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09-03-2014, 08:17 PM
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#1
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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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Trailer Modifications
After returning from a long trip, I've added a few more modifications to my 17B on my Trailer Modifications page.
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09-04-2014, 10:45 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: palo alto, California
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21 Classic #7
Posts: 314
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OK so i'd like to comment on some of the great work you have done on your trailer ... but i'm completely in awe of your 304 day trip!
__________________
7-7-7 Our Marriage
2013 Escape 21 Classic
2014 Sequoia
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09-05-2014, 08:05 AM
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#3
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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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Thanks. All you need to do is retire. Like others have noted, I don't spend all that much more traveling than I do at home. Harder to ship from Amazon (and store the result) food is less expensive, and many of the places I hang out don't have much to spend money on while on the road!
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09-05-2014, 08:40 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
Posts: 743
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We're still a couple of years from retirement and I expect that once we're there we'll be on the road a bit more. I love the idea of a 300+ day trip. But I suspect the wife will never fully retire -- she'll go on writing papers and taking part in her professional community, even if she doesn't have the 9-to-5 -- so I suspect there'll be some friction about spending too much time on the road, unless we can figure out how to accommodate her professional activities.
(Me? High tech burnout... I'll be happy to walk away and never look back... Would have done so long ago if they weren't all too happy to keep paying me.)
__________________
Doug
2013 Escape 19 ("The Dog House") , 2018 Ford F150
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09-05-2014, 06:43 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vermilye
I don't spend all that much more traveling than I do at home ... food is less expensive.
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Is food in Oswego exceptionally expensive, or do you tend to travel to places where it is exceptionally cheap?
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09-21-2014, 10:51 AM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: grand rapids, Minnesota
Trailer: 2006 17B
Posts: 72
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Great job on the modifications! Most are way beyond my capabilities, but I really want to replace the too short and too small diameter sewer hose container. Did you mount a 5 inch square? and how did you attach? Could I use metal strapping instead of drilling through the metal? How did you mount the retractable hook bar on the side of the shower cabinet? Seems like the cabinet wall is very thin and there must be a space between the outer and inner shower wall? Also, is there a link for a simple explanation of how to hook up the led strip lighting to the existing wiring in cabinets? And one last question……it seems that I am unable to completely drain the black and grey tanks, do I keep them from freezing (-20 degree) with RV antifreeze or is there another trick to get them emptied? Thanks so much…….
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09-21-2014, 01:05 PM
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#7
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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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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P
Is food in Oswego exceptionally expensive, or do you tend to travel to places where it is exceptionally cheap?
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My problem in Oswego is I get lazy & hit the local restaurants - While camping they are usually too far away, or unknown. I tend to cook for myself more when camping.
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09-21-2014, 01:30 PM
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#8
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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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Quote:
Originally Posted by riverplace
Great job on the modifications! Most are way beyond my capabilities, but I really want to replace the too short and too small diameter sewer hose container. Did you mount a 5 inch square? and how did you attach? Could I use metal strapping instead of drilling through the metal?
I drilled large drain holes in the bottom of the 5" fence post, then used lag bolts run through smaller, perpendicular holes in the top side into pressure treated 2'X2"s that I put in place of the wood that Escape used to attach the smaller round drain pipe they used to store the original hose.
I've since added a second 5" fence post to hold a folding ladder to the same 2"X2"s. The post was short enough that I could reach the lag bolts from each end of the post so I didn't need (or want) the bottom holes.
How did you mount the retractable hook bar on the side of the shower cabinet?
Both the door side of the refrigerator & the front side of the bathroom walls were thick enough to mount the hooks. I did use glue on each to be sure...
Seems like the cabinet wall is very thin and there must be a space between the outer and inner shower wall? Also, is there a link for a simple explanation of how to hook up the led strip lighting to the existing wiring in cabinets?
No link - some of the cabinets have wiring in them, some don't. I added wiring for the ones that didn't have it, added an inline 5 amp fuse for each strip. Some of the cabinets were more difficult than others, but I did manage to find power for each.
And one last question……it seems that I am unable to completely drain the black and grey tanks, do I keep them from freezing (-20 degree) with RV antifreeze or is there another trick to get them emptied?
I drain the water heater using the lower drain/anode (and clean out the "gunk" that ends up in the bottom after a season of camping), open up the low point drain until it stops, close it & blow out the water lines (twice on separate days to be sure all the water is out) by connecting an air compressor to the city water connection & opening each faucet one at a time starting at the closest to the city water inlet (don't forget the outside shower & the toilet valve). I use RV antifreeze in all the drains, but don't worry about a little water in the gray or black tanks. Even if they freeze, the small amount of water that remains behind is not enough to expand & crack the tanks. I would be concerned if there was enough water left in the tank to fill either drain pipe, but I put a bucket under the outlet and open both slider valves to be sure the pipes are empty. If you are worried, add some RV antifreeze to the tanks as well.
