Pulling a Bambi - Page 2

RoadKingMoe · 10-15-2002, 09:50 PM

I went to www.jeep.com to look at the specs of cactushead's Grand Cherokee. After clicking on the "Power Details" in the "Details" menu, what do I see? A GC pulling an Airstream!

And not just a Bambi either... a dual-axle trailer with WBCCI numbers 3364! Anyone we know? Guess I'll have to break out the book.

Hubba · 10-16-2002, 01:06 AM

My wife and I (retired) anticipate purchasing a 19' Bambi in 2003. For the tow vehicle I am considering either a Chevy Tahoe or Suburban, both of which can be garaged at our house. Aside from wheelbase length, are these two vehicles ok for pullng a Bambi (we will travel from the coast of California through the Sierras to eastern Colorado frequently and throughout the Pacific Northwest)? Does anyone recommend a Ford product instead?
Thank you all for your comments in advance!

gwsullivan · 10-16-2002, 10:27 AM

Hubba, if you are speaking of the 5.3 liter V8 Tahoe or Suburban they are more than enough tow vehicle for a 19' Bambi. I pull a 25' Safari with a Silverado short bed with no problem and it is much the same as the burb. I'm not sure what the wheelbase is on the Tahoe but if it is more than 106 inches it is okay for the Bambi.

Hubba · 10-16-2002, 10:57 AM

gwsullivan

Thanks for your reply. The Tahoe has a 116" wheelbase; the Suburban 130". I know that the longer wb the better for towing, but with a 19' trailer will the Tahoe be adequate? I would prefer the shorter vehicle for daily use, but will do a lot of travelling and quite a bit of western mountain driving as well. I guess my main concerns are the "tail wagging the dog" and the mountain driving. I was thinking of 2wd and the 5.3l engine.

Road Ruler · 10-16-2002, 11:53 AM

Hello Hubba;

I have the April 2002 issue of Consumers Report Auto issue. On page 27 it shows an in depth reliability forcast for all makes and models of vehicles that you would be interested in.
If you are interested send me a note at wfoster@idirect.com and I will scan and send you the page. Note that the charts show that some brands fare better than others. Hope this helps with your decision.

Regards

gwsullivan · 10-16-2002, 12:37 PM

Hubba, the worst case scenario for the 2wd Tahoe is 6700 pounds towing. I think the Bambi GVWR is 4500 so you should be okay there. As far as wheel base- the rule of thumb is 110 inch wheel base for a 20 foot trailer. Add 4 inches of wheel base for each additional foot of trailer length.

RoadKingMoe · 10-16-2002, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gwsullivan
Hubba, the worst case scenario for the 2wd Tahoe is 6700 pounds towing.

True, with the 5.3L (and 3.42:1) but the 4.8L is only 4700 lbs with that axle. Given that the Tahoe uses 265/70X16 (2WD) or X 17 (off-road pkg) tires, and the 5.3L is one of these new higher-rpm engines, I'd definitely opt for the 3.73:1 axle with limited slip (7,700 lbs). I'd also seriously consider 4WD for pulling up steep grades in the rain, not to mention boondocking on dew-laden grass, or if the Bambi's tires (which have as much load on them as those on a 9,000 lb 31' dual-axle) get stuck in the mud. It's no higher than the 2WD Tahoe and has the same turning radius. A little heavier, yes, but you'll be glad to have that tow vehicle weight if you ever have a flat tire or brake failure on a single-axle trailer. And the 4WD only gives up 1 EPA mpg to the 2WD.

Just my thoughts on it...

Hubba · 10-16-2002, 04:12 PM

RoadKingMoe:

Thanks for the reply. It seems to me that the Tahoe, at 16 and a half feet, it close enough in length to the 19' Bambi that there shouldn't be any tail wagging, right?

