Towing a 17 vrs a 19

Greetings,

First post longtime reader. On the fence between a 17 and 19. Saw a 17 over the weekend and know we want an Escape. Thanks Bob for the tour! We will fit very well in the 17 but like the larger bed of the 19. Being new to towing, backing and generally getting around with a large box in tow, will one by easier to tow than the other? Right now I'm easily intimidated by double axles and 2 more feet. Tow vehicle is a Tacoma V6.
Another suggestions or reasons to choose one over the other would be welcome.

Thanks,

Dave

[Conuma]

Go for the 5th wheel, the 5.0 is a great trailer, very easy to tow, hook up and back up with and you"ve already have the tow vehicle! It has lots of room, sleeping area is out of the way, a very comfy unit.

[JeffZ]

Personally I would go for the 19ft.. It's just the right size and my guess is the tow factor won't be any big deal for your Tacoma.. The dual axles make the trailer more stable in tow and easier to back-up IMHO.

We had the 17ft and ended up getting a 19ft AS (a long story) - But that 2 feet made a Huge difference in the layout and storage..

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

[Jim Bennett]

Either one will tow fine. The 19 would be a bit more stable with the dual axles, but does weight more. Conversely that extra weight can transcribe into a taller, wider and longer trailer. If you were willing to go for the 5.0 it would tow nicely with your Tacoma, the bed is nicely oriented too, but it is narrower.

Basically, all the units would work for you, you just need to weight all the factors of cost and specs out to decide which would work best for you. Either way you go, you need to find an empty parking lot and practice, practice, practice to improve your skills. There are courses you can take to help learn to tow as well.

[Hokie Escape]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

If you were willing to go for the 5.0 it would tow nicely with your Tacoma, the bed is nicely oriented too (front to back vs. side to side), but it is narrower.

That is, the bed is the same width as the 19' (60"...although it's 2" shorter in length..78"). The 5.0 itself is not as wide (is narrower) than the 19.
They are all 3 wonderful trailers, but Jim is right, the 19 with it's dual axles will be more stable in tow than the 17 (4 wheels on the ground vs. two). Backing the trailer up would be basically the same. Backing the 5.0 is very different, and I think, more difficult (ie. it takes more practice). The 5.0 is extremely easy to tow, but you have to be careful in turns because the center of rotation is over the rear axle. It doesn't "follow you" the way a normal trailer does.

[PGDriver]

Dave the Tacoma will tow the Escape 19 just fine and should average about 16 MPG Imperial (13.32 US).
I would tow in 4th most of the time as it didn't make any difference to the fuel economy when I stayed in 5th
and it shifted up and down. I used the Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller and it worked perfect and mounted
easily in the Tacoma.

[Jim Bennett]

Dan, thanks for the clarification. I was running my words together (as usual) and did mean the the trailer was narrower. :

[gbaglo]

Whatever you use to tow, read the manual.

Both my old Ford Explorer and the RAV4 advise to tow in Drive, not ODrive. I almost burned out the torque converter on the Explorer, towing my tent trailer in OD.

And, the RAV4 manual says not to tow up extended hills in 3. You are to use 4. I went up the Coquihalla ( showing off ) at 90+ in 3 once and had the warning light for the transmission oil come on.

On the other hand, some manuals for 4x4 trucks recommend that you not take them off-road. What can I say?

baglo

[shanngord]

Besides being 2 feet longer, I believe that the Escape 19 is also wider. This may mean mirror extensions. Dual axles also mean more axle maintenance (tires, brakes, etc). While some say that the 19 is "more stable", I have never had a problem with instability with my 17B (and I drive fairly aggressively ).

I have driven my 17 into some pretty tight turn-around spots where I don't think a bigger trailer would have fit. The 17 may also be easier to manouever thru parking lots.

The 17 is a bit small for two people to prepare food and stay "indoors" in. One person usually watches the other cook and/or clean. We got the 5 cuft fridge which may stick out more than the tiny fridge. We also got the tent room option which extends the living space to outside here in mosquito country.

Hope that helps.

Gord

Thanks for the replies appears to be little difference in the trailers towing wise. Talked with Reese and Tammy yesterday also, and have come to the realization that no matter which trailer we choose we will have to learn to tow it. Think Jim summed it up best with practice, practice, and more practice.
Got a couple of 19 referrals from Tammy to see in Arizona. We will base our choice on what size will work best for us.
Off to see more trailers soon........what fun!!

Dave