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Inland RV Center, In · 02-26-2005, 11:34 AM

This owner really likes to "off road".

Ball height is 26 inches.

Andy

Foiled Again · 02-26-2005, 12:50 PM

What the heck did this clown DO? Did he put a truck axle under there? Andy, you tease, dish the dirt!

Paula

Inland RV Center, In · 02-26-2005, 12:59 PM

Paula.

No tease.

We shimmed the frame downward 5 inches, and then mounted a pair of new axles with a 35 degree starting angle.

The owners comment?

It would have been perfect, "IF", another 3 inches could have been added.

Gee, wonder where these off roads are that he will be traveling?

Andy

Foiled Again · 02-26-2005, 01:09 PM

Wow, I guess Inland DOES do a lot of customized work.

How often did you have to whisper "the customer is always right" under your breath while you were doing this one? I hope you sold him the best load equalizing hitch system you have. That high center of gravity would seem to defeat all of the aerodynamics Airstream is famous for.

Paula Ford

Silvertwinkie · 02-26-2005, 01:29 PM

Wouldn't raising it also raise the center of gravity? Not that it's gonna be taken on the race track or anything, but I'd think in an emergancy manuver, couldn't this be dangerous?

Inland RV Center, In · 02-26-2005, 01:37 PM

Modifications such as this, must be done very carefully.

But "NEVER" without getting a "hold harmless agreement" signed and dated, from the owner.

This fellow is aware that he "must" travel with full water, and that because the center of gravity has been raised beyond Airstream parameters, he will encounter more sway from cross winds, etc.

We did our job, his is just beginning.

Andy

Foiled Again · 02-26-2005, 02:09 PM

Andy, I'm going out to make one more pass at buying a tow vehicle for my 22 ft CCD. All of the F-250's I've found recently are 4 wheel drive models.

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I understand towing is best done with 2 wheel drive. Since 4 wheel drive isn't full time on these, can I just use the 2 wheel drive on a 4 wheel vehicle or would I be better off buying a vehicle that doesn't have 4 WD?

Tin Lizzie

59toaster · 02-26-2005, 02:16 PM

I LIKE IT!

Course my other Nick on many other Boards is OffroadK5 and I moderate ColoradoK5.com as well.

I have concidered a Straight axle for the 59 to get 3 inches.

Inland RV Center, In · 02-26-2005, 02:21 PM

Paula.

I think a Ford 250 tow vehicle for your trailer, is considerable overkill.

You don't have the Queen Mary, you have a 22 foot trailer.

I would suggest you stay with a half ton Chev or Ford, equip it properly, and enjoy the travels.

A four wheel drive is certainly a poor choice for your situation.

You asked.

Andy

59toaster · 02-26-2005, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulaFord

Andy, I'm going out to make one more pass at buying a tow vehicle for my 22 ft CCD. All of the F-250's I've found recently are 4 wheel drive models.

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I understand towing is best done with 2 wheel drive. Since 4 wheel drive isn't full time on these, can I just use the 2 wheel drive on a 4 wheel vehicle or would I be better off buying a vehicle that doesn't have 4 WD?

Tin Lizzie

4wd on a F250 is part time. You will not be using it on paved roads. You Might use it after rain in a camp ground on grass or if you do any winter camping in the snow. Other then that you will probably never need it while you are towing your Airstream.

While I understand Andys point about the F250 being over kill as far as suspension stiffness goes. I however think that the Diesel option is well wroth it. 15mpg pull verses 10-11 of a gas and 18-20 empty verses 15 empty.

gotair · 02-27-2005, 12:35 AM

diesel is my choice for my next pickup however I havn't seen one in a 1/2 ton ... so ...its going to be 3/4 and just to let you know if I could afford to raise my trailer I would do it also just like that one.... I've drug the tail end of my trailer several times comming into or out of parking lots and I've even scraped the tonge jack ? sounds good to me... however my pockets are not that deeeeep... keep those posts comming MR. ANDY ...

Pick · 02-27-2005, 08:03 AM

I have used my 4WD almost as much here in Florida, as I have back in Ohio.

A few weeks ago, while helping Rich and Brett with project "Vintage Thunder", I had to put my truck in 4WD to pull the project coach from beside Brett's house to park it on the concrete driveway. The sand was very dry and loose, probably why I had trouble getting traction.

