It Fits!! - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Me | General Topics > General Escape
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 03-30-2015, 12:40 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
akoaoka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2015 17B "Tody"
Posts: 129
It Fits!!

We picked up our trailer last week and we finally attempted to move it into the garage yesterday. Our garage door opening is only 94" high. The trailer is 98" per specification. We ordered the axle lowered, smaller tires, and a removable Maxx Fan just in case. And I am happy to report that it fit! Thanks to our mildly sloped driveway, I guess.


The roof vent made it!


The Maxx Fan made it!


Nice and snug. And we won't be winterizing the trailer...



With the reduced closet and the flush-mount stove, the interior is surprisingly spacious for the 4 of us. We spent couple of nights in it already and we are absolutely loving it! We tow with an old (2000) Pathfinder and we emptied the 16-gallon tank on a round trip to the coast, which is about 200 miles so we are at about 12-13mpg.

The only bummer is that the tongue, while still hitched to the tow vehicle, is too low for us to install the hitch wheel. Since we do rely on a mobile tongue to manipulate the trailer inside the garage we are looking to purchase a dolly on caster wheels like the one ETI use at the factory. Does that dolly have a proper name for googling?
__________________
#!/usr/bin/"Echo"
akoaoka is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 12:47 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
KarenH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,051
Send a message via Skype™ to KarenH
Youza!!! You're braver than I...nonetheless a very good job.
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
KarenH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 12:52 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
azjack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Tucson, AZ, Arizona
Trailer: gone, 19 and 21 & 17B with 5.0 now. gone
Posts: 790
It fits

Check Harbor Freight, our son bought a dolly for the tongue of his trailers there.
Jack
azjack is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 12:54 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
akoaoka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2015 17B "Tody"
Posts: 129
Quote:
Originally Posted by KarenH View Post
Youza!!! You're braver than I...nonetheless a very good job.
LOL! Thanks Karen! As you can see I was on top of the ladder the whole time while hubby inched in the trailer. I was ready to scream bloody murder if anything shall came into contact.
__________________
#!/usr/bin/"Echo"
akoaoka is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 01:09 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
7th Heaven's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: palo alto, California
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21 Classic #7
Posts: 314
We commend you on testing your Marriage and Husband/Wife Communication skills
__________________
7-7-7 Our Marriage
2013 Escape 21 Classic
2014 Sequoia
7th Heaven is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 01:11 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,744
Quote:
Originally Posted by akoaoka View Post
The only bummer is that the tongue, while still hitched to the tow vehicle, is too low for us to install the hitch wheel. Since we do rely on a mobile tongue to manipulate the trailer inside the garage we are looking to purchase a dolly on caster wheels like the one ETI use at the factory. Does that dolly have a proper name for googling?
I think that there's an easy way to get around that without buying a dolly. Depends on how much more height you need to put the dolly wheel on. If it's not more than a few inches I'd:

-measure to see how much more height you need
-undo the 3 bolts holding the jack on
-cut 3 spacer tubes the length you need
-use 3 longer bolts if required

Without seeing your setup this is just my best guess. But I've previously done some re-positioning of the jack to meet a specific requirement.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 01:26 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
akoaoka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2015 17B "Tody"
Posts: 129
Hi Ron, thanks for the idea! We haven't thought of moving the jack...sounds like it need more muscle than I have, though.

Since we also use the Andersen hitch, we have to raise and lower the jack couple times to unhitch. Currently we use a pair of jack stands and have to raise and lower the trailer one more time to install the hitch wheel. Doable but fewer steps is always better!
__________________
#!/usr/bin/"Echo"
akoaoka is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 01:31 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
akoaoka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2015 17B "Tody"
Posts: 129
Quote:
Originally Posted by 7th Heaven View Post
We commend you on testing your Marriage and Husband/Wife Communication skills

