This forum has been great on my research..Too Good ..my initial research was rather to pursue the 19' or the 23 since I already have a LandCruiser 97..BUT am planning ahead and am lookin at the 2006 F250 SD FX4 SuperCAb not crew with a Shortbed and am Now looking at th 25 foot Safari SE., probably the 2006..My question is with the shorter wheelbase at 142" have much or any impact or affect?...Otherwise the Dude is just to Long..Any comment from the Airstream experts?...Also..my wife kinda wanted me to look at the Dodge 2500 HD but I am partial to the F-250...Any opinion on that issue?..Thanks in advance...
Welcome to the forums. I think the 250 will be adequate. You will want to have a good hitch and sway bars, the 250 comes with the brake controller installed.
Happy camping to you.
I just had to reply when I saw that your tv is a Land Cruiser. Right on! No longer towing, but still in my driveway, is an '87 FJ60. (By the way, have you seen the new FJ Cruiser? Another post, I suppose.) My AS is a 19' Bambi. The FJ60 is great for local boondocking, but a little tough on longer trips because its lifted and set up for off-road. I switched to a Suburban for towing and wanted to get the longer wheel base for comfort, but too, just in case of an upgrade to a 25'. Not even looking at them at this point, though. Regarding your tv options: All good choices. Wheel base on the F-250 should be fine--even if you go with a short bed. Of course, the longer the wheel base the more comfortable the ride.
Ernesto: I have a 2006 Ford F250 4X4 Turbo Diesel and we pull a 28 Safari SE LS. No problem. No issues re: backing, power, turning, brake system built in to the truck, just a great package.
As you are in San Diego, we will be camping in San Elijo State Campground, Site 155, if you want to stop by. Will be there from Sun thru Friday Easter Week.
I have been running a Ford f250 Super Cab/ short bed pulling a 25' Safari for three years now, great combo. It handles the trailer just fine. Oh yeah, V-10, 4WD
The 2005 and later SuperDuty 4WD have a different front suspension than previous models like our 2002, and allow tighter turning. In spite of that, and in spite of the 158" wheelbase and LONG length, it's our only vehicle and daily driver. I'm not going to pretend a 140" wheelbase extended cab/short bed wouldn't be more convenient in parking lots though, where we often stick out 2' further than most other vehicles and where backing in is easier than pulling in forward.
The Super Cab/short bed (156") and Extended Cab/long bed (158") are about the same length overall and IMHO long enough for a 34', especially with the Hensley hitch we have. IMO, the 140" Extended Cab/short bed is long enough for a 25', again, especially with the Hensley or Pullrite hitch. Keep in mind the 25 is really 26'.
What you give up with an Extended Cab versus Crew Cab is a more comfortable rear seat. The Extended Cab's is really only useful for adults on short trips. I've had my 6'0" son in the back and he was comfortable for across town runs. There's really just the two of us now, and the back seat floorboard is filled with "stuff." We use the back seat for luggage when on trips without the Airstream.
What you give up with a short bed versus a long bed is obviously the ability to carry 8' materials (or Harley-Davidsons) with the center of weight over the truck rear axle instead of behind it with some of the load on the tailgate. You also lose fuel capacity and range, another 9 gallons with the long bed.
To repeat it, I think you'll be fine with the 140" extended cab/short bed and the 25'. IN MY OPINION, the 25' is the ideal Airstream length, when it comes to RVing, especially where state parks and older campgrounds are involved. My floorplan choice is the traditional 25' with credenza, huge pull-out pantry, side-bath, and laterally mounted queen bed. This is available in both Standard Safari and Classic. If it were my choice, I'd choose a few year old 25' Classic before I'd buy a new 25' Safari.
Let me also put in a plug for diesel power in the truck. Yes, you pay more up front, but you get most of that back, on sale or trade, so the total cost of owning it isn't as high as as the retail price would indicate. And no smart shopper pays retail price for the truck or the options.
i too vote for the diesel f250....just call it the power stroke for short...and since you'll want 4x4 for some of your mountain destinations...4x4psd...
i've got the longer wheelbase....crewcab/long bed....so it's 172in, i think...
and the truck is 22+feet. also gets a bigger diesel tank...
as moe reports the 05s up have a new version of the old bronco front suspension...so the turning radius has improved, as is the ride and some wear issues improved.
the model you are considering will work well with a 25 airstream of any model....
i test drove all the wheelbases back2back.....main thing i noticed was the ride was a little more choppy on the shorter trucks....and much smoother on the longest...on hiway chop....
you will give up some back seat room...but the front seats in the super cab have better lumbar and shoulder support and adjusting headrests...the crew cab front seats are a weak spot...imo.
the new 2500 dodge is nice too....
but the tow command package, with factory brake controller and mirrors on the ford are the deal makers...
have fun looking
cheers
2air'
__________________ all of the true things that i am about to tell you are shameless lies. l.b.johnson
we are here on earth to fart around. don't let anybody tell you any different. k.v.
I agree with Openhigher and RoadKingMoe, and to further the concept, my TV is an 05 F250 PSD FX4 Crew Cab Long Bed which pulls our new 06 25 Safari FB/SE/LS. The reasonably prices Equalizer hitch works great, and although I use a Prodigy brake controller (also works great), I would recomend you get the factory Tow Command Controller.
The extra room in the Crew Cab, the larger fuel tank in the long bed, the extra foot and a half in the long bed, and the smoother ride are all good reasons to go the Crew Cab/ Long bed route. You will be glad you did. Unless you need the FX4(4X4), the 4X2 will give you even a smoother ride and one or two mpgs.
As for the AS, we love the Safari 25FB/SE. Overall very good combo.
We never planned on it, but I was surprised at how often we wound up dragging the 34 off the pavement. Even with its weight spread over six tires, it would tend to settle in overnight. With the truck in dew-laden grass, it was too easy to spin the rear tires, even with limited slip, and had I pushed the issue, those tires would've been thowing mud on the front of the trailer. I've been glad for 4WD more than once, and that included pulling out in gravel one day.
Besides that, the truck is our daily driver, and that includes ice and snow. Been grateful for 4WD there, especially climbing hills.
We are still waiting for the 30' Safari BH SE but I bought an '05 F-250 PS Supercrew shortbed with the tow/haul package and 3.73 limited slip differential in April '05 before we found it would be so long before AS released the 30' SE. I get 17 mpg's in town and 20 mpg's mixed on my 52 mile daily commute. I really enjoy it and would recommed one to anyone who wants to tow an RV. The mirrors are really great. They extend manually, but adjust electrically and have pano mirrors at the bottom so you can easily see into the blind spots better than any truck, or car for that matter, I have ever driven.
We like the Ford towing mirrors too, but we have the little convex part at the bottom aimed at the rear tires, so we can see what they are or aren't clearing, including kids or pets, as well as curbs and driveway edges.
For the blind spots, and they ARE there with the mini-mirrors pointed at the tires, we added a pair of C-BETR mirrors. These are AWESOME.
The only problem is that when the truck mirrors are retracted close in to the truck, the C-BETER mirrors keep them from folding all the way in. What I did was remove the rubber strips that came with the C-BETRs to keep them from sliding on the truck mirror arms, and now I can extend the truck mirrors, slide the C-BETRs out and fold the truck mirrors all the way in.
We've had them since our 2002 F250 was new, and if anything happened to them, we'd immediately buy another pair.
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