The 2022 Escapee Awards – Aftermarket Modifications

Edward Wilson – E19 – Category Favorite

Modifications to Eggscape

I have done many modifications to our trailer over the years including some with the aim of keeping your trailer…yours. This year is no exception with 7 modifications that I would like to highlight in keeping your trailer safe. My goal with each is to spike inspiration so you can build on each idea. As with my past ideas, I like to have a would-be thief encounter the unexpected. I am sure you can appreciate that some of the ideas require a bit of mystery as to exactly what I did. All these are explained in more detail along with other modifications this year and 80 others from years past in the following link:

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8/modifications-to-eggscape-12918.html#post248201

Steal Hitch Cover…post # 861

Yes, I could weld up something elaborate or buy something expensive off the shelf that a thief may have researched on how to defeat. Instead, I got an outdated scuba tank and cut off each end. One for the Escape hitch and the other for my car trailer. There is a latching mechanism way inside which is not going to allow it to released unless you know the secret. The more you pull on it the better it grips.

Propane Lock…post # 688

There are different ways to do this, but a simple hole in the cross bar with a lock through it makes it so the large wing nut does not rotate. There are a few people that have left their trailers in storage yards with nice new full tanks in the fall to come back to empty outdated ones on their first trip out. I also put my name on the tanks as I hope to keep them for as long as they are viable.

Electric Wheel Lock…post # 745

Simple and inexpensive in design. You place a hidden switch that when engaged diverts some of the charge power from the tow vehicle to the trailer brakes. When a thief plugs in the 7 pin cord and power flows to the battery…it also now applies the brakes. It even works when your batteries are out of the trailer.

Stub Cable Wheel lock…post # 752

Another way to have a thief lock the brakes electrically is to simply rewire your 7 pin cable by switching the charge wire with the brake wire. When you go to use your trailer you plug in an additional stubby cable that turns everything back to normal.

Removable 7 Pin Cable…post # 759

Why have the 7 pin cable there in the first place for a thief to have lights and brakes when taking your trailer at night. Put in another jack near the trailer and remove the extra. A removable cable will also keep it safe from the elements when not in use.

Rooftop Identification

When your trailer is stolen, what chance does your local police have to identify it from the air from the thousands of other trailers out there. Where we live there is a police helicopter allocated here and it just so happens I know a pilot that flys for a helicopter service in the area. Between him, his flying buddies and the police, there would be good chance they could pick it out parked behind a building or in a lot from the air with my roof top identifier. Hence X marks the Eggscape. Using tape, you too can add your own roof top identification.

Call 911…I am Stolen

Our trailer sits idle beside our house backed up to a fence for 6 months of the year…like our neighbours trailer that was stolen. There is no need for that 6 month winter period to have my license plate on it for the thief to use while towing my trailer away. Like draining the water out of the tank, I have also started this year to remove the license plate and replace it with my own custom one. It reads “Call 911…I am Stolen”.