Thanks so much…….
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Hope this helps - If I wasn't clear enough, let me know & I'll try again!
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09-21-2014, 04:39 PM
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#9
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Mesa, Arizona
Trailer: Scamp 2010 D19
Posts: 20
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Jon - Love your fridge door mod. I'm going to have to look at the options in my Scamp.
I fully intend to steal your lights in the upper cabinets idea as well - I'd also gone the "lots of cheap flashlights" route but it's a real pain when you're cooking dinner and can't differentiate the spice containers.
__________________
John Schroeder
https://justfinding.blogspot.com
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09-21-2014, 06:16 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vermilye
My problem in Oswego is I get lazy & hit the local restaurants - While camping they are usually too far away, or unknown. I tend to cook for myself more when camping.
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Ah... that makes sense. Travelling isn't cheaper, but camping gets you away to a less-rushed lifestyle that is also less expensive in some ways. I get this - I pay far more for lunch near the office than for lunch groceries in the RV.
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11-11-2014, 12:53 PM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: grand rapids, Minnesota
Trailer: 2006 17B
Posts: 72
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I'm ready to mount a 5 inch square fence post for new sewer hose container on my 17B, but I don't have any plywood under the battery box and I have the hitch receiver, so I can either mount just under the rear of the fiberglass onto the metal frame, in which case it the bottom will be 12 inches off the ground. Someone said in an earlier post not to mount under the bumper, it may get crushed when going over a steep incline, but it seems like 12 inches should be enough? I could mount it towards the middle of the trailer, next to the sewer pipe . Do you have any thoughts on this? Thanks!
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11-11-2014, 01:29 PM
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#12
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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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I have 2 5" fence posts mounted to the frame just in front of the hitch receiver, one for the sewer hose & one for my folding 5' ladder. By the way, I have since discovered that GPL DOES make a two sided 5' ladder which I wish I had known about when I bought the single sided version.
I replaced the wood mount supplied by Escape for the smaller sewer hose holder with 12" pieces of pressure treated 2"X2"'s, using some of the same holes in the frame that Escape used. The 5" square tubing is lag bolted to the 2"X2"'s. In the case of the sewer unit I drilled drain holes at the locations of the lag bolts, making it easy to use a socket extension to drive the bolts. For the ladder I didn't want holes in the bottom of the fence post so I reached into the ends & drove the lag bolts very slowly, one ratchet click at a time...
I do have the high lift option with 15" tires, and have never had the tubes hit the ground. Since the extensions I added to the stabilizers hang down about the same distance as the tubes, I wasn't concerned about adding the second tube.
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11-11-2014, 01:30 PM
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#13
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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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I used a holder designed for the sewer pipe, and mounted it a foot or so ahead of the bumper. If I were to tip the trailer up on the bumper, it holder still would not hit. I definitely would not go back any further though.
__________________
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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11-11-2014, 06:57 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Jon and Jim gave good illustrations of how moving forward enough works for clearance. The stabilizer jacks installed by Escape follow the same method: they are on the bottom of the frame so they would cause a clearance problem if they were back at the bumper, but they are forward and not a problem.
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04-06-2016, 09:17 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
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Besides doing bearings and adjusting brakes , Here"s the latest mods to our 19 ft . Hung my shelf and moved thermostat down . the TV bracket on piece of OAK has been there for couple years because it kept pulling out of wall even though it is reenforced . My new little curtain from "Little House Customs "in bath . that took 2 min s to install very easy .
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04-06-2016, 09:21 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Patandlinda
Besides doing bearings and adjusting brakes , Here"s the latest mods to our 19 ft . Hung my shelf and moved thermostat down . the TV bracket on piece of OAK has been there for couple years because it kept pulling out of wall even though it is reenforced . My new little curtain from "Little House Customs "in bath . that took 2 min s to install very easy .
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More mods . I had cut down our dinette table and I save everything . That piece is now our removable extension . I have lots of t - moulding so will change everything to black later .
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04-06-2016, 09:25 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Patandlinda
More mods . I had cut down our dinette table and I save everything . That piece is now our removable extension . I have lots of t - moulding so will change everything to black later .
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Also little plastic holder for bags 2.99 at camping world .
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04-06-2016, 10:35 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2015 Escape 17A
Posts: 2,344
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Patandlinda
More mods . I had cut down our dinette table and I save everything . That piece is now our removable extension . I have lots of t - moulding so will change everything to black later .
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It's lookin' good, Pat.
What Would you do if you didn't have the 19 to modify.
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04-06-2016, 11:06 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dfandrews
It's lookin' good, Pat.
What Would you do if you didn't have the 19 to modify.
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Thanks Don . How do you think I stay young ? Move it or lose it as they say . Pat
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04-06-2016, 11:14 PM
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#20
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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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Great work Pat. Thanks for showing, got some ideas.....
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