What Airstream can I tow?

[fastrob]

Consider vintage or just plain old. Airstreams have become wider and heavier.
Groogle up a weight/year chart and start looking.
Do not tow overweight, insurance does not always cover stupid.

[Ultraclassic]

Originally Posted by Georockman

Hello Folks:

I'm a newbie who wants to buy an airstream. Going to full time it over the winter (in SW USA) , have it on my property next year in Montana when I build, and use part time thereafter.

My tow vehicle is a 2018 Honda Pilot EX, 3.5 L engine, 6 cyl. This has a tow kit package on the vehicle with a sticker that indicates I can tow a trailer with a max GVWR of 5000, hitch weight of 500 lbs.

Pretty sure I'll need a weight distribution hitch, electric brake controller. I have a standard ball hitch and 4 prong electrical hookup.

QUESTION:

What is the max size airstream you folks feel I could go with? What do you suggest for hitches, etc? Names, models are still confusing but I like the Flying Cloud and Caravel 19cb.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

Check Can Am RV in London Ontario, web site under towing hitch hints. Andy and his crew are well equipped to help with this, they set up a Mini Cooper to tow a Bambi!

[Tireman9]

Be sure you do the full calculation as seen here


https://rvsafety.com/rv-education/ma...ks-to-trailers

[AMDO]

I've been an Airstream owner for two years now and already know we're looking to upgrade within the next year or two. When we bought our 20' Flying Cloud our tow vehicle was a 2014 Acura MDX (Similar to your Honda Pilot). Our options we understood were limited between the 16, 19, and 20' Flying Cloud and the 22' Bambi. At the time we were new to the travel trailer thing too, so unwilling to trade up to a larger vehicle at the same time. Now that we have a more suitable tow vehicle we are looking to a 25' RBT. I think overall time and comfortability in towing the 20' and now having a bigger tow vehicle has us looking for bigger and more utility with our Airstream. At the end of the day I don't regret my decision, but also confident with knowing I'm not the first or last to move up in size on a tow vehicle or Airstream. If you are already on the fence about your tow vehicle and or limiting your Airstream size based on that, like others mentioned, you're better of putting the cart before the horse and size your vehicle accordingly. If you don't it's not the end of the world in my opinion, but could be more costly later on when you move up.

[PTAHERNE]

[QUOTE=Georockman;2266162]Hello Folks:

I'm a newbie who wants to buy an airstream. Going to full time it over the winter (in SW USA) , have it on my property next year in Montana when I build, and use part time thereafter.

My tow vehicle is a 2018 Honda Pilot EX, 3.5 L engine, 6 cyl. This has a tow kit package on the vehicle with a sticker that indicates I can tow a trailer with a max GVWR of 5000, hitch weight of 500 lbs.

Pretty sure I'll need a weight distribution hitch, electric brake controller. I have a standard ball hitch and 4 prong electrical hookup.

QUESTION:

What is the max size airstream you folks feel I could go with? What do you suggest for hitches, etc? Names, models are still confusing but I like the Flying Cloud and Caravel 19cb.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

I have a 2017 international serenity 23D fully loaded.
Just bought a house so have to sell. My tow vehicle was a Grand Jeep Cherokee 3.6L. 4500 empty GVWR 6000. Have all the hitch sway bars hoses etc. everything you need. It’s on Airstream Classified under NY.

[mkcurtiss]

For me, if I were considering full timing, that would automatically mean the biggest airstream I could get.

For sure, not less than a 26,27,28'....
Airstreams are not nearly as roomy as the boxy SOB's you see everywhere....You can get cramped pretty quick in an Airstream.....

Now if you were the kind of person who is happy living in a tiny studio apartment, then a small unit may be fine....but most Americans are accustomed to space, and plenty of it.....

There was an earlier post that suggested an older Airstream because they are lighter, and that may be good advise...unless you do not know how to work on things....

In calculating your best decision, remember that the horsepower of your vehicle is not the most important issue.....your ability to maintain control and stop are much more important issues.....

