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Old 09-19-2017, 06:45 PM   #301
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Name: Robert
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19 "Past Tents" 2018 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB SuperCrew
Arkansas
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We use an Andersen hitch towing our Escape 19. It doesn't require you to be exactly lined up when hitching up. You can be as much as 10-15 degrees off with no issues.

We use the hook up - jack up - attach plate - jack down method. Reverse the process when unhooking, jacking up high so you can drop the plate first. Makes it easy and no need to adjust the threads on the chains.

As for the friction material around the ball pin, we've had zero issues since the hitch was installed in March of 2015.

Having said that, it's a WDH. No matter the type, you may need weight distribution, and you may not. Try towing without it first.
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Old 09-20-2017, 02:20 PM   #302
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Name: will
Trailer: 16' Scamp
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Originally Posted by Donna D. View Post
Oh poo, the floor in my 1988 16' Scamp is in perfect condition. All trailers require maintenance and it doesn't matter what the floor is made out of if maintenance is ignored. There's better reasons for buying a particular trailer, or not buying a particular brand, other than the floor.
Ditto for the floor in our '79 Scamp 16!
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Old 09-20-2017, 02:50 PM   #303
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Name: Diane
Trailer: 2015 Lil Snoozy
Delaware
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You've probably already checked on yours, but my first reaction on hearing that someone can't park a trailer in their driveway because of an HOA and instead will raise the height of their garage door is to wonder if that modification to the exterior of the house would be permitted in that HOA. When they start writing "appearance code" they can get fussy.
Already checked that and we can have a garage door anywhere between 7-9 feet. i didn't do an upgrade when I built so it's my bad!
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Old 09-20-2017, 05:25 PM   #304
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Name: Bob
Trailer: Parkliner 2014
Georgia
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Nine feet should work with most, but I suspect roof A/C can cause a problem. My 2014 Parkliner is shown as 8'9" on the website. It has A/C in a lower wall, but the new models are supposed to have roof A/C, and I don't think they're changing the cabin dimensions.
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Old 09-20-2017, 05:50 PM   #305
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Name: Diane
Trailer: 2015 Lil Snoozy
Delaware
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Originally Posted by FishingBob View Post
Nine feet should work with most, but I suspect roof A/C can cause a problem. My 2014 Parkliner is shown as 8'9" on the website. It has A/C in a lower wall, but the new models are supposed to have roof A/C, and I don't think they're changing the cabin dimensions.
I did speak with Parkliner recently and, you are correct. The AC will now be on the roof. Either way I look at it, I'd need to do some construction and the dollars keep adding up!!!! But....I do love the Parkliner and the new one would be 4 season but closer to Oliver prices. That's why the Alto is looking more and more like my choice.
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Old 09-20-2017, 06:56 PM   #306
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Name: bill
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
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9 foot high door rarely provides 9 feet of clearance. First, you have the hardware on the door itself. Secondly, you have the route of the door's track. Check closely, if you are counting on 9 feet of clearance out of a nine foot door.

You also have the routing of the door in the ceiling of the garage. Often there are clearance issues there, so the door track dips down a bit.

And our Escape 19, with roof air, needs more than 9 feet of clearance. I just went through this exercise, and had to buy a taller carport to gain enough clearance.
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Old 09-20-2017, 07:15 PM   #307
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Name: Diane
Trailer: 2015 Lil Snoozy
Delaware
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Originally Posted by thrifty bill View Post
9 foot high door rarely provides 9 feet of clearance. First, you have the hardware on the door itself. Secondly, you have the route of the door's track. Check closely, if you are counting on 9 feet of clearance out of a nine foot door.

You also have the routing of the door in the ceiling of the garage. Often there are clearance issues there, so the door track dips down a bit.

