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Old 04-16-2019, 09:25 AM   #1
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Escape 21 hitch height

Good morning all! As I prepare for our journey West in two weeks, I was wondering how I should setup our hitch.
I have a 1 y/o Fastway 6000lbs E2 hitch from our old camper that I intend on using on the new 21. Does anyone have a newer 21 with this hitch that could give me a level measurement? Also I will mount the frame brackets at pickup, the manual states to mount the brackets between 26" and 30" from the coupler. At what measurement does ETI mount these? If you have any pictures would be great! Not sure that it will matter but our tow vehicle is a 2016 Crew Max 5.7 Tundra 4wd.

Thanks in advance!
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Old 04-16-2019, 11:41 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buellfire View Post
Good morning all! As I prepare for our journey West in two weeks, I was wondering how I should setup our hitch.
I have a 1 y/o Fastway 6000lbs E2 hitch from our old camper that I intend on using on the new 21. Does anyone have a newer 21 with this hitch that could give me a level measurement? Also I will mount the frame brackets at pickup, the manual states to mount the brackets between 26" and 30" from the coupler. At what measurement does ETI mount these? If you have any pictures would be great! Not sure that it will matter but our tow vehicle is a 2016 Crew Max 5.7 Tundra 4wd.

Thanks in advance!
Did you order the high lift axle?
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Old 04-16-2019, 12:29 PM   #3
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That is important info that I forgot! We ordered the standard height axle with Aluminum wheels.
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Old 04-16-2019, 01:00 PM   #4
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Here is what ETI has to say:

Good morning John,
The standard ball height for the 21’ Escape is 19’ from the ground to the top of the ball with a loaded trailer. The high lift axle adds an additional 2 ½”, so the ball height would need to be 21 ½”. Feel free to forward any questions you may have to me.
Warm regards,
Joldie Coombes, Customer Service

Escape Trailer Industries LP
43851 Industrial Way, Bldg. A
Chilliwack, BC, V2R 4L2
Tel: 604 703 1650 Toll Free: 1 855 703 1650
Fax: 604 703 1651
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Old 04-17-2019, 06:13 AM   #5
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Farther,

Thank you for the reply! I will setup for 19" to the top pf the ball. Does anyone have a picture of the e2 brackets on the frame?
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Old 04-17-2019, 06:18 AM   #6
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I highly recommend an adjustable hitch, setting up before hand can cause some issues because the 19" is for an empty Escape, once you have propane and liquids and your stuff, that height can go up or down depending on your weight as well as your tow vehicle contents. One or two inches either way does not seem like much but towing level is preferred for both the driver and trailer experience.
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Old 04-17-2019, 06:36 AM   #7
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I would say the same to many variables for this to be an exact science, I would either have an adjustable type ball or take a few different drop heights just to be covered. Enjoy the drive out and back, I'm sure it will be a blast.


Safe and enjoyable travels.

Steve
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Old 04-17-2019, 07:19 AM   #8
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When you are at Escape picking up your trailer, they can make any required adjustments to your set up as the E2 Fastway is one of the hitches they install themselves.
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Old 04-17-2019, 07:36 AM   #9
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When you are at Escape picking up your trailer, they can make any required adjustments to your set up as the E2 Fastway is one of the hitches they install themselves.
Chris,

I called out to ETI and spoke to my sales person. She said that if I needed any help at delivery in regards to my hitching, there is a $200.00 charge! Now I'm all for people making money, but this seams a bit excessive! This is the reason for the thread. My gut tells me that the office staff is wrong on this one, but I would like to be prepared. ETI delivers 4 rv's a day, I'm sure not everyone is as prepared as the members on this forum! While I am very good at winging it, my career in public safety has made me a planner! Our E2 does have the adjustable mount and 19" give or take will not be a problem.
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Old 04-17-2019, 08:01 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by buellfire View Post
Chris,

I called out to ETI and spoke to my sales person. She said that if I needed any help at delivery in regards to my hitching, there is a $200.00 charge! Now I'm all for people making money, but this seams a bit excessive! This is the reason for the thread. My gut tells me that the office staff is wrong on this one, but I would like to be prepared. ETI delivers 4 rv's a day, I'm sure not everyone is as prepared as the members on this forum! While I am very good at winging it, my career in public safety has made me a planner! Our E2 does have the adjustable mount and 19" give or take will not be a problem.
Just set up your E2 the same as others that have the 21 and you should be fine.

