Sincere thanks, on last and prior comments. Happy to already regard you as a friend who's opinion's well worth having. Just fell onto Planet AS Monday, bought a '75 on ebay. Heading out soon from CA to collect her at Charlotte,NC; then cruise 'er down to New Orleans.
If you weren't nearly 3,000 miles away from Can Am RV, I'd suggest having them build a custom receiver. The image of the Audi unit makes me think they would have no trouble replicating the attachment points and augmenting the design to make it capable of handling a weight-distributing hitch.
I'd expect towing a good handling trailer like an Airstream with a good handling car like an Audi to be a rare treat. I wouldn't expect pulling power or cooling capacity to be issues. The gearing and torque are quite suitable, and these cars are designed to be run at wide open throttle or close to it. Using constant turbo boost may cause problems, but perhaps using a pyrometer to keep an eye on exhaust gas temperature would work as well for a turbocharged gasoline engine as it does for a turbocharged diesel.
If you weren't nearly 3,000 miles away from Can Am RV, I'd suggest having them build a custom receiver. The image of the Audi unit makes me think they would have no trouble replicating the attachment points and augmenting the design to make it capable of handling a weight-distributing hitch.
I'd expect towing a good handling trailer like an Airstream with a good handling car like an Audi to be a rare treat. I wouldn't expect pulling power or cooling capacity to be issues. The gearing and torque are quite suitable, and these cars are designed to be run at wide open throttle or close to it. Using constant turbo boost may cause problems, but perhaps using a pyrometer to keep an eye on exhaust gas temperature would work as well for a turbocharged gasoline engine as it does for a turbocharged diesel.
Yes AlbertF, this pretty much sums up the way many others feel too.
Like owning the highly praised Airstream some unique TV's do cost more and do require a certain amount of special prep, extra cost, and considerations.
With professional advice and setup many folks have reaped the benefits of superior handling, fuel economy, safety, ride, and comforts with unique vehicles when towing, and or solo.
__________________ Airstreams..... The best towing trailers on the planet!
Ok, I'm sadly resolved to parting w/ the Audi & replacing w/ a 5.7L Tundra. What are your thoughts on towing w/ 4x2 vs 4x4? All new Tundra's are equipped w/ traction control, vehicle stability control & auto ltd-slip-diff. Whatcha think?
Thanks again, 2air', for pointing me in good direction. Got enough input to confirm my instincts. Diff betw 4x2 & 4x4 Tundra is 300 lbs, only 1 mpg each (city/hwy) and $3K. I'll buy it. I won't always need 4x4, but I'll be most appreciative when I do. Which WILL happen.
Next question 2 toss out : Tundra's have stout tow ability built in, but Toyota does offer an optional Reese Wt Distrb hitch. I'm aware of these via this forum, but w/o understanding. This TV has tow capabilty TWICE the weight of my AS. Should the standard stuff suffice, or is Reese the next part of my learning process?
My Tundra is the 4X4 and like you stated, when you need it you need it. I have an older Reese WD hitch which came with my trailer. It has the 750 pound bars and is a very good match for my combination. I also have a friction sway device which is good, but if I were going new I would most likely get a Reese Dual Cam setup. I don't think the Toyota dealer is the best place to shop for hitches.
BTW, the Tundra / Airstream setup looks great too!
Thanx 4 suggestions, 'caster. Out of curiosity, what gas mileage are you getting (both towing & norm) ?
Around 11 towing. My not towing is only 15, but I live 4 miles from work and it is all surface streets. Longer trips on the Interstate take that number up to around 18, but that is at 80+ MPH.....
Andy here from Can-Am RV. There may be some other options for you that would suite your vehicle taste better. I have not done a lot of Audi's but the ones we have set up perform very well. For some vehicles we can make a receiver here and send it for installation elsewhere but the Audi is not one of them.
It seems you are going from one extream to the other. The Audi is a tight handling drivers car and the Tundra is a tall center of gravity typical truck. There are many vehicles in between that will easily handle the 27 Airstream and get much better fuel economy.
"There are many vehicles in between that will easily handle the 27 Airstream and get much better fuel economy." Andy T
The full extent of my towing experience has been with a 4.5'x8' Snowbear utility trailer. You're talking to a rookie.
I was thinking that a truck was the logical pick & was impressed w/ all that Toyota has engineered into the new Tundra. Admittedly it's tow cap (w/ 5.7L) of 10,600 is an overmatch for the 4575# dry wt of my '75. The 4.7L is rated @ 8100#, but mileage is 1mpg WORSE. Lets skip the V6. So what're a coupla quality TV suggestions, I'm all ears ... Also 4x4 not necessity & have a Miata for nice mileage.
It must be nice to live where you can drive a Miata year round.
There are a few vehicles that we can build a hitch for that can be installed elsewhere. The Dodge Charger RT with the Handling package which comes with 20" rims and stiffer suspension is a great tow vehicle.
On the highway both towing and solo it will outperform the Tundra any way you care to measure it, better performance handling and a shorter stopping and do it on about 25% less fuel. It is not quite the road car your Audi is but if you were to drive one I think you would find it impressive. Make sure you drive one with the performance package the standard Hemi's are not nearly as capable. You do not need the SRT8 with the 6.1 litre. It has massive power but the fuel mileage suffers and it does not cut back to 4 cylinders under light load.
The latest generation BMW 3 Series is comparable to the Audi but it has an easier structure to attach to so can build a receiver for it. It does not have the brute power of the Hemi or the Toyota but it still easily tows a 27' Airstream. Very precise handling both towing and solo.
The new Cadillac CTS with the 3.6 Litre engine is also a great handling tow vehicle. The 3.6 has a nice wide power band and gives excellent fuel economy.
I prefer a car to tow with as the low centre of gravity suites my driving style and don't see why I would drive a vehicle that handles worse than the trailer I am towing. As well when you tow with a sedan you don't burn up a bunch of power to move the tow vehicle so your towing performance can be equal or better with a smaller more fuel effiecient engine. However if I was going to get an SUV there are a couple that come close to a sedan's handling that we can build a hitch for.
The ML Mercedes is one, the new diesel has been very popular with our customers and everyone that has it loves its performance and fuel economy. The Buick Enclave has the same Cadillac 3.6 Litre and 6 speed transmission and like the ML has 4 wheel independent suspension. However the tires that come stock on it are too large for towing so we do change these to a lower profile to improve handling and performance. This is common with most SUV's and pickups these days as the perception is that larger tires sell better and I suppose they are better for serious off roading but they have too much side wall sway for towing.
If you seen another vehicle that you like the look of let me know and I can check into whether a receiver is possible.
Here is a picture of a reciever for Subaru that we shipped to a customer.
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