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Old 07-07-2005, 04:10 PM   #1
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Help set me straight...

My wife and I bought our first Airstream and need to make a road trip to get it. We got a '67 Overlander (25'). Will our 2003 Yukon (2WD, 5.3L, OE TOW w/3.73) have a hard time pulling it back home?

I'm having a Prodigy Ebrake installed tomorrow, and purchasing a Reese WD/Sway kit at the same time. I am also prepared to bag the rear as well. The Yukon also has an aftermarket exhaust and open air filter, so it makes plenty of power.

My max tow capacity is 7700#s. The dry weight of the trailer is listed as 4180#'s. Even when fully loaded I cant see the trailer weighing more than 4500-5000#'s. However Im not sure of the FW tank capacity (20-25?)

The Yukon's curb weight is 4800 and my best guess is about 5250#'s fully loaded (full tank gas, 2 adults, 1 child, 1 large dog, some gear).

If my math is correct this puts us at about 10,000 GCWR, which is 3000#'s under our max. How am I looking so far?

To complicate things even more I'd like to put a 3" lift kit on the vehicle and run 33" tires (305/75/16). I don't expect that this will add much more than about 250#'s to the vehicle. Yes, I know the 33's will be harder to turn, so Im hoping to swap in 4.10's shortly after.

If all goes well were still about 2500#'s under GCWR.
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Old 07-07-2005, 04:21 PM   #2
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Welcome to the forum.

As long as you engage the "tow/haul" button, you will be okay. Your specs on your Overlander, while they do not affect what you outlined above, don't match my '67 Overlander.

Where did you get your information?

Tom
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Old 07-07-2005, 04:35 PM   #3
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http://www.airstream.com/airstream/p.../weights-1.pdf


I hope that link works. Maybe you've seen it before. I dont have any other info to go off of. Perhaps there is a difference with the International package? This is our first AS so Im not sure of the different trim levels.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMEWA%3AIT
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Old 07-07-2005, 04:38 PM   #4
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JMGAZ

Check my edited post above - That's an image of my owner's manual.

Tom
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Old 07-07-2005, 04:40 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TomW
Welcome to the forum.

As long as you engage the "tow/haul" button, you will be okay. Your specs on your Overlander, while they do not affect what you outlined above, don't match my '67 Overlander.

Where did you get your information?

Tom
Tom, for some reason it looks like you have the specs for the newer Overlander, at 27' and a few hundred pounds more than the narrow-body, and a foot shorter, 67 model.
My 63 has nearly the same dry weight, 4200 pounds.
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Old 07-07-2005, 04:44 PM   #6
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Is Tom's manual incorrect or is the PDF file from AS? Was there like a late model '67 or something?
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Old 07-07-2005, 04:49 PM   #7
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Terry,

All I can say is that the scan came from the original owner's manual that came with my Overlander. Don't tell anyone, but I have never had it weighed, nor have I gone out with a measuring tape.

Don't know why I would mistrust the info though.

Tom
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Old 07-07-2005, 04:56 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JMGAZ
Is Tom's manual incorrect or is the PDF file from AS? Was there like a late model '67 or something?
I have always been told that the literature that comes with the trailer is the preferred data, as it will have the latest information, and the pre-printed stuff may be out of date. However, my Overlander, which is the same body as yours, and Tom's has a length of 26', a dry weight of 4200 pounds, and a gross weight of 6200 pounds. This does not mean my info is right, and Tom's is wrong, neither of us have ever weighed our trailers, and either source of info could be correct. The model change was in 1968, for the 1969 model year. 1969's were longer, wider, and heavier.
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Old 07-07-2005, 05:05 PM   #9
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Okay guys, I think I see the confusion...the Airstream document lists the dry AXLE weight and the tongue weight, you have to add them together to get the total dry weight. IIRC the owners manual gives the total dry weight then breaks out the tongue weight. I am basing this information on the information given on my 75 Sovereign Rear Bath. In the AS doc it has it at about 5100# with a 490# tongue weight, the actual dry weight is around the 5600# range.
I also suspect that the Airstream document my be a number pulled from a base weight trailer before the options were added in. In my manual there is a complete listing of the options and the weights and how much they add or subtract from the axle weight or the tongue weight...kind of anal if you aren't a load master on an Aircraft...but then again....

JMGAZ,
You should be fine with the set up you currently have. I have been looking at the 04 Yukon XL with 3.73 gears to tow mine. By the numbers I am a little close but I am confident that it will handle it just fine, if I decide to go that way.

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Old 07-07-2005, 07:53 PM   #10
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Help set me straight...

Greetings Terry!

