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Old 04-16-2020, 06:59 AM   #1
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Advantage VS disadvantages to the high lift axle?

Any disadvantages to the high lift axle?


I debating on getting the high lift or not.
I do a lot of boon docking. But the way i understand it is that it does not increase ground clearance at all. I am told


The High Lift Axle will raise the trailer 2 ½” from the ground.
With the high lift axle installed the ground to step height will be 15”. The step to door way measurement is 8”.
With the high lift axle installed, the double step will measure as follows: Bottom step to ground 4 ½”, Bottom step to top step 7” and Top step to threshold 9”.



so the advantage to this axle is I would pick up 2 1/2" body clearance



I wonder if its needed. I thinking more jack pads more cranking. less stable


This is on a 19' I can see where a 21' would have a bigger advantage to this .
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Old 04-16-2020, 08:35 AM   #2
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My thoughts. On both my Escapes I have opted to go without the raised axle and have no issue at all with doing so. In fact, I am glad I made that choice now in hind sight.

Escape sees a lot of customers adding option after option, just in case. Some are relatively important to add at the time of build, but others like this option can be relatively easy to add later should a need develop.

A lot of folks get it as they feel that it might be handy at some time. There are a couple cases where it is, and that is most often at their homes for parking. Though by far most of my travel is on the open highway, I do venture off of it a fair bit. While there have been a couple spots I practiced caution going through, or even just found another route, I have never come close to needing the high lift.

Some owners with the 5.0TA think it would be necessary to help clear the high bed rails. Yes they are high as with my F-150, but I have no clearance issues at all.

Not that the extra 2 5/8" of height on the first step is really an issue for me, my wife did not really want that, and I definitely don't want to try to use a double step either.

You do put the body of the trailer a bit higher which will affect the drag on it while going down the highway. How much, I have no idea, but even just the littlest bit over many, many kilometres, it can make a difference.

Anyway, there really is not a lot of harm in adding it, but my thought is do you really need it?

Either way you are set to go make those memories, and hopefully in the nearer future we can again do so.
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Old 04-16-2020, 09:07 AM   #3
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Don't have the high lift but a benefit that isn't mentioned often would be the raising of the black/gray tank drain outlet. Depending on the attitude of the trailer the drain can be quite low to the ground. Maybe a non-issue if you are always at nice full hookup campgrounds with level sites. More of an issue if you are using dump stations at primitive campgrounds or dumping off to your own portable tank. Even with the lift if you camp enough you will eventually find yourself snaking the slinky. There may not be enough benefit to justify the option for some but just wanted to mention it.
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Old 04-16-2020, 10:35 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by rubicon327 View Post
Don't have the high lift but a benefit that isn't mentioned often would be the raising of the black/gray tank drain outlet. Depending on the attitude of the trailer the drain can be quite low to the ground. Maybe a non-issue if you are always at nice full hookup campgrounds with level sites. More of an issue if you are using dump stations at primitive campgrounds or dumping off to your own portable tank. Even with the lift if you camp enough you will eventually find yourself snaking the slinky. There may not be enough benefit to justify the option for some but just wanted to mention it.
Also, I have entered gas stations that had a dip on the street entrance that I cleared with the high lift but a friend without it, dragged their back bumper. Sometimes a little bit extra helps.
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Old 04-16-2020, 10:50 AM   #5
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Any disadvantages to the high lift axle?


I debating on getting the high lift or not.
I do a lot of boon docking. But the way i understand it is that it does not increase ground clearance at all. I am told

The axle will stay the same height off the ground as the spacers are added between the axle and the frame. The frame and everything else will be higher and depending on the off roading you do, you are likely to hit more trees overhead. However your approach and departure angles will be better. Say you have to go through a gully your rear and front jacks may clear the ground better.
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Old 04-16-2020, 11:00 AM   #6
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[QUOTE=Eggscape;331916]
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Originally Posted by NEWYORKHILLBILLY View Post
However your approach and departure angles will be better. Say you have to go through a gully your rear and front jacks may clear the ground better.

I have the high lift, but in my case it accomplishes nothing because the weight distribution hitch is the first to hit any obstruction.
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Old 04-16-2020, 11:37 AM   #7
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I have the standard axles on the 19' and a highlift on the 15'. Have not noticed any benefit of one over the other. That being said, I have not tried to get too extreme in the places I haul the trailer. Have probably taken the 19' through much more rough terrain than the 15'.
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Old 04-16-2020, 11:37 AM   #8
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We like the high axle lift on our 21 for the following reasons.

