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01-04-2018, 07:28 PM
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#41
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Smithers, BC, British Columbia
Trailer: Escape 21, July 2018 delivery
Posts: 322
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One thing not mentioned yet - don’t underestimate the hazards of towing on snowy or icy roads, or to be more specific, the difficulty of braking under control. With good snow tires, or even decent all weather tires on the tug, especially with abs on the tug, trying to brake even moderately quickly can result in an out of control jacknifed trailer. If you must tow on slippery winter roads, be extremely defensive in avoiding the need for anything other than gentle braking. Trying to slow down with a trailer on slippery roads is pretty much like trying to make an arrow fly feathers first - can be a tad difficult to control.
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01-04-2018, 07:40 PM
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#42
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Bayfield on Ontario’s West Coast!, Ontario
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21
Posts: 37
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Lucky you, Jon! It’s -13C and snowing here tonight. Hopefully we’ll be down there with you next winter.
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01-04-2018, 07:43 PM
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#43
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
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Quote:
Originally Posted by New Adventures
Our 19 is scheduled for completion in mid-January 2018. It will be very tempting to go pick it up when completed. However, I am seriously contemplating having Escape store it for three months which will be no cost (it is $100Cdn per month after three) in order to have better weather for travel. My primary concern about picking up the trailer in January is that we would encounter salt covered roads, in particular the mountain passes between north Idaho and Chilliwack. I do not want salt residue to accumulate on the trailer and sit on it for months before getting an opportunity to wash it thoroughly. I'm sure others have had this dilemma and would like to hear some thoughts, experiences and words of wisdom. Thanks in advance.
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I would not worry nearly as much about salt as the weather. I would not go in winter if there is always snow and ice on the way. If no need to have it, it seems that you might as well wait.
__________________
Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
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01-04-2018, 09:50 PM
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#44
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,743
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vermilye
Hope the weather holds for the February rally!
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Me too, don't want to be making soup in the rain again this year.
Quote:
Originally Posted by float5
I would not go in winter if there is always snow and ice on the way. If no need to have it, it seems that you might as well wait.
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It's the price you have to pay if you want to go from winter to summer and especially to get a slice of Jon's pie.
Ron
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01-04-2018, 11:33 PM
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#45
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19
Posts: 2,716
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Add a few paid months to the free storage and stay for the Escape Rally at the end of May. Pick it up mid May and enjoy BC before the Rally. Gives you a chance to make sure everything is in order. Hope to see you there.
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01-05-2018, 06:26 AM
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#46
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
Posts: 2,960
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Quote:
Originally Posted by float5
I would not worry nearly as much about salt as the weather. I would not go in winter if there is always snow and ice on the way. If no need to have it, it seems that you might as well wait.
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Having lived in Saltachusetts and Salt Hampshire.......oops, I mean Massachusetts and New Hampshire for half of my life, I personally would avoid BOTH salt and weather.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eggscape
Add a few paid months to the free storage and stay for the Escape Rally at the end of May. Pick it up mid May and enjoy BC before the Rally. Gives you a chance to make sure everything is in order. Hope to see you there.
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Sage advice. I held off until the end of May so I could attend the rally. Then I left and went to Glacier And Yellowstone NPs. Had to make the 3,600 mile trip again the following year to attend the rally for the second time AND to spend time in the Canadian Rockies (Jasper, Banff, etc.). It was a mistake to skip BC on my first trip, and I hope to return to BC again. And waiting for good weather eliminates salt and weather concerns.
