1960 Safari

[augier]

Hi there folks, I was given this trailer by my father years ago now that he's a little older and won't be able to restore it for me like wanted too he decided to let me do it. I live in Ca. and the trailer is in Fl. I have been looking into getting the correct tow vehicle for the job but one thing came up that I have no idea about. Trailer brakes ? does my safari have them and if how the heck does it work ? any suggestions will help. Thank you all and Happy Holidays.....

[markdoane]

It should have electric brakes. The design has changed slightly over the years but the principle of operation is the same.

Electric brakes are just like drum brakes. Instead of a hydraulic cylinder to spread the brake linings, they use a magnet on a long lever arm, dragging across an armature, to accomplish the same spreading action.

If you have a brake controller in your tow vehicle it will operate 1960 vintage brakes. You will need to check the brake linings and the condition of the magnets, and assure that the wiring is intact.

Next, you will need to make sure the 7-pin connector between the trailer and the tow vehicle is wired correctly.

Finally, the brake controller will need to be adjusted for optimal operation with the brakes. Instructions will be available on-line for your controller.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

also, there is a good chance that the plug on the trailer is a round pin type and the one on your tow vehicle is a flat pin type. Easy to convert it.

Nice trailer though well worth the effort.

[easyride]

That looks like a lot of work,also having to tow it to Ca.,I woould sell it to some dummy down south!!! Now how much do you want ,and where is it at.LOL Nice trailer. Dave

[centennialman]

Congratulations! Nice looking trailer!

Be sure to check the tires out as well. You don't want any blow outs or other failures on the way.

You may want to consider checking out the axle before towing a distance that far as well. Go slow, take it easy and good luck with your new to you Airstream!

[cclarkego]

Hi there,
I am also pretty new to the Airstream world, earlier this year I went for a cup of coffee at Starbucks one day and came home with a 24 foot Tradewind that was for sale across the street. I was in the grey area load wise after talking to both the Ford and Airstream companies, with trying to tow it with my 1996 Ford Explorer, but decided to take a chance. Went to Bill's Trailer Hitch in Ventura, got a hitch, wired up and had load levelers installed, a brake controller in the car and they showed me how to do everything including how to hook up the emergency trailer brake.
I found a great place in Los Angeles that does renovations and repairs for the things I couldn't fix before the trip, C&G Trailer Service in Bellflower (800) 662-3790. They got my oven, frig and hot water heater working again, cabinets fixed and checked and greased the axles.
I took it from Ojai, CA up to Montana and back, sometimes only doing about 25 mph up the mountain canyons, but I made it there and back. Every time I stopped, the Airstream campers would come by to say hi and explain to me how everything worked, I was amazed. What a great group!
Plus the forums were a fountain of information on getting things fixed. Just today I received explicit instructions from HowieE which were comprehensible for a single woman with absolutely no experience, on how to remove my catalytic heater so I can send it back to the company for a rebuild.
The down side: Right after I came back from Montana and moved my trailer onto a friend's ranch with extremely steep hills getting in there, the transmission called it quits. My mechanic put it back together, but said, don't pull that trailer with it anymore. So now I have to look for a replacement vehicle.... At least it didn't quit while I was on the Montana trip!
Anyway, get a notebook, start making calls, check the forums, do a shortie test trial to get out the kinks, and yes, I would probably rent a truck to get it out here to save yourself the cost of a transmission repair. Hope that helps, I would like to pay it forward to all the people who helped me!

Good luck, be safe,

Carol