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Old 06-19-2017, 06:15 PM   #1
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Greetings from new 26u owners!

A welcome shout out to this great site. We have been lurking for a while now while we have tried to educate ourselves regarding both RV and TV. Started looking at a 22 MinnieWinnie before even considering an Airstream, but somewhere in the process a trailer seemed a better choice than a Motorized RV. Since my Rav4 was too small to use as a TV, we finally settled on an F150 with the max tow and 3.5L Ecoboost, mainly through comments on this site that we should have enough tow capabilities with this truck. We liked the 26U (twin) for several reasons, mainly the more logical (to us) front 'U' dinette without the awkward 'L' shape of most the other models. Also liked the 'one piece' bathroom. Hopefully the macerator commode won't be a point of failure!

In any case, got the AS over Memorial Day weekend 2 states away as no dealer nearby had the 26 in stock just to see what one looked like. Well, it had the 2nd AC which seemed like a must here on the Gulf Coast and also the awning package. So...we bought it on way out to my wife's father's place in FL then stayed in it overnight when we were headed back. Without a TV, it was delivered to our house which spared me the embarrassment of trying to do an initial backing job down our 100 yd somewhat curved driveway with low brick wall on one side and trees on the other. Of course, with the AS in hand we needed to get the TV, so went out that Tues night and allowed ourselves to be 'sold' a new XLT F150. Dealer was intent on getting us into a really souped up Lariat but I knew enough from this site to check the door label and wasn't impressed by the low max loads I was seeing. The 4x4 we ended up getting (SuperCrew with the short bed) has door sticker of 1740lb max load which I feel will be sufficient even though the 26U is a bit 'tongue heavy'. Didn't look at the MaxLoad packages as that seemed a bit over kill.
Will mostly just be my wife and I, although we would like to take our 60lb Portuguese Water Dog with us on some trips. I've been retired for 8 years and wife will probably retire in a couple more years, so we are really excited to move into a new phase of our lives.

Dave and Janet
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Old 06-19-2017, 06:18 PM   #2
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Congratulations! And it's twins!

Hope that you have a great time.
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Old 06-19-2017, 06:40 PM   #3
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Congrats! The 26U/RB is on the top of my current Airstream dream list.
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Old 06-19-2017, 08:24 PM   #4
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So, did you buy the one that was in stock in Tampa w/ black cushions? We bought a 26U earlier this year so I was looking at the ones in inventory all around the country.

So far we've been 3500 miles and 19 nights in the 26U towing with the '17 F150 Lariat, I'm thoroughly pleased. I found that our 26U isn't much heavier than the spec (I have a thread about it in the Flying Cloud subforum)

At the risk of starting one of the standard "discussions" what hitch are you using?
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Old 06-19-2017, 08:52 PM   #5
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Congrats on your new AS and TV. That's a lot to bite off at one time but am so happy for you guys for taking the plunge.

Also welcome to the forum. As you already know there are a lot of nice, friendly people who sincerely want to help!

Wishing you many happy adventures!

Bob
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Old 06-19-2017, 08:55 PM   #6
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Welcome! Grand start!
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Old 06-19-2017, 09:10 PM   #7
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Sweet! Post photos . . . please. Congrats.
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Old 06-19-2017, 09:45 PM   #8
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Congratulations from another 26U owner (about 3 months now) and loving it. Click image for larger version

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Old 06-20-2017, 06:36 AM   #9
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Ours was at Dixie RV in Defuniak Springs, FL. Using the Blue Ox 1000. If we don't get a TS will be taking out this weekend (getting the 1000 recommended miles on the new TV to have it properly broken in). I saw your post regarding weights, plan to weigh Fri when heading out, I'll post my numbers. I am only on the 8th link from end, so not sure if I need to get to 9 as recommended. My top of wheel well heights are equal when on 8th link, but before loading up the back wheel wells were almost 3" taller than the front, so not sure if that is enough loading on the hitch.
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Old 06-20-2017, 06:43 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hans627 View Post
Congrats on your new AS and TV. That's a lot to bite off at one time but am so happy for you guys for taking the plunge.

Also welcome to the forum. As you already know there are a lot of nice, friendly people who sincerely want to help!

Wishing you many happy adventures!

Bob
Thanks Bob! Either leave an inheritance or have some fun on the way out....
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Old 06-24-2017, 07:26 PM   #11
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Congratulations, I pickup mine this Monday AS Los Angeles.

Aloha ~ Todd
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Old 06-24-2017, 07:38 PM   #12
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Congrats and Welcome! Hoping you have many happy miles with your new babies! 😃 Michael
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Old 06-26-2017, 09:11 PM   #13
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Thanks

Thanks for all the nice welcoming messages!

So TS Cindy came through and closed the Ocean Springs National Seashore where we were going for our initial break-in camping trip. However, it opened up Fri mid-day (start of our 2 night reservation) so we scrambled around, loaded up and made the 30 mile drive. Was very disappointed in how the TV (F150) and AS handled. Seemed to porpoise a bit and didn't feel well 'connected' to the TV. Because it was so close and I didn't do some of the things I had intended before doing a CAT session (fill fresh tank for example), I skipped getting CAT data. I had mentioned earlier post I had put Blue Ox on 8th link. On way back from camping, I put on 9th link and it seemed to make a world of difference. Trailer at 60mph felt about same as 45mph when heading out. Otherwise the AS and TV worked great! Oh, and check lists are great, but note to self, put CHARCOAL on the list! Think we made a great choice and thankfully no falling AC vents (yet). Was it just my inexperience towing the AS or have others noticed such a big difference with a single link change on WD hitch?
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Old 06-26-2017, 10:00 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave-n-Janet View Post
Thanks for all the nice welcoming messages!

