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Goal15 · 08-24-2012, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramble On

Interesting. Thanks for muddin'ing the water even more.I will look at the towing and payload specs.
Where do you store your trailer and what is the cost?

Am storing up in Princeton, covered but not completely enclosed for $75 a month. Comparable storage, if you can find a slot, in Rockwall is $150 to $200.

its kind of far away and if i had an AS that I had to do a lot of work on, I would want it closer, but DW wants her AS under cover, so that was the best deal I could find. Its called A Great Storage Place for Boats and RVs, between Lucas and Princeton.... wouldn't be a bad drive for you because you could go up 205 and catch 78 then across 380 and down the FM road to Princeton.

about 22 miles from Rowlett.

dkottum · 08-24-2012, 09:05 PM

You don't need a truck at all . . .

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f238...ml#post1109934

doug k

Ramble On · 08-24-2012, 09:12 PM

Damn, this is to much information for my pea sized brain.

Lance M · 08-24-2012, 09:30 PM

Hi from central Texas and welcome to the forums! I have read and heard a lot of wonderful things about the F150 Eco-Boost. I have a good friend that has one. He traded his F-250 for it. I'm of the thought that you don't need a monster truck to tow an Airstream. I have a 29' 1972 Ambassador that I have towed with a 2002 Toyota Sequoia from Texas to Colorado and Utah twice now and have had no issues with my set up. I'm comfortable with it. If you are concerned about mountain towing, you should be concerned with the brakes on your trailer as much as, if not more than, the tow vehicle you are towing with. Proper set up, service etc. There are a lot of opinions out there as to what you need to tow an Airstream with. Get what feels right and safe for you.
Enjoy your Airstream and have fun! Hope to see you on the road or at a rally soon.

Ramble On · 08-24-2012, 09:47 PM

It is my understanding that the early models of Airstreams were considerably lighter in weight than what I will be towing. What is the GVWR of a 1972 Ambassador?
My trailer is 7300# GVWR.

jrudd1968 · 08-24-2012, 10:04 PM

I agree, buy what fits you. However, here was my experience when I was in your situation. Bought my 25' 5K lb Airstream new in 2001. Got with my Airstream salesman and my local Dodge dealer and told them to pick me a truck that would tow the trailer well in all situations. They both recommended I needed a 2001 Dodge Ram gasoline 1/2 ton. Bought the 1/2 ton Dodge Ram and took off from East Texas headed for Yelllowstone. Got 5 miles per gallon. Got blown all over the road by 18 wheelers. Had a hard time climbing some of the Rocky Mountains I encountered, and had a hard time controlling it down the otherside. Experienced a lot of "white knucle" driving. Felt like trailer was pushing truck downhill. However, I put up with all this because surely this was just the way it was, both sales people recommended this combination. In the fall of 2002 I went to Branson Missouri pulling the AS. As you probably know, the hills around there are not as steep as the Rockies but they are long. When we hooked up to the AS to leave, the 1/2 ton Ram would not pull it out of the RV camp spot. Had to stay another couple of days to get the local Dodge dealer to repair the tranny. Drove straight home from Branson to East Texas after the repair, traded that 1/2 ton for a brand new 2003 3/4 ton Diesel Dodge Ram, and have enjoyed traveling with an Airstream in total comfort, control, and efficiency ever since. The way Airstream travel should be. 17 MPG towing, 21 not towing. No wind turbulence by bigger vehicles, Plenty of torque to climb any mountain I have encounter all over the US and Souther Canada. No pushing downhill. Cruise at 70 on interstates with trailer in tow. 3/4 ton Diesel Ram now has 133K on it and is still going strong on long Airstream trips. Not even broke in good yet. Love it! Especially with the AS hooked up and rolling around the country or making short trips. Thats my 2 bits worth!

Lance M · 08-24-2012, 10:15 PM

My Ambassador has a GVWR of 7,100# Very close to what you have. I don't get too close to the trailer's max GVWR.

Ramble On · 08-24-2012, 10:37 PM

What does it cost to put disc brakes on an Airstream?

**DKB_SATX** · 08-24-2012, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramble On

What does it cost to put disc brakes on an Airstream?

About $1400 in parts, and lord-knows-what in labor.

Ramble On · 08-25-2012, 12:24 PM

Just finished picking up our trailer and getting it stored. Man do I have alot of questions.
It has a draw tite WDH installed that I did not hook up because I didn't know how. I assume it is adjustable to match the tow vehicle. I need to learn how to do this. Any suggestions?

Goal15 · 08-25-2012, 01:17 PM

congrats on getting the AS back to Rockwall.

As to learning all this stuff, you are absolutely in the right place. Used the search function to find answers to just about anything you want to know.... and if you don't find it, ask.

