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Old 10-04-2013, 01:43 PM   #1
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13 campsites in 13 days

Escape See Trials

We took possession of our trailer 19 September 2013, in Sumas, Washington.
Towing with 1996 Chevy Tahoe, 5.7L 4-wheel drive SUV.
13 campsites in 13 days. Total towing miles 2722.

Highlights: Took the Anacortes ferry over to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, then back into the US, begin tour along Washington State and Oregon State Pacific Coasts, down into California. Visit Olympic National Park, Hoh Rain Forest, Redwoods National Forest. Then turn southeast toward Sequoia National Park and continue south east into Arizona and on to home east of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
  • Best Tahoe gas mileage not towing a trailer was 22 mpg (twice)on 6 day drive up to Chilliwack, through Utah, Idaho, Montana, Washington.
  • Best gas mileage towing the Escape 19 was 16 mpg across Arizona-New Mexico. Worst towing mileage 11-12 mpg in the mountains.
Wisest move: staying in a Chilliwack motel the night before the 8 am orientation at the factory and, finding the factory location the night before.


Biggest surprise: on drive up to Chilliwack: encountered no available motel rooms in Utah and Washington 3 times, forcing us to drive later into the night to find one. Next biggest surprise was not getting a swivel wheel with the Escape tongue jack.

Most expensive mistake: taking ferry to Vancouver Island and back. Rain and unfamiliarity made it a not cost-effective move. Two ferry rides, total cost $293.95. Victoria was wonderful.

Most needed accessory: a long, flexible funnel for manually filling the water holding tank from a jug.

Worst road incident: after crossing into Arizona on I-40. In California highways are very clearly posted with signs warning that all trailer towing must be at no more than 55 miles per hour. I was 5 miles into Arizona doing 55 in the granny lane when a pick-up towing off-road trikes on a flat bed pulled up fast and extra close beside me. He then proceeded to pass, but simultaneously cutting into my lane. All his passenger side wheels were at least 2 feet over the line, forcing me to brake. The Arizona speed limit there is 75 mph. It was a clear message from a jackass.

No mechanical issues, trailer towed beautifully, never stressed through wide variety of road conditions.
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Old 10-04-2013, 02:53 PM   #2
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Sorry if this sounds dumb -- what is a swivel wheel?
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Old 10-04-2013, 02:57 PM   #3
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It's a wheel that fits on the jack post so you can turn the trailer by hand. I don't know why it's called a swivel wheel, since mine has never swiveled, even though it is supposed to.
It's a $35 option, as per option list.
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Old 10-04-2013, 03:06 PM   #4
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Wow, that was quite a trip you had.

Ferries to Vancouver Island with a trailer do get quite expensive. Once on the Island there are lots of great places to go and sights to see. Of course good weather helps to make it all more pleasant. Rain seldom makes for a great day.

I am sure you will have many future great experiences with your new Escape 19'.

We quickly discovered the need for a funnel like you did. Don't use it often but sure is nice to have one on hand when needed.

I am with you on the I-40 incident - jackass. Your experience with vehicles cutting into your lane quickly after passing seems to be a more common occurance all the time. I get so frustrated when that happens especially those times when there is no need for them to cut back in so quickly. Reinforces the need to drive defensively to account for the misgivings of others on the road! I find the best thing to do is what you did, break, then let them get far ahead of you. No sense letting bad driving habits of others make my day go bad.
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Old 10-04-2013, 03:20 PM   #5
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Okay, I just looked at the option list and if it's there I'm not seeing it.
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Old 10-04-2013, 03:41 PM   #6
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Okay, I just looked at the option list and if it's there I'm not seeing it.
It's called Hitch Wheel, in the 17' options list. I didn't look at any other size trailers.
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Old 10-04-2013, 03:44 PM   #7
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I see it's not on the 19' option list. I suspect that is because it would be a real struggle to use with the tandem axle. To turn the 19' you're going to have the tires scrubbing sideways. On the single axle 17, the only friction would be the centre of the single wheels.
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Old 10-04-2013, 04:16 PM   #8
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I see it's not on the 19' option list. I suspect that is because it would be a real struggle to use with the tandem axle. To turn the 19' you're going to have the tires scrubbing sideways. On the single axle 17, the only friction would be the centre of the single wheels.
I have used mine on the 19 a few times. You do need smooth hard ground, and a fairly flat area, and the two of us can move it around. All we really ever have done is to spin it though.
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Old 10-04-2013, 04:36 PM   #9
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I agree, the wheel is about worthless on the double axle trailers, I use a jack foot
Amazon.com: Curt 28272 Jack Foot: Automotive

