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Old 11-13-2011, 12:08 PM   #1
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Tongue weight with extra gear

We are getting our 17B in March! Our tow vehicle is a Tacoma, 6 cylinder, with tow package. I have a few questions for you experienced Escapees-
What is the tongue weight with two propane tanks and two 6 volt batteries? Can I safely load the trailer to offset this extra weight?
Does anyone know of a hitch system that will accomodate a Yakima Drydock rack? It would need a horizontal, two inch, reciever on top of the hitch. I'd like to avoid buying a new rack for my canoes and kayaks.
Thanks! I've enjoyed reading the forum posts and look forward to being more involved.
Eric
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Old 11-13-2011, 11:57 PM   #2
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Re: Tongue weight with extra gear

Sounds like you need a hitch with a horizontal platform for a ball and a vertical receiver for your Yakima to slot into. You may have to get one made custom for your particular application.

Our new 17B has the dual propane tanks on the tongue but the 2 batteries are mounted on the rear as we have the front storage bin.
When we loaded my husband's motorcycle on the rear (on a motorcycle carrier), we loaded up the front storage box with water
containers to offset the rear weight. In addition, we also moved our gear inside the trailer to the front (small dinette) end.
We have a 6 cylinder 2004 Tacoma with a manual transmission. We bought it new for a tow setup but it does not have the larger fan,
additional suspension, etc. like the Toyota tow package has.

I ordered our 17B "BIKE RACK READY - REINFORCED FOR 500 LBS." since I knew my husband might want to take his motorcycle when he went hunting in the trailer. His first trip was 2 days after picking up the trailer and he had no issues driving with the bike on the back.
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Old 11-14-2011, 08:39 AM   #3
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Re: Tongue weight with extra gear

I looked at the online images of the Yakima rack. It looks like it will take quite a bit of modification or some very special adapters like LBaranyal mentions.

A simpler solution might be to use your Drydock when you aren't towing and make or buy one like the Style #1 at the top of this page: http://www.paddling.net/buyersguide/...995&manfID=166
Or maybe your Drydock could be modified to mount like Style #1 does?

We carry canoes and bikes, but we have a topper on our Tacoma with mounts built in that take our regular Yakima racks.

Eric
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Old 11-14-2011, 11:59 AM   #4
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Re: Tongue weight with extra gear

Thanks, everybody! You gave me some good ideas. I'll contact Tammy and ask about rear mounted batteries and look into making my own modifications on an extended hitch. My major worry is that the hitch has a capacity over the maximum tongue weight. I like to overcompensate on such things for safety's sake.
Eric
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Old 11-14-2011, 12:14 PM   #5
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Re: Tongue weight with extra gear

Eric,

If you get the dual 6v option (a very good option in my opinion) the batteries are mounted in the rear.

Eric

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Old 11-14-2011, 01:07 PM   #6
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Re: Tongue weight with extra gear

Thanks for that info. It should not be much of a problem then to weld a horizontal receiver on top of an extra long hitch. If it doesn't work, we'll look for another solution!
Eric
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Old 11-14-2011, 01:56 PM   #7
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Re: Tongue weight with extra gear

see etrailer.com

Curt Adapters - D-192

Curt 8" Dual Purpose Ball Mount

Combined weight rating of both receivers: 350 lbs TW/3,500 lbs GTW
Top receiver opening not for towing use
Bottom receiver for towbar or trailer use
Pin and clip not included

Directy link is: http://www.etrailer.com/Tow-Bars/Curt/D-192.html

baglo
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Old 11-14-2011, 09:51 PM   #8
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Re: Tongue weight with extra gear

You got it right on! That should work perfectly.


The steelhead are scarce down here, too. At least for me.

Thanks,
Eric
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Old 11-22-2011, 12:09 PM   #9
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Re: Tongue weight with extra gear

Thanks, everyone. Tammy informed me that the 17B tongue weight with two filled propane tanks and the two 6 volt batteries on the rear bumber is about 300 pounds. This should be no problem with my current hitch or the adapted Curtis hitch.
eric
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Old 12-10-2011, 11:07 PM   #10
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Re: Tongue weight with extra gear

Get an equalizer hitch.
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Old 02-16-2012, 01:39 PM   #11
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Re: Tongue weight with extra gear

I am new to all this towing stuff, so please bear with me if I am asking a silly question.

