Upgrades to reduce wear on washboard roads.

[Wunfiddy]

I've read several pages here in this subforum, but haven't seen any titles leaning this direction.

We have a 2021 Escape 19.

What is the go to solution for keeping cupboard doors closed on washboard roads?
This is the minimum upgrade I want to do this year. I'm sure plenty of people have done something to this effect and I'd be interested in seeing some solutions.
The higher the cupboard, the lighter the items in it, so not every door needs the heaviest duty latching option.
The fridge has stayed firmly closed, so I just have to choose some different interior arrangements for items in that.
The stove/lid has come loose as well, but I think so thread lock on a bunch of the mounting screws should do the trick there, or maybe I'll take the glass cover off for extended travel or replace it with something else.

As a much longer term upgrade, has anyone replaced the torsion axles with something with increased dampening?

[cpaharley2008]

Go slower........

[IanC]

I use a window latch for cupboard doors. Works great.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Wunfiddy

As a much longer term upgrade, has anyone replaced the torsion axles with something with increased dampening?

No, I don't think anyone has changed the type of suspension on an Escape. Some people have changed out similar suspension in other brands of moulded fiberglass trailers to different types, but that's generally to leaf-spring beam axles, which are even worse unless you add shocks to them. I added shocks to my Boler's suspension, but it's a leaf-spring beam axle; I can't imagine downgrading from independent to beam axle just to make adding shocks easy.

The solution to the lack of damping is simply to add dampers (shock absorbers), but the Torflex arms are not designed to mount them, and no brand of rubber-sprung independent suspension that does accommodate shocks is available in North America. Airstream has used rubber-sprung independent suspensions (including Torflex) with shock absorbers for decades, and has had axle manufacturers add shock mounting tabs to the suspension arms during manufacturing to make this possible.

There have been aftermarket and custom shock additions, but it's not a trivial design and fabrication project, and the one company which offered to make an Escape kit was discouraged by the response in this forum to their query about interest.

There have been previous discussions of adding shock absorbers in this forum. It may be difficult to find them all, but a Google search of this site for "shock absorber" finds at least a few.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by Wunfiddy

...
What is the go to solution for keeping cupboard doors closed on washboard roads?
...

The original latching mechanism for doors and drawers on my 2015 was something called "double roller catch with spear". Since every trip on a washboard road resulted in one or more doors and/or drawers opening up, I added 2 additional catches & spears on each one. Now they mostly stay closed on the brutal washboard here in Colorado.

[Deva]

Originally Posted by IanC

I use a window latch for cupboard doors. Works great.

That’s a great idea. I used to have a dog that could open up the cabinet under the sink where I kept the garbage. I ended up using these because they are not visible. Not sure it they’d work in an escape, guess it depends on type of cabinet construction, but they definitely foiled my dog. Mine were screwed in because this was back in Old Testament times and before the advent of 3M tape products.

https://childsafetystore.com/product...3c3afe14&_ss=r

[Bayner]

For a couple of years I've meant to stick my head under an Airstream and see how they mount the shocks on the models that have them but have never gotten around to actually doing it.


Reducing tire pressures can make a big difference in the ride quality of any vehicle on rough ground. The lower the pressures however, the slower the speeds must be. There is a point of diminishing returns, I don't know what that would be for your trailer but you could experiment a bit and see if a lower PSI makes a difference. Very cheap modification to do as well.

[kavm]

Airstream has an off-road version for Basecamp - 16X and 20X. I have seen the Basecamp 20X. Looks quite slick. Starting from the tires, ground clearance, it looks well suited for off-road use. I don’t know about its suspension etc.

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by alanmalk

The original latching mechanism for doors and drawers on my 2015 was something called "double roller catch with spear". Since every trip on a washboard road resulted in one or more doors and/or drawers opening up, I added 2 additional catches & spears on each one. Now they mostly stay closed on the brutal washboard here in Colorado.

Another vote for roller catches, though we haven't been washboarding our trailer. I put a second set on ours when we brought it home. At about $1 each, you can always do something more expensive later on if this doesn't do the job.

I've also got a set of strong magnets which I bought for the Casita when I was going to make new cabinet doors, but I never installed them. They are about 1/2" diameter and are countersunk for a flat-head screw.

[ghosthunter]

We have child catch on single drawers or doors.

For doors in the galley opposite each other we use Velcro traps.

