Hauling Home with a Rental?

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by AKCamper

When we picked up our 2016 Escape 19 we just lost the engine in our pickup. I rented a Uhaul pickup and I installed a brake controller in the truck in a parking lot. I am a mechanic so it wasn’t too hard. Uhaul pickups have a 4 pin trailer conector so I had to temporarily hook up a 7 pin connector but e-trailer had one that plugged into the 4 pin. I just took a wire harness for a Ford and a harness for a Chevy. I took my Protigy P 3 controller and screwed it under the dashboard. I towed for 2500 miles. Worked like a champ.

Great improvising. I don’t want to speak for them, but I’m going to guess that the OP and her young son aren’t prepared to install a brake controller on a rental truck though. Also curious how you handled the blue brake controller output line? Wouldn’t this need to be run from the 7 pin up to the brake controller. The existing 4 pin just gave you tail/turn/brake lights and a ground.

Even if the brake controller could be installed the Uhaul website doesn’t allow one to rent a pickup truck one way from (for example) Sumas, WA to Asheville, NC. Says “not available for your move”.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Also curious how you handled the blue brake controller output line? Wouldn’t this need to be run from the 7 pin up to the brake controller. The existing 4 pin just gave you tail/turn/brake lights and a ground.

My old Ranger only had a 4 pin connector. I used a 4 to 7 pin adapter and ran a blue wire to my brake pedal switch. But you're right, a lot of work to do for a 1 time situation.

Ron

[Greg A]

Delivery to NC approx $$$$$

Adventure of cross country trip to Chilliwack BC and back with 13yr old son = Priceless

Go for it.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Great improvising. I don’t want to speak for them, but I’m going to guess that the OP and her young son aren’t prepared to install a brake controller on a rental truck though. Also curious how you handled the blue brake controller output line? Wouldn’t this need to be run from the 7 pin up to the brake controller. The existing 4 pin just gave you tail/turn/brake lights and a ground.

Even if the brake controller could be installed the Uhaul website doesn’t allow one to rent a pickup truck one way from (for example) Sumas, WA to Asheville, NC. Says “not available for your move”.

Another issue is insurance, the tow vehicle insurance may not cover damage caused by a non authorized piece of equipment, like your trailer. It is possible if an accident happens while towing, you may be out of luck for liability and other issues. Not sure if your personal auto insurance would cover you driving a rental and towing the trailer.A legal nightmare is what some law firms enjoy.

[stratos175]

Hello All,
Asheville NC beautiful area but like where we live just N of Atlanta a long way to Chilliwack. I went on many backpacking trips out west and don't remember the drive being that long, because I did it with friends and we pretty much drove straight through to wherever we were going. I broke my ankle once right in the middle of one of these trips with two friends, we were at Olympic NP and I ended up going to a hospital in Forks Washington. The Dr their said I needed to see an orthopedic specialist and the closest one he wouldn't send an enemy to so next morning my amazing two friends cut their vacation short and drove us back in just over 48 hours.
I tell this story because maybe that's another option, I believe there are websites that have people looking for ways to get from one place to another, maybe you can find someone to at least share the ride out to get their quicker, also like someone suggested have it shipped part way and meet them you could also do this to save some time.

Good Luck to you and always happy to see another Escape n the SE.

Steve

[George and Linda]

Originally Posted by AwakenArtemis

Has anyone ever flown up, picked up their new Escape, and towed their trailer back home (to the states) using a rental vehicle?

I'm struggling to find a long enough window of time in which I can go pick up our trailer, so I'm exploring all options, especially ones that may allow me to not have to drive both there and back. Shipping our tow vehicle out there in order to fly out and drive it back is pretty costly.

Does anyone have experience with any of these options?


Thanks,

Ronna

Hi Ronna,
We live about an hour from you between Johnson City and Kingsport TN. We are retired,
and have our own 17B. We may be able to go out to Sumas and pick up your Escape. If interested, please send me a PM with contact information.
George and Linda.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Another issue is insurance, the tow vehicle insurance may not cover damage caused by a non authorized piece of equipment, like your trailer. It is possible if an accident happens while towing, you may be out of luck for liability and other issues. Not sure if your personal auto insurance would cover you driving a rental and towing the trailer. A legal nightmare is what some law firms enjoy.

You are right, but I didn't even want to go down that road.

