How big is too big?

[unit13]

I am considering a 30' Agrosy. It's a 1979 & I wonder if that particular trailer had particular problems. Also I would be pulling it with a '09 F150. By the specs, the trailer's dry weight is less then 1/2 what the specs say my truck is rated to pull. Am I missing something? Also, would the 30' length limit the parks we could visit?

[Aage]

Howdy and welcome to Airforums.com, unit 13!

You have come to THE place on the 'net for Airstream / Argosy information.

I have seen it posted many times that in some State parks anything over 25' may be a problem. I have personally never stayed in one of those, but have overnighted in lots of commercial ones, and have never seen one of those that couldn't accommodate a 31-footer (ours).

Of course, I am sure that there may well be exceptions to what I just said, so stay tuned; lots of folks on here travel and camp!

ps: you have plenty of TV (Tow Vehicle) for that trailer. Just don't overload the truck's box by say, trying to carry a load full of rocks or several full-dresser Harleys in it.

[Wingeezer]

I agree with Aage.

When we bought our 2005 30 footer, I towed it home from Ohio with the GMC half ton that we owned at the time.

I'm sure it weighs a lot more than the Argosy - light weight I believe is 7300#.

The truck didn't seem to be straining at all, although we did experience a little sway - could have been I just didn't have the hitch set up correctly.


I decided to move up to a 3/4ton diesel just because we were due to trade trucks anyway, we do like to tour the south western US with some substantial elevations to cope with - and I was just so impressed with all the comments I read about the diesel.

My guess is that we would still have been ok with the half ton, I would just have had to be happy slowing down some on those long upgrades!

I suspect that had we kept the half ton, I still would have upgraded to the Hensley hitch due to the length of the trailer. Certainly I am veru happy with the Hensley on our present tow vehicle.

There is no doubt that you will be considerably restricted in many - but not all - state and provincial parks.

We previously had a 27' Award travel trailer and even that presented problems at times.

I would very much have liked to go no longer that 27' when buying the AS, since we do enjoy those parks, but we were obliged to go with the 30' to get the layout we wanted - and truth be told, we stay in commercial parks with full hookups far more often.

I do believe though that apart from eliminating sway, the Hensley allows you to back the trailer at a sharper angle than a conventional hitch so that helps some.

Brian

[SoCalStreamr]

Not gonna get that 30' into any of the state parks I go to in So Cal in my 19'.