Our usage will be close to 100% in State Parks and developed campgrounds or taking long highway trips. Although we have tent camped and sleeping bag/air mattress camped for all of our 32 years of marriage, I don't see us boondocking, etc. - we're just looking to get off the ground into a small quality trailer and not have to spend 3 hours setting up and taking down camp in order to move on.

I love the 22' International AS, but I feel it is too big for our purposes that can be met with a snug Bambi - after all, we spend our time cycling/hiking/out-and-about, not in the trailer. Although our 3 children are grown and the grandchild count is increasing, we are looking to purchase just for ourselves.

cactushead · 10-16-2002, 04:22 PM

Craig, Maurice, et al,

Wife and I have decided thanks in no small part to this thread, next puller will definitely be: a) full size 3/4 ton pickup, b) diesel, c) automatic trans, and d) 4WD. Remaining decisions are New or Used, Chevy, GMC, Ford or Dodge, extended cab or crew cab. Since we have at least a few years before we go mission critical, I expect lots more good advice from all you fine folks at the forums!

cactushead · 10-16-2002, 04:38 PM

Hubba,

You will find the 19-foot Bambi to be exceptionally comfortable for an outdoorsy couple. We have been using ours for two seasons and have already decided to keep it for full-time use after our retirement (soon). Also met a great couple last summer who had taken theirs to all 48 contiguous states and all Canadian provinces in their retirement travels.

We find the floorplan of the 19-footer to be the most efficient use of space of all trailers we looked at, love the fact that it feels bigger than it is, and even though we are above avg. height (6-0 and 5-6) the corner bed is perfectly comfortable for us.

When we do head out on our own, we will no longer have to drop the dinette for the kids, and that will be as close to perfection as we need to get.

We wish you the best of luck, and hope you enjoy your Bambi as much as we do. If you have any questions feel free to email!

davidz71 · 10-16-2002, 04:48 PM

cactushead,
I hear that Dodge is looking at an improved Cummins diesel engine and since Chevy has made such a hit with the quiet but strong Duramax, you should see improved diesels from not only those companies but from Chevy (Isuzu who makes the engine) also to stay ahead. It will be an interesting few years in the making. You should have plenty of choices of used or new when you are ready.

cactushead · 10-16-2002, 05:27 PM

Craig,
Just read a review of the new 2003 Cummins in Trailer Life (oct'02). 80% quieter at idle, 40% fewer parts than typical diesel v-8's, 16,300 lbs tow cap., 15,000 mile oil change interval, etc, etc.

You're right, sounds like the diesel wars are about to heat up. Good news for us!

RoadKingMoe · 10-16-2002, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hubba
RoadKingMoe:

Thanks for the reply. It seems to me that the Tahoe, at 16 and a half feet, it close enough in length to the 19' Bambi that there shouldn't be any tail wagging, right?

Hubba, I'm just not a fan of single-axle trailers. If a tire goes down on one side, there can definitely be tail-wagging! Especially with a tall, narrow trailer. Even though it's a 4,500 or so lb trailer trying to move a 5,000 lb tow vehicle, the wagging's effect on the tow vehicle's rear axle is multiplied by the sum of the wheelbase and rear axle to ball distance divided by the wheelbase... about 140% in the case of the Tahoe.

I wouldn't be as concerned about a flat with a good anti-sway hitch, such as the Hensley , the Pullrite or at least a Draw-Tite or Reese Dual-Cam hitch. Some here would say they're overkill with a Bambi being pulled by a Tahoe. I wouldn't... not if you ever have a flat.

RoadKingMoe · 10-16-2002, 05:45 PM

Good deal, cactushead. One of the reasons I bought a left over 2002 is because I won't buy a new vehicle, engine, etc in the first two years of its production. The 7.3L PSD may not be the best, but it's been around awhile and is pretty well proven. In two years, this new Ford 6.0L/5-speed auto should have all the teething problems worked out... of course there's a new design Superduty due out in 2005.

Should be an interesting next few years.