And our Escape 19, with roof air, needs more than 9 feet of clearance. I just went through this exercise, and had to buy a taller carport to gain enough clearance.
I am painfully undersized in the garage door department...only 7 ft. The garage ceiling is 15 feet! Go figure. I would have thought the builder would have sized the door to scale. But, nooooooo.
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Old 09-21-2017, 09:41 PM   #308
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Name: Mike
Trailer: 2012 Escape 19
Oklahoma
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My ideal solar setup would include a 60 to 100 watt panel on the roof and a portable panel of similar wattage. That way the battery may be getting charged while I'm driving, and I can set up the portable at the right angle and location while I'm camping. And I'd probably run one of those efficient 12V (danfoss-secop compressor) fridges.
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Old 09-22-2017, 08:43 AM   #309
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Name: Francois
Trailer: Bigfoot
British Columbia
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yep, that works, Mike....

my "real world" experience with what you describe confirms this....for me and my power usage anyways...

70W on the roof + 40W deployable + small, portable 150W inverter....double 6 volt batteries

because it can be angled perfectly to the sun, the 40 probably produces the same amount of power as the ones flat on the roof (40+30).....so I would think/suggest that having an equal amount on roof and deployable is a bit overdone/not needed for the deployable....but, hey, if you got the room and money...why not?.....panels are sure getting cheap these days

I started with just the 40 deployable...but I usually "travel" every day and I don't have power coming from my TV....so that's what drove me to add the ones on the roof...and those did a good job recharging my batteries by the time I got to where I was going....

the deployable does the job while parked in the shade....but beyond that I found that parked in the sun....AND putting the deployable out as well produced an amazing amount of power (batteries topped up by noon or soon after!!)......now I have started plugging in/recharging my electric bike with the excess power (through the 150W inverter) in the afternoon in those conditions and not moving that day.... Cheers, F
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Old 10-08-2017, 04:44 AM   #310
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Name: Michael
Trailer: Oliver Travel Trailer
Florida
Posts: 135
On 09-20-2017, 08:14 AM I posted “We put a deposit on a 2018 Sport 16 and will be taking delivery around November 1. After months of research and looking firsthand at many brands including the LGMax, T@B 320's, T@B400, Eggcamper, and the Armadillo, the final decision came down between the Oliver Elite 18.5 and this Airstream Sport 16. More to come later as we actually use it and can add something other than fantasy and hope.”

Surprise development!!! In my joy and need for sharing good news with my friend in the neighborhood, I was informed that I would not legally be allowed to park my Sport 16 in the driveway when not traveling. Seems it is a violation of a Melbourne city ordinance. Because of all the Florida native trees we had planted on our property there would be no way around this predicament. That bit of news changed everything so I quickly cancelled my order for the new Sport 16 as I was not ready to make such a drastic life change, if at all possible, that I was not prepared for. Considering we would have to move if we wanted a trailer as much as we thought we did I began to research again the differences between the remaining two trailers on our list. Because I had previously rejected the Sport 16 I decided to go back over the reasons why and all the posts I had read and saved regarding it. The last thing I wanted was to spend my valuable time returning again and again to the dealership to have my Airstream repaired or critical items replaced. The quality control issues became again a major problem for me and the disagreeable price of the Oliver Elite 18.5 became more justified. The fact that I would have to spend a great deal of time boon docking the Ollie appeared to be the better choice due to its more durable construction and ground clearance. Knowing the Ollie was first designed by serious hunters and fishermen desiring a more robust life of sport in Canada and Alaska made me believe again that the Ollie was the one. The fact that we would have to leave our home and basically start over insisted we have a trailer we could live with, and, in. As much as we preferred the comfort and design of the interior of the Airstream Sport 16 we came to believe it was more a cosmetic thing like lipstick, and the AS Sport 16 certainly had to be minimally constructed due to its price being $15,000 less than the Ollie, not to mention it being sold through dealerships who also need to make a profit. It became a scary proposition to own this Airstream and rely on its performance to keep us on the road.

