New member - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Community > New Member Introductions
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 01-01-2017, 10:34 AM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Marshfield, Massachusetts
Trailer: none yet
Posts: 7
New member

Hello everyone and Happy New Year. I have been interested in a fiberglass trailer and have decided on the 5TA. I probably will not order one for another year now and am researching the ideal TV. I currently have a 2015 Ford F150 with Eco-Boost, and Tow Package. I would like to use a goose-neck hitch, and was wondering if anyone has this type of hitch? Also my bed is 5 1/2'. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks, Rich.
richardf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2017, 11:10 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Lake Panasoffkee, Florida
Trailer: 1997 casita & 5.0 ta July,2016
Posts: 118
Welcome, Rich! You have come to the right place to get answers to your questions. We picked up our 5.0TA this past July and we love it!
__________________
Doug & Lucy Metz
2016 Escape 5.0 TA
Pick up date in July
dmetz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2017, 11:39 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: no fixed address, California
Trailer: 2017-21' Escape (sold) Casita 17' (sold)
Posts: 1,348
Welcome Rich

Tons of very helpful people here

I don't know anything 5.0 specific

But you will soon have the correct info.

Happy new year.

Losangeles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2017, 01:00 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
strawbarry's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Rockwell, North Carolina
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5TA
Posts: 170
On a previous 5th wheel trailer I installed a gooseneck adapter, if that is what you are referring to. It worked fine for that trailer. If your tow vehicle only has a ball it would be an OK idea. It requires drilling holes in the 5th wheel plate to secure the adapter. I currently use a B&D hide a ball with a 5th wheel adapter. When not in use it can be removed and you have the full use of your bed.
strawbarry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2017, 01:06 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
strawbarry's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Rockwell, North Carolina
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5TA
Posts: 170
Likethis
http://www.turnoverball.com/uploads/...w-res.full.png
strawbarry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2017, 01:26 PM   #6
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: wrangell, Alaska
Trailer: 2015 escape 17b -sia-
Posts: 44
Quote:
Originally Posted by strawbarry View Post
On a previous 5th wheel trailer I installed a gooseneck adapter, if that is what you are referring to. It worked fine for that trailer. If your tow vehicle only has a ball it would be an OK idea. It requires drilling holes in the 5th wheel plate to secure the adapter. I currently use a B&D hide a ball with a 5th wheel adapter. When not in use it can be removed and you have the full use of your bed.
I have never towed a 5th wheel & admittedly don't know much
about them...but click on red escape logo on this forum-under
trailers clicl on owners manual...chtr 3 towing/leveling do's & don'ts read 4th entry...maybe others can advise if this applies
...fg
fgunderson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2017, 01:52 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Fun&Sun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21 (One Life...Live It)
Posts: 146
Welcome to the forum, can't help you with the goose neck question but if an Escape trailer is what yo want I would get it on order now. We ordered ours last summer and it is close to a years waiting time to purchase new.
Fun&Sun is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2017, 02:01 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
BCnomad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: O town, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 "Lightning"
Posts: 1,467
Hi Rich.


Reace and Tammy (owners of the company) use their short bed Ford to tow 5ers with. They might have options for you regarding gooseneck, although I don't believe they personally use that set up.
BCnomad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2017, 02:06 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
The combination of the B&W gooseneck hitch, combined with the Anderson Ultimate fifth wheel hitch has proven to be everything I hoped for. It has been great having a clean bed for hauling materials for work, and is light and quick to remove and install.
__________________
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
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2017, 02:17 PM   #10
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: wrangell, Alaska
Trailer: 2015 escape 17b -sia-
Posts: 44
Quote:
Originally Posted by fgunderson View Post
I have never towed a 5th wheel & admittedly don't know much
about them...but click on red escape logo on this forum-under
trailers clicl on owners manual...chtr 3 towing/leveling do's & don'ts read 4th entry...maybe others can advise if this applies
...fg
sorry for neglecting to add welcome to this site & happy new year...but this site tends to log me out fairly quickly-so limited time for entries...lots of good ideas & info here...we enjoy our 17b & recommend any escape product you might choose..."sia down the road"...fgunderson/Wrangell,alaska
fgunderson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2017, 04:08 PM   #11
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Marshfield, Massachusetts
Trailer: none yet
Posts: 7
Thanks for the all the replies and welcoming. I can see I will have much research to do. Fortunately I have two years until I retire and hit the road. If it takes a year to order and wait, I figure I have up to a year to spec one out. Thanks for the info. Rich
richardf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2017, 04:35 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
float5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
The big difference in waiting can be the dollar which is so far in our favor. Even those who have orders for this year have to decide whether to pay now or later. Could get better but it is amazingly good at this moment. No telling at all two years from now.
__________________
Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
float5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2017, 05:32 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Greg A's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19 "Seventy Degrees"
Posts: 3,495
Quote:
Originally Posted by float5 View Post
The big difference in waiting can be the dollar which is so far in our favor. Even those who have orders for this year have to decide whether to pay now or later. Could get better but it is amazingly good at this moment. No telling at all two years from now.
We're not retiring for four years yet, but we didn't want to gamble on getting 30% off 5 years later, so we did exactly that, ordered our retirement trailer early. Pretty nice to have it now for the weekend trips and get it outfitted for the road eventually.
Greg A is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2017, 06:04 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by richardf View Post
I currently have a 2015 Ford F150 with Eco-Boost, and Tow Package.
...
Also my bed is 5 1/2'.
That's a popular choice for Escape owners. Although for the fifth-wheel the longer box is desirable, there are certainly people using the 5.5' box, include Reace and Tammy (the owners of Escape Trailer Industries). There are quite a few discussions in this forum of how to configure a hitch to make this workable.

