Congrats on Trailer Life Spread

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Especially when you're the star, Alf!

Hi: rbryan4... I just found out from Trailer Life Mag. that the free issues I get with my Good Sam Membership DON'T INCLUDE THE AUG. ISSUE!!! Now I have to take back all the bad press I gave Canada Post!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: rbryan4... I just found out from Trailer Life Mag. that the free issues I get with my Good Sam Membership DON'T INCLUDE THE AUG. ISSUE!!! Now I have to take back all the bad press I gave Canada Post!!! Alf

escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

You would think your copy would be complimentary from the magazine itself, since it's your trailer that's featured.

As for Canada Post, all reports are that they're a far cry better than our Postal Service.

[escape artist]

Hi: All... Finally got hold of a copy. None in the news stands but my Bro n law gave up his copy. The road test of a 5.0TA mentions " The body is mounted on a rubber torsion independent suspension". Did Reace change it again or did the reviewer even look under the trailer? Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by escape artist

The road test of a 5.0TA mentions " The body is mounted on a rubber torsion independent suspension". Did Reace change it again or did the reviewer even look under the trailer? Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

I'm assuming they didn't look, Alf. They should have mentioned the EZ Flex.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by escape artist

The road test of a 5.0TA mentions " The body is mounted on a rubber torsion independent suspension". Did Reace change it again or did the reviewer even look under the trailer?

I don't think there's much chance Reace could change the design without the members of this forum noticing, and I don't know why he would change it anyway. No, I doubt anyone at Trailer Life actually looks at stuff under any trailer; I think they just read specs... the wrong specs in this case. It's not a technically-oriented publication.

Also, no one who is interested in vehicle technology would say "The body is mounted on a rubber torsion independent suspension", because it isn't - the trailer's body is directly mounted to the frame, not the suspension. Motor vehicles often have sophisticated body mounting designs, but travel trailers usually don't, and an Escape doesn't. Something like "The chassis is mounted on a rubber torsion independent suspension", or "The trailer runs on a rubber torsion independent suspension", or "The body is mounted on a steel frame which is suspended by a rubber torsion independent system" would make sense... if it were one of the other Escape models which actually has an independent suspension.

[kvermeulen]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I don't think there's much chance Reace could change the design without the members of this forum noticing, and I don't know why he would change it anyway. No, I doubt anyone at Trailer Life actually looks at stuff under any trailer; I think they just read specs... the wrong specs in this case. It's not a technically-oriented publication.

Also, no one who is interested in vehicle technology would say "The body is mounted on a rubber torsion independent suspension", because it isn't - the trailer's body is directly mounted to the frame, not the suspension. Motor vehicles often have sophisticated body mounting designs, but travel trailers usually don't, and an Escape doesn't. Something like "The chassis is mounted on a rubber torsion independent suspension", or "The trailer runs on a rubber torsion independent suspension", or "The body is mounted on a steel frame which is suspended by a rubber torsion independent system" would make sense... if it were one of the other Escape models which actually has an independent suspension.

Are we splitting hairs on this.

ken

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

...No, I doubt anyone at Trailer Life actually looks at stuff under any trailer; I think they just read specs... the wrong specs in this case. It's not a technically-oriented publication.

Also, no one who is interested in vehicle technology would say "The body is mounted on a rubber torsion independent suspension", because it isn't ...

Originally Posted by kvermeulen

Are we splitting hairs on this.

No, just saying that that you can tell from a writer's language whether or not they know what they're talking about. I suggest reading Trailer Life for impressions of a trailer, not technical information.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

No, I doubt anyone at Trailer Life actually looks at stuff under any trailer; I think they just read specs... the wrong specs in this case.

To be fair to Trailer Life, although they just read specs those specs as published by Escape Trailer Industries are incorrect. From the Escape 5.0TA specs:

... the rubber torsion suspension axle, which is used in all of our Escape models...

This is an error still leftover from the conversion of the original 5.0 web page to the 5.0TA - there were more problems for quite a while, with a mix of information from the two versions, and I still wouldn't trust anything in the 5.0TA page without careful examination.

I just noticed this one today:

The Escape 5.0TA weighs approximately 3100 lbs (dry weight) keeping travel costs to a minimum.

Not true: the base and dry 5.0TA - according to the specifications tab of the same page - weighs 3700 pounds. 3100 pounds is just the portion carried on the axles, but you have to pull the whole 3700 pounds (plus!) down the road.

Someone just reading the web site will not have the right information.

Originally Posted by rbryan4

I'm assuming they didn't look, Alf. They should have mentioned the EZ Flex.

