Wings for the box to protect edge of 21'? - Escape Trailer Owners Community
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Old 08-03-2015, 10:43 AM   #1
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Wings for the box to protect edge of 21'?

The box on a 21' doesn't quite reach out to the edge of the trailer. Thinking a couple years out about doing the Alaska highway. Does gravel hit the edge of the trailer? I am thinking about adding some plastic wings to the back of the box. I know it would look funky but would only do for the Alaska trip. Thoughts?
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Old 08-03-2015, 10:58 AM   #2
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We did the Alaska trip last summer and the box on our 19 protected the trailer just fine. There may be a few chipped spots on the sides but nothing of importance. I would suggest that you look into covering your sewer lines/valves (perhaps with bubble wrap?). My black tank valve took a direct hit and needed replacing. That was the only road damage we had in 21,000 miles. I know the plumbing layout is different on the 21 but it would be worth investigating some method of covering the lines.

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Old 08-03-2015, 11:04 AM   #3
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The 21ft is wider than the 19 assuming there is only one box size, I can see where the 19 would get more frontal coverage.
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Old 08-03-2015, 11:29 AM   #4
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The box on a 21' doesn't quite reach out to the edge of the trailer. Thinking a couple years out about doing the Alaska highway. Does gravel hit the edge of the trailer? I am thinking about adding some plastic wings to the back of the box. I know it would look funky but would only do for the Alaska trip. Thoughts?
Try the clear car film on the corners behind the box. Easy to apply, easy to remove. Same stuff we have on the front of our tug. You may have to order by the foot on line.
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Old 08-03-2015, 12:28 PM   #5
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Anything you can do to protect the trailer is worth doing. The plastic film was used by a lot of people. Wish I'd had it because we had the bad luck to hit some liquid tar in a couple of places. It ended up on both the front and rear as well as the awning brackets etc. Although it cleaned up fine, it was a lot of work.

One other thing I'd do would be to wrap some plastic around the ends of the bumper. Ours ended being sandblasted.

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Old 08-03-2015, 12:57 PM   #6
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Wherever you see mud, tar, or bugs there's probably a chance of rock or road debris damage. Plastic
Film, retrofitted custom wings, changeable sacrificial panels whatever works is probably worth doing if you want minimal abrasion, chips or damage. Good coat of wax doesn't hurt either.
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Old 08-03-2015, 01:57 PM   #7
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The 21ft is wider than the 19 assuming there is only one box size, I can see where the 19 would get more frontal coverage.
That makes sense to me. After the recent comment about the box looking too wide for the 17ft, I assume it is one box width for all models... and from 17ft to 19ft to 21ft there is 10 cm (4") width difference per step up in size.

I do wonder if it actually exactly the same box, because the frames different widths and the box fits down over the frame.
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Old 08-03-2015, 02:02 PM   #8
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The plastic film was used by a lot of people. Wish I'd had it because we had the bad luck to hit some liquid tar in a couple of places. It ended up on both the front and rear as well as the awning brackets etc. Although it cleaned up fine, it was a lot of work.
Ron, you may have actually been lucky. We have protective film on the front of our motorhome, and I have found that while it prevents chips, it also stains. The guts of various bugs have left permanent stains, and tar could easily be similar.

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One other thing I'd do would be to wrap some plastic around the ends of the bumper. Ours ended being sandblasted.
Would larger mudflaps fix that?
As an alternative to the plastic, I would consider a black rubber sheet on the forward face of the ends
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Old 08-03-2015, 02:23 PM   #9
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Ron, you may have actually been lucky. We have protective film on the front of our motorhome, and I have found that while it prevents chips, it also stains. The guts of various bugs have left permanent stains, and tar could easily be similar.


Would larger mudflaps fix that?
As an alternative to the plastic, I would consider a black rubber sheet on the forward face of the ends
Regarding the plastic film, I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing. What I saw was something that looked like they'd stuck on a version of a plastic drop sheet. I took it that it was regarded as disposable. Is yours regarded as something that stays in place long term?

Yes, rubber would be better to cover the face of the bumper. I have some pieces of car mat that would be suitable. I've sanded and painted the bumper but I'll probably just glue on some rubber mat and not have to deal with that issue again.

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Old 08-03-2015, 02:43 PM   #10
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Mudflaps; I'd seen those wide mudflaps that bolt onto the receiver. They're really wide and go close to the road surface. If I was doing it again I'd install one of those.

Ron
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Old 08-03-2015, 03:00 PM   #11
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Regarding the plastic film, I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing. What I saw was something that looked like they'd stuck on a version of a plastic drop sheet. I took it that it was regarded as disposable. Is yours regarded as something that stays in place long term?
Ah, yes - different. I have the very clear and flexible protective film that is often used on the front edge of a car hood to protect it from stone chips. It is left on for years - basically until it gets damaged or starts peeling at the edges. In a quick web search, it appears to be called "paint protection film". Example: Husky Paint Protection Film (although I assume 3M is more common). I think ours is thicker and less flexible than that Husky product.

This looks like a reasonable article about this type of product: Should I get protective film on my new car's hood?
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Old 08-03-2015, 03:01 PM   #12
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RoadMaster RoadWing Removable Mud Flap System for Full Size Trucks - 77" Wide Roadmaster Mud Flaps RM-4400
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Old 08-03-2015, 03:08 PM   #13
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Mudflaps; I'd seen those wide mudflaps that bolt onto the receiver. They're really wide and go close to the road surface. If I was doing it again I'd install one of those.

Ron
I have been looking at those. Talked with a guy using them in WV. Liked it. Big sail to push through the air. I wonder how much it would affect gas mileage?
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Old 08-03-2015, 03:31 PM   #14
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I have been looking at those. Talked with a guy using them in WV. Liked it. Big sail to push through the air. I wonder how much it would affect gas mileage?
Let me put it this way; if I'd had that thought before I went and didn't end up installing them; by the time I finished cleaning the tar off I might have changed my opinion.

I've seen some that looked like a brush or loose strands hanging down. Probably less resistance but might not be as effective.

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Old 08-03-2015, 03:38 PM   #15
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I've seen some that looked like a brush or loose strands hanging down. Probably less resistance but might not be as effective.
I think the brush-style products are intended more to knock spray down than to stop rocks. Some city buses here have them right around the wheel opening, where the risk is certainly spray and not rocks.
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Old 08-03-2015, 04:08 PM   #16
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I have been looking at those. Talked with a guy using them in WV. Liked it. Big sail to push through the air. I wonder how much it would affect gas mileage?
Resistance is marginal in comparison to the frontal surface area of an escape 21 ! It works very good on the gravel roads we travel on in UP Michigan.
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