Visit our Popular Forums

**DKB_SATX** · 11-21-2011, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

The ODDS ARE...

The real truth is that you can do brain-dead, marginally loony, downright dangerous or even semi-suicidal things every day and get away with it... often without even knowing that you're doing them. (Like the lunatic driving a Mini Cooper talking on the cell phone - who pulled right out of a side street in front of me this morning. I put on my brakes without locking them up... and he never noticed. I thought about honking and watching him lose it as he looked up, and up, and up at the massive grille on my Chevy 2500 Silverado!)

~~

You really should have honked. It's all about the way a mostly-market-driven economy works. If more people honked at him (esp. in 3/4 ton trucks) he'd have to buy new underwear and car air fresheners more often, and he might eventually learn.

Gene · 11-21-2011, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Wemmick

my wife is in love with the Bambi, but she's not locked in on one. What she is fixed on is the idea that we will be able to tow it with a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited once the Jeep is properly equiped for towing.

I'm extremely doubtful, but nothing I've shown her to date has changed her mind. Maybe she's right.

Please help -- this forum is much cheaper than marriage counseling.

It sounds like you have a problem with your wife. What do you want? Does she want a 16' or a 19' Bambi? Have either of you checked out these models for how you fit in them? Do you want to make up the bed every day and then unmake it every day to use the dinette? Do you plan on doing boondocking? Bambi water tanks don't have much capacity for that.

Select the right Airstream first—it is an expensive item and if you do it right, you will have it a much longer time than you have any specific tow vehicle. A fair number of people buy Bambi's and find out they are too small. Some buy them because they are "cute", but cute only goes so far. Once you decide on the right trailer, and once you find it, then you can choose the right tow vehicle.

Gene

TBRich · 11-21-2011, 02:52 PM

Bambis are small ... no doubt about that ... but you can spend extended periods of time living/camping in them if you are ready for the challenges of living in a small space. Only you can decide if you are up to the challenge.

Also, just for the record, with newer 16' and 19' Bambis you have a full-time bed and don't have to make it and tear it down every day. In general, I agree that one is better served to get the trailer that works the best for them ... then get the tow vehicle they need to tow it .. rather than buying a trailer to fit a tow vehicle. Just be sure that you are up for the expense of buying a trailer and a tow vehicle.

Goal15 · 11-21-2011, 03:05 PM

I had the smaller Jeep Wrangler for several years and loved it, but aside from the power, wheelbase and tow capacity, I never was a big fan of driving it anywhere that it was going to take more than 2 hours because it is just not meant to be a long distance travel vehicle from a comfort standpoint in my humble opinion.

We still covet Wranglers when we see them but very happy with our Tundra/AS combination.

TBRich · 11-21-2011, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBRich

...<snip>....Also, just for the record, with newer 16' and 19' Bambis you have a full-time bed and don't have to make it and tear it down every day. ...<snip>....

PS: The exception to this is the 75th Anniversary Special Edition 19' Bambi which does not have a full-time bed...the lounge converts to a bed...as does the dinette.

Gene · 11-21-2011, 03:20 PM

Thanks TB for enlightening me. When did they change to full time beds in most of them?

Gene

alozier · 11-21-2011, 03:26 PM

Andy at Canam in London Ontario will tell
you of it is possible. He has a couple used Bambi's on the lot if I recall correctly as well!

TBRich · 11-21-2011, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

Thanks TB for enlightening me. When did they change to full time beds in most of them?

Gene

Gene...I'm not sure when they changed the floor plan, but our 19' is a 2006 and I know it's the same as 2005...not sure about earlier than that...the 19' has the very same corner bed and bath arrangement as the newer 23' and 25' rear beds... the 16' has the bed across the back with the dinette in the front.

zlee · 11-21-2011, 03:40 PM

Yeah, it's important for us to have the bed in the back for a lot of reasons. And yes, CanAm does have some used Bambis on the lot! I think all 19'.

Alumaholic · 11-21-2011, 03:55 PM

Having owned (and loved) Jeeps, and having owned (and loved) Airstreams for many years, Jeeps are not suitable tow vehicles for anything over a ton. Their wheel base is just too short, their engines too small, and their, drive trains too weak. They are, afterall, 1/4 ton light, utility, vehicles.

ROBERT CROSS · 11-21-2011, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goal15

I had the smaller Jeep Wrangler for several years and loved it, but aside from the power, wheelbase and tow capacity, I never was a big fan of driving it anywhere that it was going to take more than 2 hours because it is just not meant to be a long distance travel vehicle from a comfort standpoint in my humble opinion.

We still covet Wranglers when we see them but very happy with our Tundra/AS combination.

Goal whacked the rite rivet there....

You 'wanna go place's, hopefully more than 200mi away, and the trip should be part of the fun. I have driven a few late model Jeep W's, maybe they could tow, but IMO wouldn't be very pleasant over the long haul.
Our first TV was a GW, solid axles frt and rear, and even that big'un wasn't very comfortable towing, just barely, a 22' Safari.

PS...good advice given above. Decide on the AS first, it just may be around a lot longer than the TV.