Quote:
Originally Posted by overlander63
I have always been told that the literature that comes with the trailer is the preferred data, as it will have the latest information, and the pre-printed stuff may be out of date. However, my Overlander, which is the same body as yours, and Tom's has a length of 26', a dry weight of 4200 pounds, and a gross weight of 6200 pounds. This does not mean my info is right, and Tom's is wrong, neither of us have ever weighed our trailers, and either source of info could be correct. The model change was in 1968, for the 1969 model year. 1969's were longer, wider, and heavier.
I have actually had my '64 Overlander International weighed and measured with the following results:

26' 8" edge or rear bumper to tip of tongue
4,440 pounds Empty Weight (Airstream indicates 3930 lbs. w/o options)
575 pound Empty Hitch Weight (Airstream indicates 405 lbs. w/o options)

6,100 pounds typical Gross Weight when loaded for an extended vacation.
775 pounds Gross Hitch Weight when loaded for an extended vacation.

As a comparison, my '78 Minuet which is listed as 20' actually measureas 19' 3" from the edge of the rear bumper to the tip of the tongue.

Kevin
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Old 07-07-2005, 08:28 PM   #11
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Help set me straight as well....

Quote:
Originally Posted by JMGAZ
http://www.airstream.com/airstream/p.../weights-1.pdf


I hope that link works. Maybe you've seen it before. I dont have any other info to go off of. Perhaps there is a difference with the International package? This is our first AS so Im not sure of the different trim levels.
In this thread there is a great PDF about the varying weights of the AS over the years. I have a 1975 Excella 500 but didn't see it listed in here. Do I assume that it weighs the same as a Sovereign?

Mitch
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Old 07-08-2005, 08:15 AM   #12
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How much???

Quote:
Originally Posted by JMGAZ
.....The Yukon's curb weight is 4800 and my best guess is about 5250#'s fully loaded (full tank gas, 2 adults, 1 child, 1 large dog, some gear)....

Ummmm....

Yukon 4800
+/- 30 gallons fuel 210
2 people at FAA 170# each 340
House Ape/Mini You 80
Bowzer 50
Stuff (adds up in a hurry) 100

Total 5580


The Yukon should be more than sufficient, but, for peace of mind, you should seriously consider weighing your unit at a CAT or similar "truck" type of scale with the vehicle fully gassed and loaded as per "ready to roll".

Weighings are usually around 10 bucks, with subsequent weighings (at the same stop) of only a buck or so. For less than twenty dollars you can get individual weights on each axle, the tongue, and the whole unit (individual axles) with the equalizing bars hitched up to a couple of different links.

Please keep the Fourm posted with your findings.
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Old 07-08-2005, 08:38 AM   #13
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Going by the numbers, it would work, but I'd have reservations about it on anything less that flat, non windy situtations. As 87MH pointed out, you deduct all the extra weight from the base weight of the truck from the towing capacity and you wind up in the area (not exact) of approx 6700lbs tow capacity. If what I've read is correct and you are at the 6000lb range then, yes it would work, but no it wouldn't be my first choice for two reasons.

First, I think your too close to the max rating. The 5.3 is a solid engine, but the 6.0L is better suited for this, as is the more robust 4l80e trans.

Second, your talking about towing a 25' trailer with a 116" wheelbase. I did the same thing with a Chevy Sedan. Similar weights, wheelbases, horsepower, torque, yadda, yadda, yadda..... Though it clearly towed our 25' Safari on flat ground and fully loaded, the car was outweighed by the Safari by about 1000lbs. Moreover the shorter wheelbase really got pushed around by the Safari when there was any wind at all.

So again, will it do it, I have no doubt it will. I did the same thing. Is it the best option long term? My gut and wallet said no and I upgraded to a 6.0L w/4l80e FWIW.

Now if your coach weighed say 5000 to 5500lbs and/or it was not 25' I'd have less reservations, but you are, IMHO in the upper limits.
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Old 07-08-2005, 08:04 PM   #14
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Thanks for the help guys...

I think Ive got a set up that is going to work for me, at least for awhile. Here is what I will end up with:

2003 Yukon SLT 2WD: 5.3L, OE TOW w/3.73

Billy Boat Exhaust http://www.bbtriflo.com/B&BMain.htm
AirRaid intake and throttle body spacer.

Prodigy Ebrake controler, Reese WD hitch kit w/ dual cam sway control

Going on this weekend:

265/75/16 BFG's


and a set of Rancho RSX 9000's http://www.gorancho.com/products/sho...X_dialride.stm

No lift, no spindles no airbags. Trailer length aside Ive looked at weight combos very carefully here. We only plan on using the trailer for weekend trips and will just have to travel light. My goal is to cap the coach at 5000-5500. I'll be putting on a nice roof rack on the Yukon to allow for more storage on it, capping it at 5500-6000. I really think this can be done, and with the WD set up properly and giving myself plenty of drive time this should hold me over for a year or so, then I will upgrade the Yukon.
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