Another new Escapee

[Poncho]

My wife and I have had a small fold down travel trailer for years and have been wanting to upgrade to a hard side trailer. We have been researching via the internet and otherwise for quite some time, and have made a down payment on an Escape 19. I have been following the forum as it is a wonderful information source. I appreciate everyone's willingness to share information. I've been wondering about a wheel on the tongue jack. This seems like it could help provide some wiggle room when hooking up, but it doesn't seem like most people buy this option. What are the pros and cons?

 

[burrab2002]

are you purchasing a tandem or single axle? I dont think it would help you much with a tandem.

 

[gbaglo]

I've got the wheel. I have used it to maneuver the trailer in my carport, on smooth concrete. On gravel it's a struggle, and then you have to chock it to keep it from shifting ( easy to move when you don't want to, hard when you do ).
But, it was only $35 when I got the trailer.
So how useful, depends if you plan on parking on concrete pads in RV resorts or if you boondock.

 

[azjack]

tongue wheel

We have large level concrete at home and when we had a single axle 17 and 18' trailers I could grab them and move them to the vehicle. With the 19' and now the 21' I don't even try, the camera does it for me or what's her name has to guide me or I guide her. I think I have an extra tongue wheel that I don't need.
Jack

 

[Donna D.]

Get better at hooking up? I consider hooking up adding to my exercise plan. You'd think after more than a decade I could nail it. Not so (sometimes), but it doesn't embarress me to pull forward, move back, pull forward, move back. That's just me. Wheel be damned. YMMV

 

[robinLL]

Lol! Donna D. You make me feel like everything is normal and will be alright!

 

[Glennrose]

are you purchasing a tandem or single axle? I dont think it would help you much with a tandem.

We have the wheel on our 19 (tandem). It is not particularly useful for moving the trailer any distance, but we are really happy we have it; it lets you nudge the trailer a bit when needed. Our "pad" is gravel, but it is easy to slip a piece of board under the wheel in the direction you want to go, then slide the trailer into place. The 19 pivots better on gravel than pavement using this method. Note: we do use a cable come-along to fine tune it into position - this wouldn't be possible without the wheel on the tongue jack.

 

[Jim Bennett]

I too have the wheel, and have used it very little, But when I have had to, it has been very handy. You do need a hard surface to make it work with the weight of the 19, or have at least two people to help with moving it.

 

[Poncho]

Thanks for all the responses. I have a boat/trailer combination that is as heavy as the Escape 19. I have a tongue wheel on this and although I really can't nudge this fore and aft, I can bump the tongue left or right an inch or so when hooking up to the TV. On numerous occasions this has avoided the move the TV shuffle. I also have a wheel on my fold down travel trailer. This can easily be moved by hand, but the wheel hangs too low and on occasion has been an obstacle. It has never hit hard enough to break anything, but it has concerned me.

 

[MyronL]

With a wheel you have the ability to nudge the trailer left or right when the ball is backed up for hitching but not right on target. Without the wheel the jack pipe is dug into ground, and no way you can nudge anything but the tow vehicle, like Donna sez.

I've always had one, but recently, after noting the wheel extends below the safety chains while towing, I removed my wheel, thinking if it should ever become unhitched while on the road the receiver cup might not nest in the safety chains. I keep it handy because the jury is still out for me on this.

 

[Poncho]

MyronL - Your picture mimics the wheel on my current fold down trailer. The wheel becomes a low point that can make contact depending on the rise and fall of the ground. On my fold down trailer the wheel is permanently fixed to the jack. Apparently on the Escape it can be removed.
Thanks for the picture.
Dave

 

[sturski]

So, you're the one that ordered the last 2014 Escape 19. ;D

Backup cameras are a wonderful thing.

 

[gbaglo]

I asked Reace why there was only one hole in the jack post for the wheel pin. He said that was to prevent people from keeping the wheel attached to the post. Or at least, to encourage them not to keep it attached.

 

[thoer]

I have a jack foot on ours and like it. It allows enough movement for small adjustments for hitting the ball on hookup, and doesn't stick down much below where the jack pipe ends.

 

[cpaharley2008]

There is always this….BAL 28100 Tongue Twister : Amazon.com : Automotive

 

[Poncho]

Ref - order date. Actually I did not order the last 2014 - 19'. We ordered back in October. I've just be a silent observer trying to figure everything out by deduction. Sorry about that!

 

[santacruzer]

Huh, my jack post has two holes. I use a pin to hold the wheel in place going up and down, and then use the pin on the hitch to lock it in place.

 

[gbaglo]

I have a newish side-winding jack, replacing the original top-wind. I'll have to check it to see how many holes in the post. Which says something about how often I use the wheel.
In any event, Reace said to remove the wheel for towing.

 

[santacruzer]

I only use the wheel for very short pushing and shoving around in the driveway. In storage, I use a wooden post under the hitch, with the jack (wheel on) cranked up just slightly in case the trailer comes off the post. The design of the wheel actually bothers me. It appears to be taking stress at an oblique angle ( the wheel axle is off center of the post center), and I'm a little concerned that over time, or with too much pressure, the jack post might bend.

I bought one of those flat shoes for the post, but the holes in the shoe didn't line up with holes in the post, and since I didn't want to drill any new ones in either, I returned it.

 

[DeadEyeDan]

The Force Luke, use the Force.