Bob

idroba · 11-21-2011, 04:39 PM

I have towed my 20' Argosy (weight about 4000# as loaded to travel) with several different Jeeps, all Grand Cherokee rigs. The 1993 had the straight 6, the 1994, a V8, the 1998 another 6, the 2001, a V8, and now the 2012 V8 hemi.

All did the job. The 6's were a bit slower, and worked a bit harder. The 94 V8 was not a lot better than the 93 six. The 98 six was fine, the 2001 V8 was great. The new 2012 is fantastic, in all ways, but I think the new Pentastar Six would also be a fine vehicle to tow with.

BTW, the milage towing the Argosy has been the close to the same for every one of them, in the range of 13 to 14.5 mpg. All had full time 4 WD.

What is enough vehicle for one person seems to be a personal decision, once the basics of manufactures tow rating is not exceeded. I do think you might be happy with the new Grand Cherokee with the six. The simple ones go for under $30k, the fully loaded ones up to $44k. In used, I loved my 4.7 L V8, in the 2001, and that engine was available for most of the 2000's years up to 2010. Factory tow package is mandatory in my opinion, on any Jeep.

Remember these are all personal opinions on what has worked for us, or me in this case.

Jim Foster · 11-21-2011, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Wemmick

Thanks.

I should have been more clear -- she wants a Bambi if at all possible. The Wrangler towing capacity is listed as 3,500 lbs.

I won't try to tell you what to buy, only our experience with our first Airstream.

We were looking for something we could tow with our 1947 Chevy Street Rod. Car has 117" wheelbase and weighs 3,600 lbs. All of the running gear is late model, 345 hp V8, modern suspension etc.

We got a 1965 17' Airstream Caravel. Smallest airstream in which all have a full bath with shower. It weighs 2,300 empty, and about 3,000 fully loaded, cloths, TV, bedding, food etc., etc.

We have towed it over 60,000 miles with the Chevy, back and forth across the country and more. We have towed it many miles with our Silverado 1500.

It is a great trailer for two people. Probably the best use of space of any Airstream ever built.

Ours is not for sale (sorry flynmike), but they are out there to be had if you look, and are patient.

mojo · 11-21-2011, 06:01 PM

Good info here but not clear on the Jeep. Do you already own the Jeep? If so, you would probably find that it is not an enjoyable experience towing a late model 16' or 19' Bambi. If you do not already own a Jeep, there are other alternative SUV's that can compete with a stock jeep off-road, if that is your intent. If you don't plan to off-road, than you don't need a jeep.

Mr Wemmick · 11-22-2011, 09:37 AM

I want to thank everyone who has contributed comments and answers. You've all given us valuable information for those evenings when we sit around the kitchen table and dream of a future in an Airstream.

All the best!

edglenn · 11-22-2011, 10:08 AM

The Jeep is NOT the right vehicle for the job!!!
The wheelbase is far too short. It's too light, and the drivetrain and power plant is undersized.
That said, you could tow a Bambi with a motorscooter, on level ground and no head wind. The real question is; SHOULD YOU? Of course not!!!
It isn't whether the Jeep has sufficient power to pull the trailer, the question is can you STOP in an emergency?!? NO YOU CAN'T!!!
In an ideal world, you can drive forever without some idiot pulling right in front of you, making you perform a panic stop. In the real world, you WILL have to panic stop sooner or later, and in less than ideal conditions, like when you're going downhill through the mountains at 60 mph.
It WILL happen sooner or later. Count on it. Ask any AS owner how many times it's happened to them.
The Jeep will NOT stop a 4,000 lb trailer at 60mph in an emergency. The trailer WILL take the little Jeep for a cruel ride.
If you doubt me, borrow someone's yard trailer, fill it with 4,000 lbs of dirt and debris, hitch it up to the Jeep, and go out to a vacant parking lot: Get up to about 30 mph and SLAM on the brakes!!! (Make sure you have next of kin standing by, with a cell phone to call 911. Take videos, too.)
You'll find out that there is NO WAY the Jeep is safe at high speed with a heavy trailer.
You'll also need a clean pair of underwear.
Please don't do it!

xrvr · 11-22-2011, 01:18 PM

The trailer brakes help a lot in slowing down the whole rig.jim

Crusty · 11-22-2011, 01:33 PM

With that short wheel base, if you have to make a quick maneuver or hit a big side wind blast you may find yourself jack knifed on your side sliding/tumbling in the general direction that you were traveling. Not how I want to wake up in the morning.

50KIP · 11-22-2011, 02:56 PM

BTW, Airstream produced a sales video with single axle 19' AS being towed thru an obsticle course by a Porsche Cayanne. Powerful albeit short wheelbase.

SteveH · 11-22-2011, 03:07 PM

Not an Airstream, and not as heavy, but I've actually towed a few trailers with a Jeep Wrangler, and it was the short one, not the long wheelbase version the OP is considering. It actually did a good job of "handling" the trailer, and IMHO it's because it has a very short overhang in the rear which again IMHO negates any of the problems created by the short wheelbase.

Think of the very short single rear axle truck-tractors that are used to tow large mobile homes. They do a great job of handling those huge trailers, and it's because the rear overhang is virtually nonexistant.

The problems with the Jeep Wrangler are the brakes are too small, the drive train (engine, trans, rearend) is too weak, and the frame is actually rather weak. Other than those things, it's a great tow vehicle.