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
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01-05-2018, 09:32 AM
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#47
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Windsor, Ontario
Trailer: 2017 Escape 19
Posts: 46
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I agree that towing in snow and ice conditions should be avoided. Last October we were camped in the Cypress Hills in southern Saskatchewan about 40 km south of the TransCanada Highway. We went to sleep with some spitting rain and temperatures at about 10 degrees Celsius. We woke up to -2 degrees with everything covered in ice and snow; a prairie blizzard on October 2, 2017. We decided to drive north to the TransCanada and then onwards to Medicine Hat. This decision was made to avoid being stuck in the Cypress Hills for days, weeks or worse. The drive to the TransCanada was made on a paved two lane road that was covered in ice and snow and was not plowed, sanded or salted. I was very nervous and did not dare touch the brakes for fear of jackknifing the trailer. All of the braking was done using the engine brake and it took about an hour to drive the 40 km. The drive into Medicine Hat on the TransCanada was also very slow with many vehicles off the road. This is why I am curious about the possibility of replacing original trailer tires with winter rated tires. Winter tires are often more important for stopping distance than acceleration. Currently our trailer is parked and will not be used until next May.
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01-05-2018, 09:52 AM
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#48
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
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Ray, I still think your best bet in such conditions would be to stop and put chains on at least one axle of the trailer. Once you're no longer in those conditions, take them off.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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01-05-2018, 10:05 AM
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#49
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
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A lot of it has to do with experience and conditions you are used to as well. The vast majority of my winter driving around here is pulling a trailer, as I have no choice to get work done. Tools in one trailer, garbage or materials in the other. Fishtailing is really not a concern, but I do take caution cornering. I do use winter tires on the truck for better traction. Chains are just not an option as you have to go too slow with them.
I know many will scoff at what I say, but like many others I know, I have be doing it my whole life.
The primary consideration is to drive within the limits of your experience. If there is an opportunity to avoid conditions you are not comfortable in, do try to do so.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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01-05-2018, 10:26 AM
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#50
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
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That was my experience with chains as well Jim. Really slow. But on a mountain pass or in really bad conditions, sometimes chains are the only option, other than not going.
In any case, I don't see snow tires on the trailer as a fix, even if they were available.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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01-05-2018, 10:30 AM
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#51
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbryan4
That was my experience with chains as well Jim. But on a mountain pass or in really bad conditions, sometimes chains are the only option, other than not going.
In any case, I don't see snow tires on the trailer as a fix, even if they were available.
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I carry a set of chains for the truck in the winter, but have yet to use them. I would if needed, for sure. Just not practical around the city, nor even sure they would be allowed.
I actually use winter tires on my truck, which are different than the snow tires once used, as the rubber is formulated for better traction from 7°C and lower, which aids in traction. The winter tires of old were often just a real aggressive tread, sometimes studded, something you just don't see anymore.
I imagine they would look at you strange if you went into a San Antonio tire shop and asked for winter tires.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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01-05-2018, 10:35 AM
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#52
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett
I imagine they would look at you strange if you went into a San Antonio tire shop and asked for winter tires.
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They certainly would! Although a few tire shops around here do offer "all season" tires. The compound would get too hard in freezing conditions, so not much good. I'll bet most of them don't even know about winter tires.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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01-05-2018, 11:47 AM
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#53
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,363
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If I was picking up a trailer in mid winter, I'd look for a window of good weather long enough to get me through the passes & south beyond freezing weather. If I only had a small window (because of that dirty word "work"), I'd likely wait until spring. One big advantage of the west is the power of a sunny day (back east, at least in upstate NY, we only have one or two of them per winter). The sun can dry up a couple of inches of snow by noon, giving you a few hours of clear roads. Same for many of the passes.
Since I'm retired, adding a day or two, even a week, waiting for a pass or road to clear wouldn't be a problem, but if your time window is short, there is the temptation to take chances with the weather that could get you in trouble.
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01-05-2018, 01:09 PM
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#54
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19 "Seventy Degrees"
Posts: 3,495
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Agree totally with Jon's take. We left a lot of cushion when picking up late Nov, then sat at campgrounds and toured until it was right to make a run for it. Had one very cold nite behind Cracker Barrel in Boise but made Vegas without any precip or road closures.
I wouldn't do a winter pickup, unless you can be very flexible and have extra time to sit tight.
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01-05-2018, 10:18 PM
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#55
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Smithers, BC, British Columbia
Trailer: Escape 21, July 2018 delivery
Posts: 322
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+1 on the several comments regarding using chains on at least one axle of the trailer in poor winter conditions. I didn't know that this setup is actually required legally in many jurisdictions, thanks to others for pointing that out.
