Is my Ford Escape worthless for fullfilling my dream? :-(

[GaiaGoddess]

I've had this dream to live in an RV (travel trailer, specifically) for about 5 or 6 years now. I was drawn to the Ford Escape and was happy to learn they can tow up to 3500 pounds. I bought one last year. Step one complete!

Now i've run into a problem...people are telling me my Escape shouldn't tow that much, it's not safe. I heard horror stories about Escapes not being able to handle it. They recommend I stick to 2000 pounds or less, but what trailers weigh that little?! I want to live in this thing which means it needs to be self sustainable, with a full kitchen, bathroom, and at least a full size bed. All the trailers I found with that stuff are at least 3000 pounds. And then you have to figure the weight of the fluids and cargo, which would be a lot since i'd be living in it. I cannot live in a pop up camper or a teardrop camper.

Are there any decent trailers I can safely tow? Is my Escape worthless for what I wanted to do with it? I bought it specifically for this reason! By the way, it's a 2008 6-cylinder automatic transmission, front wheel drive. There is no towing package on it yet but I was planning on having one put on, IF I can even find a trailer I can tow! Any advice?

[challeno]

krobbe wrote:
If you believe Ford's published capacities, then with a 300LB hitch receiver capacity(Ford Escape Towing Guide pg2 and only 30sqft frontal limitation(2008 Ford Escape Owners Manual pg176, I could only go with a PopUp that weighs less than 2300Lbs. Most TT's have a frontal area around 60sqft. A 300Lb receiver hitch only supports a trailer of 300x7.7 = 2310Lbs.

If your reply was aimed toward my above reply , let me clear it up a bit ,,,,,,, I should of put a rolling eyes smilely :R at the end of the frontal area comment .,,,,, If you go back into the thread I expressed my feelings on that rule of towin'.

[Road_Ruler]

Bumpyroad wrote:

that would be possible but highly unlikely. but she could ask any escape dealer's what is all involved, but then she still would be limited to a pop up or something with 30 sq ft of frontal area.
bumpy

This Nissan has a 3.0L V6 engine with 50HP less than the GG's Escape. The trailer is within the frontal limits as per the Ford specs. The trailer weights 3,500lbs.

No problem.

[Bumpyroad]

Road Ruler wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
how much will she have to dump into it to make it with towing package vs. trading it off and getting a more capable vehicle. perhaps even another Escape with TP?
bumpy

With this level of vehicle the only difference "could be limited to" the addition of a class II hitch on the vehicle. One would have to research to see the exact differences.

that would be possible but highly unlikely. but she could ask any escape dealer's what is all involved, but then she still would be limited to a pop up or something with 30 sq ft of frontal area.
bumpy

[Road_Ruler]

Bumpyroad wrote:
how much will she have to dump into it to make it with towing package vs. trading it off and getting a more capable vehicle. perhaps even another Escape with TP?
bumpy

With this level of vehicle the only difference "could be limited to" the addition of a class II hitch on the vehicle. One would have to research to see the exact differences.

[krobbe]

If you believe Ford's published capacities, then with a 300LB hitch receiver capacity(Ford Escape Towing Guide pg2 and only 30sqft frontal limitation(2008 Ford Escape Owners Manual pg176, I could only go with a PopUp that weighs less than 2300Lbs. Most TT's have a frontal area around 60sqft. A 300Lb receiver hitch only supports a trailer of 300x7.7 = 2310Lbs.

[challeno]

Supercharged wrote:

GaiaGoddess wrote:
I've had this dream to live in an RV (travel trailer, specifically) for about 5 or 6 years now. I was drawn to the Ford Escape and was happy to learn they can tow up to 3500 pounds. I bought one last year. Step one complete!

Now i've run into a problem...people are telling me my Escape shouldn't tow that much, it's not safe. I heard horror stories about Escapes not being able to handle it. They recommend I stick to 2000 pounds or less, but what trailers weigh that little?! I want to live in this thing which means it needs to be self sustainable, with a full kitchen, bathroom, and at least a full size bed. All the trailers I found with that stuff are at least 3000 pounds. And then you have to figure the weight of the fluids and cargo, which would be a lot since i'd be living in it. I cannot live in a pop up camper or a teardrop camper.

Are there any decent trailers I can safely tow? Is my Escape worthless for what I wanted to do with it? I bought it specifically for this reason! By the way, it's a 2008 6-cylinder automatic transmission, front wheel drive. There is no towing package on it yet but I was planning on having one put on, IF I can even find a trailer I can tow! Any advice?

