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gpascual · 10-31-2018, 11:43 AM

I was all set to purchase a Sport 16RB...until my wife asked me with what I intended to tow it. Now that I have the TV, I can get the AS!

dsatwork · 10-31-2018, 11:51 AM

But ultimately, we wanted to take it with us when we travel now, so our SOB is up for sale and we bought a TV.

Msherw · 10-31-2018, 12:41 PM

Since we don't tow but a few times a year, our TV fits our lifestyle and daily driving - both powerful and thrifty on gas.

We went shopping for an airstream and chose the right size for us and for our TV. While we fantasized about moving up in AS size in a couple of years, we knew our TV would not be capable.

But, again, why have a big 5L + engine for daily non-tow just to pull a 25+ foot AS 4-5 times a year? No sense could be made of it. Our 22FB is comfortable and agile and serves as a great 'home away from home' house while on the road.

Our TV came first and we bought a compatible Airstream that handles superbly on the road and is 1K lbs below the TV rating. Plains, hills, deserts, mountains do NOT hamper our wandering.

kb0zke · 10-31-2018, 01:00 PM

We're kind of in that position now. We currently have a Foretravel MH and Lincoln MKT towed. Both are for sale, with one serious nibble on the coach. If he doesn't buy the car with the coach, we'll trade it in on a PU. Since the Airstreams we're looking at are all about 10,000 pounds GVWR, that's what we'll use to pick the truck.

Airhead59 · 10-31-2018, 01:32 PM

Bought our 2005 Safari 25 a couple of months before the TV. Neither the Prius nor the Outback were up to the challenge to bring her home. Changed the storage facility agreement from seller to me. A month later, a friend and I drove the 400 mi to pick her up with his F250 diesel. Another month after that I found the 2015 F150 Ecoboost. Perfect match!

TCB62 · 10-31-2018, 01:49 PM

I purchased my GMC Canyon diesel first . Our new International Serenity 23FB comes off the line November 12th. Can’t wait!

GOUSC · 10-31-2018, 02:52 PM

I fall in line with Uncle Bob. I had a tow vehicle that I used to tow my boat and then found that we liked the Globetrotter line. We put in an order for the 2018 Globetrotter thinking my current TV would be able to handle it. The more I researched the issue I came to the conclusion that towing 7,200 lbs was a little more complicated than towing 4,500.

I then decided on a 2018 GMC Sierra 2500HD. Sold the old TV and used that as seed money for the new TV. Got the truck in Feb, 2018 and the GT came if for delivery the end of April. For us, we have the perfect TT and TV and glad it all worked out.

yellowcake · 10-31-2018, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Overstreet

I met some people that bought an AS (Airstream trailer) when they didn't have a TV (tow vehicle) . That boggles my mind because I've had a truck of some kind since the 80s when I came back from overseas.

So my question is what came first the TV or the AS?

I had a car and knew I would need a TV, but didn’t know how much weight I would need to pull. I researched all kinds of options - Class A, Class B, AS, SOB). Once I decided on the AS and ordered it (2019 FC 28 R Twin) I had a few months to shop for a TV. I bought a 2016 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie, with a 5.7L V8 Hemi.

I had never driven a truck, nor towed a trailer (towed a 12’ boat a few times with my mom’s station wagon as a teenager), so it’s been a fun learning curve! 😜

VTSmitty · 10-31-2018, 10:16 PM

Chicken and egg... Had a Tacoma and were planning on a FC19, then got a 23FB and upped to a Tundra.

Bompagene · 11-01-2018, 07:42 PM

Got the AS first. We were lucky enough to be gifted a 1979 Souvriegn 31 RB in pristine condition (garaged most of it's life)! The AS was a couple of thousand miles from us and with limited time available to retrive it, borrowed a truck to bring it home.
That gave us time to find the TV.

Albireo · 11-01-2018, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GOUSC

I fall in line with Uncle Bob. I had a tow vehicle that I used to tow my boat and then found that we liked the Globetrotter line. We put in an order for the 2018 Globetrotter thinking my current TV would be able to handle it. The more I researched the issue I came to the conclusion that towing 7,200 lbs was a little more complicated than towing 4,500.

I then decided on a 2018 GMC Sierra 2500HD. Sold the old TV and used that as seed money for the new TV. Got the truck in Feb, 2018 and the GT came if for delivery the end of April. For us, we have the perfect TT and TV and glad it all worked out.

Your experience is basically exactly like ours right down to the boat. I had one year old F150 gasser and bought a Globetrotter in April 2018. By May 2018 I traded it for an F250 diesel. The trailer came in October 4th.

After speaking with friends and doing research I am very pleased I took the financial hit and made the switch. I just completed a 3 week trip across Canada and down the west coast to Arizona. Truck couldn't have been better! We too have the perfect TT and TV. The 150 could have done it but the 250 did half the work.

Freebird73 · 11-02-2018, 10:49 AM

It took me two years to tear down and rebuild my 1973. I didn't need a truck big enough to tow it until the trailer was useable.

J. Morgan · 11-02-2018, 06:57 PM

. I’ve always owned a truck since I was 17, I’ve owned 1/2 tons, 3/4 tons, and one tons, but I’ve always towed my Airstream with a half ton, and probably always will. I have no desire to own a dedicated tow vehicle, and 1/2 tons make the best daily drivers... so here I am, kicking arse with my 1/2 ton.

mythbuster88 · 11-18-2018, 09:14 PM

Fun truck first.
Drove all over America.
Then we got a dog and a very noisy bird which made it difficult to stay in hotels.
Then the trailer.

ROBERTSUNRUS · 11-18-2018, 10:45 PM

Hi, originally we were looking for the shortest motorhome with an island queen bed. After a few years of looking and not finding anything that we liked, we switched to looking for a trailer.

Once again it had to be the shortest one with an island queen bed. My wife pictured an Airstream being towed by a Lincoln Navigator. The search was on. Knowing the exact model and size of Airstream that we wanted, we searched for a nice low mileage used Navigator. I found and bought a three year old Lincoln with less than 17,000 miles on it with a Ford certified warranty.

Now to buy an Airstream; Dealers in Southern California either wouldn't deal or were absolutely rude to us. We ordered our 2005 Airstream Safari 25-B from a dealer in Eugene, Oregon.

After using the same tow vehicle, the same hitch, and towing the same trailer for over ten years we retired the Lincoln and bought a brand new 2014 F-150. We continue to use the same hitch to tow the same trailer. We were very satisfied with our original choices.

uncle_bob · 11-19-2018, 07:41 AM

Hi

I realize this is heresy on an AS forum, but ..... for some, the decision process may include 5th wheel's. Deciding on "truck first" is a bit tough in that case. People rarely go out and grab a F-350 dually without having a really strong need for one.

Bob

Gene · 11-21-2018, 03:21 PM

Yes, heresy is rampant on some days. We looked at 5th wheels when we decided to sell our Airstream, but they are hard to do with a short bed (ours is 6.5'), though adapters are available for lots of money. The adapter is a sliding unit in the truck bed that costs quite a bit more than a stationary one. I am unsure of how that affects stability compared to standard 5th wheel system.

The appeal of 5th wheels is that they have a lot more space without a lot of length. The bedroom usually is over the front and thus over the truck bed, so the living/cooking area behind is quite large. Some have a combination toy storage space and some bunk beds in the rear. I can see the appeal of 5th wheels, but the hitch weight is quite heavy for a 1/2 ton truck. I have a vague memory that Airstream briefly made a 5th wheel, maybe back in the '90's.

uncle_bob · 11-22-2018, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gene

Yes, heresy is rampant on some days. We looked at 5th wheels when we decided to sell our Airstream, but they are hard to do with a short bed (ours is 6.5'), though adapters are available for lots of money. The adapter is a sliding unit in the truck bed that costs quite a bit more than a stationary one. I am unsure of how that affects stability compared to standard 5th wheel system.

The appeal of 5th wheels is that they have a lot more space without a lot of length. The bedroom usually is over the front and thus over the truck bed, so the living/cooking area behind is quite large. Some have a combination toy storage space and some bunk beds in the rear. I can see the appeal of 5th wheels, but the hitch weight is quite heavy for a 1/2 ton truck. I have a vague memory that Airstream briefly made a 5th wheel, maybe back in the '90's.

Hi

If you "go big", a 5th wheel will put a *lot* of weight on the rear axle of the truck. In a lot of cases, that drives you into a 350 / 3500 category truck with a dualy rear axle to handle it all.

Back a billion years ago, the truck you needed to get was pretty rough riding without the trailer attached. These days ... no big deal.

Bob