So TS Cindy came through and closed the Ocean Springs National Seashore where we were going for our initial break-in camping trip. However, it opened up Fri mid-day (start of our 2 night reservation) so we scrambled around, loaded up and made the 30 mile drive. Was very disappointed in how the TV (F150) and AS handled. Seemed to porpoise a bit and didn't feel well 'connected' to the TV. Because it was so close and I didn't do some of the things I had intended before doing a CAT session (fill fresh tank for example), I skipped getting CAT data. I had mentioned earlier post I had put Blue Ox on 8th link. On way back from camping, I put on 9th link and it seemed to make a world of difference. Trailer at 60mph felt about same as 45mph when heading out. Otherwise the AS and TV worked great! Oh, and check lists are great, but note to self, put CHARCOAL on the list! Think we made a great choice and thankfully no falling AC vents (yet). Was it just my inexperience towing the AS or have others noticed such a big difference with a single link change on WD hitch?
Blue Ox works with significant deflection of the spring bars, and their recommendation is for the 9th link from the loose end as the initial setting, and 10th link if you're close to the bar capacity. I run mine on the 10th, for example, and feel like that's better than the 9th. I never tried the 8th, that wouldn't have put enough pre-load on the bars. They recommend that the end of the bar be flexed about 2".
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Old 07-18-2017, 03:41 PM   #15
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Finally got to CAT scale

I find many of the posted CAT scale receipts hard to read, so here is summary of mine. 2017 26U w/optional A/C, awnings (and that very heavy rearview camera). TV is 2017 3.5L XLT Ecoboost w/max tow. 1740lbs payload, GAWR front of 3450lbs and rear of 3800lbs.

For this weighing, loaded for 3 day trip w/dog, crate, 2 bikes, full fresh water, empty black/grey, nearly full fuel (maybe 5 gal less) and nearly full propane.
I was standing off scales, so just wife and dog in TV.

With BlueOx 1000lb bars and on 9 links from end (3 1/2 showing when hitched)
TV front 3060
rear 3460
AS 6060
Total 12,580

WD bars off hitch and in crewcab of TV.
TV front 2760
rear 3860
AS 5940
Total 12,560

TV only
front 3140
rear 2560
total 5700

So it looks like loaded Airstream is 6870 and tongue weight is 930lbs.

The HD doesn't quite get front of TV back to no trailer attached, but does get it to within 80lbs.

I still have a fair bit of load available on both TV and AS.

BTW - David, we have very similar TVs and Airstreams. I am curious what setting you use for your break controller. I have tried both 'low' and 'medium' without seeing much difference. I've also been turning 'off' the sway control on the TV per the comments in several threads regarding BO and F150s.

In all, very pleased with the tow performance of my F150! I know the trailer is back there, but at the 65mph max speed I tow, is very stable and nice towing experience. Will be going next month on a slightly longer trip with several decent grades to go up and down (at least for the south), so will have better idea how it does in those situations.
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Old 07-18-2017, 04:10 PM   #16
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Dave: I have the integrated brake controller effort set on "High" if memory serves, because I like for the trailer brakes to get a decent amount of juice before the hydraulic brakes start slowing things down, it just feels better to me if the trailer is braking first. I liked that about the boost settings on the Prodigy and was pleased to find an option that gets most of that feel from the F150.

I ran my first thousand miles or so on the 9th link from the loose end, and have since gone to the 10th link at Blue Ox's recommendation. I'm within 20 lb of the unladen front-axle weight, and transferring another hundred pounds than you are off the drive axle of the truck (I'm reducing drive-axle weight by 520 lb, you're reducing by 400). It feels like the anti-sway works better with the higher pre-load, too, but that's not a measured difference just a seat-of-the-pants thing.
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Old 07-18-2017, 08:11 PM   #17
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Wow...how do you get to 10th link? Just a matter of raising tongue enough? 9th is tough, sometimes the link will just slide off the receiver notch as not quite enough is caught when starting to rotate the cam latch. When I rehooked up at CAT scale, had to have a slight angle between TV and trailer to catch first side, then drive forward a bit and angle to other side to catch other side.

Thanks for feedback on the brake controller. I will try 'high' and see how that works, this last trip I was leaving on 'medium'.
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Old 07-18-2017, 08:33 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave-n-Janet View Post
Wow...how do you get to 10th link? Just a matter of raising tongue enough? 9th is tough, sometimes the link will just slide off the receiver notch as not quite enough is caught when starting to rotate the cam latch. When I rehooked up at CAT scale, had to have a slight angle between TV and trailer to catch first side, then drive forward a bit and angle to other side to catch other side.

Thanks for feedback on the brake controller. I will try 'high' and see how that works, this last trip I was leaving on 'medium'.
Setting that 10th link is non-trivial but once I got used to it I can reliably do it. I always use a 4x4 wood block under the tongue jack anyway, and start out with the foot extended as much as possible. It'll lift the tongue enough to get that link in "the notch" pretty reliably, though i'm sure there might be some site where it won't work, e.g. if the trailer is nose-down but the truck is nose-up. I didn't think I'd be able to get it set on the 10th but it hasn't been a problem once I figured it out.
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Old 07-19-2017, 05:04 AM   #19
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Thanks, I will try to get to 10th link. I do use 4x4 under jack but don't think I raise it fully.
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Old 07-19-2017, 06:03 AM   #20
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Congratulation's from another 26U owner. Love our twin layout. Since1-14-16
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