I contacted Oliver again and had my quote updated to a 2018 model. My wife and I looked over everything and made the changes we felt were necessary on the Ollie to basically become full-time RV’rs, at least for the time being. We decided we would put our home up for sale this coming January and hope to close on it as near to the delivery date as possible. The Ollie we ordered is supposed to be ready sometime in late February or early March. In the meantime we are pursuing plans to build a climate-controlled storage garage and driveway on one of our vacant lots in Apalachicola. This would provide us a place to store our belongings safely and give us a place to park our rig when we required a needed break from the road or maybe take a trip by air somewhere. The construction quote has not come in as yet, but we are confident it will all work out. If not, I suppose we would have to temporarily put our stuff in a commercial storage facility until a better plan can be made. Regardless, it looks like we will become the nomads we have always felt we really are. Next summer we plan on traveling with our new Ollie up to our cabin in northern Michigan and finally selling this sacred and beloved sanctuary as the Ollie takes its place as our cabin on wheels.

The weather here on the east coast of Florida has become a hindrance. I had no idea my new trees would become such a problem of stewardship. It is disconcerting and defeating to have to keep staking up my babies due to two years of enormous amounts of rain and wildly erratic winds. It was a mistake to have created this latest sanctuary, and again we put too much money and time into it. But that is what we do and it is doubtful we will ever change. The buildings and infrastructure proposed for our lot in Apalachicola will most likely result in the same act of foolishness, but we hate cheap and refuse to partake in it, especially if we know beforehand the truth about the product. The Ollie should give us a reliable home to travel in for what remains of our lives. Adventure awaits, and we shall attempt again to charge the fire.
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Old 10-08-2017, 08:39 AM   #311
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Name: bob
Trailer: Was A-Liner now 13f Scamp
Missouri
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storage

Friend of mine did as you are thinking he built his storage rolled the trailer in and stayed in it right there. Sort of primitive but it worked for him as he was gone a lot with his rig!

There is always a way!

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Old 10-08-2017, 01:09 PM   #312
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Name: Mike
Trailer: 2012 Escape 19
Oklahoma
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Originally Posted by k0wtz View Post
Friend of mine did as you are thinking he built his storage rolled the trailer in and stayed in it right there. Sort of primitive but it worked for him as he was gone a lot with his rig!

There is always a way!

bob
Yes, a building can be equipped with hookups for water, electric and sewer. Hookups could be inside (max privacy), outside (better views), or both.

A person could have such a setup in more than one state, too. For example, one in FL and one (maybe just a spot with hookups, if no shed is needed) in MI. But that's for those who like to return to the same place over and over; you folks are probably feeling more nomadic than that. Plenty of potential 'free camping' spots around Huron NF.
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Old 10-08-2017, 02:42 PM   #313
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Name: Michael
Trailer: Oliver Travel Trailer
Florida
Posts: 135
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Magee View Post
Yes, a building can be equipped with hookups for water, electric and sewer. Hookups could be inside (max privacy), outside (better views), or both.

A person could have such a setup in more than one state, too. For example, one in FL and one (maybe just a spot with hookups, if no shed is needed) in MI. But that's for those who like to return to the same place over and over; you folks are probably feeling more nomadic than that. Plenty of potential 'free camping' spots around Huron NF.
Won't need sewer as we are installing a composting toilet in the Oliver. Electric and water hookups for sure. Driveway will be for Ollie and the storage/garage for our personal belongings as well as a den for a work desk, computer, printer, books, and a 42" TV if we need to watch something we believe we are missing. Trying to make life simple enough to make wiser decisions regarding where to eventually live, so no additional setups will be required in other states. We also added a small 1100 sf home on the plat plan for planning and zoning approval just in case.
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Old 11-18-2017, 02:51 PM   #314
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Name: Dwain
Trailer: Searching
Florida
Posts: 40
My wife and I have never done any RVing, a few years yet from retirement, but starting research. I love how the Oliver looks, and also Escape. But we have never been in any. Did you just find the smaller ones to cramped to move around?
Thanks for info.
Dwain
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Old 11-18-2017, 03:27 PM   #315
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Winnebago
Wisconsin
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Originally Posted by Dwainkitchens View Post
My wife and I have never done any RVing, a few years yet from retirement, but starting research. I love how the Oliver looks, and also Escape. But we have never been in any. Did you just find the smaller ones to cramped to move around?
Thanks for info.
Dwain


