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Old 01-31-2023, 07:28 PM   #1
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Name: David
Trailer: Escape
Colorado
Posts: 1
How many miles on your trailer?

I did a little searching but came up blank. I wondered how many miles people have racked up on their trailers, what kind of running gear issues have been dealt with, and the service intervals followed generally.

Our new Escape is due in April, and we plan to run this trailer for 7-10 years. We are thoughtful with our things but will be dragging this trailer down many forest service roads that aren't typically "technical" but can get very washboarded and dusty. Living in far western Colorado, we will constantly be camping in the high country and deserts around our home and SE Utah. We also are planning to take on Alaska in the next several years.

We are meticulous with maintenance but will be subjecting the trailer to more than paved roads and campground loops, and we want to stay ahead of issues.
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Old 01-31-2023, 09:47 PM   #2
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Name: Dennis
Trailer: Scamp
Minnesota
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We've put around 20,000 miles on our Scamp since October of 2021.
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Old 01-31-2023, 09:55 PM   #3
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Name: Perry
Trailer: 2016 Bigfoot 25RQ
Lanesboro, Minnesota, between Whalan and Fountain
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We purchased our Escape 5.0 in October, 2018 and sold it in December 2022. Our truck keeps track of the pulled mileage (measures the miles the umbilical is hooked to the camper). I fully informed the new owners we only pulled the 5.0 44,000 miles. It was still like new and we added over $6,000 worth of improvements.

Enjoy,

Perry
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Old 02-01-2023, 12:25 AM   #4
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Name: John
Trailer: Escape 21, behind an '02 F250 7.3 diesel tug
Mid Left Coast
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Washboard dirt roads will rattle the heck out of the interior and anything packed. Separate dishes with dish towels. Be very cautious about what is in the fridge. Etc etc. Pack as light as you can. Carry canned food in tubs in the tow vehicle.
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Old 02-01-2023, 04:53 AM   #5
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Trailer: Trillium 2010
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Purchased new in 2010, my Trillium 1300 has a little over 87000 miles on it. I live on a dirt road, so every trip starts and ends 5 miles from pavement. I do bearing and brake service on a regular basis depending on use. I did find a couple of the body to frame bolts were loose, so a check them yearly. Trailer gets a coat of wax at the end of the season. As one would expect the body has lots of chips and dings. Anything that goes all the way through gets filled. I painted the frame once with Rust-Oleum primer and paint. It's due for some touch up. I expect the trailer to provide good service for many miles to come.
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Old 02-01-2023, 07:46 AM   #6
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Name: Jonathan
Trailer: ex-Casita, now Alto R series
Massachusetts
Posts: 239
bikezest,
Your question specified "running gear issues" and any accelerated failure rate caused by your expectation of more than typical camper travel on unpaved roads. Thank you for specifying that limitation.
I consider running gear in trailers to be ball hitch, frame, suspension, axle(s), wheel/tire, and brakes. Add exterior tail/brake lights and wiring if you wish. In essence just the stuff needed to run a trailer and does not include the camper nor any of its equipment and contents that may be sitting on that trailer frame.

Ground clearance: The clearance at the axle is going to be less of an issue than approach and depart angles. The Escape you mention has a torsion axle that is tucked up near the plane of the trailer frame. The swingarms project down only at the wheel hubs near the wheels Unlikely to drag an axle when both trailer tires are in ruts on high crowned trails. A leaf spring axle, with an axle beam running side to side at wheel center height will be more prone to snagging.
Further clearance can be obtained by selecting a high-lift option if that is available, as will larger diameter tires.
The issue will be tail dragging due to the long overhang from the tire point to the rear bumper. Any time the tow vehicle starts up a rise and the trailer is still on level, or the tow levels off while the trailer is still on a downslope, there is increased opportunity for the rear to drag. The trailer is not designed to be supported by the rear bumper and contact with the ground does the same upward load effect.
Are you intending to use a weight distribution hitch? If so choose the capacity carefully to closely match the load. Don't choose the 10k lb. set if a 5k lb. is available. Don't choose the 5k if there's a 3k available. A 10k set adjusted down to 200 lb lift (mimicing a 3k set at 2/3) when the trailer and tow-er are level will impart much more force on the trailer frame than would a 3k hitch set for 200 lb lift when the tow car starts uphill and the trailer is still horizontal. The level lift load is the same but the lift force increases much more quickly as the angle of attack difference increases due to the stiffer 10k set flexing less than the 3k set will.

Brakes and wheel drums will need more frequent disassembly and inspection due to a greater opportunity for dirt gravel and dust to get inside the mechanisms with more frequent off-pavement forays.

Propane lines, wiring, plumbing, entry step, and anything else underneath will also need more frequent and more thorough inspection than that needed by highway and interstate only users.

No, I don't know. I am simply projecting what my concerns would be were I to take ours more 'off-pavement' than to the side yard for winter storage.
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Old 02-01-2023, 09:33 AM   #7
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Name: Jon
Trailer: Escape 21C
New York
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For my 2011 Escape 17B (sold in 2017) 1090 nights in the trailer & 86,726.2 miles.

For my 2017 Escape 21C 978 nights in the trailer & 43,123.35 miles as of today.

