Fiberglass RV trailers

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   This weekend we came really close to purchasing a used Escape 5.0TA. For those unfamiliar, it is a small, fiberglass 20' fifth wheel of similar construction to a Casita or Scamp. These units are made in Canada. We decided to pass as the unit has been in an accident and the repair work had been done in an amateur fashion which made us wonder what else in the repair was done poorly. Plus we would need a 6' bed on the Frontier to pull it and ours was a 5'.
Has anyone had experience with fiberglass trailers in general? Any thoughts positive or negative? Also anyone with experience and opinions with fifth wheels?

The Escape 5.0 had some features we really liked and now the wheels (pun intended) are turning.

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gpokluda Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Location: NM Online Status: Offline Posts: 275	Post Options Post Reply Quote gpokluda Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Fiberglass RV trailers Posted: 14 Jul 2022 at 10:27am
	This weekend we came really close to purchasing a used Escape 5.0TA. For those unfamiliar, it is a small, fiberglass 20' fifth wheel of similar construction to a Casita or Scamp. These units are made in Canada. We decided to pass as the unit has been in an accident and the repair work had been done in an amateur fashion which made us wonder what else in the repair was done poorly. Plus we would need a 6' bed on the Frontier to pull it and ours was a 5'. Has anyone had experience with fiberglass trailers in general? Any thoughts positive or negative? Also anyone with experience and opinions with fifth wheels? The Escape 5.0 had some features we really liked and now the wheels (pun intended) are turning.
	Gpokluda 2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023) 2022 Escape 5.0TA 2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB Triumph T120

GlueGuy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2629	Post Options Post Reply Quote GlueGuy Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 15 Jul 2022 at 9:36am
	Most of the fiberglass TTs tend to be a little higher priced compared to the chassis-on-frame variety, but it's not universal. The fiberglass construction becomes an almost unibody kind of structure, so it can have advantages in that regard. Repair is a whole different animal, as you have seen, and needs someone who knows how to deal with the material. Fifth wheel trailers are great from a towing/maneuvering perspective, but the weight/balance is different. Where a towed TT needs ~~ 12% tongue weight, I believe that the general rule of thumb with a fifth wheel is ~~ 20% pin weight. So it can increase the load on the TV.
	bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Post Options Post Reply Quote offgrid Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 15 Jul 2022 at 1:15pm
	The major benefit of fiberglas trailers to me is that the body of the trailer won't be damaged by water leaks. If you read many of the posts here you'll see water damage is a constant issue, and rpods are far from unique in that. Thats not to say you can't get water intrusion in a fiberglas trailer. You can, through a window or other opening. That might damage the floor sheathing but it won't come in through seams that open up over time, and it wont destroy the value of the trailer as a whole. If I ever got another TT it would probably be a Casita or other fiberglas design.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold