New Escapee!

[Snadry]

Hello, all, we've been following the forum for months and just today put our money down on a 19, Jan. 27, 2015 production
We may attend the rally in Osoyoos and stay in a nearby hotel so we can meet everyone and see all the options.
Thanks to Ron and Sharon in Seguim for showing us their new 19.

Sandi and Dave

 

[Jim Bennett]

Congrats on your upcoming Escape, and welcome to the fold. Hope to see you in Osoyoos, always lots of fun.

 

[cpaharley2008]

Welcome, Sandy and Dave to our little Escape world. Now the fun begins and you start asking about what options you would like to have.

 

[Dave Whiting]

We get delivery of an Escape 19 on January 30, 2015. We too are going to the rally to check out options. Perhaps we will connect.
Dave and Maryanne Whiting

 

[MarksAlot]

Two words that will resonate in your mind day and night until completion are BUILD SHEET. The decision process is fun and you'll enjoy it.

 

[peter-ESC]

Just don't let your BUILD SHEET get mixed up with your BULL SHEET!! Cheers, Peter

 

[Snadry]

Thanks to all for the warm welcome and the humor.
It's looking like we won't make it to the rally but hope to meet all at a future rally or on the road.
Sandi

 

[Davoid]

Anyone towing an Escape 19 with VW Touareg V6 FSI?

Hi, Dave of Sandi and Dave here. Our 19' will be completed in Jan '15, and we will be towing with a 2012 VW Touareg V6 gas, towing capacity 7700lb and max tongue wt 616lb. VW is adamant that NO wt distribution hitch should be used. Anybody with such experience? I see someone is towing a 19' with an Audi Q5 (nice ride!). Not dissimilar to our VW which is on same platform as the Porsche Cayanne, but with a bit more towing capacity than the Q5. What sort of hitch do you use? Thanks for any info folks can contribute to Sandi and me.

Dave

Hello, all, we've been following the forum for months and just today put our money down on a 19, Jan. 27, 2015 production
We may attend the rally in Osoyoos and stay in a nearby hotel so we can meet everyone and see all the options.
Thanks to Ron and Sharon in Seguim for showing us their new 19.

Sandi and Dave

 

[gbaglo]

I haven't explored the WDH issue with VW Touareg. Over on FGRV there was a discussion about use of WDH with a 2005 Highlander. I found, in discussion with etrailer.com that there were no Class III hitches for that vehicle due to flexing. This was determined by the after market hitch makers, so their hitches were not rated for WDH on the 2005 Highlander.
However, the same builders did rate their Class III hitches for use on my 2008 RAV4 and on the 2014 Highlander ( those are the two I looked up ).
So, you not only need to consult your vehicle's manual, but the hitch manufacturer's specs.
My Toyota manual says a WDH is "not recommended", which is a far cry from " VW is adamant that NO wt distribution hitch should be used".
I suggest you look at the language used and check out hitches on etrailer.com.
And, then you have to make your own call.
I've been using a WDHitch on my RAV4 for 6 years. Just had a service at Toyota where they inspected the underside and reported no issues.
If I didn't get a better and more secure ride by using the WDH, I wouldn't have one.
With a max tongue weight of 616 lbs. I would think you might not get much benefit from one.

 

[gbaglo]

Looked up your vehicle at etrailer.com
Class III hitch offered is not for use with WDHitch.

Trailer Hitch for 2012 Volkswagen Touareg | etrailer.com

 

[Brian B-P]

I think the obvious hitch choice for a Touareg would be the one sold by VW and approved by them for use at the vehicle's rated capacity. This hitch was made by Westfalia, last I checked. Of course, an aftermarket hitch with similar construction and mounting could be a good alternative.

The Curt 13166 hitch looks generally similar in design to the Westfalia, although strangely its ratings are lower.

 

[Davoid]

Thanks, Brian, I think you're correct. Our Touareg came equipped with a Westfalia hitch with label stating max towing capacity 7700 lb, and max hitch weight 616 lb., and we bought a Westphalia ball/stinger for it. I'm not sure, but I question that a sway control (friction) would be needed, given the light weight of the Escape 19, the fact that the hitch is not far behind the rear axles, and the vehicle has a very sophisticated electronic stability control system. Sway control would require a different stinger with attachments for the control bar(s), I believe. Anyone else have knowledge to share on this issue? Thanks!

Dave

 

[Davoid]

Thanks, All. Say Jim Bennett, Sandi and I are interested in knowing what your towing experience is with your Escape 19 and Honda Pilot. What sort of hitch do you use? Weight distribution? Sway control needed? If so, what kind? Thanks!

Dave

 

[Brian B-P]

Our Touareg came equipped with a Westfalia hitch with label stating max towing capacity 7700 lb, and max hitch weight 616 lb., and we bought a Westphalia ball/stinger for it...
Sway control would require a different stinger with attachments for the control bar(s), I believe.

Yes, typical friction-type sway control devices mount to balls (1" diameter, I believe): one on the trailer frame and one on a "wing" on the ball mount. You normally get the sway control ball mounting location on weight-distribution system heads, and on some ball mounts intended for this use... but sometimes a tab for the sway control ball is just welded onto a normal ball mount. Some of the devices even come with the tab (e.g. UltraFab at eTrailer), and the tab is just a crude hunk of steel plate (e.g. tab at eTrailer).

European hitches use very specific mount-to-receiver systems, but North American hitches use the generic square box opening. I thought that the North American version of the VW Touareg hitch just uses our typical 2" box... so is there anything special about the Westfalia mount (stinger)?

 

[Davoid]

Yes, typical friction-type sway control devices mount to balls (1" diameter, I believe): one on the trailer frame and one on a "wing" on the ball mount. You normally get the sway control ball mounting location on weight-distribution system heads, and on some ball mounts intended for this use... but sometimes a tab for the sway control ball is just welded onto a normal ball mount. Some of the devices even come with the tab (e.g. UltraFab at eTrailer), and the tab is just a crude hunk of steel plate (e.g. tab at eTrailer).

European hitches use very specific mount-to-receiver systems, but North American hitches use the generic square box opening. I thought that the North American version of the VW Touareg hitch just uses our typical 2" box... so is there anything special about the Westfalia mount (stinger)?

Nothing special about the Westphalia stinger, except its drop, I guess. The receiver is NA standard, 2X2". Sounds like welding a tab on the Westphalia ball stinger may be the ticket for some sway control. Thanks, Brian!

Dave