Which truck is best to pull an airstream?

[Revery]

OK, We recently moved up from as 23 FC to a 28 FC. Living out west with lots of long 6 percent grades and climbing the various mountains out here, I have done a lot of research and have concluded a Dodge 2500 with Cummins diesel is the best bet. I like to tow and not be towed by the 8000 lbs behind me. I started looking for one today. Chevy is no longer in the diesel offerings and Ford is making their own engines for this category for the past few years and may be ok, but Cummins is the king of the category. If you love to travel without fighting and fatigue from your load, don't short the truck and you'll always enjoy the trip. Enjoy your new AS.

[Silver.Sanctuary]

A year ago I was at a similar crossroad. I had purchased a 22 foot Safari so I was going to be towing a shorter trailer presumably with less weight.

I read every post in the archive on towing/ tow vehicles/ etc.

It was going to be my wife and I. If we had kids 'join' us (adults now), they had their tents.

There are a lot of folks that say essentially "I have one so it is the best".
There are a lot of folks that say "I don't mind going slower up a mountain so I am happy with model X".

All I will say is that I was struck by two things.

1. The Equal-i-zer Brand Equalizer hitch thread
Over seven years of input. The most telling was the originator who said the only time his Airstream shook uncontrollably was when it was unhooked and in the driveway during an earthquake. I got an Equilizer brand hitch and love it. I could have afforded the Pro-pride or Hensley, but just wasn't sure they were worth the money. Everybody has a different opinion on value.

2. On the TV threads, although many swore by this 3/4 ton or that diesel, there was a solid core of Tundra (5.7 liter) owners who said they really liked their half tons and the Tundra pulled their trailers well (all the way up to 30 footers). I bought a Tundra figuring if it would pull 30 footers, it would pull my 22 footer through all my mountains in New Mexico.

I have been very happy with my choice and thank all those Tundra owners who stood up in the face of all the 'more popular modern choices' in the magazines which are owned by the other various brands anyway. So read archives all and consider the poster's family size, trailer size, travel locations (flat vs mountainous), extra gear, etc. and make sure that you match your situation to the right group. If you then see any kind of pattern on the TV recommendation, go for it.

[kscherzi]

It depends what you want to do when your not hitched to the trailer. If nothing (that involves driving) then get the largest truck you can afford. If go to town, or tour in a city then maybe not. Having driven in SF many times, smaller is always better.

[streamquest]

Pay no attention to any previous comments! These people are crazy!

Get a Ford F350 Laredo crew cab with a long bed, 6.7 Diesel, and 3.55 rear end. You'll have to look in the mirror to know that you're towing a trailer!

Just my humble opinion.

[Drathaar]

Originally Posted by streamquest

Pay no attention to any previous comments! These people are crazy!

Get a Ford F350 Laredo crew cab with a long bed, 6.7 Diesel, and 3.55 rear end. You'll have to look in the mirror to know that you're towing a trailer!

Just my humble opinion.

Hmmmm, a Ford Laredo? My Lariat must have a cousin.

We have a F350 Lairiat as described above. It's comfortable, has plenty of power, and gets reasonable fuel economy. I suspect that Chevy/GMC and Dodge trucks are equally nice. The 1 tons are stiff riding, so if you go that way, consider a hitch system that damps the road shock. We use an Airsafe/Equalizer combination.

[m.hony]

Laredo is a package on a Jeep,Grand Cherokee.

[rbs]

A lot of great advice here, all you need to do is figure out which one. Go and drive all of them, do your homework, but the best dealer/service department should be one of your most important parts of the final decision. Personally, my next truck will be bought from a dealer that sells a lot of trucks, or one that sells only trucks. Life is too short to deal with bad service

[dougandlori]

I have been pulling my Airstream with a half ton Toyota Tundra for three years and very happy. Mostly flat lands with some mountain travels. I just came back from three weeks in Montana, wyoming and utah and felt very underpowered. Not a good feeling. On the way home I traded the Tundra for an 07 Ram. We are leaving this afternoon for another mountain run and excited about the trip.