Any volunteers with the setup info he needs?
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Old 04-17-2019, 09:30 AM   #11
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We picked up our 19” last October and I was told the same $ 200 amount by the office staff, if they touched, adjusted the hitch. I had the hitch on the truck set up for 19” ball height and that was good. Just wanted to install the link plates on the trailer frame. Dennis let me know I would have now problem pulling without the WDH bars engaged & it wasn’t windy as far as sway was concerned. I decided to plan on putting the link plates on in Sumas. He talked me out of it at the exchange location. As we drove to Lynden I tried hard to get that trailer to sway or squirrel around with no results. We ended up pulling back to Seattle area with just the hitch head & no bars. Had no issues at all, just like Dennis said. Took me less than 45 min in a level church parking lot to set everything up when the trailer was loaded. If you are fairly handy & bring a tourque wrench with you you could probably do the same. You should bring a Tourque wrench for the lug nuts any way if your traveling far the first few days.
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Old 04-18-2019, 02:06 PM   #12
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When we picked up our 2016 E21 Classic I asked Dennis about the height. He suggested taking the loaded tug and trailer to a flat parking lot and measuring the distance from the belly band to the ground, fore and aft, both sides. You should be at least level if anything a bit higher in the front. Good advise.
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Old 04-18-2019, 05:03 PM   #13
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Route out west?

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Originally Posted by buellfire View Post
Good morning all! As I prepare for our journey West in two weeks, I was wondering how I should setup our hitch.
Hey Buell, I'm wondering what route you are taking west, and how many days you forecast to get there.


Assuming NKY is Northern Kentucky, I plugged Florence into Google Maps and find our route from Atlanta in 3+months will be similar to yours using interstates (after Illinois).
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Old 04-18-2019, 05:11 PM   #14
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Adjustable hitch

Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
I highly recommend an adjustable hitch, setting up before hand can cause some issues because the 19" is for an empty Escape, once you have propane and liquids and your stuff, that height can go up or down depending on your weight as well as your tow vehicle contents. One or two inches either way does not seem like much but towing level is preferred for both the driver and trailer experience.
I don't have anything in the 19" neighborhood so something else is required. Maybe an adjustable hitch is the way to go.
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Old 04-18-2019, 05:46 PM   #15
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Hoping to take the northern I90/I94 route to add 3 new states to our inventory....
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Old 04-18-2019, 07:30 PM   #16
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At this point our plan is to take the northern route. Leaving the NKY/Cincinnati area we plan on going out I74 to Iowa, up to South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, lastly Washington. This is all weather dependent. One good note is scenic Rt 20 in Washington opened today! So if we head over towards Glacier from pickup, the ride should be awesome. I am planning on Leaving after work on Wednesday or early Thursday morning for a Monday pickup.
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Old 04-18-2019, 07:36 PM   #17
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Glacier sometimes does not open til June and I think this has been a heavy snow year, maybe later even. check ahead....
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Old 04-19-2019, 07:36 AM   #18
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Originally Posted by buellfire View Post
At this point our plan is to take the northern route. Leaving the NKY/Cincinnati area we plan on going out I74 to Iowa, up to South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, lastly Washington. This is all weather dependent. One good note is scenic Rt 20 in Washington opened today! So if we head over towards Glacier from pickup, the ride should be awesome. I am planning on Leaving after work on Wednesday or early Thursday morning for a Monday pickup.
Looks like you are planning about 600 miles daily to reach Chilliwack, which is probably too much for us. We will probably take the same route as you and are thinking about going to Vancouver first for a couple of days. I took Amtrak from Chicago to Seattle 2 years ago and had no cell service in Montana - Straight Talk/ATT, no roaming. From the train, US2 way up north looked like a fun road.


Looking forward to read about your trip.
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Old 04-19-2019, 08:02 AM   #19
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Looks like you are planning about 600 miles daily to reach Chilliwack, which is probably too much for us. We will probably take the same route as you and are thinking about going to Vancouver first for a couple of days. I took Amtrak from Chicago to Seattle 2 years ago and had no cell service in Montana - Straight Talk/ATT, no roaming. From the train, US2 way up north looked like a fun road.


Looking forward to read about your trip.
I had planned on doing this trip with my dog Molly. When my parents heard I was going to make the trip alone, they joined in for the adventure! My wife doesn't have the same amount of PTO, so her plan is to fly into Glacier Int airport on Thursday after orientation. We are a few years from retirement and are learning from our parents mistakes. As a kid we camped in a hardsided popup, an Apache. I listened to my dad dream of buying a rv and seeing America, that dream never happened. Time moves fast! A couple of years ago, I bought my truck and our old Casita, told my parent take it anytime. Last summer Mom and Dad took a trip out west. This trip out to the PNW my be the last big trip they have in them. We get along well and they are fun. We plan on hoteling if the need arises! Other than picking up in Chilliwack and wife in Glacier the plan is flexible.
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Old 04-19-2019, 08:17 AM   #20
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Glacier sometimes does not open til June and I think this has been a heavy snow year, maybe later even. check ahead....
Sometimes even later than June. I was there for the road opening on July 13, 2011.
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