My wife and I are nearing retirement ourselves, and we prefer smaller over larger. Consider renting an RV and trying it out, before spending big bucks and wishing you’d made a different decision? Also, go on YOUTUBE and look for videos that show the pros and cons of big vs small. Be leary of the claims of salespeople and don’t make a hasty decision!
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Old 11-18-2017, 04:27 PM   #316
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Name: Michael
Trailer: Oliver Travel Trailer
Florida
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small vs large

Because my wife and I want to, for the most part, stay away from people we are opting for a more durable travel trailer made for off-roading, four seasons if need be, higher ground clearance, and only 18'-5" so we can get into smaller spaces the big rigs cannot. Oliver's quality is far above the rest of the crowd but unfortunately you have to pay for this excellence. Small is only good too if you and your wife enjoy each others company and allow each other the space needed to exist comfortably. My wife and I have been in close quarters now for over thirty-three years and we can be in the same space together while respecting the need for quiet. Some people cannot do this. We also love the outdoors and do not plan on sitting inside our small space watching TV, texting, checking our apps, or playing board games (though we do all the above as needed). Of course, after we take delivery of our trailer next March 6 there might come a time when I may need to revise the above statement. But I wouldn't bet on it.
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Old 11-18-2017, 05:23 PM   #317
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Name: bill
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
The Mountains of North Carolina
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dwainkitchens View Post
My wife and I have never done any RVing, a few years yet from retirement, but starting research. I love how the Oliver looks, and also Escape. But we have never been in any. Did you just find the smaller ones to cramped to move around?
Thanks for info.
Dwain

My two cents is focus on floor plan, where you plan to camp and for how long. Some people camp just a few days at a time and relatively close to home. Others go on long trips and travel thousands of miles. What works on a short weekend might be horrible on a long trip!

There is no perfect camper, they all have compromises! On my wife’s must list were a queen size bed, AC and a toilet. On my must list was something with a larger dinette (place to sit in bad weather. Our first FG trailer was a Casita 17 Liberty. (We’ve had stickies in the past). Didn’t work for us. So we sold it and bought a 19 foot Escape.

We don’t need four season and we don’t need off road capability. We do need something where we are comfortable for month long trips. Our last trip was over 8,000 miles in one month. Trip before that was 6,000 miles in four weeks.

If we were weekend warriors, a 13 foot Scamp would be just fine. But on longer trips, forget it, not for us. If I needed four season rating, I’d look at either Bigfoot or Oliver. We have an F150 with a 5.4 V8 so towing capacity is not a problem.

Molded FG trailers tend to be narrower than their stick built cousins, and trailer size is measured from the hitch to the bumper. So a 13 foot Scamp has a body that is about 10 feet long. Our 19 foot Escape has a body that is 16 feet long. Molded trailers get really small, really quick!

All this being said we met a couple that has been full timing for two years in a Trillium 1300, basically the size of a Scamp 13 with no bath and no air conditioning. They love it!
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Old 11-18-2017, 08:27 PM   #318
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Name: Lynn
Trailer: 2019 Escape 21C, NTU April 2022 (was 2013 Casita Spirit Deluxe 17)
Massachusetts
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Thrifty Bill said it well--we're all different.

I can take 'camping' in our 17' Casita Spirit for a few days/nights, even stepping over the old dog in the dark to get to the toilet up front, but I don't think it would do for months. I'd like more aisle room, and a non-crawl-over bed. Well, I'd like a separate office where I could read and write, too, but then I might as well stay home, where I've got that!

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