rookie questions - Escape as tow vehicle, and Scamp v Casita

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Azer

hi,
Thanks for these comments. I got a bit demoralized this morning when I went to a shop (helpful folks) to get the hitch, brake controller etc. When they learned I wanted to pull a 16' trailer with the Escape they said they could do the job but really didn't recommend towing so much with the Escape. I hope they just don't realize that the Scamp will be quite different from a regular trailer...
0. The weights check out, and several folks have said this combination is reasonable as long as I have reasonable expectations on speed etc. Thoughts?
1. I didn't get the factory tow package. I can now have a hitch put on. The cooler is confusing. I believe the tow package provides a larger (or additional) transmission cooler. The shop I was working with (who is very helpful) at first thought we should put an additional cooler on mine, but after looking under the hood said I the Escape already has a pretty high capacity cooler and so no point to add an additional one. Comments?
2. Do you have a recommendation for what grade of tires I should use? I currently have passenger grade and they said to upgrade to light truck (I think). Comments?
3. For Scamp 16 with the Escape, should I use a weight distribution hitch and/or sway bar?

thanks,
Azer

I have Michelin Hydroedge tires on 17" rims on my Escape.
They work well towing my 13 Scamp Deluxe. They have also upgraded the handling, comfort and traction of the Escape to another class level. I now have 45000 miles on them and it looks like they will easily make the 90,000mile warranty.

[Kip in Ga.]

Azar,
The folks were likely recommending that you go to Light truck tires because of the stiffer side wall as well as added weight capacity.
Flexing sidewalls can contribute to sway of the TV and can be passed along to the trailer, which in turn may begin to sway and pass that sway back to the TV.

Sway can multiply real fast. Also be sure your trailer tires have stiff sidewalls for the same reason.

WDHs are a controversy all their own. While they do help to lift the rear of the TV, they also cause a lot of stress on the frame of the TV as well as the tongue of the trailer. I suspect your Escape is a un-ibody design with no separate frame, as are most front wheel drive vehicles.
It won't take as much "Stress" as a vehicle with separate frame.
If the rear of the Escape "sags", I would personally look into beefing up the rear suspension, rather than using a WDH.

FWIW, a WDH came with our 03 Casita. I weighed all the components.
Total weight is 70 lbs. That is an additional 70 lbs to tow around. We don't use it.

But thats just my opinion. A lot of folks use WDHs with uni-body mini vans and "seem" to have no problems. But I have read of occasional problems with the TV or the trailer tongue from using a WDH..

Whatever you do, be sure to keep the trailer in good balance. At least 10% (more is better) of the total weight on the hitch. Moving weight to the rear of the trailer to lighten the hitch weight is inviting disaster.
Kip

[Terry G]

I've been towing a 17' Casita with a 2007 V6 Escape for the last three years and never had a bit of problems. This includes numerous trips into the mountains, trips with four or five passengers, and four adults taking the trailer to Big Bend National Park on the Mexican border and back (2200 miles total). There's even been a few times where I ended up taking the trailer down 4WD roads where I probably shouldn't haven't been. To me, that combination is just about perfectly matched.

I average about 17 or 18 mpg on flat lands and about 22 without the trailer. Obviously, heading up I-70 to the Eisenhower Tunnel with a full load is going to be somewhat less. The OP is welcome to PM me if he has questions.