Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-29-2003, 09:25 PM   #1
Moderator
 
jcanavera's Avatar

 
2004 30' Classic Slideout
Fenton , Missouri
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 10,403
Images: 143
Send a message via AIM to jcanavera Send a message via Skype™ to jcanavera
34' Slide Out and Factory Tow Package - 2002 Classic

Just got back from the local dealer where I saw a used 2002 34' slide out for sale. I've heard lots of comments from 34' owners who all seem to express the opinion that these trailers tow better than tandem axle units.

While I liked the trailer I noticed at least with the current models the hitch weight at 1,250 lbs. I'm guessing that 2002 was no different. If I'm correct this probably means that most if not all of the hitch receivers supplied with the factory towing package are insufficient to carry such a load. Has anyone bought one of these heavyweights? Even though I could handle the tow weight it would probably mean dumping my receiver for something bigger.

Jack
__________________
Jack Canavera
STL Mo.
AIR #56 S/OS#15
'04 Classic 30' S.O.,'03 GMC Savana 2500
jcanavera is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-29-2003, 09:30 PM   #2
Just an old timer...
 
85MH325's Avatar

 
2004 22' Interstate
Tipton , Iowa
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,760
Images: 37
Re: 34' Slide Out and Factory Tow Package

Quote:
Originally posted by jcanavera
While I liked the trailer I noticed at least with the current models the hitch weight at 1,250 lbs. Jack
Wow Jack...

That slide out must increase the tongue weight significantly. As I recall, and I'll have to check my specs for sure, but I think my 34' has a tongue weight of 850... I'll check tomorrow and verify it.

I have to concur that my 34' tows VERY easily.

Roger
__________________
havin' to fix my broken Airstreams since 1987...
AIR 2053 Current: 2004 Airstream Interstate "B-Van" T1N DODGE Sprinter
Former Airstreams: 1953 Flying Cloud, 1957 Overlander, 1961 Bambi, 1970 Safari Special, 1978 Argosy Minuet, 1985 325 Moho, 1994 Limited 34' Two-door, 1994 B190 "B-Van"
85MH325 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-29-2003, 09:32 PM   #3
Moderator
 
jcanavera's Avatar

 
2004 30' Classic Slideout
Fenton , Missouri
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 10,403
Images: 143
Send a message via AIM to jcanavera Send a message via Skype™ to jcanavera
Current model year specs show 820 lbs hitch weight for the 34' model so you are right on.

I've also seen the 28' Safari slide out and it has a hitch weight of 900+ lbs.

Jack
__________________
Jack Canavera
STL Mo.
AIR #56 S/OS#15
'04 Classic 30' S.O.,'03 GMC Savana 2500
jcanavera is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2003, 05:55 AM   #4
Rivet Master
 
RoadKingMoe's Avatar
 
2001 34' Limited
The State of , Ohio
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,605
Images: 23
That 1250 is dry and is going to climb rapidly if you use all that storage in the front. I'd be thinking 2,000/20,000lb 90-degree Pullrite. Seriously! I've seen these trailers pulled with the 1400 lb Hensley, but they're probably getting close to the rating even after weight distribution.

[on edit]Nevermind. I see the HD Pullrite isn't available for Chevy vans. See if there's a 15K Reese Titan available and think hard about the Hensley.
__________________
Maurice
RoadKingMoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2003, 06:07 AM   #5
4 Rivet Member
 
markjoandall's Avatar
 
2001 30' Excella
Bedford , New Hampshire
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 347
Images: 4
34 slide

I just got back from the international rally. The fellow next to me had a 34 slide. He was towing it with a half ton suburban, and a hensley hitch. Say's he goes slow up the mountains of VT. I just wonder what his defination of slow is.

In the row behind me there was an another 34 slide. He towed with a three quarter ton dodge diesel.

Airstream had some new models there, along with the 34 slide. It sure is a beautiful unit.
__________________
-Life is a journey, not a destination.
Aerosmith
markjoandall is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2003, 07:09 AM   #6
4 Rivet Member
 
Tikihut's Avatar
 
1977 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre
schaumburg , confusion
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 285
Send a message via AIM to Tikihut
I just saw a 34 foot with a slide out at Bill Thomas. The the 34 hitch weight is 1250, the GVWR weight is 10500, the UVW is 9050 and the NCC weight is 1390. For the 30 with a slide out the GVWR is 9100lbs. the only problem I see is that you have limited places you can go with such big trailer. But it sure was nice.
Chris
Tikihut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2003, 07:12 AM   #7
Rivet Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,486
Images: 19
"think hard about the Hensley."

Since the word "Hensley" seems to almost always start a war, let me make it clear that the following is a question in search of information, not a sneaky slam.

The Hensley is a seriously heavy hitch. This always seemed to me to be a problem in the situation described above where the tongue weight is already very high. Or is it?

Mark
j54mark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2003, 07:40 AM   #8
Just an old timer...
 