PO should have shown you how to hook up the WD hitch... mine did. It certainly will make a difference when towing... so don't judge this trip home as the norm if you didn't have either WD or sway control.

Dana

Goal15 · 08-25-2012, 03:34 PM

Photos of your new toy?

Ramble On · 08-25-2012, 06:58 PM

I will try to post photos tomorrow. Went truck shopping today and will probably pull the trigger Monday. New trucks are expensive. I will exceed my budget. Oh well.

Big C · 08-25-2012, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrudd1968

I agree, buy what fits you. However, here was my experience when I was in your situation. Bought my 25' 5K lb Airstream new in 2001. Got with my Airstream salesman and my local Dodge dealer and told them to pick me a truck that would tow the trailer well in all situations. They both recommended I needed a 2001 Dodge Ram gasoline 1/2 ton. Bought the 1/2 ton Dodge Ram and took off from East Texas headed for Yelllowstone. Got 5 miles per gallon. Got blown all over the road by 18 wheelers. Had a hard time climbing some of the Rocky Mountains I encountered, and had a hard time controlling it down the otherside. Experienced a lot of "white knucle" driving. Felt like trailer was pushing truck downhill. However, I put up with all this because surely this was just the way it was, both sales people recommended this combination. In the fall of 2002 I went to Branson Missouri pulling the AS. As you probably know, the hills around there are not as steep as the Rockies but they are long. When we hooked up to the AS to leave, the 1/2 ton Ram would not pull it out of the RV camp spot. Had to stay another couple of days to get the local Dodge dealer to repair the tranny. Drove straight home from Branson to East Texas after the repair, traded that 1/2 ton for a brand new 2003 3/4 ton Diesel Dodge Ram, and have enjoyed traveling with an Airstream in total comfort, control, and efficiency ever since. The way Airstream travel should be. 17 MPG towing, 21 not towing. No wind turbulence by bigger vehicles, Plenty of torque to climb any mountain I have encounter all over the US and Souther Canada. No pushing downhill. Cruise at 70 on interstates with trailer in tow. 3/4 ton Diesel Ram now has 133K on it and is still going strong on long Airstream trips. Not even broke in good yet. Love it! Especially with the AS hooked up and rolling around the country or making short trips. Thats my 2 bits worth!

I have done that before, not with an Airstream, but a full load of grass sod on a Dodge 1500 and 18 ft trailer. Had to stop at the bottom and relieve myself. Bought my first diesel after that. Now once I get over my fear of heights...

Ramble On · 08-25-2012, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goal15

congrats on getting the AS back to Rockwall.

As to learning all this stuff, you are absolutely in the right place. Used the search function to find answers to just about anything you want to know.... and if you don't find it, ask.

PO should have shown you how to hook up the WD hitch... mine did. It certainly will make a difference when towing... so don't judge this trip home as the norm if you didn't have either WD or sway control.

Dana

Wasn't to bad, towing with and older f350. I'm sure with the proper setup, towing will be just fine. Experienced no sway with trucks passing me, only a little bucking on rough roads.

dkottum · 08-25-2012, 08:28 PM

If you guys had replaced the passenger car tires on your Dodge 1/2 tons with truck tires it would have been at least as stable as the the larger truck. Adding a Hensey hitch would eliminate sway completely.

doug k

Goal15 · 08-25-2012, 08:31 PM

Our PO said he drove all the way from Midlothian to Banff and back without using sway control and said the trailer tracked perfectly all the way. Something to be said for the aerodynamics.

Once i got used the feeling of a little push as semi's pass on the interstate, I've not encountered anything that even faintly resembles sway.

Ramble On · 08-25-2012, 09:39 PM

Older trucks ain't up to the standards of today's current crop of 1/2 ton ton trucks. Ford and other manufactures have expanded the capabilities of the 1/2 ton. My old 2002 dodge ram can"t tow sh*t.

Big C · 08-25-2012, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkottum

If you guys had replaced the passenger car tires on your Dodge 1/2 tons with truck tires it would have been at least as stable as the the larger truck. Adding a Hensey hitch would eliminate sway completely.

doug k

Did that. Would never pull up or go down a 7-10% grade with any fully loaded trailer with any 150,1500 or what ever gas engine again when I can do it with a diesel that was built to haul.
Biased toward fully packaged diesels, yes.

Ramble On · 08-25-2012, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big C

Did that. Would never pull up or go down a 7-10% grade with any fully loaded trailer with any 150,1500 or what ever gas engine again when I can do it with a diesel that was built to haul.
Biased toward fully packaged diesels, yes.

OK, what is the difference between LT and P tires? Should I get LT tires?