Reducing tongue weight on a 21’ by LOADING differently

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

But if you eliminate the front box, you have nowhere to carry you power cord, plastic levelers, water hoses, wheel chocks, shovel.

Maybe nowhere convenient, but most travel trailers don't have front storage boxes (and Escape didn't even offer one until a few years ago) and everyone still finds somewhere for this stuff. In my current trailer the leveling blocks go in an inside cabinet reachable from the entry door, the shore power cord is built in, hoses are stored in the bathroom, and tools go in the van.

Equipment like this which might commonly go in a tongue-mounted box can be carried in a plastic container, and carried either in the tug or on the floor in the trailer. If it will stay in the middle of the trailer floor the weight is entirely removed from the tongue (and carried on the axles) and placed ideally for stability... but of course it's in the way until you take it outside at each stop.

Any outside-accessible storage compartment is a valid alternative location for stuff that might go in a tongue-mounted box, and any of those compartments ahead of the wheels will be closer to the axles (less tongue weight) than a tongue box.

For a stack of ten Lynx blocks (3.2 kg, 7 lb) this is a tiny effect. If you like to carry torque wrenches and floor jacks, you might want to pay more attention to where they are carried.

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

..................... If you like to carry torque wrenches and floor jacks, you might want to pay more attention to where they are carried.

Brian makes a good point.
Suggestion: I weighted the tools I carry; it's a little over 30 lbs, including breaker bar, torque wrench, and a scissors jack. So, they're stored right behind/under the drivers seat on the floor, where the weight is distributed evenly between the tow vehicle front and rear axles. The only tools in the trailer are a VOM, multi-tip screwdriver, & pliers under the dinette seat next to the power panel(rear of the trailer).

[Losangeles]

Originally Posted by dfandrews

Brian makes a good point.
Suggestion: I weighted the tools I carry; it's a little over 30 lbs, including breaker bar, torque wrench, and a scissors jack. So, they're stored right behind/under the drivers seat on the floor, where the weight is distributed evenly between the tow vehicle front and rear axles. The only tools in the trailer are a VOM, multi-tip screwdriver, & pliers under the dinette seat next to the power panel(rear of the trailer).

Just realized that I could easily make a duffle bag of rarely used tools (2 jacks, breaker bar, etc) and stow under the dinette area when under tow. That would help.

Looking forward to this great adventure. Our Casita has been great.... but significantly more space and storage in a 21' Escape.

[thoer]

I had to be very careful how I loaded my Scamp 16' side dinette as most everything heavy was on one side and those little 13" tires are awfully easy to overload.

Gets kind of fun coming up with creative ideas of what to put where.

[Losangeles]

to owners of the 21' Escape

1) I was told by ETI that an exterior hatch to access under the permanent (front) bed was standard.... yet a 2015 21' Owner said that it was an option for them... I'm confused. Anyone with more info?

2) On a stock 21' Escape... is there a hatch to access under the same bed from INSIDE the Escape?

if yes - where exactly is it located?

How big (dimensions) is it?

our 21' will live up against a wall, so the driver side exterior hatch will be fairly useless when it is parked......

thanks... just planning ahead.

[Donna D.]

The exterior hatch for under the bed on a 21' has to be on the drivers side. On the door side the hatch would open into the bathroom.

[cpaharley2008]

There is an exterior hatch, street side under the bed, forward of the water heater. There is a door inside that allows access and the bed also lifts up for access. There is an optional exterior for the rear access. As far as access, you can always access the hatch after hooking up, the majority of personal items are stored elsewhere. The lifting up access is quite large inside, if you research the pictures there are several of this opening.

[Losangeles]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

The exterior hatch for under the bed on a 21' has to be on the drivers side. On the door side the hatch would open into the bathroom.

Sorry for the confusion... yes... the exterior hatch is on (and has to be on) the *drivers* side.

[Losangeles]

My plan is to store folding beach chairs, etc under the bed.... however I'll want to be able to grab these things, when at home, and i can NOT access the drivers side when it is parked, due to a long wall along the drivers side, and a narrow parking space.