85MH325's Avatar

 
2004 22' Interstate
Tipton , Iowa
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,760
Images: 37
Quote:
Originally posted by Argosy-1
I just saw a 34 foot with a slide out at Bill Thomas. The the 34 hitch weight is 1250, the GVWR weight is 10500, the UVW is 9050 and the NCC weight is 1390. For the 30 with a slide out the GVWR is 9100lbs. the only problem I see is that you have limited places you can go with such big trailer. But it sure was nice.
Chris
Chris, in our vast experience (all three times, count 'em... one, two, three) we have with taking the 34 out so far, I haven't had any trouble finding a spot for it. In looking around, though, there are parks where I will have to park the trailer, then move the Excursion to the overflow parking lot to park it 'cause there's not enough space at the site for the trailer and the 'bus'. Most of the regular sites will accomodate the trailer without problems tho...

I thought pushing 1000lbs tongue weight was really limiting on what you'd want to tow with. Pushing 1500lbs REALLY limits your tow vehicle. I'd probably be thinking about something with duals. Although I DID see a 1 ton Chevy van with duals the other day (it was NOT a pretty sight...) there isn't much other than the 1 ton trucks out there!

Roger
__________________
havin' to fix my broken Airstreams since 1987...
AIR 2053 Current: 2004 Airstream Interstate "B-Van" T1N DODGE Sprinter
Former Airstreams: 1953 Flying Cloud, 1957 Overlander, 1961 Bambi, 1970 Safari Special, 1978 Argosy Minuet, 1985 325 Moho, 1994 Limited 34' Two-door, 1994 B190 "B-Van"
85MH325 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2003, 07:45 AM   #9
Retired Moderator
 
john hd's Avatar
 
1992 29' Excella
madison , Wisconsin
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,644
Images: 40
is it worth the weight?

boy, a 30 footer approaching 10K!

is the slide out worth the extra ton of weight?

my '92 29 footer is 7,000 lbs., can't imagine a trailer of similar size with an extra ton of dead weight. is the extra tonnage worth the extra room?

perhaps.

any one out there got one? is it worth it?

john
john hd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2003, 07:55 AM   #10
Just an old timer...
 
85MH325's Avatar

 
2004 22' Interstate
Tipton , Iowa
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,760
Images: 37
Re: is it worth the weight?

Quote:
Originally posted by john hd
is the slide out worth the extra ton of weight?

any one out there got one? is it worth it?

john
John...

it must be worth it for some folks or Airstream wouldn't be building them into their third model year. I suppose that if I were buying one to set up semi-permanently somewhere in a park and I wasn't going to tow it much, the space would be more of a plus than the weight being a minus.

I bought ours to tow, so I'm not too excited about a slideout model and it's extra weight. I've gotta say that I can't think of a bigger waste of space and weight than that electric fireplace option either!!! Is it being carried into the '04 models?

Roger
__________________
havin' to fix my broken Airstreams since 1987...
AIR 2053 Current: 2004 Airstream Interstate "B-Van" T1N DODGE Sprinter
Former Airstreams: 1953 Flying Cloud, 1957 Overlander, 1961 Bambi, 1970 Safari Special, 1978 Argosy Minuet, 1985 325 Moho, 1994 Limited 34' Two-door, 1994 B190 "B-Van"
85MH325 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2003, 08:10 AM   #11
Rivet Master
 
RoadKingMoe's Avatar
 
2001 34' Limited
The State of , Ohio
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,605
Images: 23
An honest answer, Mark. Everyone talks about how heavy the Hensley is. The drop bar sure is a hunk of metal, but not much heavier than any other big adjustable hitch head. The spring bars are the same ones used on conventional hitches, and the tongue brackets are about the same. The screw jacks weigh very little. So that leaves the big orange and black hitch head as extra weight. I'm a 50+ year old, overweight old fart with a bad back, and I picked it up out of the box in the garage and carried it out to the trailer tongue in the driveway, and set it on the floor jack to install it. So it can't be more than about 70-80 lbs. Knock off the 20 lbs or so of a pair of friction sway control units that I'd use with a conventional hitch, and you have a net gain of 50-60 lbs over any other hitch.

So yes, it's heavier, and so is a Pullrite. Their extra weight is pretty insignificant at these tongue weights, especially when you consider they're head and shoulders above anything else when it comes to safety.
__________________
Maurice
RoadKingMoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2003, 08:31 AM   #12
Just an old timer...
 
85MH325's Avatar

 
2004 22' Interstate
Tipton , Iowa
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,760
Images: 37
Quote:
Originally posted by jcanavera
Current model year specs show 820 lbs hitch weight for the 34' model so you are right on.

I've also seen the 28' Safari slide out and it has a hitch weight of 900+ lbs.

Jack
The PO was kind enough to have saved a 1994 Airstream brochure with the owner's manual packet...

