3" Frame Recall on 15', 17' & 19' Escape Trailers

[Brian B-P]

Thanks Brian, email sent to ETI this morning. I agree the weld on the bracket looks like something I would probably be capable of. One thought of mine is to grind the bracket off the frame, add the doubler plate, then weld the bracket on top of the doubler. I would need an undrilled bracket since the holes will no longer line up. We will see what ETI says.

That would work, although the doubler may not extend far enough for the entire bracket to seat on the doubler. The stock bracket is just a bent piece of plate, so you don't need to get it from ETI; you could even make a better design by making two bends (for an inverted square "U", edge against the frame) instead of one...

 

[flynfrfun]

Got a reply from ETI stating this is only for the 19' models and my 17B is not affected by the recall. I think they may have their wires crossed. Emailed them a copy of Reace's post at the beginning of this thread and pics of my trailer's welded A-frame.

 

[Iowa Dave]

New Trailer

Glad to hear it worked out for you. Never hurts to have applicable experience to reassure a person. Do you know what you’re looking at? Well yes, yes I do. Best of luck in your new Escape adventure. I’d like to do some leaf peeping out in New England one of these years. We’ve got pretty good color in Iowa but not large expanses of timber like you’ve got out there.
Iowa Dave

 

[Higgy]

Moosehead Lake region is a place and Lily Bay Camp ground is real nice, Moosehead Lake is the largest lake in a single state east of the Mississippi, must be 30 miles by 15 miles wide and over 300 ft deep and from there you can travel some graded logging rounds that take you into true wilderness

 

[Brian B-P]

Got a reply from ETI stating this is only for the 19' models and my 17B is not affected by the recall. I think they may have their wires crossed. Emailed them a copy of Reace's post at the beginning of this thread and pics of my trailer's welded A-frame.

Whoever sent that reply is apparently thinking of the more recent 19' recall, not the general 3" frame recall. They probably didn't work for ETI when the first recall occurred, and ETI apparently still doesn't have a proper VIN-based recall management system. A proper system would assign a unique identification code to each recall, and would track to which trailers (by VIN) it applies and which trailers (by VIN) have been fixed.

 

[flynfrfun]

I agree Brian. However ETI responded that they eventually determined that the 15 and 17 were not at risk of this problem. I will include a copy of the email if they give me the OK to post it here.

 

[flynfrfun]

Escape gave me the OK to post their emails to me. Start at the bottom to follow the timeline.

Escape's final response:
Good Morning,

When this letter was sent out back in 2015 to be on the safe side, Reace include the 15’ and the 17’. It was later deemed to only be a potential problem for the 19’ trailers.
For that reason your trailer does not need the extra parts.

Regards,

Dave Warren, Parts and Service Manager

My response:

Hi Dave,
Can you please double check that this is only for the 19’? I have a post from Reace on the forum stating all trailers with the 3” frame that are welded at the A-frame to chassis rails joint are included in the recall. Below is his post. Also attached are pictures showing that my 17B has the welded A-frame. Thanks.

Escape's response:
Good Morning Josh,

Thank you for reaching out to Escape Trailers. You do not need the recall kit for your trailer as it only concerned the 19’ trailers with the 3” frame.

Have a good day.

Regards,

Dave Warren, Parts and Service Manager

My first email to Escape:
Hi, I have a 2010 17B with the 3" frame. I would like to know if it needs the frame recall doubler kit that ETI used to provide? I would like to send some pictures of my frame at this area so you can see what it looks like at this time. Thanks!

 

[DougG-ESC]

I know this is an old thread, but I just saw this video about another manufacturer, and how differently they dealt with a frame failure issue.

So happy we decided to go the escape route!

 

[Iowa Dave]

Personally, if I own something that hasn’t been recalled but that I feel needs an upgrade for whatever reason and it’s well out of warranty, I’m going to get it upgraded to my satisfaction. It’s true that I had over thirty years of experience with fleet management and a background in mechanical maintenance.

Our 19 had fish plates on the inner bend of the frame of both sides when we bought it used. Then came the recall and I received the kit with two additional fish plates and four bolts to be added as body connections.

I had the welding done locally. Someone asked me what kind of a shop I took the Escape to. I told them it was a farm machinery repair place. They questioned the competence. I told them if the man was chosen by farmers to weld on $350,000 combines he was good enough for me. He did a beautiful job.

Later that spring I took the trailer to Escape. Reace examined the job, he highly approved the repair One of the shop workmen installed the new bolts and Reace reimbursed me for the welding repair. He did not question my invoice or actually even look at it. Tammy and her crew inside recorded the completion of the work via our name and serial number.

I cannot speak to today’s operations at Escape as I’ve not had experience with the new management.

Escape also installed my solar panel heavier bracing at their shop and it held up well on the 19 too.

My advice is that I’d something makes you concerned and you’re not familiar with repair or modification, get a professional trusted opinion. Error on the side of “Hell for stout.”
Iowa Dave