Taking Delivery?

[PAB4]

Am considering taking delivery of my 19 hatching in June. Considerations, the long trip from Georgia to Canada, time and cost. As i consider the options they lead to more questions. Most recent, I am thinking about what I should do about the Anderson WHD that is on my build sheet. If I pick it up in Goshen or find another person willing to share a truck to a closer location to me, will the driver assemble the WHD on delivery? Any experiences ?

[cpaharley2008]

The driver just unloads the unit and gives you the paperwork and keys. Hooking up is your responsibility. I weighed the cost in time and $$$ for pick up versus delivery twice, once in 2012 and once 2 months ago. Cost wise it was going to cost me close to $3000 in fuel and motels/cg fees. Splitting the cost of delivery with one other person reduces the shipping to around that amount. If you have no experience with hitch work you maybe advised to go to factory and ETI will install the Andersen.
When I took delivery of my 19 in 2012, another owner drove up from NC to take delivery here in York,Pa. We then went to a local cg for the weekend where I could show them the features of the Escape. He said he was glass I was there. If you want to have your delivery to York with or without another person, I'd be glad to show you how to hook up the Andersen and then take you and whoever to a local cg for a weekend or orientation. No obligation on yours nor Escapes, just me offering some free help.
See if you or Escape can find another buyer here on this side of the Mississippi. PS, my Andersen is sitting in my dining room, waiting for me, it is my second unit (sold the first with my Escape 19 last year).

[Ray N]

The cost of our trip from Florida to Chilliwack and back will be much more than the cost would be to have the trailer delivered, but that's because we're turning it into a seven week-long adventure. A week on the Oregon coast, the Escape rally in Osoyoos, visits to several national parks. and taking our time going out and returning. We're retired, so we have the time; otherwise I would probably consider having the trailer delivered.

[Kountrykamper]

I let Reace install the Anderson hitch even though we were having our trailer delivered. After talking with him about it I decided because he would installed the part on the trailer which is the hardest part of the hitch to install. We were going to pick it up in Indiana and it would have saved a lot of time hooking up not having to have to install the trailer part. I don't think I would want to do that part in a parking lot.

We finally decided not to make the trip to Indiana and have the trailer delivered here. Having the part installed on the trailer already made the first hook up a lot easier and I am glad I let them do it.

Installing the part that goes on the tow vehicle is easy. You will need a large Crescent wrench and a socket that I forget the size of but could get if your interested.

[Zardoz]

Originally Posted by Kountrykamper

Installing the part that goes on the tow vehicle is easy. You will need a large Crescent wrench and a socket that I forget the size of but could get if your interested.

My Andersen came with the necessary socket; the only thing needed was a 1/2" drive ratchet wrench (I got one that extends in length at Harbor Freight for a very reasonable price).

[cpaharley2008]

The brackets on the trailer frame with the Andersen only requires 2 bolts to be tighten, it will fit behind the propane tanks. Then you tighten the allen wrench set screw. You will need a set of allen wrenches. But the hard part, to me, is determining the correct height of the ball, it is adjustable almost 6" up or down and also the correct tightening of the chain to level your tow vehicle. It is not a hook up and go situation but you need to perform some fine tuning to properly set up the hitch. Measuring the front wheel height before and after with a rule will tell you the amount of tightening that is needed. Once properly set up for your vehicle, yes it is easy to remove and reattach. But the initial set up is critical to the proper operation of the Andersen.

[Dave&Kathie]

Here's a good video on initial installation of the Anderson hitch.

Andersen No-Sway Weight Distribution Hitch Installation Video - YouTube

Looks pretty slick. Our TV has a self leveling system but there are a lot of good reasons to use a WDH system.

Kathie

[Kountrykamper]

The original question was about taking delivery of a 19' and having to set of the hitch up in the parking lot after the driver drops it off.

The set screws need to have marks drilled in the frame so they don't slip. I was just saying I don't think I would want to be measuring and drilling to install the trailer part in a parking lot after taking delivery especially if it was bad weather. If you set the top of the hitch ball around 19.5" (19"-20") for a 19' Escape and tighten the chains enough to raise it back close to that height you can be close enough to get it out of the parking lot and fine tune it later. Just tighten the chains equally from side to side and do not tighten just one side then the other.

By supplying ETI with one measurement of the height of your hitch Reace can back into it and know where to set the trailer part at.

[ADKzookeeper]

Is it customary to give the delivery driver a $ gratuity, some Micro Brews, or a box of chocolates?

[Kountrykamper]

Originally Posted by ADKzookeeper

Is it customary to give the delivery driver a $ gratuity, some Micro Brews, or a box of chocolates?

I was so excited to get our trailer I did not even think about it. But I don't think so.

[cpaharley2008]

I did not the first time, the second time I gave him a $20 bill and told him where there was a good Italian restaurant where his rig could go. He was a happy man.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

But the initial set up is critical to the proper operation of the Andersen.

... as with any weight-distributing hitch system.