Seeking a Tow Vehicle

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by AKCamper

That makes it a non issue. Just buy or have an adapter made up for a four pin male to seven pin female and rent a Uhaul.

But there is no charge power line in the four-pin connector, so even with the adapter the Prodigy RF controller won't get power. It is possible to custom wire the tail light circuit to the controller power input and tow with the lights on at all times, but that may blow the trucks tail light fuse; the tail light circuit is not intended for the load of electric brakes as well as the lights.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by AKCamper

You know I just thought, you are not picking up the trailer from Escape and a lot of people won’t agree with me but it is only an Escape 17. You could tow it without a brake controller with a full size pickup truck.
...
May not be legal everywhere.

A trailer over 3500 pounds with no brakes is illegal in most of North America, although with a heavy enough truck (over twice the trailer's weight) it would be legal (but violating the truck manufacturer's rules) here.

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

But there is no charge power line in the four-pin connector, so even with the adapter the Prodigy RF controller won't get power. It is possible to custom wire the tail light circuit to the controller power input and tow with the lights on at all times, but that may blow the trucks tail light fuse; the tail light circuit is not intended for the load of electric brakes as well as the lights.

Or to provide power to your Prodigy RF controller in your rental vehicle, you could get a 4-pin to 7-pin converter and run an additional "temporary" charge wire from the battery on the tow vehicle to the 7-pin plug. Should be reasonably simple to do.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

A trailer over 3500 pounds with no brakes is illegal in most of North America, although with a heavy enough truck (over twice the trailer's weight) it would be legal (but violating the truck manufacturer's rules) here.

A 17b unloaded should be under 3500 lbs. But the allowed weight varies by state.

[AKCamper]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

But there is no charge power line in the four-pin connector, so even with the adapter the Prodigy RF controller won't get power. It is possible to custom wire the tail light circuit to the controller power input and tow with the lights on at all times, but that may blow the trucks tail light fuse; the tail light circuit is not intended for the load of electric brakes as well as the lights.

Since Uhaul pickups have the tow package if you didn’t feel confident running the brakes and controller off a fully charged battery it would be a VERY simple matter to hook the charge wire to the adapter. People are making hooking up trailer wiring WAY to complicated. It’s not rocket science. A good mechanic could hook everything up in no time

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Dave Walter

Or to provide power to your Prodigy RF controller in your rental vehicle, you could get a 4-pin to 7-pin converter and run an additional "temporary" charge wire from the battery on the tow vehicle to the 7-pin plug. Should be reasonably simple to do.

Yes, that works. But how much tapping into wiring are you willing to do on a rented vehicle? If I were the rental company, I would say that customers shouldn't touch the vehicle's wiring.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

A 17b unloaded should be under 3500 lbs. But the allowed weight varies by state.

True. As long as the trailer is left empty, it will fit under the limit in a few places.

[AKCamper]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Yes, that works. But how much tapping into wiring are you willing to do on a rented vehicle? If I were the rental company, I would say that customers shouldn't touch the vehicle's wiring.

Dave’s solution required no tapping into the vehicle wiring just a fuse and a say 10 gauge wire attached to the battery of the tow vehicle. The kit I listed on my first post that you purchase from e-trailer has all the parts included (adapter plug, circuit breaker, and wire). The solution is sooo easy!!

[StarvingHyena]

Originally Posted by jadams

I have an opportunity to purchase a 17 B. I expanded my search beyond New England because I've discovered pre-owned Escapes are highly sought after. I don't have a tow vehicle for another 2 months or so. Seeking a rental a vehicle with 5000lb tow, 500lb tongue. I know this is a long shot.

Enterprise and Uhaul trucks have 4 pin connectors and aren't an option.

I've thought about hiring a company to tow the trailer to me, but we need to see it first given the cost.

Salem, MA to Wisconsin round trip - 2200 miles

I've literally got the cart in front of the horse here.

Hi Joel,
You haven't mentioned where your trailer find is and I know nothing about your life style … so I offer this Sage advice. I'd go check out the trailer with wife. If its a "go", rent a big truck and go explore a bit. Enjoy your "new life" and then put the trailer in storage till Spring and then make a "fair weather" adventure getting back to Mass. That will give you the winter to find the perfect tow vehicle to go get it and have fun on the way back. Warning adventures ahead!

In case you haven't noticed, all of us on this Escape Forum are in complete agreement on what makes a perfect tow vehicle. Just don't ask about tires, women or whiskey.

Good Luck,
Tom

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by AKCamper

Dave’s solution required no tapping into the vehicle wiring just a fuse and a say 10 gauge wire attached to the battery of the tow vehicle.

Good point - you just have to route a wire from under the hood to the rear bumper. That took more effort on my van that I would want to put into a rental, but I suppose one could go full ghetto and run it over the roof with some gaffer tape...

