Would like to raise height of Escape 5.0 SA by going to a higher profile tire - Escape Trailer Owners Community
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Old 03-10-2019, 06:49 PM   #1
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Would like to raise height of Escape 5.0 SA by going to a higher profile tire

My 2011 Escape 5.0 SA trailer tows a little nose up. I can lower the hitch, but the trailer will ride too close (5") to the bed rails, so I would like to go to a larger diameter tire and/or wheel. Has anyone done this? Presently, the tire size is 225/75/R15. I need to raise the trailer 1-2" and the trailer already has a lift.

Rick
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Old 03-10-2019, 07:54 PM   #2
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That's already a larger tire than Escape currently uses (because current models of that weight or greater have four tires instead of the two on this 5.0). To raise the trailer an inch or two requires a radius an inch or two greater, which means an overall tire diameter two to four inches greater, which seems likely to cause wheel well interference problems... especially since if you stay with common ST tires anything taller will also be even wider.
  • ST225/75R15: 13.0" static loaded radius; 28.3" overall diameter
  • ST235/80R16: 14.0" static loaded radius; 30.7" overall diameter
The ST235/80R16 is the largest common ST size, and it is barely big enough for this purpose.

Of course you could use a non-ST tire, preferably with a taller aspect ratio (85 instead of 75) because you want more height and not more width, and you need it to fit a 15" or 16" wheel because that's all you'll find to fit the trailer hubs (and even 16" might require changing hubs to get a 6-on-6.5" bolt pattern). There still isn't a lot of choice because tall tires are not used much anymore, but 235/85R16 was a common size for full-size pickup trucks and is still available:
  • LT235/80R16: ~14.7" static loaded radius; 31.7" overall diameter

Before the current Dexter spacers, Escape used custom-fabricated spacers to lift the trailer. How high are yours? Taller spacers could be built; if they are very tall they might need a brace across the trailer between them for structural stability.


You could trade the trailer for a 5.0TA, which was designed to be taller because trucks were getting taller.

Or you could lower the truck.
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Old 03-11-2019, 08:56 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
...You could trade the trailer for a 5.0TA, which was designed to be taller because trucks were getting taller.

Or you could lower the truck.
Or you could replace the existing lift on the trailer with a taller lift!
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Old 03-11-2019, 02:52 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by Dave Walter View Post
Or you could replace the existing lift on the trailer with a taller lift!
Yes, that's the more straightforward choice, which is why I listed it before the extreme options:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
Before the current Dexter spacers, Escape used custom-fabricated spacers to lift the trailer. How high are yours? Taller spacers could be built; if they are very tall they might need a brace across the trailer between them for structural stability.
Maybe it was lost in the long response.
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Old 03-11-2019, 03:51 PM   #5
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You brought up some things that I did not consider. The lift appears to be a 2-3" tall channel that is welded to the frame and the wheel has a 5 bolt pattern which means I would have to make more alterations than I anticipated. I thought the changes might be minimal. For me, the changes are not worth the expense to gain an inch or two. I have towed the trailer about 8000 miles in the last year without issue so I'll forego this modification.

Thanks for your responses.

Rick
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Old 03-11-2019, 03:51 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
Yes, that's the more straightforward choice, which is why I listed it before the extreme options:

Maybe it was lost in the long response.
Oops, sorry Brian. I sometimes read ahead to the punchline before reading the buildup!
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Old 03-11-2019, 07:30 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by lzcamper View Post
The lift appears to be a 2-3" tall channel that is welded to the fram ...
... which means I would have to make more alterations than I anticipated. I thought the changes might be minimal. For me, the changes are not worth the expense to gain an inch or two. I have towed the trailer about 8000 miles in the last year without issue so I'll forego this modification.k
I'm a little surprised that the original spacers are welded on, but that might not be so bad: you could just bolt Dexter's spacer kit between those and the axle (as long as the existing spacer system uses side-mount brackets), and perhaps have a welder add a simple piece of tubing from side to side between the spacers to keep everything from bending under the load of cornering.
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Old 03-12-2019, 03:17 PM   #8
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When I bought the trailer, I thought it had a lift. What do you think? I don’t really know what to look for.

Rick
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Old 03-12-2019, 03:37 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
Yes, that's the more straightforward choice, which is why I listed it before the extreme options:

Maybe it was lost in the long response.
We shouldn't discount the option of a new 5.0 without knowing the propane level of the current trailer!
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Old 03-12-2019, 03:56 PM   #10
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It has one already, the spacer is between the frame and the axle. Which is welded to it with looks like some sort of gusset welded to both.
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Old 03-12-2019, 07:06 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by lzcamper View Post
When I bought the trailer, I thought it had a lift. What do you think? I don’t really know what to look for.
Excellent photos!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mszabokc View Post
It has one already, the spacer is between the frame and the axle. Which is welded to it with looks like some sort of gusset welded to both.
Yes, this has a built-in lift between axle and frame, although in that vintage of that model it may have been a standard part of the frame, or may have been the optional "high lift axle" - I don't know. Someone with a same-vintage 5.0 who absolutely knows which axle configuration they have could compare to establish that.

Escape's standard axle-mounting design uses that substantial plate (the "gusset") welded to the inside face of the frame as a side-mount for the axle brackets; usually a bracket from Dexter is used instead, but this is a good solid alternative. In this case, the plate is extra tall and there is an additional piece of steel tubing between the axle bracket and the frame, to raise the trailer that much; the tubing appears to be 2" wide (the main frame is 1.5"x3"), so if it is square then it adds 2" to the height. The trailer was presumably built this way - it doesn't appear to be an add-on.

Because the end result is that the axle brackets are side-bolted to the trailer, Dexter's normal lift kit can be used to raise the trailer 2.625 inches... that is, it will fit and can be easily installed, whether it should be or not (or whether an additional brace would be wise) is another question.
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