1. Higher clearance for the tongue and WDH area. Our previous trailer the WDH came too low and would not clear our sidewalk when going in or out of our driveway because we have to go over a big storm drain (and that is a big dip). Angling the trailer helped, but I ended up putting on a different hitch to pull it in and out and then changing hitches to the WDH afterwards. What a pain that was! Now, there's plenty of room and I don't worry about anything coming close to our WDH anymore. Now I hitch up once, and off we go.

2. Higher clearance for the back trailer area, especially when leaving our own home!! and gas stations that have a big dip. Even with our high axle now, I've seen it come pretty close at some gas stations and thought to myself how glad I am we have it.

3. Dumping. We think those extra inches really do help with drainage.

4. Spray Foam. The added height not only protects the trailer but helps protect our spray foam underneath, which adds a few inches below the trailer.

5.When backing into a site, I like the added trailer height for clearing those rail road ties that sometimes surround the parking pad. Makes it easier getting into a smaller site when you can push yourself back in farther and still keep your wheels on the parking pad.

We haven't done a lot of boon docking/off-roading with our new trailer, but if we did, that would probably be #6 for us.

The tiny extra cranks we do is far worth it to us. We need to exercise more anyways! -Bea
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Old 04-16-2020, 11:48 AM   #9
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5.When backing into a site, I like the added trailer height for clearing those rail road ties that sometimes surround the parking pad. Makes it easier getting into a smaller site when you can push yourself back in farther and still keep your wheels on the parking pad.


Another good reason. We have the high lift, and have been in a couple of sites where the rear end barely cleared the perimeter rocks.

Enjoy,

Perry
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Old 04-16-2020, 11:49 AM   #10
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We have it on our e19 and I’m glad we do. Didn’t have a chance to go off-roading yet but the axle lift does help with those dips when entering some gas stations, campgrounds and other parking lots or malls. Emptying the tanks is also easier compared to our old "unlifted" e15. We have the single step on our trailer and it’s all we need.
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Old 04-16-2020, 12:56 PM   #11
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[QUOTE=gbaglo;331920]
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I have the high lift, but in my case it accomplishes nothing because the weight distribution hitch is the first to hit any obstruction.
That is another very good point. I keep forgetting about that as I don’t use a wdh.
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Old 04-16-2020, 02:54 PM   #12
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hi-lift?

WE had it on our Casita 17 and ordered it on the newE-21..I liked it for clearance in some sloping camp sites and for raising that pesky black water outlet up a bit. We carried a small light plastic stool to use as a first step if necessary, but mostly used the stool to sit on and take off dirty shoes b4 entering the camper, etc. To each his own. Several times I was glad we had the lift bks the camp sites had a slope that made it impossible to drop the Casita sliding jacks. This should not be an issue w the Escape scissor jacks..IF we are ever able to travel to pick up the darn trailer.. You wil find some dump stations seem to be raised up very high compared to the level of the black outlet..we have even see some where we had to raise the trailer up on the orange leveling blocks at a DS Good grief.
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Old 04-16-2020, 06:20 PM   #13
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[QUOTE=gbaglo;331920]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eggscape View Post


I have the high lift, but in my case it accomplishes nothing because the weight distribution hitch is the first to hit any obstruction.



But with out the high lift the hitch would be 2 1/2" lower than is is now. correct?
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Old 04-16-2020, 06:33 PM   #14
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I have the high lift, but in my case it accomplishes nothing because the weight distribution hitch is the first to hit any obstruction.
It is helping you. That rack on the back would be much more prone to scrape on driveway skirts if you didn't have the lift.
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Old 04-16-2020, 07:21 PM   #15
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We like the high axle lift on our 21 for the following reasons.
I really am glad you like your choice, though I do find this is interesting, as with over 10 years experience with an Escape, most of it boondocking, I have yet to have one of those issues arise.

I did have a really steep drive to back into with the 19, and clearance was only a few inches upon entering.

With my under trailer mounting of my spare tire, which is a few inches closer to the ground than the frame, I did have a bit of a concern, but careful monitoring in some rough places showed it still cleared fine.