Quote:
Originally Posted by richardf View Post
I would like to use a goose-neck hitch, and was wondering if anyone has this type of hitch?
I assume that you mean a ball at bed floor level, and an adapter on the trailer to reach down to that ball including matching coupler (such as Andersen's Ranch Hitch). I don't think any Escape owner has done this; the closest would be Seef, who used an equivalent European hitch system. Seef has the earlier 5.0 model (not the current 5.0TA), and found that the trailer's frame flexed too much with the long lever arm of the extended adapter. It might work with the 5.0TA (which has a different frame), but a better solution is likely the Andersen Ultimate 5th Wheel Solution which is used by several EscapeForum members - as Jim Bennett mentioned.

Again, this is a popular discussion topic here - I suggest a search of EscapeForum.org for "Andersen Ultimate"

Quote:
Originally Posted by strawbarry View Post
On a previous 5th wheel trailer I installed a gooseneck adapter, if that is what you are referring to. It worked fine for that trailer. If your tow vehicle only has a ball it would be an OK idea. It requires drilling holes in the 5th wheel plate to secure the adapter. I currently use a B&D hide a ball with a 5th wheel adapter. When not in use it can be removed and you have the full use of your bed.
That's a B&W... that same TurnoverBall used by some to anchor an Andersen Ultimate hitch, but used directly as the trailer hitch. Unlike the "gooseneck" adapter used by Barry, the coupler used with the Andersen Ultimate clamps onto the king pin with no drilling required.


Since any non-standard hitch would be an owner-installed modification after receiving the trailer, there's lots of time to think about the details and they don't need to be sorted out before ordering the trailer... as long as you're sure that your truck (or the truck you will have then) is suitable.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2017, 10:12 AM   #15
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Marshfield, Massachusetts
Trailer: none yet
Posts: 7
Hi Jim, I am thinking of having the same combo as yours. 2015 Ford F 150 short bed, and 5 TA. What is the clearance between trailer and rear window when close to 90 degree angle. Also was there any issue with the different metals of aluminum bed and steel couplings.I read that Ford put out a special installation article for this. Thanks, Rich.
richardf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2017, 12:13 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
Quote:
Originally Posted by richardf View Post
Hi Jim, I am thinking of having the same combo as yours. 2015 Ford F 150 short bed, and 5 TA. What is the clearance between trailer and rear window when close to 90 degree angle. Also was there any issue with the different metals of aluminum bed and steel couplings.I read that Ford put out a special installation article for this. Thanks, Rich.
I have the 6.5' bed and have only towed my temp 8' wide trailer, and clear by a few inches when turned 90 °. In 3 weeks I can give you the measurements with the 5.0TA.

B&W has addressed this and uses a membrane to separate the steel from the bed, plus there is a layer of paint too.
__________________
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
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2017, 02:27 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
C&G in FL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
Posts: 2,960
Quote:
Originally Posted by richardf View Post
Hi Jim, I am thinking of having the same combo as yours. 2015 Ford F 150 short bed, and 5 TA. What is the clearance between trailer and rear window when close to 90 degree angle. Also was there any issue with the different metals of aluminum bed and steel couplings.I read that Ford put out a special installation article for this. Thanks, Rich.
If you have a spray-in bed liner (factory, Line-X, Rhino Lining) then no membrane is needed on the bed, and only a membrane where there is contact on the underside is necessary. And as Jim stated, there is a layer of paint also.
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
C&G in FL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2017, 04:22 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
Quote:
Originally Posted by C&G in FL View Post
If you have a spray-in bed liner (factory, Line-X, Rhino Lining) then no membrane is needed on the bed, and only a membrane where there is contact on the underside is necessary. And as Jim stated, there is a layer of paint also.
The membrane goes on top of the gooseneck frame, right under the bed. I do have the Line-X liner inside. It does show marks of where the Andersen Line-X mounts.
__________________
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
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2017, 08:14 AM   #19
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Marshfield, Massachusetts
Trailer: none yet
Posts: 7
Goose neck hitch

Are there any advantages of the B&D hitch over a Draw Tite that you would know of. I visited my local trailer supply dealer and they were only familiar with that brand. I was on B&D's web site and they had an offset ball that was offset by 5". Was wondering if this could be used with the Anderson Ultimate Aluminum hitch which is offset by 4", which would be a total of 9" offset. Thanks, Rich.
richardf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2017, 08:24 AM   #20
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
Quote:
Originally Posted by richardf View Post
Are there any advantages of the B&D hitch over a Draw Tite that you would know of. I visited my local trailer supply dealer and they were only familiar with that brand. I was on B&D's web site and they had an offset ball that was offset by 5". Was wondering if this could be used with the Anderson Ultimate Aluminum hitch which is offset by 4", which would be a total of 9" offset. Thanks, Rich.
I have no idea on the Draw Tite hitch, but know the B&W was fairly easy to install, and had great instructions.

I have looked at that offset hitch, thinking to go the other way myself. It certainly looks beefy, and doubt there would be an issue with using it. The one I saw is a 4" offset, and my Andersen ultimate has a 5 1/2" offset. This would take it back to almost right over the axle, as the B&W is a good inch forward of the axle. Of course, I will make no decision until I actually try out the trailer. My only reason for considering this is to shorten my overall length a bit.

That said, I had no towing issues with my slightly heavier temp trailer and the standard setup with the Andersen being back from the axle.

https://www.etrailer.com/Balls/B-and-W/BWGNXA4685.html

__________________
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
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:37 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.