We have ordered our new escape with a Weight Distribution Hitch.

We recently got a draw-tite type III hitch for our '08 Toyota Sienna. When I got it, I talked to the hitch guy, he inferred that the WDH has a vehicle component that would cause the weight to be distributed further forward on the vehicle. He said he would need to know the hitch height on the trailer, and it would be about $600 additional. Our neighbors have a 25' airstream that they tow with a F-150 pickup. the neighbor says the truck hitch is tied into the middle of the truck's frame so that the weight bears over the whole truck rather than just the rear wheels.

We used this hitch to pull a 16' Scamp about 1000 miles. but when we attached the scamp to the hitch, the rear of the van sank somewhere between 3 or 5 inches. Because it was a rental trailer, we had to use some zip ties to keep the safety chains from dragging on the ground -- overall, the whole thing seemed really close to the ground.

On the other hand, when I look at the pictures of the escape, there are a couple of bars and some extra chains. I don't think there is a part that gets mounted on the trailer.

With that long bit of background, here are my questions:

1) As I said, I am getting the WDH option on the trailer. Do I need to also get a WDH component on the towing vehicle?

2) I know that I can make the rear end of the Sienna stiffer using air bags, stiffer shocks, rubber inserts in the springs, etc. Does anyone have any experience with those products?

all that said, we have found other folks towing escape like trailers with Siennas, so I think we will be fine. The replacement vehicle, when ever we buy it, will probably have a larger towing capacity. But hopefully that decision is a few years off.

thanks for any advice.

Leon Webster
St. Paul, MN
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Old 02-16-2012, 02:53 PM   #12
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Re: Tongue weight with extra gear

Hi Leon
1) As I said, I am getting the WDH option on the trailer. Do I need to also get a WDH component on the towing vehicle?

The WDH from Reace is complete - all you need it your installed type III hitch and (maybe) the correct size hitch ball - I can't remember if a ball comes with the WDH or not. Reace does the install as part of the cost.

2) I know that I can make the rear end of the Sienna stiffer using air bags, stiffer shocks, rubber inserts in the springs, etc. Does anyone have any experience with those products?

With the WDH the rear end sag will be taken care of. Reace measures the rear height of the tow vehicle before the Escape is attached and then he adjusts the WDH so that the rear height is the same as it is unloaded. I would hold off on any stiffeners until after you try it with the WDH.

Eric
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Old 02-16-2012, 02:55 PM   #13
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Re: Tongue weight with extra gear

You have a type III hitch receiver installed already. The WDH slides into that receiver and the trailer hitch mounts on the ball on the WDH. You then attach the bars.
The WDH will transfer weight from the back to the front of the vehicle. You shouldn't need anything else - air bags, shocks etc.

I would order the WDH from Reace and he will set it up for you when you pick up the trailer.

baglo
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Old 02-16-2012, 03:28 PM   #14
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Re: Tongue weight with extra gear

Eric, and Mr. Baglo,

Thanks much for the info. I feel much better now.

Am really looking forward to beginning our period of "Senior Delinquency" and having lots of thingw to on our "Permanent Record".
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Old 02-16-2012, 04:22 PM   #15
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Re: Tongue weight with extra gear

You mention that he wanted $600 extra for the WDH.
I think Escape charges $350.

Perhaps he was going to install a brake controller too for the $600?
You will need that to operate the electric trailer brakes.
A lot of people on the forum use the Prodigy controller. Go to: http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Brake_Controller.aspx to see the selection and prices. And, check around for estimates on installation. Try your local U-Haul for one.

baglo
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Old 02-17-2012, 08:35 AM   #16
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Re: Tongue weight with extra gear

I already got the brake controller from the guy who wants $600.00 for the WDH. Maybe I misunderstood when he was talking about the hitch, but it definitely seemed like this was something that goes on the tow vehicle, and attached more to the frame. But given what you and Eric have said, I am just got to get the WDH from Escape for now.

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