Don't get the wrong impression. We are not much of risk taker.
Let's say one of us has better ears, the other has better lung...
__________________
#!/usr/bin/"Echo"
akoaoka is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 01:34 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,744
Quote:
Originally Posted by akoaoka View Post
Hi Ron, thanks for the idea! We haven't thought of moving the jack...sounds like it need more muscle than I have, though.
Maybe I stated it poorly, because no muscle is required. All that is required, after determining how much more clearance you require at the bottom end is to undo the 3 bolts holding on the jack. You'd lift the jack up, put 3 spacer tubes in place and using longer bolts if required bolt the jack back on. That's it, you use it like that. No bridges burned. In the future it can be returned to original in minutes.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 01:58 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
akoaoka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2015 17B "Tody"
Posts: 129
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
Maybe I stated it poorly, because no muscle is required. All that is required, after determining how much more clearance you require at the bottom end is to undo the 3 bolts holding on the jack. You'd lift the jack up, put 3 spacer tubes in place and using longer bolts if required bolt the jack back on. That's it, you use it like that. No bridges burned. In the future it can be returned to original in minutes.

Ron
Ok thanks. I will take a closer look to the jack next time we hitch up (hopefully this friday...) When the word "bolt" shows up I just have the picture of the Andersen hitch in my head.
__________________
#!/usr/bin/"Echo"
akoaoka is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 03:39 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
She can also get a shorter jack, they are not that expensive, start at $20 A-Frame Jack Trailer Jack | etrailer.com
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 03:44 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
akoaoka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2015 17B "Tody"
Posts: 129
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
She can also get a shorter jack, they are not that expensive, start at $20 A-Frame Jack Trailer Jack | etrailer.com
Sweet!
__________________
#!/usr/bin/"Echo"
akoaoka is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 04:07 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: N/A, Indiana
Trailer: Escape
Posts: 976
Well done. Your planning was accurate and paid off. It is the AC that adds the additional 4".
__________________
"Never argue with an idiot. They only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience." George Carlin
Jubal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 04:25 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,744
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
She can also get a shorter jack, they are not that expensive, start at $20 A-Frame Jack Trailer Jack | etrailer.com
Could also just cut the amount req'd off the bottom of the tube. Wouldn't seem to make sense to me to buy another one when the present one can be used.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 04:36 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
gbaglo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
Could also just cut the amount req'd off the bottom of the tube. Wouldn't seem to make sense to me to buy another one when the present one can be used.

Ron
Careful. My trailer is in the driveway and the jack is fully up in order to level the trailer ( to cool fridge prior to a trip ). I've even got 4x4 and 2x6 blocks under it. ( The yellow bag is my version of a traffic cone )
Attached Thumbnails
jack.jpg  
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 05:47 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
float5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
Very good, Echo!
__________________
Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
float5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 08:21 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
akoaoka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2015 17B "Tody"
Posts: 129
We are trying to stay away from doing anything irreversible. I like to try reposition the jack but I think hubby wants a dolly. He did mumble something about "slope".
__________________
#!/usr/bin/"Echo"
akoaoka is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 08:26 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SLO County, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21C 2019 Expedition
Posts: 5,210
Bought our first Escape- a 2010 17B 9/13 in Bend from a gent who garaged his. It was like new and a reason we decided to buy it vs a 2013 demo from ETI.
Rossue is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2015, 10:11 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
akoaoka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2015 17B "Tody"
Posts: 129
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rossue View Post
Bought our first Escape- a 2010 17B 9/13 in Bend from a gent who garaged his. It was like new and a reason we decided to buy it vs a 2013 demo from ETI.
I think I remember seeing that trailer on sale.
I don't think our trailer will stay pristine with the kids traffic. I did, however, tell my 7-year-old that "Tody" will last a very very long time that if she helps taking care of it now, she may get to tow it someday.
__________________
#!/usr/bin/"Echo"
akoaoka is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2015, 12:34 AM   #20
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Wow, that's close... like it was made for the garage (which, of course, it was )

Adding spacers to move the jack up (or changing it out for one which sits higher) adds clearance to install the wheel, but it also limits the height the tongue can be lifted to, and causes tailgate/hatch interference for some tow vehicles. A clever alternative which I read about in a FiberglassRV forum discussion is the Ultimate Jack. The body slides vertically and can be pinned at various heights, to suit the requirements of the moment. I haven't personally tried it, but if well made it could be a good solution is the conventional jack doesn't quite work for someone's situation.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:03 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.