[AKCamper]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Good point - you just have to route a wire from under the hood to the rear bumper. That took more effort on my van that I would want to put into a rental, but I suppose one could go full ghetto and run it over the roof with some gaffer tape...

Just zip tie it to the outside of the frame being careful of any sharp frame member edges. Put a fuse or circuit breaker right next to the battery.

My biggest concern would be the weather. I imagine the roads might get slick this time of year, especially this year. We are enjoying record high temperatures in Alaska and I hear temperatures down south are setting record lows.

[Dmmsix]

I just towed my, new to me vehicle , Escape 17 B , home with a Toyota Tacoma V6 -
It pulled very easily and well. It is a 2 WD with the tow package. I used a radio frequency Brake controller and it worked well. I am really looking forward to future adventures. Best of luck.

[Jean]

5000 lbs capacity certainly has you covered, but I tow my 2011 17B with SUV with 3,500. A Lexus rx400h that prior owner also towed a 17B with.

[h2owmn]

It should be under the 3500 limit...my fully loaded 17A weighed recently at 2700. The listed Escape difference for the B is +350.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by StarvingHyena

Hi Joel,
You haven't mentioned where your trailer find is and I know nothing about your life style … so I offer this Sage advice. I'd go check out the trailer with wife. If its a "go", rent a big truck and go explore a bit. Enjoy your "new life" and then put the trailer in storage till Spring and then make a "fair weather" adventure getting back to Mass. That will give you the winter to find the perfect tow vehicle to go get it and have fun on the way back. Warning adventures ahead!

In case you haven't noticed, all of us on this Escape Forum are in complete agreement on what makes a perfect tow vehicle. Just don't ask about tires, women or whiskey.

Good Luck,
Tom

Many of us men are experts on whiskey or whisky, Tires, Tow vehicles, astrophysics, carpentry, plumbing, and cooking. None of us know a damn thing about women.
Iowa Dave

[AKCamper]

Reminds me of a joke:

Biker's wish

A man on his Harley was riding along a California beach when suddenly the sky clouded above his head and, in a booming voice, God said, 'because you have tried to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish.'

The biker pulled over and said, 'Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can ride over anytime I want. '

God replied, 'Your request is materialistic; think of the enormous challenges for that kind of undertaking; the supports required reaching the bottom of the Pacific and the concrete and steel it would take! I can do it, but it is hard for me to justify your desire for worldly things. Take a little more time and think of something that could possibly help man kind.'

The biker thought about it for a long time. Finally, he said, 'God, I wish that I , and all men, could understand women; I want to know how she feels inside, what she's thinking when she gives me the silent treatment, why she cries, what she means when she says nothing's wrong, why she snaps and complains when I try to help, and how I can make a woman truly happy.

God replied: 'You want two lanes or four on that bridge?"

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by AKCamper

Dave’s solution required no tapping into the vehicle wiring just a fuse and a say 10 gauge wire attached to the battery of the tow vehicle.

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Good point - you just have to route a wire from under the hood to the rear bumper. That took more effort on my van that I would want to put into a rental, but I suppose one could go full ghetto and run it over the roof with some gaffer tape...

Most modern vehicles have auxiliary 12V outlets. Since the brakes on a single axle 17 would draw only 6 amps +/- could one simply plug in to one of these outlets and run the wire back through the vehicle and out to be wired to the black and white on a 4 way to 7 way connector adapter? Plug the existing 4 wire in, zip tie it up, mount the Prodigy RF kit on the tongue and you are done.

https://www.amazon.com/5GAC-Cigarett.../dp/B0757SNFCF
https://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Migh...10-7084VP.html

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Most modern vehicles have auxiliary 12V outlets. Since the brakes on a single axle 17 would draw only 6 amps +/- could one simply plug in to one of these outlets and run the wire back through the vehicle and out to be wired to the black and white on a 4 way to 7 way connector adapter?

That makes sense. It's the very poor quality of accessory socket connections and the "and out" part which would concern me. Some people run cables out of hatch openings, just closing the hatch on them and letting the gasket handle it, but I found this can be a sealing problem in rain. With a pickup truck, unless it has an accessory outlet in the bed, the cable would need to run out a window.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

That makes sense. It's the very poor quality of accessory socket connections and the "and out" part which would concern me. Some people run cables out of hatch openings, just closing the hatch on them and letting the gasket handle it, but I found this can be a sealing problem in rain. With a pickup truck, unless it has an accessory outlet in the bed, the cable would need to run out a window.

Agreed. Would need to confirm the connection was good and an acceptable routing. Just trying to come up with something universal that could be done relatively easily with a rental vehicle that already has acceptable hitch and only 4 pin wiring. With many vehicles the power wiring scheme I suggest could remain inside and go out a hatch or rear window. Tried to come up with something that didn’t require a direct connection to the battery and the increased challenges of routing from the engine bay. Of course this would only be temporary to get the trailer home.