Towing Capacity

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

Steve, by chance do you have a Maytag? Our Maytag washer is 30 years old and still going strong.

No !

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

Steve, by chance do you have a Maytag? Our Maytag washer is 30 years old and still going strong.

Yours was actually Maytag made by Maytag.
I have had Maytag built in Iowa... the best!

I recently bought Maytag made after the sellout.
I will not buy another Maytag anything...
No warranty, even though they claim "Ten Year Warranty" right on the front.
They have a price fixing policy which extends even to year end models and scratch & dent.
Customer service is now dismal as well.

[Cliff Hotchkiss]

Originally Posted by Dwainkitchens

I do not have a Travel Trailer yet, and I am going to be purchasing a new vehicle in the next few months. I was hoping to purchase a Crossover SUV, didn't really want to pay for larger SUV, but it appears the highest tow capacity on most SUV crossovers is around 3500 lbs. But even the smaller Escape's Travel Trailer's GVW is 4,000 lbs. Dry weight (Depending Plan A or is either 1720lbs or 2150lbs. I was thinking if I didn't fill it up with water, I could tow with a vehicle that had a tow capacity of 3500lbs. BUT, I guess when you add luggage etc, I would not be able to do this. I don't know how much luggage we would take, but this is disappointing because I don't really want to pay for a larger vehicle, but I want fiberglass and not sticky TT. Plus, I really wanted a FB TT that was 19-21 feet.

So, am I correct I can't pull with a 3500lbs tow capacity and will have to purchase larger SUV?

Thanks!
Dwain

When I decided on my 5.0 TA I knew I wanted a tow vehicle that would have no trouble towing it at its GVW. The light weight doesn't mean anything no one tows an empty trailer.

[Cathi]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

I think you meant to say other trailers may have options that are standard items on an Escape.

Actually, I said what I meant. It seemed that some thought the dry weight given for an Escape was low. I was giving a possible reason. Other trailers may have standard items that are in their dry weight and those items are not in the dry weight of an Escape because they are options.

[rbryan]

Originally Posted by Cathi

Actually, I said what I meant. It seemed that some thought the dry weight given for an Escape was low. I was giving a possible reason. Other trailers may have standard items that are in their dry weight and those items are not in the dry weight of an Escape because they are options.

Compare the Escape standard equipment lists against other fiberglass trailers. You'll find the Escapes come with a number of items that are standard but optional with other brands. The main exception I can think of is the AC on the Casita being optional on an Escape. That's not insignificant, weight wise. Not hard to figure out why the AC is optional though when you consider where each trailer is built.

EDIT: Another example someone pointed out to me - the furnace is optional on a Casita but standard on an Escape. Again, look at where they're made.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by floyd

But Jon... Escape claims that a 17ft plan A weighs only 1970 pounds!

Which is, as others have already pointed out and the OP seems to understand, a base dry weight, not a real-world towing weight.

The average loaded weight of an Escape 17B in the database is right at 3000 pounds, and tongue weight is in the 330-350 pound range (depending on whether you include the 500 pound outlier).

There are none in the database, but I'd expect a 17A to be 200-300 pounds lighter with around 300-325 pounds on the tongue.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Which is, as others have already pointed out and the OP seems to understand, a base dry weight, not a real-world towing weight.

The average loaded weight of an Escape 17B in the database is right at 3000 pounds, and tongue weight is in the 330-350 pound range (depending on whether you include the 500 pound outlier).

There are none in the database, but I'd expect a 17A to be 200-300 pounds lighter with around 300-325 pounds on the tongue.

I guess emoticons are ineffective!

[Bruce H]

Trying to figure out where to put the WDH on this. The tongue is hinged up and down so none of the trailer weight is on the hitch ball.

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by Civilguy

Escape Trailers has a nice summary write-up on their FAQ page at the very bottom of the list under the heading "What tow vehicle is needed to pull an Escape?". While this doesn't actually list suitable tow vehicles, it does provide what I think is a realistic summary of the total weight you may tow, including the effect of both added options and your cargo.

Looking at the posts here and the 'real world' weight spreadsheet, it appears that Escape is providing practical, perhaps even conservative, information regarding dry and loaded weights on their FAQ page. I've added a link below.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tow vehicle is needed to pull an Escape?

On average, most Escape customers carry about 800lbs – 1,000lbs of cargo with them when they travel and add about 200lbs – 300lbs of options to their Escape Travel Trailer.
Therefore, the

• 17′ Escape, Plan A with a dry weight of 1,970lbs will travel fully loaded at approximately 2,970lbs.
• 17′ Escape, Plan B (Bathroom) with a dry weight of 2,400lbs will travel fully loaded at approximately 3,400lbs.
• 19′ Escape, with a dry weight of 2,950lbs will travel fully loaded at approximately 4,100lbs.
• 21′ Escape, with a dry weight of 3,210lbs will travel fully loaded at approximately 4,510lbs.
• Escape 5.0TA with a dry weight of 3,885lbs will travel fully loaded at approximately 5,185lbs.

Reading this thread brought a question to mind; has anyone noticed other manufacturers providing this kind of guidance?

[Jon Vermilye]

Originally Posted by Civilguy

Looking at the posts here and the 'real world' weight spreadsheet, it appears that Escape is providing practical, perhaps even conservative, information regarding dry and loaded weights on their FAQ page. I've added a link below.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tow vehicle is needed to pull an Escape?