The refer door we have a adjustable strap side to side.

[CharlesinGA]

Originally Posted by Wunfiddy

As a much longer term upgrade, has anyone replaced the torsion axles with something with increased dampening?

Well, on my SOB (see my signature) I have leaf springs and shocks, and just last week, while replacing the bolts, bushings and shackles, I was pondering the possiblilty of installing Dexter Torsion axles.

The only thing better is the Cruise Master suspension made in Australia. I suppose you could mount it on a custom subframe and attach it to your trailer.

https://cruisemaster.com.au/suspensions/independent/



Charles

[CharlesinGA]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

The solution to the lack of damping is simply to add dampers (shock absorbers), but the Torflex arms are not designed to mount them, and no brand of rubber-sprung independent suspension that does accommodate shocks is available in North America. Airstream has used rubber-sprung independent suspensions (including Torflex) with shock absorbers for decades, and has had axle manufacturers add shock mounting tabs to the suspension arms during manufacturing to make this possible.

Pic of an Airstream shock mounting.




Charles

[Bayner]

Thanks Charles.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

Pic of an Airstream shock mounting...

Thanks Yes, that's exactly what I was referring to.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

The only thing better is the Cruise Master suspension made in Australia. I suppose you could mount it on a custom subframe and attach it to your trailer.

https://cruisemaster.com.au/suspensions/independent/

A trailing-arm suspension can also be fabricated from scratch (it's at a DIY level, for someone with fabrication and welding skills), using hub-bearing units used on light trucks, although those units are not compatible with electric drum brakes so automotive brakes need to be used. Cruise Master has them set up for electric drums, which is handy, presumably using weld-on trailer stub axles and conventional bearings, hub-drums, and brake assemblies.

That GT variant from Cruise Master is certainly refined from their earlier designs, and the shock mounting angle on the GT and ATX is better - the shock should be vertical or tilted forward at the top from the mounting point on the arm, not rearward like their old XT. The pivot base of the GT is also narrower than it could be, and wider is better.

The floor of the trailers that use these suspensions is pretty high. To use a similar design on an Escape it may be necessary to mount the shocks outboard of the frame (if there is room), depending on model and whether the higher ride height is used.

[rdteeler]

Washboard roads are the worse . We had same issue with our Casita from cabinets popping open the large rear window opening .rivets breaking. How we resolved the problem we added shock absorbers to the torsion axle. There is a company in Haslet Texas called little Home on the road . They make the kits for Casita. .. But I understand the Dad that started the company bought a new escape 21 foot . Heard he was going to develop parts for it as well . It’s worth trying . Give them a call are pull up there web site . Good luck .PS I don’t know why not all Manuel do not install them . But high end trailers such as Oliver , airstream, outdoor Rv. They have them from factory.

[hondasaurus]

Speed is you enemy on wash washboard. I travel a lot with my Escape on forest road. Slow and secure my door and drawer with a bungee cord. No problem

[Mike Lewis]

I stretch a bungee between the door handles on the far ends of the line of cabinets beneath the sink on my 21 when towing. I'm not sure about the cabinet layout of the 19, but something similar might work.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by hondasaurus

Speed is you enemy on wash washboard.

Depending on the washboard and the speed, it can actually smooth the ride.

[NW Cat Owner]

Knock wood, the only cabinet that's opened during transit is the wardrobe. Multiple times. I ended up putting a strap across it. Got some "metal footman loops" and Dirk put them on either side. Got the purple (of course!) strap and the black thingie it goes through (can never remember what it's called) from JoAnn's and sewed on some kitty themed crafting ribbon I had laying around. Saved my bacon, so to speak, as more than once I've pulled in and the door is open a smidge. But that's it!


I also did the same to the two flip-up counters (end of kitchen counter and extended cabinet above furnace). The two in the u-shaped dinette (table wasn't installed) are held in place with blankets and pillows. Trust me, those counters bounce around a lot while in transit. Now they don't!


FYI - custom ordered bar sink and faucet in black, Peel n' Stick (or similar brand) on wall (by me!), custom ordered counter top (might be a standard option now, but wasn't back then!) in Basalt (??), blue screw covers as the standard tan was boring as all get out, and custom built (by Dirk!) cover over the 2-burner stovetop (which I never use when I have hook-ups as I have a stand-alone electric cooktop)