I did have an older stick built that had lots of length behind the axles that the bumper skidded a couple times on some big dips.
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Old 04-19-2020, 02:17 PM   #16
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does any one know the distance between center of wheels and back bumper on the 19 vs the 21?
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Old 04-19-2020, 06:46 PM   #17
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Have probably taken the 19' through much more rough terrain than the 15'.
Dave: Was this you? Forget where I found this pic.
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Old 04-19-2020, 07:23 PM   #18
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We like the high axle lift on our 21 for the following reasons.
...

5.When backing into a site, I like the added trailer height for clearing those rail road ties that sometimes surround the parking pad.
About those railroad ties-- I backed into my site at Pinnacles National Park in February and it had those railroad ties. The one in the back was turned sideways, so it was a bit taller than the others. After I unhitched and leveled the trailer I saw that the drain valve on the fresh water tank was behind the railroad tie, but protruded far enough down that it could not have cleared the tie when I backed up. The tank itself just cleared the tie, and the outlet for the plumbing was in front of the tie, also too low to clear it.

I was puzzled for a bit, then realized that when I backed in the trailer was in a slight "nose down" orientation, which raised the back end of the trailer just enough for the fresh water tank's drain valve to clear the railroad tie. When I unhitched and leveled the trailer its back end lowered to put the drain valve in an unsafe position. I put a short board in front of the trailer's left rear tire, hitched up again and pulled forward enough to get the drain valve in front of and away from the railroad tie.

I don't have the high axle option but safe clearance of the tanks and their plumbing would be a good reason to have it.
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Old 04-19-2020, 10:00 PM   #19
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About those railroad ties-- I backed into my site at Pinnacles National Park in February and it had those railroad ties. The one in the back was turned sideways, so it was a bit taller than the others. After I unhitched and leveled the trailer I saw that the drain valve on the fresh water tank was behind the railroad tie, but protruded far enough down that it could not have cleared the tie when I backed up. The tank itself just cleared the tie, and the outlet for the plumbing was in front of the tie, also too low to clear it.

I was puzzled for a bit, then realized that when I backed in the trailer was in a slight "nose down" orientation, which raised the back end of the trailer just enough for the fresh water tank's drain valve to clear the railroad tie. When I unhitched and leveled the trailer its back end lowered to put the drain valve in an unsafe position. I put a short board in front of the trailer's left rear tire, hitched up again and pulled forward enough to get the drain valve in front of and away from the railroad tie.

I don't have the high axle option but safe clearance of the tanks and their plumbing would be a good reason to have it.
Jim Bennet, I hear you...I think Escapes do ride a little higher than a lot of other trailers out there so a high axle may not be needed or even missed by some, as you point out. I personally, however, was just done with my crazy circus routine (with my previous trailers) of changing hitches out just to pull out or pull into my own driveway. I admit, with our new E21, ordering the high axle lift was actually, more therapeutic than anything else!

Mike Lewis, I know exactly what you mean!! We have a similar story and sounds like you were camping in our favorite spot at Pinnacles! So many beautiful cg's we go to like that have those annoying railroad ties or huge rocks (in the Sierras) near the parking pad. We're grateful for every extra inch now. (Hope you get to do a 'retake' on your big trip next year!) Cheers, -Bea
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Old 04-19-2020, 10:13 PM   #20
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hi lift+

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bea View Post
Jim Bennet, I hear you...I think Escapes do ride a little higher than a lot of other trailers out there so a high axle may not be needed or even missed by some, as you point out. I personally, however, was just done with my crazy circus routine (with my previous trailers) of changing hitches out just to pull out or pull into my own driveway. I admit, with our new E21, ordering the high axle lift was actually, more therapeutic than anything else!

Mike Lewis, I know exactly what you mean!! We have a similar story and sounds like you were camping in our favorite spot at Pinnacles! So many beautiful cg's we go to like that have those annoying railroad ties or huge rocks (in the Sierras) near the parking pad. We're grateful for every extra inch now. (Hope you get to do a 'retake' on your big trip next year!) Cheers, -Bea
We too have a steep U-shaped driveway w a bridge at the bottom of the U over our stream..and we had adequate clearance w our Casita + hi lift, so we figgered the "E" needed it too. ..plus we like the black drain pipe to be above the level of the dump station inlets and it seems like many times the DS inlets are too high. E simply carry a small plastic foot stool, for the infrequent times we need to 'reach' the lower step.
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