Seeking a Tow Vehicle - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Tech > Problem Solving | Owners helping each other
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 11-13-2019, 04:09 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
jadams's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Jericho, Vermont
Trailer: 2017 17 B
Posts: 222
Question Seeking a Tow Vehicle

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.
jadams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2019, 04:10 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Green Valley, Arizona
Trailer: 2018 5.0TA
Posts: 138
But you WILL enjoy the ride!
PM15283 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2019, 04:12 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
The problem with rental vehicle is the brake controller issue. you will need a tow vehicle with a electric brake controller to activate the Escape's brakes.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2019, 04:18 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Whidbey Island, Washington
Trailer: 2020 Escape 17B "Voyager"
Posts: 2,657
Fly or drive out to see it, buy it if you choose, and put it in storage for a few months.
Bobbie54 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2019, 04:27 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
jadams's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Jericho, Vermont
Trailer: 2017 17 B
Posts: 222
Quote:
Originally Posted by PM15283 View Post
But you WILL enjoy the ride!
Indeed!
jadams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2019, 04:29 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
jadams's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Jericho, Vermont
Trailer: 2017 17 B
Posts: 222
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
The problem with rental vehicle is the brake controller issue. you will need a tow vehicle with a electric brake controller to activate the Escape's brakes.
Thanks Jim. Good news, the trailer has a Prodigy RF wireless brake controller. I'm new to all this... the seller advised me this gets me going.
jadams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2019, 04:30 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
jadams's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Jericho, Vermont
Trailer: 2017 17 B
Posts: 222
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobbie54 View Post
Fly or drive out to see it, buy it if you choose, and put it in storage for a few months.
I didn't think of this, thanks for the idea!
jadams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2019, 04:33 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
A 4-pin connection gets the lights going, but does not provide power for the trailer-mounted brake controller.

Bigger rental trucks typically have only 4-pin connections (intended for towing trailers and dollies rented from the same company), but rental pickups and large SUVs now often have full 7-pin trailer wiring (and in some cases even integrated brake controllers); they are equipped that way for resale value rather than rental use, but could still work for you.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2019, 06:33 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
AKCamper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Trailer: 2016 Escape 19
Posts: 555
Quote:
Originally Posted by jadams View Post
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.
When we picked up our 2016 Escape 19 our truck lost it’s engine the month before. I had a P3 brake controller and I purchased the wiring for a Chevy and. Ford (the two possibilities for a Uhaul pickup). A friend of mine owns a Uhaul business and I found out that Uhaul trucks have the tow package which has all the wiring for the controller but they put a four prong connector on the truck. I purchased a kit from e-trailer that had a four prong connector that was wired into a standard rv plug with enough wire to go to the front of the vehicle. I bolted this to the truck bumper in a campground when I was in Bellingham and found out that the fuse was installed in the truck and the blue wire for the brakes was in the wiring a
Harness at the back of truck. I just had to hook up a ground wire and splice in the brake wire. If you don’t feel confident doing this I believe Escape has a nearby shop that could do it. Uhaul probably would not want you to do this but I am a retired mechanic and it really didn’t hurt anything. I mounted the P3 to the bottom of the dashboard and spliced the blue wire back together with a waterproof splice when I was done. Like I said the trucks are set up for towing from the factory Uhaul just uses surge brakes so their trailers work on trucks without a brake controller.

PS we towed our trailer for 2500 miles with that Uhaul

7-Way RV Upgrade Kit for Trailer Brake Controller Installation - 12 Gauge Wires
Item # ETBC7L
AKCamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2019, 01:25 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Doug2000's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: London, Ontario
Trailer: 2020 Escape 19
Posts: 1,117
I thought that the only vehicle you could rent from UHaul that they would allow towing was a F250. Don't they come with a brake controller??

If not, contact a local towing company, most tow trucks could pull an Escape for you at a reasonable price with days notice.

Or contact a RV dealership, they'll do anything for you $$$$$
__________________
Had 2 Escapes, 17b, 19, went back to a pop up that fit in the garage. 2018 Coachman Clipper RBST HW AFrame
Doug2000 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2019, 06:45 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
Bill and Earline's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Signal Mountain (Chattanooga), Tennessee
Trailer: Escape 21 November 2014; 2022 GMC 1500 3.0L
Posts: 681
https://www.toyota.com/rental/tacoma.html

It crossed my mind that what you need to do is rent a Toyota, and apparently they have a program for that including the pickups and SUVs.

