new member with '83 Excella

[burkie]

Hi.
I'm new to this forum, so, I'm not exactly sure where to post my question. Please direct me!
My wife and I recently sold our '51 Flying Cloud and bought her cousin's '83 Excella. It's 34' long, triple axle, and 'somewhere' along the line I saw 'something' that states it's 8000 lbs. Is this accurate? I saw one of similar length recently on E-bay and the seller claims that the owner's manual states it's weight at 6000 lbs.

Thanks.
Bob

[RichardT]

Welcome, this is the right place!

Your trailer if it is a 1983
weighs 5500 (center Bath) to 5800 (rear Bath) pounds dry
the tounge weight is 600 to 700 pounds
The figure you give is probably the maximum weight when fully loaded.
18.75" is the ball height

If it is a 1987 as it says in your profile then it weighs
7100 pounds with an 800 pound tounge weight
Same ball height

Originally Posted by Bobble

Hi.
I'm new to this forum, so, I'm not exactly sure where to post my question. Please direct me!
My wife and I recently sold our '51 Flying Cloud and bought her cousin's '83 Excella. It's 34' long, triple axle, and 'somewhere' along the line I saw 'something' that states it's 8000 lbs. Is this accurate? I saw one of similar length recently on E-bay and the seller claims that the owner's manual states it's weight at 6000 lbs.

Thanks.
Bob

[overlander64]

Greetings Bobble!

Welcome to the Foroums!

Originally Posted by Bobble

Hi.
I'm new to this forum, so, I'm not exactly sure where to post my question. Please direct me!
My wife and I recently sold our '51 Flying Cloud and bought her cousin's '83 Excella. It's 34' long, triple axle, and 'somewhere' along the line I saw 'something' that states it's 8000 lbs. Is this accurate? I saw one of similar length recently on E-bay and the seller claims that the owner's manual states it's weight at 6000 lbs.

Thanks.
Bob

You can obtain the factory information about empty (unladen) weight, hitch weight (unladen), and hitch height at:

http://www.airstream.com/airstream/p.../weights-1.pdf

The empty weight for your '83 Excella appears to be 5,500 pounds if it is a center bath or 5,800 pounds if it is a rear bath; hitch weight of 700 pounds for center bath or 600 pounds rear bath. My suspicion is that the gross vehicle weight rating is likely just under 8,000 pounds - - both the empty weight and GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) should be posted on a placquard on the front of the coach (often below the front window toward the streetside). The weights listed on the chart (linked above) for the 1983 Excellas are empty or unladen meaning that they do not include any options, nor fluids or personal possessions.

Good luck with your Excella!

Kevin

[burkie]

Thanks to both of you. That was very informative and puts me more at ease for when I have to go pick it up in Washington.

Bob

[Condoluminum]

Bobble-

Even at only 3 tons empty, the 34' trailer is going to be more comfy behind a substantial truck, as many threads here suggest trailer shouldn't exceed 75% of rated tow capacity of truck, to allow for loads in the truck like passengers and luggage, etc...

That said, assuming all brake controllers and settings are working, drive home to Lodi should be OK but for slow sections on I-5 in southern OR getting over mountains there.. Prior threads also emphasize checking wheels and tires carefully, and repacking bearings and having brakes checked before they're really needed...

Congratulations and good luck!!

John McG

[burkie]

Thanks, John.

My truck is a '99 Dodge 3/4 ton longbed turbo-diesel with a hitch rated at 10,000# max. I've never towed anything as substantial as this trailer we bought but I have confidence that the truck can handle it. Whether the wife and I can, is another matter.

Bob