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Old 02-04-2016, 10:58 AM   #1
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20' vs 22' Weight?

Hello everyone, I am new to the forum and loving it!
My hubby and I are shopping for our first trailer. Our TV is rated to tow 5k. We feel like we could go up to a 19 or 22 at the 4500 lb loaded wieght rating. My question is this. Why is the 20' flying cloud 500 lbs heavier than the 22' sport? It is listed at 5000lb loaded. I love the layout of the 20' and that would be my choice but I don't feel comfortable pulling at total capacity of the TV. I am just wondering if anyone know why the shorter trailer weighs more.
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Old 02-04-2016, 11:15 AM   #2
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The two are actually only 10" difference in length. The 22' however is 7' wide and the 20' is 8' wide. The 22' actually has slightly higher payload available, even though the GVWR is less.

http://www.airstream.com/travel-trai...pecifications/
http://www.airstream.com/travel-trai...pecifications/

Tradeoffs - the 22' has a bigger bed and a bigger bathroom. The 20' has a bigger kitchen and more storage cabinets.

Get ready to hear about tow vehicles now.
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Old 02-04-2016, 11:53 AM   #3
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Hi from AZ. . . it's my understanding that AS pared the weight down in the Sports to make them towable by smaller, lighter vehicles. My Sport 17 weighs 2950 # for instance & has no bumper. Also, it is 7' 3" wide as opposed to 8'6" wide on my FC. The floorplan is perfect on my Sport for ONE person, & interestingly, it has a great dry bathroom. . . good luck & welcome to the clan, Craig
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Old 02-04-2016, 03:20 PM   #4
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Thanks! I didn't even think about looking at the width! I knew there had to be a reason We are 2 people and my hubby is 6'3" We can use all the space we can get! I am afraid that 5k is a bit too much for my pathfinder. Someday when I get a new TV.....
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Old 02-04-2016, 03:33 PM   #5
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#5000 would be hard on the Pathfinder engine.
Tow 5 years with a path fine veh just not a good tv, but if you live in florida and short trips to the beach no problem..
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Old 02-04-2016, 03:43 PM   #6
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If possible, when you trade up your TV, you might think about getting something that will tow 9000 or so. You do not have to get a HUGE truck or SUV. There are numerous vehicles that will give you that range and open up a lot of potential Airstreams. Then you problem will be like mine---which one to get.
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Old 02-04-2016, 03:46 PM   #7
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Told ya.
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Old 02-04-2016, 06:13 PM   #8
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The FC 20 also has more standard equipment, such as two batteries, zip dee awning as standard and maybe heavier cabinets.
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Old 02-04-2016, 06:18 PM   #9
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The 22 also has 20 pound propane tanks and one battery
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Old 02-04-2016, 06:49 PM   #10
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We have a 22.

The 22 has the LONGEST bed on ANY Airstream, even the bigger ones.

We like it a lot for that reason.

We sleep great on the bed in the 22, and we have a King at home.

I recommend that you really compare the beds (and shower headroom) between these 2 options.
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Old 02-04-2016, 07:05 PM   #11
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Do you mind if I ask what year your Pathfinder is?

We have quite a bit of experience towing with them.

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Old 02-04-2016, 07:22 PM   #12
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i really like the floor plan and space that a 22 has. I almost bought one.
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Old 02-04-2016, 08:57 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RamblinManGa View Post
Hi from AZ. . . it's my understanding that AS pared the weight down in the Sports to make them towable by smaller, lighter vehicles. My Sport 17 weighs 2950 # for instance & has no bumper. Also, it is 7' 3" wide as opposed to 8'6" wide on my FC. The floorplan is perfect on my Sport for ONE person, & interestingly, it has a great dry bathroom. . . good luck & welcome to the clan, Craig
Craig, what year is your 17 sport? It sounds great!
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Old 02-04-2016, 09:04 PM   #14
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Do you mind if I ask what year your Pathfinder is?

We have quite a bit of experience towing with them.