Here's the scoop on the '94 LTD 34' for comparison:

Length 34'10"
Exterior width 7' 11 1/2"
Capacities: Fresh water 50 gal, Gray 35 gal, Black 30 gal
Weight: Dry 7100lbs, Additional allowable 1800lbs
Allowable hitch weight: 800lbs

Roger
__________________
havin' to fix my broken Airstreams since 1987...
AIR 2053 Current: 2004 Airstream Interstate "B-Van" T1N DODGE Sprinter
Former Airstreams: 1953 Flying Cloud, 1957 Overlander, 1961 Bambi, 1970 Safari Special, 1978 Argosy Minuet, 1985 325 Moho, 1994 Limited 34' Two-door, 1994 B190 "B-Van"
85MH325 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2003, 08:37 AM   #13
Rivet Master
 
RoadKingMoe's Avatar
 
2001 34' Limited
The State of , Ohio
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,605
Images: 23
With the 30 and 34 dinette slides, you trade off the credenza, which puts a smaller screen TV close to the couch, for a TV on a microwave cabinet on the other side of the dinette. I'd definitely want a 20" way back there and that would be much more inverter draw than a smaller screen, which could be 12V. Of the floorspace you gain, you lose some of it because Airstream angles the sink. And the dinette is no longer across from the galley, where it can be used as extra food preparation counterspace.

With the 34 sofa slide, you trade off the close to the sofa credenza and the dinette (that's a deal-breaker for us), for a small bar at the end of the counter, a microwave cabinet and the cabinetry across the front which includes a credenza but with the TV located where you have to turn your head sideways on the couch to watch it. It also has a "computer station."

OTOH, the "writing table" on other models is plenty big enough for a notebook computer and a Canon i70 printer which is also available with a cradle that will sit on top of the writing table cabinet, and a rechargable battery for printing while boondocking, without an inverter.

Some folks like the electric fireplace. Like slides, they're popular in larger SOBs. Airstream is just trying to compete in these markets.
__________________
Maurice
RoadKingMoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2003, 08:43 AM   #14
Just an old timer...
 
85MH325's Avatar

 
2004 22' Interstate
Tipton , Iowa
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,760
Images: 37
Quote:
Originally posted by RoadKingMoe
Some folks like the electric fireplace. Like slides, they're popular in larger SOBs. Airstream is just trying to compete in these markets.
I know, Moe... Airstream wouldn't offer them if they didn't sell. It's a consumer-driven market. IMHO I just think that an electric fireplace in a TRAILER is a little... well... unnecessary(?) I guess. For the weight, a second AC unit would be more practical...

Roger
__________________
havin' to fix my broken Airstreams since 1987...
AIR 2053 Current: 2004 Airstream Interstate "B-Van" T1N DODGE Sprinter
Former Airstreams: 1953 Flying Cloud, 1957 Overlander, 1961 Bambi, 1970 Safari Special, 1978 Argosy Minuet, 1985 325 Moho, 1994 Limited 34' Two-door, 1994 B190 "B-Van"
85MH325 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2003, 09:07 AM   #15
Rivet Master
 
RoadKingMoe's Avatar
 
2001 34' Limited
The State of , Ohio
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,605
Images: 23
I agree. We have one of those energy efficient zero-clearance fireplaces in our family room at home. But I burn it with the glass doors wide open, sucking heated air out of the house. It's just no fun not hearing the crackling and smelling the wood burning. Not worth the effort. I'll take a campfire with an RV any day.
__________________
Maurice
RoadKingMoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2003, 09:39 AM   #16
Just an old timer...
 
85MH325's Avatar

 
2004 22' Interstate
Tipton , Iowa
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,760
Images: 37
i agree...

RVing in general is about travelling, seeing new places, and enjoying the out-of-doors. Airstreams are about travelling comfortably, but I still spend as much time out-of-doors as possible.

I'd rather sit around a campfire enjoying the company of friends than sit inside a trailer with an electric fireplace.

Roger
__________________
havin' to fix my broken Airstreams since 1987...
AIR 2053 Current: 2004 Airstream Interstate "B-Van" T1N DODGE Sprinter
Former Airstreams: 1953 Flying Cloud, 1957 Overlander, 1961 Bambi, 1970 Safari Special, 1978 Argosy Minuet, 1985 325 Moho, 1994 Limited 34' Two-door, 1994 B190 "B-Van"
85MH325 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2003, 10:19 AM   #17
Rivet Master
 
RoadKingMoe's Avatar
 
2001 34' Limited
The State of , Ohio
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,605
Images: 23
Hey Roger... when are we gonna see some photos in your album?
__________________
Maurice
RoadKingMoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2003, 10:25 AM   #18
Just an old timer...
 
85MH325's Avatar

 
2004 22' Interstate
Tipton , Iowa
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,760
Images: 37
aw shucks...

Quote:
Originally posted by RoadKingMoe
Hey Roger... when are we gonna see some photos in your album?

Oh, man... I'm Busted!!! I was afraid someone was gonna ask me that eventually...

Ok, I'll see what I can do...

Roger
__________________
havin' to fix my broken Airstreams since 1987...
AIR 2053 Current: 2004 Airstream Interstate "B-Van" T1N DODGE Sprinter
Former Airstreams: 1953 Flying Cloud, 1957 Overlander, 1961 Bambi, 1970 Safari Special, 1978 Argosy Minuet, 1985 325 Moho, 1994 Limited 34' Two-door, 1994 B190 "B-Van"
85MH325 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
2002 classic


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:50 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.