On average, most Escape customers carry about 800lbs – 1,000lbs of cargo with them when they travel and add about 200lbs – 300lbs of options to their Escape Travel Trailer.
Therefore, the

• 17′ Escape, Plan A with a dry weight of 1,970lbs will travel fully loaded at approximately 2,970lbs.
• 17′ Escape, Plan B (Bathroom) with a dry weight of 2,400lbs will travel fully loaded at approximately 3,400lbs.
• 19′ Escape, with a dry weight of 2,950lbs will travel fully loaded at approximately 4,100lbs.
• 21′ Escape, with a dry weight of 3,210lbs will travel fully loaded at approximately 4,510lbs.
• Escape 5.0TA with a dry weight of 3,885lbs will travel fully loaded at approximately 5,185lbs.

Reading this thread brought a question to mind; has anyone noticed other manufacturers providing this kind of guidance?

Pretty close (and on the conservative side) for the two Escapes I've owned.

My 17B loaded for a long (6-8 month) trip weighed between 3010 - 3100 lbs, with a tongue weight between 340 - 365 lbs. The lighter tongue weight was when towed with a RAV4 (V6 & tow package) with a WDH. 85,000 miles with the RAV4, 10,000 miles with a Tacoma Off Road.

My 21 loaded for a long (6-8 month) trip 4600 total weight, 450 tongue.

[rbryan]

Originally Posted by Civilguy

Reading this thread brought a question to mind; has anyone noticed other manufacturers providing this kind of guidance?

Not on your life.

It was very helpful as well. We planned on 4K lbs underway based on their guidance, and when I weighed the loaded trailer on our inaugural trip, it came in at 4010lbs. Not too shabby.

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by rbryan

It was very helpful as well. We planned on 4K lbs underway based on their guidance, and when I weighed the loaded trailer on our inaugural trip, it came in at 4010lbs. Not too shabby.

So, that brings up another question - just exactly what did that extra ten pounds consist of?

[rbryan]

Originally Posted by Civilguy

So, that brings up another question - just exactly what did that extra ten pounds consist of?

Probably food, Mike. I do like my food. :

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by rbryan

Probably food, Mike. I do like my food. :

Yeah, I have an unfortunate tendency to pack the extra weight from all those really great meals that I enjoyed last week. I'm up five pounds and the Holidays haven't even started yet!

[Cathi]

Originally Posted by rbryan

Compare the Escape standard equipment lists against other fiberglass trailers. You'll find the Escapes come with a number of items that are standard but optional with other brands. The main exception I can think of is the AC on the Casita being optional on an Escape. That's not insignificant, weight wise. Not hard to figure out why the AC is optional though when you consider where each trailer is built.

EDIT: Another example someone pointed out to me - the furnace is optional on a Casita but standard on an Escape. Again, look at where they're made.

People often compare Escapes and Olivers. My impression of partly why Olivers cost so much more is that they have a number of standard features (whether a buyer wants them or not) that Escape has as options. But have not looked that closely since I wanted an Escape for various reasons. Of course, that is a weight issue also.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Cathi

People often compare Escapes and Olivers. My impression of partly why Olivers cost so much more is that they have a number of standard features (whether a buyer wants them or not) that Escape has as options. But have not looked that closely since I wanted an Escape for various reasons. Of course, that is a weight issue also.

I couldn't help but remember this commercial.
I really would have preferred the Granada!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzIVJlOPwxQ

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by floyd

I couldn't help but remember this commercial.
I really would have preferred the Granada!

I like how they advertised that it "looked like" a Mercedes. I guess that was the best thing they could come up with at the ad department. "Let's sell a car that looks like a nice car". It's like saying "the cabinets in our trailer have a picture of wood glued to the pressboard, so they must be as good as solid oak". Hmmmm.

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by Cathi

People often compare Escapes and Olivers. My impression of partly why Olivers cost so much more is that they have a number of standard features (whether a buyer wants them or not) that Escape has as options. But have not looked that closely since I wanted an Escape for various reasons. Of course, that is a weight issue also.

My impression was that Escapes have a single hull design with OSB wooden floors coated with resin. Am I wrong?

Olivers have a double hull, with insulation between, and no wood in the floors at all. Olivers have an aluminum frame that can't rust, ducted heating, built in electric jacks, stainless steel hardware and aluminum wheels with LT tires. They also have all enclosed plumbing with nothing hanging down underneath to reduce ground clearance or easily freeze. And the batteries are located over the wheels instead of on the tongue for good weight distribution. The tongues are longer so you can open the truck tailgate while hooked up and turn sharp while backing without hitting the body. The list goes on and on.

Escapes are great too, but not the same design. There's more to it than being forced to buy unwanted accessories. If you don't want air conditioning in an Oliver, just delete it on the order sheet.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Raspy

My impression was that Escapes have a single hull design with OSB wooden floors coated with resin. Am I wrong?

Single hull, yes. Floor, no. That's Scamp. Escape's floor is plywood (marine grade, I believe), fully encapsulated in fiberglass above and below.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Raspy

I like how they advertised that it "looked like" a Mercedes. I guess that was the best thing they could come up with at the ad department. "Let's sell a car that looks like a nice car". It's like saying "the cabinets in our trailer have a picture of wood glued to the pressboard, so they must be as good as solid oak". Hmmmm.

I would have chosen one Granada, let alone four of them, over the one Mercedes, and the cabinets in our trailer are real oak.
Studebaker made the exact same mistake and failed to realize it before it was too late.
Ford doesn't compare itself to anyone anymore.