Andrew T
We have a 2004 pathfinder. I LOVE it. Like seriously love it. Leather heated seats, perfect size, racks, moon roof.... I could go on and on. I dread the idea of a bigger suv and don't want a truck. I am sure I can upgrade in the future and find something I like but not ready yet. I would greatly appreciate any advice you have!
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Old 02-04-2016, 09:06 PM   #15
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Piggy Bank, thanks for your input. I am having a hard time with that bathroom wall. I miss the window at both ends. I guess a good nights sleep could make up for that though
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Old 02-04-2016, 09:07 PM   #16
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Yes but note that the 22 bathroom window opens for ventilation. A big plus IMHO.
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Old 02-04-2016, 09:10 PM   #17
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2014 Sport 22 FB. We really like the layout. 2 Adults, one dog person.


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Old 02-05-2016, 03:19 AM   #18
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Hi Tee

Just to confuse you completely think about the 23 FB instead. Compared with the 20 it gives you a tandem axle, walk around queen bed, dry bath, ducted heat. It actually tows better than the 20 does. For someone 6'3" tall it is a huge difference in livability with no real downside.

The reason I suggest this is your Airstream is a long term purchase, we have several customers that have owned the same Airstream for 30 years and 15-20 is quite common. Your tow vehicle you won't likely have anywhere near that long especially when it is 12 years old to start with.

There are two ways to go with towing, one is to make a couple of changes to your 04 Pathfinder. Tow ratings really have nothing to do with what a vehicle will tow it is largely just marketing. You could try towing a 2000 pound square box trailer and find it almost impossible, a 5000 pound boat with surge brakes on one axle would be dangerous to stop and not be very stable but an Airstream connected properly can be well over 5000 pounds and be very stable and safe with good performance.

Your 3.5 Litre is a great engine connected to a bullet proof drivetrain but the large tires to make your SUV look tough rob a great deal of its power. The wheelbase is relatively short on your Pathfinder but the overhang is also short which helps but again the big tires have huge sidewall sway making it much less stable than it could be. The live rear axle is not ideal but the suspension is firm which helps make up for it somewhat.

Back in the day we set up a lot of these. To turn them into a good tow vehicle changed the tires from the stock 245/65 17" to 235/55 x 17" performance tires. Bridgestone Comp's work well. You need to replace your shock absorbers with a premium shock such as a Bilstein.

We would always use a welded ball mount on this vehicle to keep the overhang as short as possible and it needs to be set up properly. That may sound like a given but only about 5% of Airstreams are actually set up optimally. It is not rocket science just don't think it will automatically happen. I can't remember if 04's had factory transmission coolers but if not you will need to add one, if you have not done so in the last 30,000 miles you should change the transmission and axle fluids and upgrade to synthetic oil. If the Radiator is original likely it is a good idea to replace it at the same time.

Once this is done your Pathfinder perform and handle very nicely with a 23' and take you anywhere you want to go.

The consideration though is do you want to spend this much on a 12 year old vehicle. If you are over 100,000 miles I would consider changing it.

The 05 -2012 Pathfinders are substantially better tow vehicles, they are only slightly larger but have a considerably longer wheelbase, independent rear suspension and a great 4.0 Litre engine also they have a 5 speed transmission. We did many of these and I have never had a customer not be completely satisfied with it. Many are towing 30' Airstreams with them. You can still improve the tire size when the time comes but it is not as critical as with the 04 (most SUV's and trucks suffer from tire envy so this is not uncommon on most of them). You might be able to trade up to a good one for not a lot of money and that might make more sense than putting dollars into the old one.

I hope this helps.

Andrew T
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Old 02-05-2016, 07:34 AM   #19
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One other item, the 22 sport is the easiest towing Airstream (easier than the 16')because of its reduced aerodynamic drag which matters for more than the weight difference.

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Old 02-05-2016, 01:18 PM   #20
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One other item, the 22 sport is the easiest towing Airstream (easier than the 16')because of its reduced aerodynamic drag which matters for more than the weight difference.

Andrew T
Thanks Andrew! That is a wealth of useful information. You are right that perhaps an upgrade to a few years newer TV would be prudent. We are new to all of this and it is scary when safety is involved, I know better than to assume it will be done right but its hard to know what "right" is as a newbie. your post helps tremendously.

Thaks everyone for you wonderful and insightful input!
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