Don't have any idea of the price per day or if they have a miles limit, but it seems worth a call.
Bill and Earline is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2019, 06:50 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: alpharetta, Georgia
Trailer: 2014 21' Escape
Posts: 493
Also lots of transport companies that could deliver it to you.

Good luck with the search.

Steve
stratos175 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2019, 10:16 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
jadams's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Jericho, Vermont
Trailer: 2017 17 B
Posts: 222
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill and Earline View Post
https://www.toyota.com/rental/tacoma.html

It crossed my mind that what you need to do is rent a Toyota, and apparently they have a program for that including the pickups and SUVs.

Don't have any idea of the price per day or if they have a miles limit, but it seems worth a call.
Thank you. I have an inquiry in with Toyota now.
jadams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2019, 10:21 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
jadams's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Jericho, Vermont
Trailer: 2017 17 B
Posts: 222
Quote:
Originally Posted by stratos175 View Post
Also lots of transport companies that could deliver it to you.

Good luck with the search.

Steve
Thanks Steve. My wife needs to see the RV prior to exchanging funds. I'm a bit of a risk taker and would be happy to buy it sight unseen and have it shipped to Salem, MA because the seller is a member here and it's all good.

My wife has kept me out of trouble many times in the past.
jadams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2019, 10:26 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
jadams's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Jericho, Vermont
Trailer: 2017 17 B
Posts: 222
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug2000 View Post
I thought that the only vehicle you could rent from UHaul that they would allow towing was a F250. Don't they come with a brake controller??

If not, contact a local towing company, most tow trucks could pull an Escape for you at a reasonable price with days notice.

Or contact a RV dealership, they'll do anything for you $$$$$
I called two large Uhauls suppliers and their F250s only have 4 pin connectors and no brake controller. I inquired about other Uhaul vehicles also. Maybe this is a Massachusetts thing. Lots of bad drivers around here that Uhaul may not want to be towing things. Good idea with the other options you mention.
jadams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2019, 10:55 AM   #16
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
Try the UHauls and others in Wisconsin, you may have better luck....
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2019, 11:13 AM   #17
Senior Member
 
AKCamper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Trailer: 2016 Escape 19
Posts: 555
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. How far did you say you had to go? Mountain passes? I tow my 19 foot heavy boat with my Tacoma without brakes in Alaska just not long distance. People didn’t always have brake controllers. I’m not advocating not installing a controller, just saying a light trailer could be towed with a full size pickup. May not be legal everywhere. Also you could do a one way rental with Uhaul.
AKCamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2019, 11:54 AM   #18
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Northern, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2020 21C
Posts: 90
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
The problem with rental vehicle is the brake controller issue. you will need a tow vehicle with a electric brake controller to activate the Escape's brakes.
Hi Jim, I'm the seller. We talked before.
He doesn't need a brake controller. It has the Prodigy RF wireless brake controller installed on the trailer. The car/trucks portion of brake controller is hand held and plugs into the cars cigarette lighter. They will be all set to go, it will connect via RF signal.

He needs the seven pin electric plug for the trailer lights and something with a hitch.
Hope this helps simplify what he needs.
nrthwds is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2019, 12:08 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
AKCamper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Trailer: 2016 Escape 19
Posts: 555
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. You won’t even feel a 17 behind it. Do a one way rental . Fly your wife out there and if she likes it tow her (the trailer) home.
AKCamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2019, 12:37 PM   #20
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug2000 View Post
I thought that the only vehicle you could rent from UHaul that they would allow towing was a F250. Don't they come with a brake controller??
The regular U-Haul trucks (10' to 26' box bodies) are all set up to tow, mostly so that you can also rent a car transporter trailer or car dolly and move everything you have in one trip, but you can also tow a cargo trailer; they certainly expect customers to tow with them, and let you tow your own trailer. Those cargo trucks don't have a brake controller because U-Haul trailers with brakes use hydraulic surge brakes, not electric brakes. They have four-pin connectors because that is all that is required to run the lights of a U-Haul cargo trailer.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
17 b, rental

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:40 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.