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Old 08-12-2018, 12:51 PM   #1
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trip to pickup new Escape 21

had a fun trip, took 6 days to go from Dallas, TX area to Chilliwack, and 11 days to return. was nice to be away from TX heat, but was fairly hot where we traveled. we should have planned better, was peak tourist season, so a lot of the really nice places to stay were not available, but we managed OK.

new trailer tows very similar to 17 Casita IMO. I like the WDH installed by Escape, and with 2 axles was very stable ride. didn't check gas mileage, probably a little less than used to get with 17 Casita, spent approx $1,300 on gas, for approx 5000 miles round trip, rough guess.

we like everything about our beautiful new Escape 21, we especially like the following: awning, nonlatch door, frameless windows, 2 axles vs one, toilet paper cover, shower drain on/ off inside trailer, captain lamps at dinette table, mirror on bathroom cabinet, bed, large standard table (really like to way it slides side to side), 12" filler board at the back of the dinette table for wife to put her feet up, large refrigerator, stove top and oven, tons of storage, front storage box, very comfy trailer...

no towel holders was a little strange to us, we ordered the Ikea Stugvik towel rack and hooks, but haven't received yet.

overall, we love the trailer, we are planning to take much longer trips than we ever wanted to take in our Casita, maybe go to Alaska, Maine, etc. we loved the Casita while we had it, but don't miss it.
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Old 08-12-2018, 01:10 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CharlesPou View Post
no towel holders was a little strange to us, we ordered the Ikea Stugvik towel rack and hooks, but haven't received yet.
Glad to hear you are enjoying your new trailer, the wait was worth it, eh?

Those hooks are fantastic, we use them inside the bath and outside by the door. I bought a towel rack and just yesterday we took it out of our trailer after towing it around for a year. We really couldn't find a place we liked it, usually a hook or three would work better in the space anyway.

Happy camping!
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Old 08-12-2018, 01:24 PM   #3
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There are getting to be quite a few Escapes in Texas now. Glad your trip went well. I bought one of those towel racks and it seemed that no matter where I put it, one side (the same side) would always come loose.
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Old 08-12-2018, 01:26 PM   #4
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yes, we waited from Oct last year to Jul, was long time, but went fast, and was worth the wait! I'm thinking of putting the towel holders on the outside of the trailer for temporary use while camping, but we will see.
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Old 08-12-2018, 01:48 PM   #5
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We use suction towel hooks on the outside. Have to remember to remove them before travel.
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Old 08-12-2018, 02:12 PM   #6
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We are in Dallas (Joe Pool lake) and are considering getting a casita for the last 2 years before retirement to learn on, then upgrading to an escape. Out of curiosity, did you own a casita and sell it?
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Old 08-12-2018, 04:30 PM   #7
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Which WDH did you go with?
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Old 08-12-2018, 05:05 PM   #8
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we had 2004 Casita Spirit Deluxe 17, purchased used 2006, used 12 years, was great 1st trailer, recently sold it, was easy to sell...
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Old 08-12-2018, 05:22 PM   #9
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got ProSeries without sway control, has 600# springs, trunnion connection, we didn't ask for anything special, just ordered standard one without sway control, $350 CAD, Escape did excellent job installing IMO.

I think could probably go without it with my 1/2 ton pickup, don't think it's transferring much weight to truck, but rides level, truck used to squat a little in the back with Casita. seems more stable ride towing Escape 21 with WDH compared to my experience with Casita, so I like it, glad I got it.
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Old 08-12-2018, 05:27 PM   #10
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We use suction towel hooks on the outside. Have to remember to remove them before travel.
funny, and you also have to remember to close the sewer hose door too, or the big slinky will come out going down the highway
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Old 08-12-2018, 05:49 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by CharlesPou View Post
got ProSeries without sway control, has 600# springs, trunnion connection, we didn't ask for anything special, just ordered standard one without sway control, $350 CAD, Escape did excellent job installing IMO.

I think could probably go without it with my 1/2 ton pickup, don't think it's transferring much weight to truck, but rides level, truck used to squat a little in the back with Casita. seems more stable ride towing Escape 21 with WDH compared to my experience with Casita, so I like it, glad I got it.
Thanks for the answer, I'm on the fence with using one or not. Any pictures of the set up and did Escape have this in stock to install?
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Old 08-12-2018, 06:14 PM   #12
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I like the WDH because it takes a lot of the bounce out of the whole unit. Loren
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Old 08-12-2018, 06:26 PM   #13
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Wdh

Hi Loren
You're exactly right. Once in a while you'll get on a concrete road that was screeded improperly and has ripples in it. If you don't have a WDH its like riding a porpoise. Nope I've never actually ridden one but I did get out of the ocean once because I mistook dolphins for sharks. I hook the WDH up for every trip and enjoy the lockup feeling.
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Old 08-12-2018, 06:38 PM   #14
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Don't you mean a porpoise chased you out, that way you can segue a trailer has less proposing with a w/d set up.
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Old 08-12-2018, 07:33 PM   #15
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Don't you mean a porpoise chased you out, that way you can segue a trailer has less proposing with a w/d set up.
Watch out, the sharks on the forum will propose that it would be porpoising.

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Old 08-12-2018, 07:43 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by CharlesPou View Post
I think could probably go without it with my 1/2 ton pickup, don't think it's transferring much weight to truck, but rides level, truck used to squat a little in the back with Casita.
A WD system doesn't transfer any load (or "weight") to the truck (so I assume that's a typo), it
  • transfers some load from the truck's rear axle to the truck's front axle, and
  • transfers some load from the truck's rear axle to the trailer's axle(s)

There is no reason to set the system up for excessive load transfer - it should at most restore the truck's front axle load to what it was before the trailer was hitched up.

If the Escape has tongue weight than the Casita, and the truck's rear sits higher than with the Casita, then the WD system is certainly working. The truck should still squat down in the rear a bit due to the trailer... just not excessively.
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Old 08-12-2018, 09:07 PM   #17
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On the two setups we have and have had, we measured the fender height on front and back fender radius before hooking up and then once hooked up adjusted the coupled together combination to tow level or very slightly trailer nose down and closely match the original fender heights. Seems to work for us and handles great, tows level and backs in without binding. No porpoising, no dolphining, no swaying or bronco bucking, just a bluebird ride and the skies are not cloudy all day.
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Old 08-12-2018, 09:17 PM   #18
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sorry, don't have any pics of WDH installed, and trailer is 100 miles away in storage.

I think this is exactly what I have - Pro Series Trunnion Style Weight Distribution Kit with Shank, 600 lbs. TW / 10,000 lbs. GTW Item # 49585. I tried to link to the etrailer website where it's available, but didn't work for me, maybe you can search it on web?

as for how it works, don't ask me. actually, I was glad to have Escape install it, thought it was a bargain with free installation. it's a project I could work on for a long time and still be messing with it. I was happy to see it's 600 lbs TW, which I think is the correct size.
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Old 08-12-2018, 09:48 PM   #19
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Pro Series. Without sway bars. Inexpensive and does everything I need it to do.
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Old 08-13-2018, 11:50 AM   #20
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not close up, but pic of TV with trailer, as you can see nice and level
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