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Old 11-12-2013, 12:34 PM   #1
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Increase trailer clearance?

I'm about to inherit a 13 foot Escape and since I camp in some pretty rough places I would like to add some clearance underneath.

Would flipping the axle raise it much, and has anyone done this?

Thanks
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Old 11-12-2013, 01:04 PM   #2
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Lucky you!
I know a lift kit is available.
I don't think flipping the axle is the answer.
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Old 11-12-2013, 02:57 PM   #3
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I believe that they use a different axle for the lifted models. Not sure how easy it would be to add a lift kit. I would suggest firing an email off to Escape Trailers to see what they suggest.

Bigger rims and tires might be another idea. This also raises the axle up half the additional tire diameter. The axle is almost always the lowest point on a trailer.

I have the lift axle on my 19, and I really don't think I needed it. I also travel off pavement, on backroads.

Are you certain you will need to add clearance, especially with a short trailer like that.
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Old 11-12-2013, 03:03 PM   #4
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I do have the lift on my 17B, but I don't think I need it either. The limiting factor in my case is the RAV4 clearance.
Also, with the 13, you're not going to have much rear overhang, which I think is the main problem would likely have with longer trailer.
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Old 11-12-2013, 07:32 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Smitty View Post
Would flipping the axle raise it much, and has anyone done this?
Quote:
Originally Posted by J Mac View Post
I don't think flipping the axle is the answer.
I agree - the term "flipping" refers to a change in a leaf-sprung beam axle which just doesn't apply to the rubber "torsion" axles used in all current (and past) Escape models.

The "lift kit" is essentially a spacer between the axle/suspension assembly and the frame, so it lifts the trailer, but as others have mentioned it doesn't change how far the axle parts are off the ground... so it will help clearance only if the clearance problem is the body or frame, rather than the axle itself.
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Old 11-12-2013, 10:42 PM   #6
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Thanks for the replies.

This came up because the PU I'll be using to tow the trailer is lifted for off road and I'd like the trailer to come a little closer to the same clearance. I've never looked closely at the axle (trailer's on family land some distance from here)- I didn't realize it's torsion and not leaf. It sounds like a combo of lift kit and bigger tires might get me closer to where I want to be.

Since the price is right I guess I can invest some in changing the suspension.
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Old 11-12-2013, 10:49 PM   #7
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This is picture posted several times before of my 17B which has high lift axle and 15 inch wheels.

baglo
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Rock pile.jpg  
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Old 11-13-2013, 03:15 AM   #8
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Here is a photo of our Escape 13 which shows the clearance at the back.

Ladybug at Deception Pass S.P. | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

We have a regular lift axle and not found it to be a problem.
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Old 11-14-2013, 01:34 PM   #9
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Thanks for the pics, guys, especially of the 13er. News flash: I just saw another pic of Brian's trailer in a thread about awnings and guess what? It looks smaller than I remember the trailer I saw up on the property. I've only seen it a couple of times and based the size on someone saying it was Escape's smallest model.

Now I'm not sure what model it is, and since we haven't yet found the paperwork for it I guess I'll have to wait until I get up there the last weekend in November to find out for sure.
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Old 11-14-2013, 01:38 PM   #10
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Thanks for the pics, guys, especially of the 13er. News flash: I just saw another pic of Brian's trailer in a thread about awnings and guess what? It looks smaller than I remember the trailer I saw up on the property. I've only seen it a couple of times and based the size on someone saying it was Escape's smallest model.

Now I'm not sure what model it is, and since we haven't yet found the paperwork for it I guess I'll have to wait until I get up there the last weekend in November to find out for sure.
It is quite possible that you have an Escape 15' rather than the 13'. I do not believe that Escape makes many (if any at all) 13's anymore, as the demand for them was quite small. The 13's do not even show up on the Escape website.
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Old 11-14-2013, 01:45 PM   #11
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At one time, Escape's smallest model was Escape's only model - the 17'. I can't remember what order the 15' and 13' came in, but they were close together.

Although the 13' no longer shows in the ETI website's product list, the last I heard was that it was still available on request, and could be constructed in any production slot allocated for the 15'.

Since the regular offerings have only gone down to 15' for a while, I agree that "Escape's smallest model" might have been intended to mean the 15'.


If you can't quite judge size due to a lack of scale reference, you might look at the proportions: going from a 13' to a 15' adds more behind the axle than in front of it, so a 15' axle is closer to centred under the body than the 13'.
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Old 11-14-2013, 01:59 PM   #12
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How old is it? That would be a clue.
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Old 11-14-2013, 03:47 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Smitty View Post
Thanks for the pics, guys, especially of the 13er. News flash: I just saw another pic of Brian's trailer in a thread about awnings and guess what? It looks smaller than I remember the trailer I saw up on the property. I've only seen it a couple of times and based the size on someone saying it was Escape's smallest model.

Now I'm not sure what model it is, and since we haven't yet found the paperwork for it I guess I'll have to wait until I get up there the last weekend in November to find out for sure.
Smitty

The Escape 13 was introduced in 2009. The total length is 13'-7" and the body length is 10'. There are more photos of our Escape 13 here if this helps you. http://www.flickr.com/photos/brian_v...7623068073221/

I believe the Escape 15 was introduced in 2010. The total length is 15'-8" and the body length is 11'-8".
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Old 11-14-2013, 04:57 PM   #14
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Well, shoot. I'm glad I posted here- I didn't know any of that history. Looks like my axle swap question will have to wait until I can at least figure out what I have. Or will have, I should say.

The kicker right now is that we can't find the papers. It came with the property my folks bought a couple of summers ago and it looks like nobody thought to get the title or whatever should have come with it. And to make things worse, the trailer's in Washington, I'm in Oregon, and I think the P.O. was from Oregon, too. I sure hope there's a plate on it when I go up to get it- at least that would provide some clue as to where to start looking for lost title or whatever.

Thanks again
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Old 11-14-2013, 05:05 PM   #15
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Can't imagine somebody leaving a two year old trailer behind when selling a property. You sure it's an Escape?
Two years ago a 15' would have been a year old and a 13' two years old.
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Old 11-14-2013, 06:24 PM   #16
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It's an Escape, all right, and the molded fiberglass one, too. That much i'm sure of.

I guess it sounds like the trailer's back up in the toolie weeds somewhere. It's not. It's on a pretty expensive piece of waterfront property up on Lake Roosevelt. lt came as part of a lock stock and barrel buy my folks made back in early 2012. Lots of folks real anxious to sell back then, I guess. The way I heard the story was that the owners were selling because they were way overextended and were just trying to hang on to their main house in Oregon. There was a partly finished house there, too, and some other things including a pretty nice boat in the slip. It all went with the property. My folks finished the house, my brother got the boat, I get the trailer.

The folks are keeping the Sno-Cats that were in the storage shed, though.
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Old 11-14-2013, 06:31 PM   #17
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Escape might be able to tell you who the original purchaser was from the VIN, then you might be able to trace registration paperwork through the Oregon or Washington DMV. You're likely going to need some sort of proof-of-ownership to register it.
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Old 11-14-2013, 06:42 PM   #18
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That's an idea...where on the trailer would I look for the VIN?
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Old 11-14-2013, 06:44 PM   #19
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Wow Smitty. You done good.
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Old 11-14-2013, 06:49 PM   #20
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Hello Smitty.
Look for the VIN at the lower front end drivers side a small silver sticker with info re watertank aand such.
Take care.
Allan in North Van.
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