For example, a vehicle with 250 hp, that weighs 5800 lb. will provide a much safer experience than a vehicle with 500 hp, that weighs 3800 lbs.....

[Jcounsman]

We bought a 22 sport FB Bambi...translates to a 22 foot front bedroom single axle Airstream and use a
2016 Pilot as TV. So far three trips from gulf coast of Fl to as far north as central Maine. Pilot with stabilizer does fine, I typically pull between 65 to 70 mph and get 16 MPG. Basically just my wife and golden retriever, and we do try to travel light as possible. So it works.

I’d prefer a bigger AS which would require a larger TV.

I think the advice to buy the RV you really want need should drive the decision. Not the TV.

[sarge12212]

I did something similar to what you want to do, as far as wanting to live in my AS while I built my cabin. So, knowing I'd be living in it awhile, I baught the largest AS I could afford. Luckily, I already owned a truck capable of pulling any bumper-pulled camper Airstream ever made. So, my question is "How small a camper can you live in while you build your house?" Can you live in a Bambi long-term in order to keep your Pilot? My old 30' Excella 500 is about as small as my wife would tolerate, and it has room enough for a queen bed, full(ish) bathroom, and a small but not tiny kitchen/living room area. Please listen to what other have been saying. Size your camper to what you (and her) can live in more than a weekend. Then size the TV to that camper, plus 20% for a safety margin. I'm also not sure an Airstream is worthy of a Montana winter or a Texas/New Mexico summer.

[Jim from Ind]

22FB Sport you can pull with your vehicle. I use Curt trailer hitch, with a sway bar and stabilizers all Curt product. I use the Prodigy braking system.

[arstrmlvr]

A past Airstream International Rally topic that I sat in on had an engineer recommend having 20% more tow vehicle capacity than the trailer being towed.
With your Pilot having a tow capacity of 5,000 lbs, you should look at Airstream models having loaded weight of about 4,150 or less and a hitch weight less than the Pilots maximum.
Keep in mind you may be able to tow more on flat ground but not have enough brakes on the Pilot to stop on steep mountain grades.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Cobalt

Whew! Lots of great info that may need to be posted at the AS dealer window. Thanks for going through it methodically and all were necessary And great points!

Hi

The whole "what can I tow" is very much up to you. For a variety of reasons AS does not get into it. The dealers are a bit more involved, but also not fully. People have a lot of different opinions on what to do. Liability insurance rates *are* part of this.

A dealer sales guy may say one on one that this or that will work. If you then try to get that same statement in writing with the bosses signature on it ...likely not so much. Limited involvement.

If you post what the sales guy said here on the forum, I'll guarantee that at least five people will come along and argue that it's incorrect ....He's not going to say that to them, (if he actually is any good at what he does). He's going to either shut up or say what it takes to make the sale. ( .....An F-450 dually is the absolute minimum *I* would recommend for pulling that 19'. You have the right tow vehicle. Lets go sign some papers. ).

Now it's not all insane. Indeed when I got my trailer, if you wanted to pull it off the lot without a WD / anti-sway hitch, they would have you sign a waver. Insurance yet again ....

Bob

[tbashin]

I'd go TV shopping. White knuckle towing isn't fun or smart.

[gypsydad]

I do remember the sales guy in San Diego told me my F150 was too small to pull a 25', after looking at my payload....that was likely one of the more honest answers I had from a sales person over the years! I had already been owned my 25' Safari for 2 years, yet did not know the payload on that 2012 Platinum I was driving was only 1039lbs! I had always been overloaded, carrying kayaks, camp gear, and firewood in the back!

Do your homework on both the TV and the AS. When you figure out which AS you "think" you might end up with after spending some quality time at the AS dealer sitting in several models, do the same with the TV, paying attention to the payload, torque, and ride of your TV. Even after I owned my F150 EB for 5 years and 130K miles, I still went and compared the features/payload/price of GM, Ford, Toyota, and RAM first. Then I drove the new GM and the new F150 EB before driving the F250...ended up with the F250 King Ranch because of payload, power, and reviews...the ride in the 2017 and newer models is great...the extra payload and the power of the diesel works well for our needs. As many have said, better to have a little more than you need then not enough; both decisions are expensive!