Under 1% on washboard roads...
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Old 02-01-2023, 11:27 AM   #8
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Name: JD
Trailer: Scamp 16 Modified (BIGLY)
Florida
Posts: 2,445
We have put over 40,000 miles on FrankenScamp since the rebuild with a new axle etc.
Since it is a 1985 God only knows how many total miles!
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Old 02-01-2023, 01:49 PM   #9
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Name: Don
Trailer: 2015 Escape 17A
California
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We have a 2015 Escape 17, that we've put well over 20,000 mi. on. Most of our camping is in Forest Service CG's or BLM land that are reached by gravel or dirt roads. We drive slowly and carefully on these pathways, and have had little or no problems. On the main highways, we are typically at 62-70 mph. We do pack carefully, secure everything (heavy things esp.), and have a strap securing the frig. door, although the door has never come ajar. We don't have heavy stuff in the frig. door. (E.G. lots of full drink cans).


We expect to pass the trailer on to our next gen., so are figuring a 40 year life+.
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Old 02-01-2023, 06:02 PM   #10
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Name: John
Trailer: T@B
British Columbia
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It’s funny. We got the car to pull the trailer and they arrived a few weeks apart last spring. We now have 19000 ish kilometres on the car and 15200 was pulling the trailer. This year we’ll easily do that again. . Lots of trips planned this year.



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Old 02-02-2023, 08:23 AM   #11
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Trailer: 2022 Escape19 pulled by 2014 Dodge Ram Hemi Sport
Pennsylvania
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I had a T@b, before finding fiberglass.....
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Old 02-02-2023, 09:03 AM   #12
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Name: John
Trailer: T@B
British Columbia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
I had a T@b, before finding fiberglass.....
Yah I hear ya. We had our eyes on a few but just couldn’t find the flooplan we wanted in the length we wanted (we have a short driveway). This little combo has served us well and it’s an easy pull for the Tesla.

But Fiberglass is a great way to go. We really like the 21 foot Bigfoot and it’s built 15 kilometres from my house. Oh well. .
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Old 02-08-2023, 01:38 PM   #13
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Trailer: Casita17'Spirit Deluxe (aka: Tweaker's Casita)
Southwest Ohio
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Trip Log

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Vermilye View Post
For my 2011 Escape 17B (sold in 2017) 1090 nights in the trailer & 86,726.2 miles.

For my 2017 Escape 21C 978 nights in the trailer & 43,123.35 miles as of today....
And Jon just inspired me to upgrade the trip log that I posted to David's question on the Escape web site to include the number of trips and nights camping along with trailer mileage, tire mileage and bearing/lube maintenance.
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Old 02-08-2023, 03:06 PM   #14
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Scamp
California
Posts: 87
I can't say precisely how many miles we have pulled our 2015, 16' Deluxe Scamp. It has been 50000 and 60000 highway miles.
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Old 02-08-2023, 03:11 PM   #15
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Trailer: Casita Spirit Deluxe
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Greetings:
My wife and I have been fortunate and blessed to hit >90k miles on our Casita and still love it. 2002 Spirit deluxe. We have traveled to all 49 states, and all but a few Canadian Provinces. Covid put a hold on travel for a bit. Currently planning another trip to Labrador and Newfoundland. Would love to add the trans Labrador highway to our list.
Cheers, skol, be well and tally ho................>
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Old 02-08-2023, 09:36 PM   #16
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Name: Paul
Trailer: '04 Scamp 19D, TV:Tacoma 3.5L 4door, SB
Colorado
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The Translabrador highway is a great experience. I believe they finished paving it only a couple years ago. We did it in 2014, still gravel almost all the way. Make sure you have a canister and fill up at every gas station on that road, they are few and far between. That road was only completed in 2010, if I remember correctly. Manic-Cinq dam is a sight to see, 18% grade and big elevation change there - downshift either way.



We put 80k miles on our Scamp in ten years of ownership. No clue how many miles the previous two owners put on it. Maybe not many, it had nine years old tires in 2013. We are on a second set since then, axle was replaced a year and a half ago, on a special trip from Golden, CO to Backus, MN.
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Old 02-09-2023, 07:33 AM   #17
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Name: Jonathan
Trailer: ex-Casita, now Alto R series
Massachusetts
Posts: 239
Who counts: "One, two, three, FIVE!"
a) Supertramp, in their song Breakfast in America
b) Hydro-Quebec, in identifying the dams on the Manicouagan river
c) both of the above.

from my 2013 trip to Newfoundland
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Old 02-09-2023, 10:55 AM   #18
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Name: Paul
Trailer: '04 Scamp 19D, TV:Tacoma 3.5L 4door, SB
Colorado
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Funny

Ask "is there a manic 4 dam" and google says:
However, a miscalculation prevented the construction of the Manic-4 dam and powerhouse because engineers realized early on that it would encroach on the Manic-3 reservoir.
I am a retired engineer and I understand...
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Old 02-09-2023, 03:19 PM   #19
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Name: David
Trailer: Casita
New York
Posts: 20
Miles?

2005 Casita SD purchased new. 22,000 miles towed with 1998 Chevy Astro van, 46,000 miles towed with Chevy Trail Blazer.
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Old 02-11-2023, 10:44 AM   #20
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Name: Bill
Trailer: Lil Snoozy / Jeep Cherokee
Pennsylvania
Posts: 401
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We have almost 65K tow miles on our 2012 Lil' Snoozy. All miles towed by a 2001 Jeep Cherokee 4 liter in-line six cylinder, 5 spd purchased in Texas 2011 with 38K miles at time of purchase.
Cherokee is never used except when we are away from home with our Lil' Snoozy.
Our trailer sees a mix of all types of roads and terrain. Routine maintenance plus repairs for common failures as needed.
I always liken a trailer to bouncing your home down the road. Things will break or wear out.
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