[alantbird]

CONGRATS!
my 1st was a 97 ford powerstroke and later a 93 cummins and both were perfect! I think that heavy motor in the front kept it all balanced and the dodge had air bags on the rear suspension so I could tweek the height and sway. ALSO make sure you have a towing package so the tranny has a good cooler!

[JimGolden]

A good rule of thumb to follow is that you want the gross weight of the trailer to be no more than 80% of the tow vehicle's rated towing weight.

So from Airstream, your trailer grosses at 7600lbs. 7600 / 0.8 = 9500 lbs.

So, as a minimum, make sure whatever vehicle you get is rated to tow at least 9500lbs.

Best of luck,

[Rocinante]

Just to join in: We have an International Signature 27FB and tow it with a Ram 1500. Our truck has a 5.7 liter gas engine, full tow package, crew cab and short bed. We've travelled over 12K miles with our rig. The experience has been great. Towing power is plentiful, rated at over 9K pounds towing capacity. Downshifting on downhill grades keeps things nicely under control. Thus far it's been a great experience.

However, we're close on load capacity. A weight-distributing hitch was an absolute necessity. We don't carry a bunch of stuff in the truck, just ourselves, the dog and then a few light items in the back. We also don't overload our trailer - we pack as light as we can, even when we're on the road for 8 weeks straight.

So, if we had it to do over again, we might have gone with a 3/4 ton for the extra load capacity. This is the *only* thing we wish we had more of - otherwise, our TV has been great for us. On the other hand, if we'd gone bigger on the truck we may have added an Air Hitch http://airsafehitch.com/category/air...ivers/class-v/ to reduce the pounding our trailer might take from the heavier suspension on that 3/4 ton truck.

Anyway, best wishes on picking a tow vehicle that's right for you. With this thread you've hit on one of the questions that most consistently stirs this forum into a frothy froth of stuff. Next time, try asking what tires are best for your trailer or what weight-distributing sway-preventing hitch to use. Results will be equally spectacular.

[streamquest]

Originally Posted by streamquest

Pay no attention to any previous comments! These people are crazy!

Get a Ford F350 Laredo crew cab with a long bed, 6.7 Diesel, and 3.55 rear end. You'll have to look in the mirror to know that you're towing a trailer!

Just my humble opinion.

That's what I said….. Lariat!!! That's the ticket. It just sounds different with a Boston accent!! Awesome truck!

[dkottum]

Rocinante touched another feature of towing with a heavy duty truck.

Shop for a some extra rivets, screws, sealants, tools and learn how to repair the ongoing damage the heavy truck suspension may inflict on your Airstream. Some people have found the Airsafe hitch smooths things out, there are some other measures in tire selection and pressures, weight distribution hitches that may help.

A good reason to match tow vehicles and towing equipment to the Airstream. Overkill can do just that to your new trailer over time.

[FishinHatteras]

I knew it was only a short matter of time before dkottum would say something way out of line, and of course, INCORRECT. So my, and everyone else's 3/4 or 1 ton truck on here is going to inflict damage to our Airstreams? Really Doug? Your ceaseless trolling of these threads should have gotten you banned from posting by now. Stop trying to give advice on a truck & rig that you have never owned, nor will probably ever own. Leave the advice giving to someone who has towed, owned, or knows what it's like to have more than eight thousand pounds behind them. Your 25' is not in that category. When you have no experience or wisdom behind the words you type, is the truth more important than the facts?

[gypsydad]

We have been very happy pulling our 2008', 25' Safari, and 2014', 25' FC with our 2012 4X4, Super Crew F150 Short Bed, Echoboost, Platinum. (We do not have the "Off Road" model.) Ours has 71K miles, and rides like a Cadillac, with short bed it is easier to park, and carries what we need under our locking tri-fold bed cover. You can equip with max tow package and get it up to 11,500 pounds towing plus 2K Payload. Ours has 3.55 rear end and we see 18-22 MPG when not towing; 10-12 MPG towing, depending on speed. It pulls real well and has plenty of torque! (see example below from F150 site on how you can equip.)

