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09-11-2014, 03:02 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2015 17B Sold 5/2016
Posts: 343
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Looking at the 15-A
I've been itching to get on the road again, (after several years of working, etc.), and started looking a trailers. There are so many to select from, it’s taken some time to “disqualify” those that simply wouldn't fit an old man and his old 95# Aussie Shepherd. Trailers such at the T@B looked interesting until stepping inside and not being able to stand straight with little room to move for both Dog and me. I looked at A-Frame’s; good headroom in the center but little or none while sitting at either end. Tent trailers? I don't want to spend an evening setting up and a morning breaking camp. Finally I realized a smaller 15’ fiberglass trailer would be the way to go, plenty of room for my traveling companion and me and light enough for my TV, (a ’14 Outback), so long as I don’t race to the next rest stop. At our age, Dog and me, it’s time to slow down and smell the roses.
I've lurked around a few forums and gone on the sites of a few manufacturers, the Escape caught my attention, the friendliness and information gleamed from this forum is making a believer out of me. I’m starting to figure what I want and don’t want but this is just a start.
Things I don’t need, (or don’t think I need), are Awning, Range Hood or have it Microwave Ready. There was an awning on a truck camper I had years ago but I never used it and I had the microwave removed when I bought it.
A few things I do want, (or think I want): are a Water Heater, Dual 6V batteries, (most of my camping would be dry camping and I like that they put them on the rear bumper), additional LED Brake Lights, (always good to be seen in this damp and foggy NW weather), Surge Protector, AND, if ETI will do it; a U shaped rear dinette that can be used as a gaucho for Dog and me, a grey water tank, (they come with the “B” but I don’t want the shower insert, the added weight, and the reconfiguration), and a “Water Closet” for a porta potti in the front passenger side corner.
Come tomorrow all this could change, as I said it's just a start.
__________________
Pat
Life is Good
When "Escaping Reality" Sold 5/2016
2012 4Runner
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09-11-2014, 04:51 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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Welcome to our Escape world, Pat....
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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09-11-2014, 07:45 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,683
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Welcome Pat, you are looking at one fine trailer there. The most efficient use of space of any of the Escape offerings.
Wow, you have a big Aussie. Our boy, though admittedly a big on the small size, is only 50 lbs. Great dogs though, eh?
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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09-11-2014, 08:38 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Welcome, Pat!
Quote:
Originally Posted by OneOleMan
... Dual 6V batteries, (most of my camping would be dry camping and I like that they put them on the rear bumper
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The batteries (or battery) of an Escape 17' are on the rear bumper, but the proportions of the 15' and 17' are quite different; the 17' would be too front-heavy with the batteries on the tongue. From the ETI website photos, the single 15' battery is on the tongue; are the dual batteries on the back?
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09-11-2014, 09:02 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,067
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Welcome, Pat! I, too, spent a lot of time researching before deciding on the 15A. I absolutely love my trailer and wouldn't change anything on it. You're welcome to come up some time to see it.
Yes, my dual batteries are in the front--inside the storage box (see my album under my User CP for pics).
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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09-11-2014, 09:06 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Longview, WA, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15B - 2014 Nissan Frontier SL
Posts: 854
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P
Welcome, Pat!
The batteries (or battery) of an Escape 17' are on the rear bumper, but the proportions of the 15' and 17' are quite different; the 17' would be too front-heavy with the batteries on the tongue. From the ETI website photos, the single 15' battery is on the tongue; are the dual batteries on the back?
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Dual batteries on our 15 are in the box up front. Jim and Robin don't have a box but their's are also up front. I believe this contributes to the high tongue weight we experience.
__________________
Tim and Julie
2013 Escape 15B
2014 Nissan Frontier, Previous 2012 Santa Fe
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09-11-2014, 11:44 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2015 17B Sold 5/2016
Posts: 343
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett
Welcome Pat, you are looking at one fine trailer there. The most efficient use of space of any of the Escape offerings.
Wow, you have a big Aussie. Our boy, though admittedly a big on the small size, is only 50 lbs. Great dogs though, eh?
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Yes Jim he is a big boy, a 10 year old Aussie on steroids . I found him at a shelter last February and couldn't be happier, we were meant for each other; both of us old and hearing impaired.
__________________
Pat
Life is Good
When "Escaping Reality" Sold 5/2016
2012 4Runner
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09-11-2014, 11:49 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2015 17B Sold 5/2016
Posts: 343
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P
Welcome, Pat!
The batteries (or battery) of an Escape 17' are on the rear bumper, but the proportions of the 15' and 17' are quite different; the 17' would be too front-heavy with the batteries on the tongue. From the ETI website photos, the single 15' battery is on the tongue; are the dual batteries on the back?
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Under the "Options" tab for the 15-A it shows the dual batteries on the rear. It'll be one of the things to clarify with ETI.
__________________
Pat
Life is Good
When "Escaping Reality" Sold 5/2016
2012 4Runner
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09-11-2014, 11:58 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2012 15A
Posts: 398
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I was expecting the batteries (2x6 volt) to be on the rear bumper of our 15A but when we picked it up they were installed in the optional front storage box. Not sure why as I never asked although would have liked to have had more room in the box.
Balancing the weight on the 15 is a tricky thing to do because of the axle location (according to Reace). It is near the center of the trailer and placement of objects in the trailer can dramatically effect the balance and therefore tongue weight. For that reason I think ETI likes to put the batteries on the front to keep more weight there.