I agree that either they didn't look, or they didn't understand what they were seeing. The E-Z Flex is mentioned in the features list on the website, so perhaps the magazine article should have mentioned it, but then they would need to reconcile the conflicting information from the website.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I just noticed this one today:

Did you let Tammy and Reace know about this two errors on their site. I bet they would like to know.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Did you let Tammy and Reace know about this two errors on their site. I bet they would like to know.

The 5.0/5.0TA issues have been around as long as the 5.0TA, and have been discussed in this forum (which I realize is not operated or monitored by Tammy and Reace)... and yes, I believe that I did send an email long ago. I could send a note in case they're not aware of the remaining issues.

If I'm going to do that...
Question: Does the 5.0TA have scissors jacks in the back (as listed on the web page), or single-leg (Deluxe Telescoping or C-Jack) like other Escapes?

[gbaglo]

And, ETI site still says Equalizer hitch in options for 17.
It's not. It is Pro Series.
I sent note, but it still says Equalizer.

[bdornbush]

I found the review posted at The Great Escape

[Sandra L]

Good article. Thanks for the link!

[Brian B-P]

From The Great Escape

The bread-and-butter trailers for the company are its 19- and 21-foot travel trailers, although the 13- and 17-footers are still popular models in the lineup.

Not likely, since the 13 Foot is long out of production. The 15 Foot was in production more recently, but it too is no longer offered, so with zero sales possible it can't be considered "popular". Where do they get this stuff?

They list the GAWR as 2300 pounds, but that would be for only one axle... and even then I'm pretty sure it's the 19 Foot spec; the 21 Foot is higher, and the actual 5.0TA GAWR is more likely 3500 pounds... but who knows, maybe they're right and Reace spec'd a softer spring pack for better suspension behaviour. Given the other glitches, I'm guessing it's just wrong.

The fifth-wheel is well insulated using foam panels before installing the cabinetry and vinyl headliner and wall covering...

Umm.. no. The insulation under the liner is Reflectix, which isn't foam at all (or a panel).

On the more positive side...

Weight (freshwater, water heater, LP-gas full; no cargo) 4,390 lbs
...
Cargo Carrying Cap. 1,110 lbs

For these weights it seems that they have either weighed the test trailer (which would be good), or added 40 pounds (propane) and the calculated weight of 28+6 US gallons of water (34x8=272 lb) plus the $3,612 worth of options to the spec dry weight; 3,700+40+272 is too low, so it can't be just dry spec plus fluids. Is Escape putting a weight and cargo capacity placard in the trailer now which reflects the actual as-equipped weight? Listing Cargo Carrying Capacity this way (available room to GVWR with full freshwater and fuel) is an industry standard.

I think they captured the Escape themes of quality and fitting the customer's needs well.

Originally Posted by bdornbush

I found the review posted at The Great Escape

I finally bought a copy today, then got home and saw this link. Arggh

[Loren & Cathy]

I just got my October copy of Trailer Life and in the letters section there is a gentleman from South Dakota criticizing the mention of the 5.0TA in the August issue being able to turn 90 degrees. He says this causes bent rims and axles but also says his trailer weighs 17,000 lbs. Hmmmm. Loren

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Loren & Cathy

I just got my October copy of Trailer Life and in the letters section there is a gentleman from South Dakota criticizing the mention of the 5.0TA in the August issue being able to turn 90 degrees. He says this causes bent rims and axles but also says his trailer weighs 17,000 lbs. Hmmmm.

I just read that letter today...

In a very sharp turn (even with only the 65 degrees of rotation available to an A-frame tongue conventional trailer) the tires of a tandem-axle trailer are going very sideways. I've seen someone moving a trailer on an RV sales lot leave some impressive skid marks spinning a conventional trailer around with their mover, and the distortion of the tire sidewalls was scary. I can see bending steel wheels and maybe even axles - if they are heavily loaded for their size - but the letter writer didn't say that he had experienced this or even that it had ever happened, only that he heard it could happen.

I've turned tandems very sharply and not had a problem... that I've noticed.

A 5.0TA has two 3500 pound capacity axles but weighs no more than 5500 pounds total (and usually less); the tires have even more room to their rated maximums than the axles. I think caution is appropriate, but if you need to very tight maneuvers shouldn't be a problem.

I'm not sure why getting the trailer 90 degrees to the truck is particularly relevant to the Escape - perhaps just that with a 88 inch body width, that can be done with much less cab-to-hitch spacing than is needed to do the same with a 102 inch wide trailer.

All of this is irrelevant to single-axle trailer, but the article was about the 5.0TA which has tandem axles.