New Airstream 5th-Wheel/Gooseneck Trailer

[rideair]

If Airstream won’t make a 5th Wheel/Gooseneck for its buyers, the buyers will make it for them!

I saw this setup at a Camping World in Winchester, VA on Tuesday. The Airstream was a front bedroom model with a Toyota truck pulling it with Virginia tags. The 5th Wheel/Gooseneck “appeared” to be custom made (no manufacturing tags present) of aluminum stock that was bolted to the Airstream “A” frame via two large grade 5-8 bolts on each side, The “Gooseneck” was made of steel bolted to the Aluminum framing with rubber pads between the two (dissimilar) metals. The trailer ball sat on a cross member piece with a 2 5/16 ball. Two power jacks on either side used for lifting/leveling.


Is there a Airstream 5th-Wheel in your future?

[purman]

now thats some cool engineering..

Did you get a chance to talk to the guy? or Gal..

[TinShack]

I agree that it's pretty cool engineering, but WHY do something like that? It blocks the view out the AS front window, takes up valuable space in the pickup bed, it can't be towed by anything other than an open bed pickup, makes the trailer length longer without adding useful space and oww, what a headbanger!

[Journalist]

Looks to me like it just adds a bunch of tongue weight to an already overloaded pickup. Take a look at the rear suspension squatting. I think I'll stick to pulling mine the way it was intended to be pulled.

[TWaugh]

I saw it in a yard near my home outside of Berkeley Springs, WV. I am sure its the same truck and gooseneck setup. I have been meaning to stop by and talk to the owner about the setup and invite them to join the WDCU.

[purman]

The point of a 5th wheel and gooseneck is to better distribute the weight of the trail and make for a better tow... so it can't a more tongue weight since it doesn't sit on the back of the truck but over the rear axle... I think the pic is misleading. look at the top right pic it isn't squatting that much...

[rickandsandi]

Now here is an example of a person with WAY too much time and money on their hands. Yes, cool piece of engineering but to what end? There is absolutly no gain in this setup. All he seems to have done is add a whole lotta weight to his rig getting less MPG and wasted some really great aluminum. Well, whatever!

[biggoofball]

Why do it? Because he can.

[Minnie's Mate]

Back about a year or so ago there was a similar set up on e-bay. The buy-it-now price was some ridiculous price like $48,000. I was made from a 1970's era Land Yacht. Didn't sell...big surprise.

This is a love it or hate concept.

[Journalist]

Originally Posted by purman

The point of a 5th wheel and gooseneck is to better distribute the weight of the trail and make for a better tow... so it can't a more tongue weight since it doesn't sit on the back of the truck but over the rear axle... I think the pic is misleading. look at the top right pic it isn't squatting that much...

I'm guessing that setup adds a few hundred pounds of weight, all on the tongue of the trailer. I think it sort of defeats the purpose of moving the hitch point up over the rear axle. Not to mention making it look like an Airstream that has been loaded onto a farm trailer. To each their own...

[wahoonc]

Having towed many different types of trailers over the years, it is hard to beat a fifth wheel rig for towing stability and convenience. I would not have done the conversion that way, but to each their own. My favorite (and I cannot find the picture) was done using 2 Airstreams to make the conversion. A small AS was used up on the tongue, I assume as the bedroom, and a larger AS was used on the main chassis. Definitely one of a kind!...plug ugly to boot.

Aaron

[Alumatube]

One of these showed up at the Branson fall rally last year. They actually live right up the road from us and we had no idea!



Susan

[jsprad]

I can say that the Airstream is the best pulled camper out there. My Airstream is the 5th camper I have pulled over the years. I started with a pop-up, then on to travel trailers. I can say without a doubt that the A/S is, by far, the best pulled trailer I have had. Based on what I have done, it pulls like a dream compared to the others. I even feel safer pulling it. Why someone would do this is probably, as someone has said, because they can. I really don;t see the point, but that's just me.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by purman

The point of a 5th wheel and gooseneck is to better distribute the weight of the trail and make for a better tow... so it can't a more tongue weight since it doesn't sit on the back of the truck but over the rear axle... I think the pic is misleading. look at the top right pic it isn't squatting that much...

It is parked in a dip in the pavement near a storm drain.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by rickandsandi

Now here is an example of a person with WAY too much time and money on their hands. Yes, cool piece of engineering but to what end? There is absolutly no gain in this setup. All he seems to have done is add a whole lotta weight to his rig getting less MPG and wasted some really great aluminum. Well, whatever!

He made it longer...but didn't gain any storage or living space.

[Foiled Again]

Isn't there a hitch called a "Pullrite" - that goes under the truck bed and essentially does the same thing? Moves the pivot point and the weight point to be over the rear axle of the truck? I think you lose the ability to stow a spare tire under the truck bed though.

Ack.

And Airstream DID make a BUTT-Ugly gooseneck for a few years.

Paula

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Isn't there a hitch called a "Pullrite" - that goes under the truck bed and essentially does the same thing? Moves the pivot point and the weight point to be over the rear axle of the truck? I think you lose the ability to stow a spare tire under the truck bed though.

Ack.

And Airstream DID make a BUTT-Ugly gooseneck for a few years.

Paula

Yes, there is PullRite, but they don't make hitches for our trucks any more. They pretty much stopped in 2008 or 2009. The last time I saw one was in the 90's on a 60's International Travel-All.
At some point Thor attempted to make Airstreams more "mainstream". The Purists balked. Some of the motorhomes and fifth wheels looked like SOBs...and then the Squarestream...

[Journalist]

Originally Posted by m.hony

At some point Thor attempted to make Airstreams more "mainstream". The Purists balked. Some of the motorhomes and fifth wheels looked like SOBs...and then the Squarestream...

The squarestream was more Airstream than ANY of the fiberglass skinned mohos. At least it WAS aluminum.

[xtian999]

I like the idea of getting the pivot point nearer to the tow vehicle's axle. Also would not mind addind a few more feet of flat space in front of trailer for a toy-hauler/patio. Anyone know who made this one?