New to us 15A and our first trip...

[dstreight]

So this our official introduction to Escape Forum. We love to explore and camp off the beaten path; some might say its the next 'beyond' after "boon docking". After several off-road trailers, including importing a new 2009 Kimberley Kamper from Australia 10+ years ago, I wanted a small hard sided trailer.

After considerable time researching we decided an Escape 15A would be the blank canvas for our needs. Last summer, while exploring remote Utah in our LandCruiser, I received an e-mail a 2014 15A came up for sale in south Texas. Despite limited cell service we were able to contact the owners and committed to purchase it.

Its an all electric model purchased new by the previous owners. Part 1 of our mods included installing a Dexter lift kit, larger heavier duty tires along with nicer looking aluminum wheels, a 5.5 gallon Isotherm 120v water heater, 6500w/400A LiFePO4 battery (Prismatic cells with balancers) in a new steel tongue box, Xantrex Freedom X 3000w sine wave inverter, new Fiamma F65S 10' awning, a new custom made mattress and a Bullfinch single handle exterior shower valve/system.

We finally got to pull it behind our '07 Chevy HD2500 for its maiden voyage a couple weeks ago apart of rolling from our home in Carson City Nevada to see my folks in Omaha Nebraska.

The first night's camp was at the end of 12-miles of gravel & dirt road/trail including several small river crossings that were deep enough to lap at the bottom belly of our Escape, to get at natural hot springs: Perfect break in!

Long story short: The little 15A is perfect for our needs and brought us much joy even with copious rain & wind while sleeping well protected inside our little nest.

Future mods will include removing the OEM refrigerator and installing drawers in its place (we have 12v refrigerator/freezers in both of our pull rigs; 1999 all custom Toyota LandCruiser for our more serious off-road forays and a 2007 Chevy Silverado HD2500 Classic truck for highway and mild off-road pulling duty), cabinet locks, a more robust dining table & support system(!), new Tern Overland awning style window & shade systems, tongue extension, multi-axis hitch and some solar to augment the Sterling B2B 1260 charging system and a few more things...

Methinks this forum needs a larger than old school 400kb file size limit

[rubicon327]

Welcome. I know your files are too large but would like to see some pictures please!

Years ago Ace Brown on the Expedition portal rigged out an Escape 17A for mild off road. Towed with a Toyota FJ Cruiser. You might appreciate some of the things he did.

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f3...tml#post181002

https://www.expeditionportal.com/for...iler-co.86362/

[dstreight]

I know Ace! Its been more than a few years now but we camped and explored a bit in Utah's San Rafael Swell area together.

I'll work on downsizing photos

[DavidGlen]

Welcome to the forum! We also have a 15A, and family in Sioux Falls, SD; Sioux City, IA; Des Moines, IA, etc... so similar stomping grounds. We camped at the base of Devil's Tower in June.

Our 15A is new to us, we have had it for about 5 weeks now. It is the perfect size for the two of us and our two Chihuahuas.

We have enhanced the storage with several IKEA additions, and frequently we use an induction hot-plate when we have shore power. I've attached a photo of our installation of two 22" long IKEA magnetic knife (and corkscrew) holders; cups, Command Hooks, and a flow-through sink cover. Everything stays on the magnets during travel.

It's fun to make the mods. I like your idea of converting the refrigerator to drawers, and will think about it.

Best to you,
David Anderson
Pittsburgh, PA

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by dstreight

I know Ace! Its been more than a few years now but we camped and explored a bit in Utah's San Rafael Swell area together.

I'll work on downsizing photos

As I was posting in the back of my head I wondered if you might know him. Thanks for posting the pics. Please show some of your mods if you have time.

[cpaharley2008]

David,
Where do you stow those items up and over the sink when traveling?

[brightday]

David,
I'm interested in the frame on which you placed the magnetic holder for knives - or does the holder include the frame?

[Lv4toys]

Welcome to the 15A club. It really is the prefect size trailer. We love ours.

[dstreight]

This is the 6500w/400Ah LiFePO4 battery (Prismatic cells I assembled) and Sterling BB1260 DC-2-DC charger during installation...

And a side shot of the new Fiamma F65S awning just after I installed it (removed the OEM Carefree awning).

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by dstreight

This is the 6500w/400Ah LiFePO4 battery (Prismatic cells I assembled) and Sterling BB1260 DC-2-DC charger during installation...

And a side shot of the new Fiamma F65S awning just after I installed it (removed the OEM Carefree awning).

Dan: Thanks for sharing. Do you have an approximate cost to assemble that lithium power bank? Also what was wrong with the Carefree awning besides the vertical arms to get caught on something when you are off road?

[dstreight]

^ The Carefree awning would not survive the typical washboard off-highway roads we typically roll down; very "loosy-goosy" and overly complex at side mounting arms particularly.

Sidebar: I installed a Fiamma F45 on my LandCruiser many years ago and its served us incredibly well and held up to somewhat extreme terrain and tens of thousands of miles of washboard. And the new F65S seems even better designed!

The LiFePO4 cells (along with the balancers and Sterling BB1260) were purchased from ElectricCarPartsCompany.com I have nothing but great things to say about purchasing and dealing with them since buying my first LiFePO4 drop in system in 2016.