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

There is a door inside that allows access

How big exactly is this door, and is it on the "side" of the bed?

will i be looking at it, directly, if standing in the main doorway?

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

the bed also lifts up for access.

This is great news..... except i assume i'll have to wrestle the mattress out of the way.

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

There is an optional exterior for the rear access.

By "rear access" do you mean the dinette?
we are not getting the U shaped, but we will get dual 6V batteries.

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

The lifting up access is quite large inside, if you research the pictures there are several of this opening.

Not sure how to search images on this forum... any tips? thanks.

[gbaglo]

To search images would require that all members adhere to some sort of naming protocol. I doubt that will ever happen.

[KarenH]

There are many pictures of the 21 and other units being built on the It's Friday thread. For example, Post 2524 showing the under-bed access door:

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...-3244-253.html

[cpaharley2008]

Thanks Karen...for the link. As fas as the door, it ca be put on any of the 3 vertical sides, standard kitchen opening door, maybe 24x18"

[tractors1]

The standard access door under the bed of a 21 is small. Just big enough for a 10x12 drawer to be installed. The flip-up access is half the bed width, maybe 24-18 inches, but the black tank is next to the bathroom, and there is bed framing to contend with. I couldn't figure out a way to put lawn chairs in there so they ride in the tow.

[cpaharley2008]

I carry 2 lawn chairs at the foot of bed between the bed and night stand or under the rear dinette, both places work.

[paulw]

I carry 3 chairs (along with a stove with legs, screen room, Paha Que canopy, roll up table and an awning shade) under the forward 1/2 of the bed accessed from the outside hatch.
The back 1/2 is configured like Charlie's without drawer.

[Losangeles]

Originally Posted by tractors1

The standard access door under the bed of a 21 is small. Just big enough for a 10x12 drawer to be installed. The flip-up access is half the bed width, maybe 24-18 inches, but the black tank is next to the bathroom, and there is bed framing to contend with. I couldn't figure out a way to put lawn chairs in there so they ride in the tow.

Thanks much Charlie for posting the pic.

I wont get the (optional, I assume?) drawer.... i want to keep that under bed space as open as possible

I'll probably ask ETI to add TWO interior access doors to be able to access the under bed space from the curb side, as well as from the dinette side (if that makes sense?)

[BCnomad]

The hot water tank is there. At least on mine.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by Losangeles

Thanks much Charlie for posting the pic.

I wont get the (optional, I assume?) drawer.... i want to keep that under bed space as open as possible

I'll probably ask ETI to add TWO interior access doors to be able to access the under bed space from the curb side, as well as from the dinette side (if that makes sense?)

Installed under-bed drawers in a 2 day old 21 yesterday and the water heater is still under the bed at the foot against the drivers side wall. No room to make the single hatch any bigger.

[Losangeles]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Installed under-bed drawers in a 2 day old 21 yesterday and the water heater is still under the bed at the foot against the drivers side wall. No room to make the single hatch any bigger.

Aha.

Thanks.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Installed under-bed drawers in a 2 day old 21 yesterday and the water heater is still under the bed at the foot against the drivers side wall. No room to make the single hatch any bigger.

Maury&Julie's photo of the street side (from the It's Friday thread) shows (from front rearward along the side):

1. hatch - storage area behind it
2. water heater door (big vented square) - water heater is a cube this size
3. furnace vents above the forward wheel
4. flood light (optional)
5. refrigerator access/cooling intake vent panel above the rearward wheel
6. water inlet and fresh water tank fill (below refrigerator panel)
7. space for rear access door
8. shore power cord access

The photo of that corner from the Escape web site (which Donna showed) includes furnace intake and exhaust vents between the hatch and water heater, but that's the original furnace location, and it is no longer there.

The front hatch could extend further rearward than in this photo, because the furnace isn't there yet there seems to be the same gap ahead of the water heater as there was in the photo from the web site. Perhaps the front hatch extends a bit further forward now than it did - I don't know of a reason not to go to all the way to the front of the flat area of the body, unless there is a body structure issue with an excessively large opening.

Escape web site photos (with old furnace location)