The problem is that, if. during braking, the front end of your vehicle/trailer combo sticks to the road better than the back end (snow tires enhanced by ABS on the tug, trailer tires on the trailer with bloody little or no grip in winter, especially with a brake controller set up for dry roads), the package is liable to try to swap ends - the trailer will lock its wheels, jacknife, and do its best to pass the tug. Not a nice thing once the process gets going, especially at highway speeds. We are talking quick, and in very short order, absolutely irreversible loss of control. By the way, this issue is the reason you should never put snow tires only on the front axle of a front wheel drive vehicle. Same issue - feathers on the front end of the arrow.
I have not yet had, and hopefully never will have, the end swap experience with a trailer, but I have experienced exactly the same dynamic in an unloaded pickup (not my own) which decided to swap ends on an icy road. I can assure you that the speed of the process is breathtaking, and once it gets started, you are just along for the ride, there is sweet all that you can do even if you are competent with skid control.
OTOH, one poster has been driving heavy trailers in winter for decades without problems - but this is after years of experience with such rigs - still not, in my opinion at least, recommended for new owners picking up a new trailer. If you gotta go, do like Jon and wait for a clean road window, if you can avoid it, don't do it on ice or compact snow. But the best option is probably just don't pick up in the winter.
Apologies for harping on this, but I would hate to read here about an avoidable accident. Really, winter driving with a heavy trailer is a different animal - its all about the brakes. Just because you can get it moving uphill doesn't mean that you can stop it in a straight line.
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01-05-2018, 10:42 PM
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#56
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,743
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett
A lot of it has to do with experience and conditions you are used to as well.
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This really is the bottom line. When I see folks not used to driving in winter conditions or pulling a trailer I think "maybe not a good idea." If a person doesn't already have a certain comfort level towing a trailer over mountain passes in iffy weather it probably is too big a first learning step.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vermilye
If I was picking up a trailer in mid winter, I'd look for a window of good weather long enough to get me through the passes & south beyond freezing weather.
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Certainly my situation. I'll be heading South in a couple of weeks. I'm hoping that the icy roads in Portland that existed last year won't happen again this year. Not that it was a problem but with the ridges between the lanes, making lane changes impossible on some stretches, you really had to hope that you were in the correct lane. I'm prepared for all the summits and the possibility of snowstorms closing the highway. Go when you can, hole up and be patient for a few days if you have to.
Ron
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01-06-2018, 09:05 AM
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#57
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Burlington, Vermont
Trailer: 2014 17b/ 2012 Chevy Colorado
Posts: 736
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This might have been mentioned before, but your two year warranty begins when you pick up the trailer, not when you purchase. Why sacrifice several months on warranty coverage to store your trailer at home?
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01-09-2018, 07:08 PM
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#58
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Trailer: 2017 19 Escape
Posts: 200
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Quote:
Originally Posted by snowmtn
The only thing we were made aware of is the new hinge on the door that is supposed to keep the door in place in spite of wind gusts. None of the display models had this feature.
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Yes it is called a “friction” hinge and works very well. They have been using them since at least last May when I picked mine up.
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02-15-2018, 05:00 PM
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#59
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Placerville, California
Trailer: 2018 Escape 17A double dinette
Posts: 1,518
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jkavanagh
Our trailer was ready November 30th . We live in a townhouse and will have to pay storage so taking advantage of the free months. We were told to get storage insurance, it was not very much. We live 1 hour west of chiliwack in Delta and will start to use it in March.
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I will need to get @2 months of storage insurance. Could you post the company you used? thanks.
__________________
--Time and trouble will tame an advanced young woman, but an advanced older woman is uncontrollable by any earthly force. --Dorothy Sayers
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02-15-2018, 08:41 PM
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#60
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Delta, British Columbia
Trailer: 2017 Escape Trailer 21
Posts: 127
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I got it at Westland insurance , I registered the trailer then got the storage insurance. The cost was $30.00 for three months. Delta, B.C.
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