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09-11-2014, 12:28 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnB
Balancing the weight on the 15 is a tricky thing to do because of the axle location (according to Reace). It is near the center of the trailer and placement of objects in the trailer can dramatically effect the balance and therefore tongue weight. For that reason I think ETI likes to put the batteries on the front to keep more weight there.
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Yes.
The 15-foot shell design (originally as a Trillium 4500 or Surfside) is basically a 13-foot (Trillium 1300) with the added length mostly behind the axle, so the axle is closer to the middle; the front kitchen keeps the balance appropriately forward in the "B" plan (which I think was common in older variations of this from other manufacturers).
The 17-foot design (the original Escape) is basically the 15-foot design with all of the added length ahead of the axle, so the axle is relatively rearward; the tongue weight tends to be too high unless the batteries are placed on the back, so all Escape 17' batteries are on the rear bumper.
The rear overhang of the Escape 15' is relatively large for the body length, so moving a battery - or two - from one extreme end to the other would have a large effect.
Quote:
Originally Posted by techfan
Dual batteries on our 15 are in the box up front. Jim and Robin don't have a box but their's are also up front. I believe this contributes to the high tongue weight we experience.
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Sorry, but I don't recall... is your 15' a 15A or 15B?
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09-11-2014, 12:36 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Western, Colorado
Trailer: 17b
Posts: 148
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Can you put a box on the 15? If so, that would be very handy.
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09-11-2014, 12:46 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Olympia wa, Washington
Trailer: 5.0TA 2017
Posts: 2,255
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sounds great i am buying my 17b for my dog Guinness so we can travel together and leave the horses at home! Maybe when i retire i will want a bigger trailer but maybe this smaller trailer will suit me fine.
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09-11-2014, 12:50 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Phoenix Metro Area, Arizona
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19
Posts: 767
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Escape While You Can
Can you put a box on the 15? If so, that would be very handy.
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It is listed as a $700 option. (And I think it is a GREAT deal.)
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09-11-2014, 12:55 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Western, Colorado
Trailer: 17b
Posts: 148
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With a small trailer, the box would be a great addition.
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09-11-2014, 01:35 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Longview, WA, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15B - 2014 Nissan Frontier SL
Posts: 854
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Escape While You Can
Can you put a box on the 15? If so, that would be very handy.
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Answering a number of questions:
Both ours and Jim/Robin's are 15B's. Karen in Bellingham has a 15a. We couldn't have a 15 without the box and all of our stuff. See our website for lots of 15 pictures with the box. Our signature line and profile show 15b with our tow vehicle.
__________________
Tim and Julie
2013 Escape 15B
2014 Nissan Frontier, Previous 2012 Santa Fe
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09-11-2014, 05:10 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by techfan
Dual batteries on our 15 are in the box up front...
... I believe this contributes to the high tongue weight we experience.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by techfan
Both ours and Jim/Robin's are 15B's.
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I think the front-kitchen layout is generally accepted to cause a more forward weight bias, due to the appliances and the stuff stored in the kitchen area. That's a good combination with the long-tailed 15-foot body, but maybe not so good with dual batteries on the tongue as well.
Pat is considering the 15A, like Karen's, with the more common side kitchen. Karen, how's the tongue weight with your dual-battery 15A?
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09-11-2014, 05:19 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Longview, WA, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15B - 2014 Nissan Frontier SL
Posts: 854
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P
I think the front-kitchen layout is generally accepted to cause a more forward weight bias, due to the appliances and the stuff stored in the kitchen area. That's a good combination with the long-tailed 15-foot body, but maybe not so good with dual batteries on the tongue as well.
Pat is considering the 15A, like Karen's, with the more common side kitchen. Karen, how's the tongue weight with your dual-battery 15A?
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Interested to hear what Karen says. Without the kitchen up front, and with no bathroom and black tank, and a smaller fridge, I would think the tongue weight would not be much of a problem in the 15A. Ours is manageable, by carrying 2/3 fresh tank.
__________________
Tim and Julie
2013 Escape 15B
2014 Nissan Frontier, Previous 2012 Santa Fe
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09-11-2014, 05:33 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,067
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P
Karen, how's the tongue weight with your dual-battery 15A?
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I have no clue and am too afraid to measure it (and don't have the means). When I took possession in Sumas, Dennis said not to worry if it didn't lower my stinger by more than two inches. It doesn't so I don't (much).
I don't keep any heavy weight items in the storage box (other than the batteries--and the dual propane up front) to help minimize the drop: two plastic side tables, two of those goofy chairs that I hate, my lantern, and rags. I know it's a bit too heavy but it is what it is.
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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09-11-2014, 05:52 PM
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#19
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Ltd Edition 15B (1 of 47)
Posts: 48
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Pat,
I'll echo Karen on this -- you're more than welcome to check out our rig. We have a 15B with dual (front) batteries and dual LP tanks. Our tongue weight is between 310 and 350 pounds, depending on how much propane we're carrying and whether there's water in the fresh tank. It's a bit heavy, but man does it tow sweetly.
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09-11-2014, 05:57 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Olympia, Washington
Trailer: 2008 Bigfoot 25B17.5G
Posts: 161
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Welcome!
One thing has me curious: why do you want a hot water heater if you don't want a bathroom, is it just to do dishes?
__________________
Hillary & Jeff
Camping with the sighthound variety pack
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