There seem to be more 4WD's down here in the South, than up North.

mandolindave · 02-27-2005, 08:19 AM

Some of my friends installed small rollers on their rear bumper. One
guy did it because it scraped coming out of his driveway. Another
guy did it so he could get to a mountaintop campsite without
scraping .

john hd · 02-27-2005, 08:23 AM

"diesel is my choice for my next pickup however I havn't seen one in a 1/2 ton ... so ...its going to be 3/4 "

gotair,

those half ton diesels are out there, ya just gotta look. here is my ex tow vehicle converted to plow duty. 1997 6.5L turbo diesel chev 1500.

they were special order only, they had front bucket seats only due to front axle weight.

it pulled my 29 excella like a dream, just gets louder and smokes when going up hills! 4l80E tranny allows towing in O.D. to boot! it does an excellent job plowing snow with about 500lbs of sandbags in the back for ballast.

john

uwe · 02-27-2005, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gotair

I've drug the tail end of my trailer several times comming into or out of parking lots and I've even scraped the tonge jack ? sounds good to me... however my pockets are not that deeeeep... keep those posts comming MR. ANDY ...

From the looks of your picture, your Argosy is riding very low. Unless that's an optical illusion, you might check your axle, make sure it is not worn out. If you need a new axle, then you might order one with more torsion arm down angle, that way you will gain 1-2in of ground clearance.
You're fortunate, in that you only need to buy one axle. Us big trailer folks always need to buy two of them.
Take a look under the trailer, behind the wheels. You will see torsion arms facing to the rear of the trailer, right behind each wheel. These torsion arms should point downwards at a slight angle.(10-15 degrees) If they're in line with the frame of the trailer, or even pointing up slightly, then you likely have a bad axle, which needs replacement. Check this with a loaded trailer.
You can search this forum, there is a wealth of information on axles.
You should not be scraping your frame or tongue jack unless the departure angle is really extreme.

john hd · 02-27-2005, 09:09 AM

gotair

in addition to uwe's post here are a couple of tricks i use to cut down on the driveway scrapes.

first, i use a deeper drop hitch bar without the weight bars when moving the trailer out to the street. then i rehitch when out in the street with my "over the road" draw bar, leveling bars and sway control.

second, after i am all hitched up and ready to roll i load the trailer out in front of the house. beer, water, food etc. go in after i'm out in the street.

it is amazing how much ground clearance i gain by just doing these two steps. i have it so i don't even scrape when exiting my driveway.

is it me or were pre 1970 airstreams built with much more ground clearance than later models? that pic andy posted reminds me of the trailers pictured in the burkhart/hunt book!

john

Davydd · 02-27-2005, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pick

There seem to be more 4WD's down here in the South, than up North.

Pick,

It is rare to find 2 wheel drive Pickups and SUVs here in Minnesota. You practically have to order them from the factory if you want them. Pickups, especially, are difficult to drive on snowy roads because of the light rear ends. On the other hand I went with my daughter and son-in-law to look at SUVs in Orlando, FL last December and there were no 4WDs on the lots. There you had to order them.

I've done exhaustive snow studies for designing retail entrances and most of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and points south surprisingly don't get that much snow or have it on the streets long enough to justify needing 4WD in my mind. Once it snows here in Minnesota I need it just to get up my 12% sloped driveway because snow stays the winter. Strangely though, we got a bye until this month this year with hardly any snow.

Inland RV Center, In · 02-27-2005, 01:16 PM

gotair

Check your axle. It's done.

Mounting rollers at the bumper is not recommended.

First of all, Airstream puts skid plates there.

Secondly and most importantly, if you use the rollers and then lift the trailer with them, you will cave in the rear quarter panels, gauaranteed.

Andy

overlander63 · 02-27-2005, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

gotair

Check your axle. It's done.
Andy

I agree. I replaced mine because it was bad, and it did not sit as low as yours. Think of it as a early spring project, you can still have it ready to go before camping season begins.

Foiled Again · 02-28-2005, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Paula.

I think a Ford 250 tow vehicle for your trailer, is considerable overkill.

You don't have the Queen Mary, you have a 22 foot trailer.

I would suggest you stay with a half ton Chev or Ford, equip it properly, and enjoy the travels.

A four wheel drive is certainly a poor choice for your situation.

You asked.

Andy

I'm planning on traveling 10-15 times a year business and pleasure - my tow vehicle will be pretty much a dedicated vehicle. (I'm keeping a paid for 1999 Lexus - which is ALL show and NO Tow!

)

I'd rather go a little overboard than be underpowered, but I was also looking at Expeditions and Suburbans.... Decisions, Decisions, decisions. I know to look out for the piston slap on the Suburbans and the week brakes on the Fords - I guess I'm just getting beklempt.

Lets see, eenie, meanie, miney mo!

Tin Lizzie