Need economical tow vehicle for Escape 5.0

[lzcamper]

I just purchased an Escape 5.0, but have not yet purchased a tow vehicle. I would like to get a small diesel with good maneuverability so I can back the trailer into my yard. It looks like the best choice would be a GMC Canyon/Chevy Colorado, but I can't find any information that states what hitch would be good for the Crew cab model. I'm interested in the Anderson Ultimate hitch, but have not found anyone that has had experience installing one in the short bed.

Is there anyone on the forum that can recommend a 5th wheel hitch for the Canyon/Colorado?

Thanks, Rick

[drjenk]

Originally Posted by lzcamper

I just purchased an Escape 5.0, but have not yet purchased a tow vehicle. I would like to get a small diesel with good maneuverability so I can back the trailer into my yard. It looks like the best choice would be a GMC Canyon/Chevy Colorado, but I can't find any information that states what hitch would be good for the Crew cab model. I'm interested in the Anderson Ultimate hitch, but have not found anyone that has had experience installing one in the short bed.

Is there anyone on the forum that can recommend a 5th wheel hitch for the Canyon/Colorado?

Thanks, Rick

See this thread:
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...-8l-11254.html

I can't speak to the towing yet (next month), but the hitch install went well.

[lzcamper]

Thanks for your prompt response. What model is the truck; the crew cab/short bed or long bed; or the extra cab/ long bed?

Rick

[phalaney]

Originally Posted by lzcamper

I just purchased an Escape 5.0, but have not yet purchased a tow vehicle. I would like to get a small diesel with good maneuverability so I can back the trailer into my yard. It looks like the best choice would be a GMC Canyon/Chevy Colorado, but I can't find any information that states what hitch would be good for the Crew cab model. I'm interested in the Anderson Ultimate hitch, but have not found anyone that has had experience installing one in the short bed.

Is there anyone on the forum that can recommend a 5th wheel hitch for the Canyon/Colorado?

Thanks, Rick

I think that you can find, on this site, at least one poster who has installed an Anderson hitch in a new C' diesel short bed, AND has had a good towing experience. I don't doubt it. And backing will be easier, and the vehicle will be generally more maneuverable, and you gain a little payload. Also, I think they look better.

All that being said, I recommend the long bed. I'm guessing that our ride is EVEN better. I believe it's because the wheel base is longer, not just the bed.
After 4500 miles of towing, I can attest to ours being the best I've ever experienced with a half dozen travels trailers - a mix/match of 3 5th wheel, 3 fiberglass, Coleman, etc. We also have plenty of pre jacknife angle, and more bed volume. Admittedly, the last is less important, given the good exterior storage capabilities of the 5.0TA.

Short bed drivers, LOVE your pick, and would like to hear how it's been for you so far.

Oh, TOTALLY off topic. IF you get the 3 way fridge, and IF you want to keep it going down the road, THEN, beseech ETI for a monster charge line. Intuitively, the 8 AWG seems fine, but not in the real world, with the 2*6 volt battery pack, the 23 amp fridge draw, and whatever other drops show up in connections. More holistically, make ETI and Trademasters (assuming you use them) pack up to insure that there is a very low volt drop between the most upstream point they can control - their end of the 7 pin connection, and the electrical sinks in the back of the trailer.

[lzcamper]

Thanks for the sharing your experience and the electrical information. The previous owner of the trailer just installed a new Dometic fridge, but I'm not sure whether it's a 2 way or 3 way. I think they said 2 way. Eventually, I would like to go to an electric fridge with 200 watts of solar, but the trailer has so much stuff on the roof that there might not be space for panels that large. I have an electric fridge with a 120 w panel in my van (lasts about 3-4 days) and it works like a charm, but I'd like to have enough solar to power an electric fridge for at least a week.

I'm still trying to decide whether to get the short bed or the long bed Canyon. I like the shorter turning radius of the short bed, but the distance from cab to axle seems to be about 23" (estimated) whereas the cab to axle in the long bed is about 33"(estimated). I believe that the Escape 5.0 has a shorter king pin than the 5.0TA which might place it slightly closer to the cab unless the hitch is mounted slightly behind the axle and that is something that I would like to avoid. I live near Ventura, CA, so I will have to get the hitch mounted locally. I wish I could go to Trademasters since they have done it before, but they just are too far away. Decisions, decisions!

Thanks again, Rick

[phalaney]

Originally Posted by lzcamper

Thanks for the sharing your experience and the electrical information. The previous owner of the trailer just installed a new Dometic fridge, but I'm not sure whether it's a 2 way or 3 way. I think they said 2 way. Eventually, I would like to go to an electric fridge with 200 watts of solar, but the trailer has so much stuff on the roof that there might not be space for panels that large. I have an electric fridge with a 120 w panel in my van (lasts about 3-4 days) and it works like a charm, but I'd like to have enough solar to power an electric fridge for at least a week.

I'm still trying to decide whether to get the short bed or the long bed Canyon. I like the shorter turning radius of the short bed, but the distance from cab to axle seems to be about 23" (estimated) whereas the cab to axle in the long bed is about 33"(estimated). I believe that the Escape 5.0 has a shorter king pin than the 5.0TA which might place it slightly closer to the cab unless the hitch is mounted slightly behind the axle and that is something that I would like to avoid. I live near Ventura, CA, so I will have to get the hitch mounted locally. I wish I could go to Trademasters since they have done it before, but they just are too far away. Decisions, decisions!

Thanks again, Rick

Rick, my $0.02, your fridge is fine, whatever it is, as long as you can use propane with it. Lots of folks use it while driving. I don't, but I don't judge. And you can also manage the cool by freezing soda bottles overnight and distributing them before taking off in the morning. I've just gotten used to having the 12 volt option available.

You should have NO problem finding a good Ventura installer. More likely to now than ever, now that the platforms are shut in (2 year old info, any changes since?) and world class technicians are awaiting the next oil boom.

LOVE Ventura. Ran the reservoir engineering for the Plains (later FMOG) platforms out of Santa maria/Orcutt for years, and we got down there quite often. Also I used to ride the work boats from the Port Hueneme docks to the "G" platforms regularly - blocks from the Seabee base I trained at over 40 years ago. Raised our kids there, and our oldest is a Cal Poly SLO grad and will NEVER leave. We only left because I was rotating in and out of Yemen (i.e. you can live anywhere), and we wanted to see our big St. Louis families again. We winterbirded in f'glass trailers in 2015 and 2016 just south of Pismo, and still have friends there. We'll do it for 6 days with g'kids (California natives) this May.

I KNOW that there is at least on short bed exemplar, who posted installation pix in this website. Check around - I will too. And FYI, at least in the longbed it's safe to place the center of gravity a few inches behind the axle. The longer wheel base means more distance from the axle to the heavy diesel engine/transmission, which minimizes weight loss on the front wheels during acceleration. Wheelie bars not required.

Finally, this is our 3rd f'glass and we've researched/bought covers. We think Calmark is the best, if high $. If you agree, and if you need one, do you realize that they are made in Oxnard? We wanted to pick one up on our return trip from BC, but (1) they needed too much notice to customize for our solar panel, and (2) I did not want to even get close to LA traffic.

G'luck

[phalaney]

I THINK that these nice folks have a short bed.

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...yon-11469.html

[lzcamper]

Thanks for the referral. I will contact them.

Rick