The cells I bought from them: Fortune 3.2v 100Ah prismatic cells with bussbars @ $115 each (20 cells for my 5P4S 6500w/400Ah array) plus 4 balancers @ $24ea plus shipping.

I am using the Sterling BB1260 as input charger and voltage controller and a Xantrex Freedom X sine wave inverter as the low voltage cutoff. Otherwise you should utilize a BMS to serve for controlling input and output voltage/current and monitoring.

[Doug2000]

Originally Posted by dstreight

The first night's camp was at the end of 12-miles of gravel & dirt road/trail including several small river crossings that were deep enough to lap at the bottom belly of our Escape, to get at natural hot springs: Perfect break in!

You had water to the belly band Was your trailer flooded, didn’t it float sideways?

[MyronL]

"...The first night's camp was at the end of 12-miles of gravel & dirt road/trail including several small river crossings that were deep enough to lap at the bottom belly of our Escape, to get at natural hot springs: Perfect break in!..."

WoW, there's a washboard ripper! Welcome to the clan.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Doug2000

You had water to the belly band Was your trailer flooded, didn’t it float sideways?

He said bottom belly (underside), not belly band (centerline)!

[Doug2000]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

He said bottom belly (underside), not belly band (centerline)!

Omg, I’m 46 now, time for glasses!!!!!!

Oh, I did that, extreme rain storm, water over the frame with our 17B, Didn’t have any water inside though.

[dstreight]

Originally Posted by Doug2000

You had water to the belly band Was your trailer flooded, didn’t it float sideways?

Hah, no just the bottom/belly of the trailer got wet. Otherwise if the water lapped at the top/bottom seam band...we'd probably still be trying to fish it out somewhere downstream

[DavidGlen]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

David,
Where do you stow those items up and over the sink when traveling?

CPAharley, we have found that they stay in place during travel, even the knives and corkscrews on the magnets. Therefore, we don't take them down.

Best to you,

David Anderson
Pittsburgh, PA

[DavidGlen]

Originally Posted by brightday

David,
I'm interested in the frame on which you placed the magnetic holder for knives - or does the holder include the frame?

brightday,

I've attached a close-up photo of the frame. It's made like this:

2 - 1 x 1.5" boards, approximately 24 inches long
2 - "L" brackets to attach the boards to the underside of the cupboard
2 - 22" long magnets from IKEA, attached with screws to the boards (as shown at the top of the attached photo, with the magnet cover taken off)
1 - 22" long IKEA "Kungsfors" hanging rod
4 - hanging bins from IKEA, 79 cents each

We used a satin polyurethane on the boards. We used clear pine, but of course oak would better match the paneling.

Very simple to do with a handsaw and screwdriver. Have fun!

Best regards,

David Anderson
Pittsburgh, PA

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by DavidGlen

CPAharley, we have found that they stay in place during travel, even the knives and corkscrews on the magnets. Therefore, we don't take them down.

Best to you,

David Anderson
Pittsburgh, PA

You must not use the Pennsylvania turnpike while towing....

[StarvingHyena]

Originally Posted by dstreight

So this our official introduction to Escape Forum. We love to explore and camp off the beaten path; some might say its the next 'beyond' after "boon docking". After several off-road trailers, including importing a new 2009 Kimberley Kamper from Australia 10+ years ago, I wanted a small hard sided trailer.

After considerable time researching we decided an Escape 15A would be the blank canvas for our needs. Last summer, while exploring remote Utah in our LandCruiser, I received an e-mail a 2014 15A came up for sale in south Texas. Despite limited cell service we were able to contact the owners and committed to purchase it.

Its an all electric model purchased new by the previous owners. Part 1 of our mods included installing a Dexter lift kit, larger heavier duty tires along with nicer looking aluminum wheels, a 5.5 gallon Isotherm 120v water heater, 6500w/400A LiFePO4 battery (Prismatic cells with balancers) in a new steel tongue box, Xantrex Freedom X 3000w sine wave inverter, new Fiamma F65S 10' awning, a new custom made mattress and a Bullfinch single handle exterior shower valve/system.

We finally got to pull it behind our '07 Chevy HD2500 for its maiden voyage a couple weeks ago apart of rolling from our home in Carson City Nevada to see my folks in Omaha Nebraska.

The first night's camp was at the end of 12-miles of gravel & dirt road/trail including several small river crossings that were deep enough to lap at the bottom belly of our Escape, to get at natural hot springs: Perfect break in!

Long story short: The little 15A is perfect for our needs and brought us much joy even with copious rain & wind while sleeping well protected inside our little nest.

Future mods will include removing the OEM refrigerator and installing drawers in its place (we have 12v refrigerator/freezers in both of our pull rigs; 1999 all custom Toyota LandCruiser for our more serious off-road forays and a 2007 Chevy Silverado HD2500 Classic truck for highway and mild off-road pulling duty), cabinet locks, a more robust dining table & support system(!), new Tern Overland awning style window & shade systems, tongue extension, multi-axis hitch and some solar to augment the Sterling B2B 1260 charging system and a few more things...

Methinks this forum needs a larger than old school 400kb file size limit

Welcome to the "A" Listers group!

Tom