Escape 23

[Eggscape]

And a few more of the new 23.

[MrLynn]

Any word on what they are doing to mitigate corrosion when steel fittings (axles, coupler, etc.) contact the aluminum frame?

[Centex]

Originally Posted by MrLynn

Any word on what they are doing to mitigate corrosion when steel fittings (axles, coupler, etc.) contact the aluminum frame?

There's lots of vehicles / trailers using a mix of aluminum (AL) and other metals and they've been around for a long time (F150 and many commercial / industrial trailers).

Along with that there are many well-developed, cost-effective, and long-proven robust design details to prevent contact between the dissimilar metals where galvanic corrosion might be an issue (structural synthetic non-conductive isolating layers, synthetic washers and sleeves, fastener annular-gaps, etc, etc).

I'm reasonably confident that ETI considered the implications of the situation and employs a variety of appropriate measures to avoid those issues. Personally, that'd be the least of my concerns regarding the AL frame.

Ford even publishes a guide to help modifiers ensure appropriate techniques are used when fastening things to the F150's AL components (copy attached, FYI).

[MrLynn]

Originally Posted by Centex

. . . I'm reasonably confident that ETI considered the implications of the situation and employs a variety of appropriate measures to avoid those issues. Personally, that'd be the least of my concerns regarding the AL frame.

Ford even publishes a guide to help modifiers ensure appropriate techniques are used when fastening things to the F150's AL components (copy attached, FYI).

Once ETI gets the aluminum-frame E23 into production, I hope their marketing materials will address the issue of galvanic corrosion as Ford does, especially since RV owners are prone to making all sorts of modifications to their vehicles.

Thanks for the link to the F150 document.

[oldwave]

Oliver addresses the dissimilar materials in their frames. The install sacrificial anodes because they have a steel subframe as well.

[Rbmurray]

Interesting, like a boat

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by Centex

There's lots of vehicles / trailers using a mix of aluminum (AL) and other metals and they've been around for a long time (F150 and many commercial / industrial trailers).

I had a custom Horsetrailer built in the early 90s(one of the first of the V nosed) using an aluminum body(floor(horse piss), walls, roof, etc.) on a steel frame. Lived on The Vineyard, salt air rotted steel ones out in a few years. It was fine until a tree blew down centered on it! 2016? Aluminum is strong, can see the force of the fall, snapped the top off(on the ground), just 4 bent "rafters". A guy, traded tree work for it, didn't pop tires.

[rbryan4]

I hope the 23 is a success. My two cents is, Escape is now in Bigfoot territory, not just in size, but price. If I had 65-70K to spend, I'd likely go with the Bigfoot over the Escape 23 for a number of reasons - the first being the Bigfoot is a 4 season rig. Still, the Escape is imho a better 'looking' trailer.

Escape appealed to us back in 2015 because of its value proposition. It's still a great trailer but in my opinion the value equation has changed considerably.

[SageRpod]

There is always a risk when introducing a new model. Market analysis and engineering all take time and getting something like a 23 to market takes significant time. Time in which the market can shift and change demand, as we are all seeing. I hope they sell tons of them but they definitely have their work cut out for them.

Personally, I think ETI has something very special and unique in the 5.0 and the small fifth wheel segment. There are a gazillion bumper pulls out there but not many compact fifth wheels. Being an armchair market analyst like everyone else, I would have put my expansion chips there.

[sofmerc]

Originally Posted by SageRpod

There is always a risk when introducing a new model. Market analysis and engineering all take time and getting something like a 23 to market takes significant time. Time in which the market can shift and change demand, as we are all seeing. I hope they sell tons of them but they definitely have their work cut out for them.

Personally, I think ETI has something very special and unique in the 5.0 and the small fifth wheel segment. There are a gazillion bumper pulls out there but not many compact fifth wheels. Being an armchair market analyst like everyone else, I would have put my expansion chips there.

I Agree!...But I also hope the 23' is a hit for them

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by SageRpod

Personally, I think ETI has something very special and unique in the 5.0 and the small fifth wheel segment. There are a gazillion bumper pulls out there but not many compact fifth wheels. Being an armchair market analyst like everyone else, I would have put my expansion chips there.

I would have been very interested in a 25 foot 5.0 adding at least a foot to the dinette area.

Oh well,

Perry

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by SageRpod

I hope they sell tons of them but they definitely have their work cut out for them.

I'm not so sure about that. They have a couple of things going for them. One is the twin beds. I think that there's a demand for that. And the feeling spaciousness when compared to a 21 is also a real selling feature.

Leaving out the cost because there is a market segment that can afford them I think that being the top of the line will also be a selling point. There's a certain attraction to buying the top model.

We'll see. I think that some buyers who were thinking 21 will look inside both and the 23 will win out for those that can afford it.

Ron

[oldwave]

I certainly wish Bigfoot made a 5th wheel like they used to, very likely the model for Reace and Tammy designed 5.0. I’d buy one in a minute. I think Perry has a valid point, a 25 to 26 foot 6.0 would be a hit for Escape. We waited for the 23 for nearly two years, I’m glad we have what we have in hindsight. Still if the 23 had been released in a timely manner we probably would have bought it. We almost bought a 5.0 the first time, but tow vehicle uncertainty at the time put us in the 21. Liked everything but the bed.