[Halford1]

I recently bought 2017 16' AS Bambi Sport because its what my Explorer with factory installed tow package could tow safely. It is not always about what a TV can tow but a safety issue. Is it safe for your TV to tow 5000 lbs AS? My Explorer and your Pilot are very much alike. I would say 19' may be ok if you just carry basic essentials.

My 16' Bambi is a starter AS for me and I will upgrade to a longer AS with an Expedition (of course with factory installed tow package) towing.

Just remember the auto manufacturers put the tow weight limits for 2 reasons: tow ability and safety.

[jcl]

Originally Posted by Halford1

Just remember the auto manufacturers put the tow weight limits for 2 reasons: tow ability and safety.

How altruistic of them.

How about adding profit motive to that list?

It is cheaper to offer a 3500 lb hitch receiver than a 5000 lb receiver. And the highest profit margins are on trucks, which many manufacturers would be happy to move you up to.

[SteveNdebbie]

Originally Posted by Georockman

Hello Folks:



I'm a newbie who wants to buy an airstream. Going to full time it over the winter (in SW USA) , have it on my property next year in Montana when I build, and use part time thereafter.



My tow vehicle is a 2018 Honda Pilot EX, 3.5 L engine, 6 cyl. This has a tow kit package on the vehicle with a sticker that indicates I can tow a trailer with a max GVWR of 5000, hitch weight of 500 lbs.



Pretty sure I'll need a weight distribution hitch, electric brake controller. I have a standard ball hitch and 4 prong electrical hookup.



QUESTION:



What is the max size airstream you folks feel I could go with? What do you suggest for hitches, etc? Names, models are still confusing but I like the Flying Cloud and Caravel 19cb.



Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

Originally we were planning on a new 23’ Serenity and using our MDX as the TV. We then came upon a 2006 25’ FB Safari. It also came with a Hensley Arrow hitch. Did a lot of research and found out about CanAm which is only about 6 hours from us. They did our setup including reinforcement of our receiving hitch and we couldn’t be happier. Coming up on two years of towing and have 125k miles on the 2011 MDX.

[Consultlkr]

Lots of good responses here, and I totally agree that you should pick the AS you want, then figure out the tow vehicle.

THANKFULLY our Honda dealer was totally honest with us. We had (have) a 2016 Pilot, similarly equiped to yours, and he said "Honda's aren't good vehicles to tow with. They just don't handle it well." This pretty much enforced our experience towing a small UHAUL trailer when our daughter was in college.

SO we proceeded to pick the AS (25' Serenity) and then picked the truck (GMC) and we're so glad we did. Our friends, on the other hand, chose the 16' Bambi because that's all their small truck could tow. 1 year later they wish they had a much larger unit. Due to work schedules, we've only been able to take realtively short trips (up to 5 nights), so I can't imagine how they would feel trying to live in one that small for an extended period.

If I were you I'd totally get the AS you love, then find a good solid used truck to tow it with. Sounds like you won't be putting many miles on the truck, but you'll be LIVING in the AS. Priorities!

[Zoom23]

Hello, we have a 2019 awd pilot and a 22' sport (bambi). The first short trip we towed on the ball, not quite the best experience. Next we took a 650 mile round trip with a sway bar installed and the spare tire and L.P. tank in the pilot (to lessen TW), a somewhat better experience. The next trip I installed a fastway WDH for the 800 mile roundtrip, limited the speed to 65mph . Except for a few downshifts to 3rd gear-(5000rpm) the trip was ok. I have a redarc brake controller and the factory tow pkg. Take aways: it would be nice to have a longer wheelbase and AS is not very accurate in the tongue weight mine was 475 lbs with full LP, dry otherwise. I feel that the Pilot is a little underpowered but ok, we got about 14mpg. The 16' sport probably would work out better.