no need to carry around a 2x4
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Old 10-04-2013, 05:30 PM   #10
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The great value of a swiveling wheel on the tongue jack is when you have backed your tow vehicle up to just a couple-three inches off-target and need a no friction way to mate the package together. Much easier of course, if you have dropped the swiveling wheel down on a piece of plywood.
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Old 10-04-2013, 05:56 PM   #11
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I'd rather not run the risk of a wheel on a trailer that is unhooked from my tow moving in the wrong direction. I move the tow vehicle vs the unmanned trailer. In addition your trailer will also rock more with a front wheel as it is no longer a stable jacking point as it would be without a wheel. Even using one of those donuts for the jack wheel is not as stable as the foot pad.
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Old 10-04-2013, 06:27 PM   #12
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I have always had a swivel wheel on my trailers. They never rolled wrong even if the wheels were un-chocked on unlevel ground. Of course I always turned the wheel perpendicular to the slope and avoided spots over 15 degrees. Rocking the corners would certainly be an issue if the corners were not supported with auxillary corner jacks. I got mine at the junk yards.

My Escape had a wheeled tongue jack on it, right up until the moment Dennis removed it at the Sumas Shell station. Whoa, I exclaimed, with great surprise---What the heck are you doing?!! Dennis said that was the factory wheel.
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Old 10-04-2013, 08:08 PM   #13
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Hey now, JohnB....we'll be baack.
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Old 10-04-2013, 09:15 PM   #14
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Hey now, JohnB....we'll be baack.
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I have a seat with a view saved for you when you get baack!
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Old 10-05-2013, 12:00 AM   #15
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I have used mine on the 19 a few times. You do need smooth hard ground, and a fairly flat area, and the two of us can move it around. All we really ever have done is to spin it though.
If you do this again, you might try cranking the tongue down as far as possible; if the jack lets you get the tongue low enough, the trailing axle will be substantially unloaded. It may be easier to spin with the trailing axle tires sliding more easily, almost making the trailer a single axle.

Costs nothing to try...
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Old 10-05-2013, 08:05 AM   #16
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Some great ideas in this thread - thanks!
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Old 10-05-2013, 09:59 AM   #17
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Here is what I saw during the factory orientation. The swivel wheel for me is not for pushing the trailer around it's parking area, but for its speedy nudge factor. I'm a big fella but without the wheel no way I can nudge that straight jack pipe over when the cup isn't lined up with the ball and the pipe dug down into dirt. In Bellingham went to two stores carrying RV stuff. That big hardware store sold me a $35 swivel the wrong diameter, which I returned, and the other place had no clue.

Should also mention how surprised and pleased I was to see they added those neat vinyl skirts for protection from road crud. They served well on my recent see trials.
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Old 10-05-2013, 10:27 AM   #18
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I've used one of these for filling the water tank from 5 gal. jugs for 5 years and it works great. I cut off the short down turn on the end so it fits into the fill opening. There is just "flex" in the funnel that it will stay upright in the opening without being held by someone.

Offset Funnel - Intersource D10-235 - Oil Cans and Funnels - Camping World

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Old 10-05-2013, 12:36 PM   #19
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I use one of these for water with my EggCamper. Do you think this spout would would work with an Escape?
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Old 10-05-2013, 02:04 PM   #20
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I use one of these for water with my EggCamper. Do you think this spout would would work with an Escape?
It has for me, Ray. A bit of spillage, but not too bad at all.
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