least one Escape 17 will be there

reetired · 03-20-2015, 01:40 PM

I too have been searching for the right TT...looked at scamp, casita and decided The Escape is IMHO the superior trailer...with respect to craftsmanship and reputation. Of course, everyone's needs and taste are different. Me? The interior of the Escape is more appealing than rat fur or all that white fiberglass molded everything.

ETI has shipping available if you don't want to drive up to get it!

Welcome...the folks that frequent this site are always willing to assist...the newbs! Trust me...I'm one of the newbs!

sunrisetrucker · 03-20-2015, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by disneydoc

Thanks Jim for your prompt reply,

Although I need to look in the engine to make sure the Transmission Cooler is present, the sale papers do mention that it has towing package.

Best

Check with your auto dealership, give them your vin number and they can check to see if your towing package included extra cooling. I did that with my Hyundai SantaFe. They informed me that with my factory towing package I was all set to go, extra cooling and all. Also check your owners manual under towing, it should give you your towing capacity and tongue weight.

Paul

disneydoc · 03-20-2015, 02:41 PM

Thanks Jim, reetired & Paul, for chiming in & for the pointers, I will check with the Dealer.

On April 16-18 we are committed already, we will be there for the next one.

Best

Rossue · 03-20-2015, 02:45 PM

Hi Raj- Nice ride! Consumer Reports (which I do not take as gospel) has said for many years that people should save their $$$ and just buy a Highlander as it is essentially the same thing. Had a '13 Highlander w/tow and it pulled the 17B great!
Bigger question is whether you are about to make a common mistake, which is choosing a trailer to match your ride. We did that unfortunately. I would ask Escape to provide you some contact info for people with different size Escapes so you can get inside before you choose.

BCnomad · 03-20-2015, 02:50 PM

Absolutely there is a "vibe" difference in the various models, at least when I sat in them at the factory.

Jill · 03-20-2015, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rossue

Bigger question is whether you are about to make a common mistake, which is choosing a trailer to match your ride. We did that unfortunately. I would ask Escape to provide you some contact info for people with different size Escapes so you can get inside before you choose.

A word of warning to you OP... We have the Lexus RX with the tow package and decided the 17B would be perfect for us. Then we got the Escape highly contagious "two-foot-itis" disease and ended up ordering a 21 instead. Now we need to get a new tow vehicle (will be borrowing an F250 at first).

If you can avoid the disease then the RX will be a great tow vehicle for you, and yes the tow package does include the heavy duty radiator.

reetired · 03-20-2015, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jill

A word of warning to you OP... We have the Lexus RX with the tow package and decided the 17B would be perfect for us. Then we got the Escape highly contagious "two-foot-itis" disease and ended up ordering a 21 instead. Now we need to get a new tow vehicle (will be borrowing an F250 at first).

If you can avoid the disease then the RX will be a great tow vehicle for you, and yes the tow package does include the heavy duty radiator.

Funny....you're not the only one I've heard suggesting that while one may be "set" on a 17...I should REALLY consider the 19!

gbaglo · 03-20-2015, 03:42 PM

My buddy has the 19 and we camp together. When we gather for a meal or cards, we always end up in his 19 with the four person dinette.
And, my wife in particular appreciates the extra four inches width, which avoids the dance that occurs when one person trys to get past the other in the kitchen area.

disneydoc · 03-20-2015, 03:56 PM

Great information, first I am thrilled to know from Jill that our Rx 350 would do fine towing a 17' escape.
Let me walk first before I start running and getting a larger TT, may be its time will also come in the future. As novices we will be more than happy if our daily driver could do the towing duties. We would rather not make 2 purchases at the same time, i.e a Trailer & a larger TV.
This will be our first ever Trailer, so we are sticking with a 17'B Escape or a 16' Casita Deluxe, former sounds more enticing than the latter one.
DW loves her RX 350, even though a Highlander will tow 5000 lbs I would rather not ruffle her feathers and take on DW's wants. Who said that- Mama not happy no one at home is happy.
Thanks much every body for your experiences/opinions. Please have them coming in.

