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Old 05-24-2018, 04:48 PM   #1
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High Lift Axle (or not)?

So.......
We will be pulling the trigger on a new 21'er soon.
Our question:
High Lift Axle or not? We won't be boon docking or going off road - just not for us. Any pros or cons to the high lift?
Just wondering if the additional cost could be better spent on other options.
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Old 05-24-2018, 06:12 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gwvwadc View Post
So.......
We will be pulling the trigger on a new 21'er soon.
Our question:
High Lift Axle or not? We won't be boon docking or going off road - just not for us. Any pros or cons to the high lift?
Just wondering if the additional cost could be better spent on other options.
The vast majority of Escapes have the standard lift on the axles and do just fine, even on terrain that is moderately rough. Unless you intend to get into a situation where you need more ground clearance, don't bother.
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Old 05-24-2018, 07:15 PM   #3
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I have the high lift option and all it does is lift the trailer out of whatever slipstream there is behind the RAV4, impacting gas mileage I presume. I ordered it because my plan was to get a Tacoma, but my wife nixed that, pointing out that we are getting older and less agile. She was right.
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Old 05-24-2018, 07:23 PM   #4
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We ordered ours with the high-lift option. We like to get offroad as much as possible, and enjoyed that with our Casita. It does help to lessen the odds of catching the plumbing on things while underway.
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Old 05-24-2018, 09:08 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gwvwadc View Post
So.......
We will be pulling the trigger on a new 21'er soon.
Our question:
High Lift Axle or not? We won't be boon docking or going off road - just not for us. Any pros or cons to the high lift?
Just wondering if the additional cost could be better spent on other options.
We have the high lift option. We don't go off roading so that is not an issue. We do however tend to stay occasionally at RV parks with full service who love to put the sewer connections too high. Having to walk the slinky because the drain connection is higher than the trailer outlet is not something I like to do. So...., we ordered the high lift which puts the trailer sewer outlet a little higher than the standard lift. And it helps.

Oh, and we tow with a full size pickup truck so the small amount of lift extra doesn't matter. The Tundra doesn't even seem to notice that the trailer is back there most of the time.
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Old 05-24-2018, 09:31 PM   #6
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Yes, the sewer connection situation is rare but when that is a problem, we have used the dump station instead. When we could. Not every campground has a dump station though.
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Old 05-24-2018, 10:05 PM   #7
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Can't see getting the high lift just to raise the sewer connection a couple of inches, but to each their own.
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Old 06-27-2018, 09:16 PM   #8
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Is the high-lift option necessary or desireable to keep the trailer level if using a full-sized pickup? I am interested in the 5th wheel trailer.
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Old 06-28-2018, 06:36 AM   #9
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Towing our 5.0 TA with a 2016 F150 4x4. The F150 has a 56” bed height and the trailer rides almost perfectly level with the standard axle which was recommended by ETI. Most of our camping so far has been state and national parks and we have no clearance issues. The higher axle would probably adversely affect our gas mileage and make for a higher step getting in and out of trailer.
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Old 06-28-2018, 09:06 AM   #10
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Towing our 5.0 TA with a 2016 F150 4x4. The F150 has a 56” bed height and the trailer rides almost perfectly level with the standard axle which was recommended by ETI. Most of our camping so far has been state and national parks and we have no clearance issues. The higher axle would probably adversely affect our gas mileage and make for a higher step getting in and out of trailer.
I had the lift axle in my 2009 19, and even though I drug it off road a lot, never really felt that I needed it. You would need to be regularly going through some nasty terrain to warrant it.

In my 2017 5.0TA we opted not to get it. With our 2015 F150 it tows nice and level. I did move my spare tire under the front of the trailer and am monitoring it with the though that more clearance might be nice there, but in 10 weeks of use since doing this have not yet found a situation that did not keep it to at least 6-8" (I never actually measured) clearance.
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Old 06-28-2018, 10:26 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chotch View Post
Towing our 5.0 TA with a 2016 F150 4x4. The F150 has a 56” bed height and the trailer rides almost perfectly level with the standard axle which was recommended by ETI. Most of our camping so far has been state and national parks and we have no clearance issues. The higher axle would probably adversely affect our gas mileage and make for a higher step getting in and out of trailer.
Ours looks just the same. In fact we too have a white F150 Supercab. Clearance is fine with the 5.0TA without lift. Our 5.0 single axle did have clearance issues even though it was lifted.
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Old 06-28-2018, 10:41 AM   #12
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chotch and Jim Bennentt, thanks much for your replies! I was thinking if I were to order a 5.0 that I would need that option so I appreciate your feedback as I probably won't be doing any extreme towing. That's $300cn I can spend on other stuff. Thanks!
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Old 06-28-2018, 10:43 AM   #13
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Ours looks just the same. In fact we too have a white F150 Supercab. Clearance is fine with the 5.0TA without lift. Our 5.0 single axle did have clearance issues even though it was lifted.

What year did Escape switch to the tandem axle?
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Old 06-28-2018, 12:03 PM   #14
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What year did Escape switch to the tandem axle?
2014 was the first year of the 5.0TA and I got number 10 off the line!
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Old 06-28-2018, 12:07 PM   #15
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The high axle seems to cause some issues with the entry stairs for some people the step is very high and difficult for some people depends on your age and mobility. I didn’t get it because ETI didn’t recommend it said my 4x4 truck would be fine not an issue with the height so I was glad to eliminate one extra cost. Seems like I got every other option!
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Old 06-28-2018, 12:45 PM   #16
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2014 was the first year of the 5.0TA and I got number 10 off the line!

Thanks, Donna!
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Old 06-28-2018, 06:23 PM   #17
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I have high lift on the 17. The step they use for that is for high lift or for rigs that have spray insulation underneath. Reace changed out the step for the usual one and it made a big difference. The distance ground to step is easier to deal with using a separate platform.
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Old 06-29-2018, 05:21 PM   #18
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Old 06-29-2018, 10:12 PM   #19
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I have high lift on the 17. The step they use for that is for high lift or for rigs that have spray insulation underneath. Reace changed out the step for the usual one and it made a big difference. The distance ground to step is easier to deal with using a separate platform.

Sorry I don't follow... Did you get a different kind of step...are you using some other platform...or...? (Thanks for any clarifying)

Am not sure what my best solution might be.

I opted for high axle and foam insulation... Unfortunately it is the step up from the second step to trailer which is high. If it had been the first step, I'd have been able to place a platform on the ground to step up to the first step... evening out the rises.
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Old 06-30-2018, 05:13 PM   #20
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Hope this helps. I don’t have two steps, just one. The one I originally had was about three inches lower from the step to the floor of the trailer than the second one. I still use two pieces parallel of 2x 4 attached to the step which makes each phase about 7 inches. Ground to platform, platform to step, and step to trailer. I plan to get one piece of 2x12 and cut a groove in the bottom edge that will fit over the crossbar behind the step platform. That should hold it in place without the straps I’m using now. Neither system can stay on the step when the step is folded away. The platform I am using is from camping world—it’s the one w adjustable legs. I will be home tomorrow and can put a picture if that will help.
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