2016 Ford F-150 LARIAT SuperCrew, 5-1/2' Box, 3.5L V6 EcoBoost® Engine, 6-Speed Automatic Electronic Transmission w/Tow/Haul Mode, 4X4, 3.55 Electronic Locking Axle RatioMax. When Properly Equipped:
Payload: 2,060 lbs
Towing: 11,500 lbs

I just went to dealer here in MT today to look at F250 & F350 with diesel & gas models vs a new F150 Echoboost like we have. My take is there are pro's and con's and more $$. Certainly the larger 3/4 ton models can pull almost anything out there, but there are also some drawbacks to me in terms of ride, overall size (minimum 6.5' bed) and did I mention, $$$? If I had a 30', I would certainly seriously consider the larger 3/4 models, and in the future, may consider again. If we move to a new 25' FC or 27' FC next year, I will stay with my Echoboost for now. I am going to wait for Ford to deliver the new 8 or 10 speed on the Echoboost in mid 2016 or 2017. I will stay with current TV even if we get the new 25' or 27' FC with ducted air, which is our other goal. If we were to move to 27', I think the F150 configured properly with Echoboost works great. Others on the Forum can chime in with their Echoboost experience with 27'....it's been a good all around vehicle for us!

[DoublTrouble]

Just like Ol' Faithful, this was predictable. Since the original post, I have been checking frequently to see how this discussion would conclude.
"It's like Deja vu all over again".
In terms if the original question, I plan to keep my opinion to myself. Peace.
Happy Halloween 😱

[dkottum]

Here's a recommendation (in an earlier thread this year) for towing an Airstream from Andrew Thomson of Can-Am Airstream, in business 40 years selling, servicing, repairing Airstreams for 40 years. It addresses some of the topics brought up here. He has many similar posts.

"Take a close look at the new F150. I have towed with several of these now and they are quite impressive. The aluminum body helps it in two areas, the center of gravity is noticeably lower which improves handling. The lighter body also gives the F150 all the payload you will ever need towing a 30' Airstream.

The other huge benefit is independent front suspension. This widens the front suspension stance by 18", the rear spring and shock placements are wider as well. Besides handling any emergency situation better the more precise steering box gives you more control just heading straight down the road.

Because the suspension is matched more closely to the load being carried and partially due to less un-sprung weight it is much easier on your Airstream.

You can likely spec out an F150 new for less cost than the used diesel. Myself I would buy the 5.0 Litre motor but there are many that love the echoboost.

Just something to consider.

Andrew T"

[Punch]

Originally Posted by DoublTrouble

Just like Ol' Faithful, this was predictable. Since the original post, I have been checking frequently to see how this discussion would conclude.
"It's like Deja vu all over again".
In terms if the original question, I plan to keep my opinion to myself. Peace.
Happy Halloween 😱

Kind of like a sectarian religious war, really.

Of all the many and often conflicting opinions expressed, one was certainly correct though. Modesty prevents me from pointing out which one........

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by dkottum

Rocinante touched another feature of towing with a heavy duty truck.

Shop for a some extra rivets, screws, sealants, tools and learn how to repair the ongoing damage the heavy truck suspension may inflict on your Airstream. ...snip...

Why do you say this? I've towed my 27FB (6000# on the scales) with a GM 2500 diesel (capable of nearly 3X that weight) for 3 years now. Lost a single rivet on the worst road I've ever traveled. Other than that - not a hint of this or any other kind of damage. This year, I even upgraded my WD bars to 1400# (replacing the 1000# bars I originally purchased due to similar reports about easing up on the WD bars for fear of destroying your trailer) and that hasn't hurt the trailer either - in fact with all the adjustments, it's better than it's ever been.

There must be dozens of factors at play in reports of popped rivets and sprung drawers (perhaps especially with vintage trailers originally towed by station wagons?) but in my experience, a 3/4 ton truck hasn't been one of them with my 2012 27FB.

I guess everyone's mileage varies...

[m.hony]

I think the problem with rivets popping only happens with older 1 ton trucks. The new 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks ride as smooth as a car.
I still think I'm ok towing with a 1/2 ton. 8,800# trailer, 10,400# towing capacity- all is well.


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