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Old 10-09-2014, 10:30 PM   #1
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We were on the OBX last weekend and my DW was surfing the ETI website. She started looking over the specs for the 5.0 TA. We had talked about it before and she really likes the tandem axle. But I don't want a bigger truck. She was looking over the options and locked onto the screen room. "This one is a lot bigger than ours!" Me: "But I don't want a bigger truck.''
That stopped the discussion for a while until she found a picture of another Frontier pulling a TA. More discussion. Much more.
We were headed home the next day. When I stopped in Hampton for gas, a young man followed us into the station and asked to look inside. He seemed very interested and gave me his contact info "just in case". (I gave him an ETI card.). DW takes that as a sign that we should really consider the change.
So--would I need a bigger truck? I am very pleased with the performance I am getting with the Frontier + 5.0 combination, and I read somewhere that ETI was designing the TA to be pulled by a larger vehicle.

Any advice?

Dick
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Old 10-09-2014, 10:47 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by captmath View Post
We were on the OBX last weekend and my DW was surfing the ETI website. She started looking over the specs for the 5.0 TA. We had talked about it before and she really likes the tandem axle. But I don't want a bigger truck. She was looking over the options and locked onto the screen room. "This one is a lot bigger than ours!" Me: "But I don't want a bigger truck.''
That stopped the discussion for a while until she found a picture of another Frontier pulling a TA. More discussion. Much more.
We were headed home the next day. When I stopped in Hampton for gas, a young man followed us into the station and asked to look inside. He seemed very interested and gave me his contact info "just in case". (I gave him an ETI card.). DW takes that as a sign that we should really consider the change.
So--would I need a bigger truck? I am very pleased with the performance I am getting with the Frontier + 5.0 combination, and I read somewhere that ETI was designing the TA to be pulled by a larger vehicle.

Any advice?

Dick
Hi: captmath... The 5.0TA was designed with leaf spring suspension. Can be set up and towed by all sized trucks. The change in trailers cost us about 1 mpg. Similar performance from the Frontier!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 10-10-2014, 07:47 AM   #3
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Alf,

We have a 2013 crew cab short bed Frontier. Would the short bed Fronty work with the 5.0 TA or should a long bed be used? We really like the Fronty, and would buy a long bed, if needed.

What kind of fuel economy are you getting?

We have been looking at "many" different campers this year, really like the looks of the 5.0 TA. Saw a 5.0 in Cody Wyoming last month during a camping trip.
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Old 10-10-2014, 08:34 AM   #4
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Alf,

We have a 2013 crew cab short bed Frontier. Would the short bed Fronty work with the 5.0 TA or should a long bed be used? We really like the Fronty, and would buy a long bed, if needed.

What kind of fuel economy are you getting?

We have been looking at "many" different campers this year, really like the looks of the 5.0 TA. Saw a 5.0 in Cody Wyoming last month during a camping trip.
Hi: exploring/carolina... I have a friend/forum member HokieEscape who's long bed fronty got written off parked out side his office in Blacksburg Va. He could only find a short bed as a quick replacement. I recommended he get a 10" pin extender fromRV Supplies, 5th Wheel Hitches and Electrical Plumbing by Tweetys. He got the Pop Up Ind's. clamp on extender and he can now tow his 5.0/ short bed Fronty combo with the tailgate down.
My mpg's are around 15.5-16 US. w/ 5.0TA... depending on the terrain. We usually travel the Interstate's as we always seem to do better there.
We will be staying in Hunting Island St Pk. SC. Mar.31- Apr. 10, if youd like a tour!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 10-10-2014, 08:47 AM   #5
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Have you been able to determine the pin weight on the 5.0TA? Is it higher or lower than the 5.0 Classic?
The pin weight of our 5.0 Classic brings us pretty much to the limits of the carry capacity of the truck as posted on the door frame.
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Old 10-10-2014, 09:37 AM   #6
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My mpg's are around 15.5-16 US. w/ 5.0TA... depending on the terrain. We usually travel the Interstate's as we always seem to do better there.
We will be staying in Hunting Island St Pk. SC. Mar.31- Apr. 10, if youd like a tour!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
That's impressive MPG! Will visit @ Hunting Island SC. Sending PM with additional camp dates/campsite. Looking forward to meeting you and seeing the 5.0 TA!!!!!!

May end up going with a long bed PU and keep the short bed Fronty for other towing duties.
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Old 10-10-2014, 10:51 AM   #7
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Have you been able to determine the pin weight on the 5.0TA? Is it higher or lower than the 5.0 Classic?
The pin weight of our 5.0 Classic brings us pretty much to the limits of the carry capacity of the truck as posted on the door frame.
Hi: FNLNM... According to the Escape web page the dry pin wt. of the 5.0TA is 600#'s. The 5.0 was 460#'s I think!!!
Our laden 5.0 was heavy due to a 8" thick memo foam matt. Our camping pin wt. was 720#'s with other supplies stored forward. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 10-10-2014, 02:36 PM   #8
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While it's not a Frontier, I've got an 8' bed on my F150. Cons, makes the truck that much longer to park and find a suitable site you can fit into, 35' overall. Pros, certainly no worries about the camper hitting the cab, something like 5' of room between them. Also all kinds of room in the bed to take pretty much whatever you want along. I have a trifold Tonneau cover that I need not remove when hooking up.

