Retrofitting Electric Tongue Jack to Escape 19

[Parker]

I'm thinking of switching from our trusty old hand crank tongue jack to an electric one. What's being installed currently on the 19s? Any other recommendations? Any reason not to install one? I did find a helpful thread on where to connect in.

Thanks.

[rbryan4]

One of the best mods I ever did. How you power it might change slightly depending on the model. Some have an inline fuse and some don't. My Atwood did so I just wired it directly to the batteries. You can also tap in to the 12V+ terminal in the little junction box where your tow vehicle cord terminates. There is no negative wire because the screws that mount it to the tongue provide ground.

As for makes and models, look for one with an ACME screw/ball bearing drive which is generally more durable. There are lots to choose from. Some have a built in light which can come in handy. Most have a built in leveling bubble but to be honest I've found that sort of useless. I use the bubbles mounted on the trailer.

[Parker]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

One of the best mods I ever did. How you power it might change slightly depending on the model. Some have an inline fuse and some don't. My Atwood did so I just wired it directly to the batteries. You can also tap in to the 12V+ terminal in the little junction box where your tow vehicle cord terminates. There is no negative wire because the screws that mount it to the tongue provide ground.

As for makes and models, look for one with an ACME screw/ball bearing drive which is generally more durable. There are lots to choose from. Some have a built in light which can come in handy. Most have a built in leveling bubble but to be honest I've found that sort of useless. I use the bubbles mounted on the trailer.

Thanks for the encouragement. I don't mind the cranking, and I like simple, but with the Equalizer hitch and the need to raise and lower the tongue a couple of times every time I hook/unhook, I think it could make the job more enjoyable. I need to do a little research and see what length and travel is appropriate, although maybe that's fairly standard. And I can see where the squarish Acme thread would be more durable. My plan sitting here at home, where I can't see the Escape, is to connect it in the box for the seven-way, but I may go all the way to the fuse box. I'll wait to see which one I end up with.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Parker

I'm thinking of switching from our trusty old hand crank tongue jack to an electric one. What's being installed currently on the 19s? Any other recommendations? Any reason not to install one? I did find a helpful thread on where to connect in.

Thanks.

Escape currently uses this Lippert 285318 jack:
https://www.etrailer.com/Camper-Jack.../LC285318.html

Etrailer has good info on several jacks...including doing their own speed tests which is impossible data to find from manufacturers. I landed on the Bulldog for several reasons including low noise, decent speed and 8” drop leg. Have tested it but have not had a chance to install yet. Got it because we just installed the Equal-i-zer WDH.
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post400431

[Parker]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Escape currently uses this Lippert 285318 jack:
https://www.etrailer.com/Camper-Jack.../LC285318.html

Etrailer has good info on several jacks...including doing their own speed tests which is impossible data to find from manufacturers. I landed on the Bulldog for several reasons including low noise, decent speed and 8” drop leg. Have tested it but have not had a chance to install yet. Got it because we just installed the Equal-i-zer WDH.
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post400431

That's really helpful. I was wondering about the drop leg idea, but often there have been times when a little more height could have been very useful. We've had the equalizer hitch for about three years now, which has meant a lot of cranking when installing and removing the bars. I'd really appreciate hearing how it works out for you. I just winterized our 19 today, but the weather is still warm enough to do a little more work on it in hopes of sneaking off to Florida mid-winter.

[skyfree]

Originally Posted by Parker

I'm thinking of switching from our trusty old hand crank tongue jack to an electric one. What's being installed currently on the 19s? Any other recommendations? Any reason not to install one? I did find a helpful thread on where to connect in.

Thanks.

The only reason not to install one I can think of is that it hangs down a lot lower than most hand-crank jacks, so it's easy to catch it on something if you go through a dip with a sharp edge or encounter a large rock. I had to remove mine after hitting stuff twice on the same trip. My use case is a little more adventurous than most though regarding the terrain I tackle so this may not be an issue for you.

[mfschu]

Another option is to replace the crank handle on the existing manual jack with a 1/2" bolt, and then use a cordless drill with a 3/4" socket to raise and lower. The 3/4" socket and cordless drill also fits the stabilizers. We've been very happy with this modification. Partically free if you already have a cordless drill. Easy to complete in 1-2 hours. Faster to raise up & down compared to electric jack. No wiring. The most compact.

[Parker]

Originally Posted by mfschu

Another option is to replace the crank handle on the existing manual jack with a 1/2" bolt, and then use a cordless drill with a 3/4" socket to raise and lower. The 3/4" socket and cordless drill also fits the stabilizers. We've been very happy with this modification. Partically free if you already have a cordless drill. Easy to complete in 1-2 hours. Faster to raise up & down compared to electric jack. No wiring. The most compact.

Interesting idea. Several years ago I bought one of the sockets for using a cordless drill on the stabilizers and then decided I didn't want to bother with another piece of gear to take along, keep charged, etc. I think I'm still in that camp, but I do see that advantages of your setup.

[Parker]

Originally Posted by skyfree

The only reason not to install one I can think of is that it hangs down a lot lower than most hand-crank jacks, so it's easy to catch it on something if you go through a dip with a sharp edge or encounter a large rock. I had to remove mine after hitting stuff twice on the same trip. My use case is a little more adventurous than most though regarding the terrain I tackle so this may not be an issue for you.

I don't think that's an issue for most of our camping, but I appreciate you pointing it out. We're mostly camping in national parks (when we can get in) and relatively improved areas compared to what you're doing.

[Parker]

Thought I'd come back to say that I successfully (and easily) installed the Lippert electric tongue jack as supplied by ETI, connecting straight to the battery in the cargo box. I may regret not getting the Bulldog version as Rubicon327 suggested as this thing is really slow. I was concerned about some customer service complaints though, so I chose the Lippert. It will probably be fine, but compared to how fast I could spin the crank on the manual one, I'm wondering if it was worth the trouble. Time will tell I guess.