Best regards

tractors1 · 03-20-2015, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by disneydoc

Great information, first I am thrilled to know from Jill that our Rx 350 would do fine towing a 17' escape.
Let me walk first before I start running and getting a larger TT, may be its time will also come in the future. As novices we will be more than happy if our daily driver could do the towing duties. We would rather not make 2 purchases at the same time, i.e a Trailer & a larger TV.
This will be our first ever Trailer, so we are sticking with a 17'B Escape or a 16' Casita Deluxe, former sounds more enticing than the latter one.
DW loves her RX 350, even though a Highlander will tow 5000 lbs I would rather not ruffle her feathers and take on DW's wants. Who said that- Mama not happy no one at home is happy.
Thanks much every body for your experiences/opinions. Please have them coming in.

Best regards

The 16 foot Casitas also have only 5'10" head room in case you're taller.

Jill · 03-20-2015, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by disneydoc

DW loves her RX 350...

I know exactly how she feels. The RX is the most comfortable car I've ever driven. Feels like I'm driving down the road in my living room!

Loren & Cathy · 03-20-2015, 07:47 PM

Two-foot-itis is a very contagious disease that can seriously affect current trailer owners and others who are in the market and looking at various trailers. You can be perfectly healthy one minute and be infected as soon as you step into a trailer larger than the ones you have been looking at. This has happened to us on two occasions but since the trailer is in the planning stage it required less medication. The only known cure is to take several thousand dollars out of checking and call ETI in the morning. Loren

Rossue · 03-20-2015, 09:05 PM

Interesting that the tow rating is 3500# vs. 5000 for Highlander even though the drivetrain for the 2008 on are same. We started our towing life with a 17B and Nissan Murano that was rated at 3500. After two trips we felt we needed something beefier. I would look into this more with the Lexus.

Brian B-P · 03-20-2015, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by disneydoc

Although I need to look in the engine to make sure the Transmission Cooler is present, the sale papers do mention that it has towing package.

It really doesn't matter exactly what Toyota included in the towing preparation package, as long as you have it. If it needs extra transmission cooling, it will have that. Package or not, it will have a transmission fluid cooler, because they all do - it is almost certainly built into one end of the radiator, and you can trace the plumbing between the transmission and the radiator if you are interested. Extra transmission cooling is often just a larger cooler inside the radiator (which you can't see) and perhaps a larger radiator (which isn't obvious by appearance unless you have comparison examples).

The RX350 has the 2GR-FE engine. Siennas with the same engine do not have a larger transmission cooler for the towing package, but they do have an engine oil cooler added. Again, your model has what Toyota determined is needed... if it actually has the towing preparation package.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunrisetrucker

Check with your auto dealership, give them your vin number and they can check to see if your towing package included extra cooling. I did that with my Hyundai SantaFe. They informed me that with my factory towing package I was all set to go, extra cooling and all. Also check your owners manual under towing, it should give you your towing capacity and tongue weight.

I agree. If there is any uncertainty about the towing package, ask Toyota. Certainly read the manual!

After reading the manual, it should be possible to determine if the RX can tow 3500 pounds of Escape 17 and at the same time carry whatever the planned passenger and in-the-tug cargo is planned.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rossue

Interesting that the tow rating is 3500# vs. 5000 for Highlander even though the drivetrain for the 2008 on are same.

Interesting, but I don't find it surprising. The Sienna, RAV4, Camry, ES350, and who knows what else also have the same engine and the same or related transmissions. Towing rating is affected by several other factors which vary by model.

Rossue · 03-20-2015, 10:34 PM

Agree Brian, however the RX350 & Highlander are equivalent in most respects. Good reminder to not assume anything.

cyclopath · 03-21-2015, 12:38 PM

i,
I have a 2008 Lexus 400h (hybrid) and have pulled my Escape 17B over 15,000 miles without any problem whatsoever. The car has a “Towing Package” (whatever that is) from the dealer. The Highlander and Sienna (both by Toyota) with Towing Package are also excellent vehicles for pulling the Escape 17B. I wish you good luck on your travels.

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