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tjj's63 · 10-14-2007, 08:54 PM

hey all- i am planning on finally towing my 63 ambassador from missouri to california at the end of the month. i have a some questions that i hope all you can help me with.
1. what brake control module would you recommend installing?

2. an 03 toyota tundra limited with tow package - rated to pull 7300 #, my airstream dry weight is 4300 #. will she do alright? esp in the mountains. i don't plan on having it loaded with alot of stuff. 2 people for the trip and a couple suitcases in the truck.

3. changing out tires and packing the bearings- any tire brands to recommend?

4. is there anything else you could recommend before taking the trip? i am a little nervous as we have only towed it a few hundred miles at a time. this is a biggie for me.

thanks for all your help,
teresa

**azflycaster** · 10-14-2007, 09:45 PM

I towed my 75 Trade Wind for a couple of years with an 03 Tundra, you should do just fine. You will be downshifting on steeper hills but hould be able to go at a good rate. Tow mirrors are a problem with the early tundas. I used a pair of cheap strap on mirrors from CW. They were ok, not great. BTW I traded up to an 07 Tunra with the 5.7 motor and tow mirrors, a much better TV.

Brake controller-I use a Prodigy which is one of the most popular units. They also have a newer P3 model. Get the cable for the Tundra and it is plug and play. The connector is behind the cover next to the drivers left foot.

Tires-Most on the forums will recomend Goodyear Mariton Radials, I still perfer bias tires but they are getting harder to find.

You may get alot of stuff with your tailer, I did. You can always pick up what you need on the road, bring money/plastic.

When you tow, make sure you press the tow/haul button on the shift lever. A light will come on that say tow or something like that.. This will keep the tranny from burning up. It keeps the truck out of overdrive (4th gear). Your gas milage will not be good.

Make sure you get the weight distribution hitch setup correctly. The trailer and the Tundra sshould both be level when it is correct.

Hope these things lelp, have a safe trip and keep us updated.

tjj's63 · 10-14-2007, 10:04 PM

we were drooling over the new tundras this weekend when we went to pick up an owner's manual for the 03. there was a slate metallic beauty there with red rock leather interior, sunroof and just about every option on it. ( can you tell we have the brochure on it??

) we really love our limited, though!
maybe we will upgrade in a couple years...

**azflycaster** · 10-14-2007, 10:16 PM

We went with the DC SR5. The leather seats are not great here in Phoenix and the dogs would scratch them up as well. Check out the old and new pictures...

tjj's63 · 10-14-2007, 10:41 PM

beautiful!
i hear you on the seats- leather is not my favorite, either. so cal can get hot, too! although not as hades hot as az!

**azflycaster** · 10-14-2007, 10:45 PM

I also grew to hate the doors on the access cab. Try to get stuff in the back seat when you are parked in the garage

. We have 2 large dogs as you can tell by the picture. They are going on thier first trip this weekend, I am sure they will enjoy the extra room. Except for that, I loved the 03. I traded it with low miles (35K) and got the KBB for it ($17K)

tjj's63 · 10-14-2007, 10:46 PM

garage? aren't garages for motorcycles? at least ours is...

**azflycaster** · 10-14-2007, 10:49 PM

My garage is behind the truck in the second picture. The new Tundra just fits along with my wife's Solara.

juel · 10-15-2007, 05:03 AM

I agree with the door thing. I hate the doors on my Tundra, but so far I can't seem to make myself think about giving it up. You have to have lots of room between you and any other cars in the parking lot if you want to put groceries or anything in that back seat. Good thing my dogs are small. I've been looking at an '07 White Tundra with tow package and the 5.7L V8. Beautiful trucks. I tow a 24ft, 1978 Argosy full of "stuff" and this Tundra has had no problems. I'm not sure how it will do with the "new" 31ft, Sovereign. I honestly believe it will be good to go here in the flat lands of Oklahoma. Good luck with your Tundra and "new" Airstream.

tjj's63 · 10-22-2007, 03:09 PM

gave the tundra a test run with a 7000 # wilderness trailer to check out the ride, the brake controller and to see if we needed to get airbags for it. it ran just fine, brake controller worked good, and with the weight dist stabilizer and sway bar, the truck only dropped a couple inches. looks like we are in good shape! i leave on friday to to drive out to missouri. finally will have her to myself for a while after 4 years. yay!

Boondocker · 10-22-2007, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjj's63

i leave on friday to to drive out to missouri.

Happy Trails, keep us posted!

tjj's63 · 11-04-2007, 08:42 PM

finally made it back to california- the airstream towed like a dream with the tundra~ all through missouri, oklahoma, texas, new mexico, arizona and california. the best part of the trip was staying in the mojave desert off some road with NO one around. the stars were so brilliant and the coyotes were howling in the middle of the night. of course, the battery was dead for lights, so we made do with a little lantern. absolutely lovely!
thanks for all the advice, tundra or otherwise! now i have to peruse the buffing forum!