Don't know what the distance is between the bed hitch and the tailgate for a Frontier is but on the Ford, once I'm hooked up, if I open the tail gate there is only an inch of space. Meaning one has to be careful to be inline with the trailer when hooking up. A pin extender would remedy that but it doesn't bother me enough to look into.

If it helps, given my druthers, I'd opt for something between the 5.5' and the 8', in the area of a 6.5' if one was available. I already had the truck when I got the TA.
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Old 10-10-2014, 03:20 PM   #9
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Captmath, you need to do the math as someone mentioned. Pin weight, GCWR, GVWR, max 5er weight. Then you will know. People love their 5ers, whichever.
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Old 10-10-2014, 03:57 PM   #10
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While it's not a Frontier, I've got an 8' bed on my F150. Cons, makes the truck that much longer to park and find a suitable site you can fit into, 35' overall. .
I also tow a 5.0 with a full size 8' bed pickup. Here is a publication on Trailer Towing Saftey. http://www.slaga.net/RV/How%20to%20Tow-version%202.pdf

The author of this particular publication lists wheel base length of the tow vehicle (longer the better) as the primary of several safety considerations for both trailers and 5th wheels.
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Old 10-10-2014, 04:49 PM   #11
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Hi: FNLNM... According to the Escape web page the dry pin wt. of the 5.0TA is 600#'s. The 5.0 was 460#'s I think!!!
Our laden 5.0 was heavy due to a 8" thick memo foam matt. Our camping pin wt. was 720#'s with other supplies stored forward. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
Our 5.0 Classic pin weight was 720 with empty tanks, the stock mattress and only about 100 pounds of gear stowed mostly towards the back of the trailer. You might be pushing 900 pounds pin weight...would be interesting to know. Not sure if anyone has posted the 'real life' 5.0TA pin weight yet.
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Old 10-10-2014, 06:39 PM   #12
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http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f2...ed-3834-2.html
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Old 10-11-2014, 12:20 PM   #13
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Our 5.0 Classic pin weight was 720 with empty tanks, the stock mattress and only about 100 pounds of gear stowed mostly towards the back of the trailer. You might be pushing 900 pounds pin weight...would be interesting to know. Not sure if anyone has posted the 'real life' 5.0TA pin weight yet.
My 5.0 loaded pin weight is 750. My 160 lbs standing on the rear bumper reduced pw to 745. I would be interested in seeing the loaded pw of the TA. That is my major concern. I already put larger bumpers on the truck axle because some of the bumps were causing the truck to bottom out pretty hard.

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Old 10-11-2014, 02:53 PM   #14
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Hi Dick, Had mine weighed when lightly loaded for a weekend, full Fresh tank, 1/2 tank of grey. The 30 gal fresh is just behind the rear axle, the 30 gal grey is just in front of them. The 30 gal black extending even forward of the grey. Someone else can do the math, but it looks like if you were to have an empty fresh tank, and full grey and black the PW would be appreciably more.

PW is 520 lbs

TV Only
Steer Axle 3760
Drive Axle 2780

With 5.0 TA
Steer Axle 3740
Drive Axle 3320
Trailer Axle 3840
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Old 10-11-2014, 03:27 PM   #15
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Looks like 540 lbs. of pin weight.

Doug
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Old 10-11-2014, 03:44 PM   #16
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Steer axle dropped 20 lbs w/trailer.
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Old 10-11-2014, 04:03 PM   #17
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PW is 520 lbs

TV Only
Steer Axle 3760
Drive Axle 2780

With 5.0 TA
Steer Axle 3740
Drive Axle 3320
Trailer Axle 3840
Quote:
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Looks like 540 lbs. of pin weight.
No, the total load on the truck's axles increased from 6540 pounds to 7060 pounds... an increase of 520 pounds, which is the pin weight.

Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin View Post
Steer axle dropped 20 lbs w/trailer.
Yes, the hitch must be slightly behind the axle of this truck, so the pin weight pushing down on the truck like a teeter-totter lifts 20 pounds from the front axle, adding it to the rear axle. That's why the rear axle load increases by 540 pounds (520 from the trailer plus 20 from the front axle).

Of course, all of the weights are from a truck scale, so they are +/- 10 pounds or more, so all conclusions are only approximations.
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Old 10-11-2014, 04:18 PM   #18
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Oops your right Brian, time to stop doing math so quickly in my head....


Doug
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Old 10-11-2014, 06:36 PM   #19
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So we now have 2 Escape 5.0TA's in the "Trailer Weights in the Real World" spreadsheet. If anyone else weights theirs (or any other trailer), please let me know & I'll add them to the list.
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Old 10-11-2014, 08:55 PM   #20
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Thank you. That is what I needed. Interesting that the "lightly loaded" weight is lower than the empty. That 30 gallons behind the wheels makes a big impact.

Dick
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