If you do not have a 1 ton dulley when you pull into a RV park people won't talk to you. I think you have all you need, you just have to keep looking for something that is lite weight to pull. Look and see if Trail Lite makes something that would work, if you need to, you could get a lower rear end put in you PV.

Your just wasting your breath Super C .

Don't think it's quiet that bad in parks But on some forums there's always a group of Dually lovers that think a Dually is Gods gift to towin' anything .

I'm still trying' to figure out how myself and Thousands and Thousands of others towed for years without the internet , GPS , cell phones , tablets and most of all RV Forums , how was it ever done ?????!!!!!!

BTW : You need to find her something that takes up no more " Frontal Area " than 6 X 5 ft. Or she will flip the little Escape .

[Bumpyroad]

TucsonJim wrote:
I just verified that the 2008 six cylinder Escape CAN tow up to 3500#. I'm not sure why folks are telling you 2000# when the Ford engineers designed it for more.

the Escape without towing package is only rated for 2000#. with TP it is rated for 3,500. that is why.
now I don't know what is included in that towing package but the value of that vehicle is $10-14,000 IIRC. how much will she have to dump into it to make it with towing package vs. trading it off and getting a more capable vehicle. perhaps even another Escape with TP?
bumpy

[Supercharged]

GaiaGoddess wrote:
I've had this dream to live in an RV (travel trailer, specifically) for about 5 or 6 years now. I was drawn to the Ford Escape and was happy to learn they can tow up to 3500 pounds. I bought one last year. Step one complete!

Now i've run into a problem...people are telling me my Escape shouldn't tow that much, it's not safe. I heard horror stories about Escapes not being able to handle it. They recommend I stick to 2000 pounds or less, but what trailers weigh that little?! I want to live in this thing which means it needs to be self sustainable, with a full kitchen, bathroom, and at least a full size bed. All the trailers I found with that stuff are at least 3000 pounds. And then you have to figure the weight of the fluids and cargo, which would be a lot since i'd be living in it. I cannot live in a pop up camper or a teardrop camper.

Are there any decent trailers I can safely tow? Is my Escape worthless for what I wanted to do with it? I bought it specifically for this reason! By the way, it's a 2008 6-cylinder automatic transmission, front wheel drive. There is no towing package on it yet but I was planning on having one put on, IF I can even find a trailer I can tow! Any advice?

If you do not have a 1 ton dulley when you pull into a RV park people won't talk to you. I think you have all you need, you just have to keep looking for something that is lite weight to pull. Look and see if Trail Lite makes something that would work, if you need to, you could get a lower rear end put in you PV.

[Bumpyroad]

Road Ruler wrote:

Lessmore wrote:
28 pages on whether a Ford Escape can tow a 3500 lb. trailer. That must establish a new record....for something. 🙂

Sad actually Les.... All this talk and hardly no discussion on what is required to set it up to make it right. Connection type and hardware, brake controllers, appropriate tire options etc.

Without a doubt the success or failure of GG's project has to to with set up IMHO.

but she is chasing "the impossible dream".
bumpy

[Road_Ruler]

Lessmore wrote:
28 pages on whether a Ford Escape can tow a 3500 lb. trailer. That must establish a new record....for something. 🙂

Sad actually Les.... All this talk and hardly no discussion on what is required to set it up to make it right. Connection type and hardware, brake controllers, appropriate tire options etc.

Without a doubt the success or failure of GG's project has to to with set up IMHO.

[Lessmore]

28 pages on whether a Ford Escape can tow a 3500 lb. trailer. That must establish a new record....for something. 🙂

[wnjj]

Clickable

3.0charlie wrote:
http://www.catscale.com/cat-scale-locator

[popupcamping]

anywho.....time to end this thread...Sounds like you have decided on a teardrop. When do you take delivery?

[Bumpyroad]

GaiaGoddess wrote:


Because 1) my manual says it tows 3500 pounds, 2) the official Ford towing guide said it towed 3500 pounds, 3) my friend who tows a camper told me i'd have no problem with my Escape, 4) many RV's that I was in at the RV show a few years ago had flyers on them saying they can be towed by Escapes SPECIFICALLY, not just SUV's or CUV's but ESCAPES, and 5) I saw pictures online of Escapes driving down the road with a trailer behind them. I didn't think after ALL THAT that any of it would be wrong. I had no reason to believe otherwise.

well 1 and 2 have some merit. 3 and 4 are worthless IMHO.
bumpy

[3_0charlie]

http://www.catscale.com/cat-scale-locator