[AKCamper]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Great improvising. I don’t want to speak for them, but I’m going to guess that the OP and her young son aren’t prepared to install a brake controller on a rental truck though. Also curious how you handled the blue brake controller output line? Wouldn’t this need to be run from the 7 pin up to the brake controller. The existing 4 pin just gave you tail/turn/brake lights and a ground.

Even if the brake controller could be installed the Uhaul website doesn’t allow one to rent a pickup truck one way from (for example) Sumas, WA to Asheville, NC. Says “not available for your move”.

Actually I have a friend that owns a Uhaul franchise and I checked both the Ford and Chevy. They both had the tow package and had the blue wire in the harness. The fuse was even installed. uhaul removes the 7 pin connector and installed a 4 pin. The prodigy harness plugged in. I did have to spice into the blue wire in front of the plug at the rear of the truck. I had to take a protigy jumper harness for both Ford and Chevy since I could get either truck.

[rjbny]

Time was a big consideration when we were preparing to take delivery on our 19. We ended up using ETI's service to bring the trailer to a city in the east and meeting it there. We exchanged the time being spent in our tug for time in our new trailer. We explored flying out and towing back but couldn't make the rental thing work.

If ETI is still using Torrey as a trucker, you won't be disappointed. He uses a flat bed so we avoided the wear and tear of the thousands of miles it took to get the trailer out to NYS.

Here is a post on the delivery:

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...tml#post204501

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Why not wait until summer, when all the kids are out, Escape will store your trailer free for 90 days, that way you can make it into a family vacation.

I tend to agree. Wait until you can take enough time off to take a nice trip out to get it, and a leisurely pace coming back. Our pick up trip back in 2015 is filled with great memories.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by AKCamper

Actually I have a friend that owns a Uhaul franchise and I checked both the Ford and Chevy. They both had the tow package and had the blue wire in the harness. The fuse was even installed. uhaul removes the 7 pin connector and installed a 4 pin. The prodigy harness plugged in. I did have to spice into the blue wire in front of the plug at the rear of the truck. I had to take a protigy jumper harness for both Ford and Chevy since I could get either truck.

Ahhh now I get it. Thanks for the follow up. I was scratching my head with how you dealt with the blue brake wire.

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by George and Linda

Hi Ronna,
We live about an hour from you between Johnson City and Kingsport TN. We are retired,
and have our own 17B. We may be able to go out to Sumas and pick up your Escape. If interested, please send me a PM with contact information.
George and Linda.

What a wonderful offer!

A great adventure for you guys and an unforgettable favor to the Escape Community

[Farmerdoug]

Check with Young Transport on Facebook or call Brent 520-221-8835, he delivered our new 19 last March, it is a tow behind service. Worth checking into. Good Luck

[StarvingHyena]

Check out Craigs List …. fly to Bellingham or Vancouver BC …. buy used truck … get brake controller installed and drive home … sell truck. Might be a good idea to check prices in both Bellingham and North Carolina to see about truck resale prices. That said …. I think the best suggestion I have seen here is to wait until school's out and make a family vacation / adventure.

However, driving with family from North Carolina to ETI and back, will likely cost more than the $3000 delivery cost. The adventure will be of priceless value.

Oh I just re-read this thread …. the $3000. delivery charge was to Chicago … oops. Buying a used / new vehicle on the West Coast might give you a chance to upgrade to a 'perfect' tow vehicle. You haven't listed what you plan to use.

Good Luck,
Tom

[cpaharley2008]

See here for cost to attend Osoyoos Rally http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f4...oos-11456.html
which is about 3 hours east of Chilliwack.

[cotto]

I was able to get $1,290 delivered to Minneapolis using Uship.
https://www.uship.com/
It would seem you should be able to get all the way to NC for under $3,000.

[Dave Walter]

Installing a conventional brake controller can be a lot of work. This is the approach I would take if renting a truck to tow the Escape. It would be pretty simple to take along a wireless brake controller such as the Tekonsha Prodigy RF, together with a 4-pin to 7-pin adapter. You would also need to bring a length of wire to run from the tow battery to the 7-pin connector. When you pick up your trailer, the people at Escape can mount the wireless controller on the front of your trailer. You then plug your remote into the cigarette lighter outlet in the rental unit and pair the controller to the remote and you are set to go.