Just got back from our first major trip with the Airstream since we got it from Mom and Dad a year ago. 7 state, 6 NP's, 1 NM and 4300 miles later. California to Yellowstone and back.
The Airstream pulled like a dream. I normally could just feel the weight. Crosswinds were hard to notice, headwinds kicked it out of overdrive but the A/S does not sit much higher than the Excursion so I don't know if I can attribute it to the trailer.
The only problem we had was just over the Wyoming border near Flaming Gorge. The road had gravel on it due to some repairs and another trailer passed. I looked at the front window and it had shattered. Not fun. We cleaned out as much glass as we could and continued on to Rock Springs. Of course this was Sunday. The only building place open was an Ace hardware. One option was putting plexiglass in but that would require a lot of work in the frame. The decision was to put in a piece of plywood so we could take care of it in Jackson on Monday.
In Jackson, the glass shops said they did not have the facility to cut tempered glass. One shop said that he could not replace it with anything else than tempered, not even plexiglass. I told him that this was a trailer and no one was inside of it when it was being towed. I convinced him to put in the plexiglass and it lasted the remainder of the trip.
I haven't persued it anymore since we just got back yesterday.
__________________
Roger & Roxie Smith (WBCCI#27380 - Air#178)
Visalia, CA (between Fresno & Bakersfield)
1992 25' Excella - Nuestra casa rodante
2003 F-250 6.0 Turbo Diesel Crew Cab http://www.casarodante.org
Our Rocky Moutain, Jackson Wo, Yellowstone trip is probably our favorite to date. We really have some wornderul national parks to enjoy!
Sorry to hear about your window. You'll notice few other brands have all that wonderful glass up front. I strongly recommend you get a cover for the front window, especially if you also have the the curved fixed glass windows on either side of the main window. The covers are about $400 from Airstream. They may be available elsewhere, I don't know.
Inland RV sells the solar ray rock guards on their site. Go to www.inlandrv.com.
__________________ Craig
AIR #0078
'01 2500hd ext. cab, 8.1 litre gas, 5 sp. Allison auto
3.73 rear end
Mag-Hytec rear diff cover
Amsoil Dual by-pass oil filtration system
Amsoil synthetics all around
265 watt AM Solar, Inc. system
Hello all: First post here. Sherry and I, Robert, just purchased our first Airstream. On the 2006 Safari SE, are people saying here we should get a solid cover over the front window area? The order is backed up 3 months, so we will not be taking delivery until late December.
Hello all: First post here. Sherry and I, Robert, just purchased our first Airstream. On the 2006 Safari SE, are people saying here we should get a solid cover over the front window area? The order is backed up 3 months, so we will not be taking delivery until late December.
Thanks. Robert and Sherry
Hello Robert and Sherri,
Welcome to the forums! And congratulations on your new trailer.
I am 99% sure that the brand new Safaris come with a solar grey Rock guard already attached from the factory. It is the kind that swings up and forms a nice sun shade when it is in it's open position.
About the only thing you can do to protect your new trailer further, is ordering the "segment protectors", basically another layer of aluminum that goes over the front curved segments to protect from rocks and debris that the truck's tires inevitably will kick up. These protectors are mounted on hinges, so they can be unclipped and swung out for cleaning behind. I am uncertain if those are standard on teh Safari SE, bes check with your dealer.
I have a call into the dealer right now, but just a message phone. We purchased the unit at Travel Land. I notice you are close in Orange, California. We are in the Seal Beach area.
Robert & Sherry -- I've had my new trailer just under two weeks now. Whether you are getting the FB or SS, if you have a panoramic front window (an option on the FB) you will have the solar rock guard installed from the factory. (see picture in my section at www.airforums.com/photos)
Robert, the front window rock shield is a good investment. Many of them in place on trailers, mine included, are starred from hits that would have taken out the window. I had a '70 Safari that lost its original rock shield to a wind storm, and I just never bothered to replace it... until AFTER I lost a "D" window to a rock. Several hundred dollars for a new window later, I recognized it's value.
Roger
__________________ AIR 2053 “A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.” Robert Heinlein 1994 Airstream B190 & 2006 Bigfoot 25B25RQ
Yes, my 2005 Safari has the solar smoked glass that is suppose to protect the front window and yes, the newer models come with rock shield protector panels.
By the way, if you haven't heard the alleged horror stories of Inland RV, you need to go to the airstream.com forum.
I use C&G Trailer Service in Bellflower, CA. Rod is SUPER ! Service is great, he's a wealth of knowledge and has been there for years, and there is no BS. I had some warrenty work done last week and there was NO surprises.
Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth.
R/
Safari-Rick
__________________ "Better to have more then you need, then need more then you have because you don't have enough!" AIR #: 8129
We live just down the road from Bellflower, in Seal Beach, grew up there on Rose Street, and went to Paramount High. Anyway, wrote down Rod's name and C and G Trailor. Am sure I will get to know him.
My dealer, Dave Tidmore at Roger Williams recommended that I not get the A/S 600 watt inverter also. He termed it an unnecessary expense. Don't remember the detailed explaination but I trust his judgement.
Your neighbor
Iver
__________________ UNSAFE AT ANY MACH 2005 PS Excursion Diesel, name: "Private Excursion" 2006 28' Safari SE, "General Revelation"
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