Some advice needed.

[Bob McAlice]

We bought a near new 2008 25ft. Safari SS late last year. We only got to go out once before the foul weather forced us to store it for the winter. I towed it less than 30 miles to a state campground for a "get to know it" weekend. My tow vehicle is a 92 F-150 Super Cab longbed with the 302/5.0 engine. Automatic , 4x4, 3:73 gearing. I bought it new. It is in great condition, 125k miles and very well maintained. I have an Equilizer #1000 WD hitch.

I know the truck is on the weak side for pulling 8500 lbs.(assuming normal cargo load) but a replacement is not in the cards right now. We are planning a trip in June to Missoula MT. from Denver, out for two weeks and back. Maybe 2400 miles RT all said. This trip will be a deciding factor on whether we love Airstreaming and upgrade to more suitable TV, or sell the trailer and return to our slide in camper way of travel.

My questions are: would you subject this truck to such a trip? What problems could I expect if any?

I would like to hear it all....don't hold back. All comments pro and con will be welcome. Thanks......Bob M.

[JFScheck]

Although a bit lite on power - as long as you have the Equalizer properly dialed in for the load - adjust your braking via the brake controller (check those Drums and adjust accordingly) you will be more than fine - just be patient going up\down 70 and roads such as it.

[fmr.capt.evi]

Your trailer, truck and hitch (1000#bars) sound fine, if you ask me.....(wouldn't your trailer's UBW be around 5,500#?)

[Chief]

Originally Posted by Bob McAlice

We bought a near new 2008 25ft. Safari SS late last year. We only got to go out once before the foul weather forced us to store it for the winter. I towed it less than 30 miles to a state campground for a "get to know it" weekend. My tow vehicle is a 92 F-150 Super Cab longbed with the 302/5.0 engine. Automatic , 4x4, 3:73 gearing. I bought it new. It is in great condition, 125k miles and very well maintained. I have an Equilizer #1000 WD hitch.

I know the truck is on the weak side for pulling 8500 lbs.(assuming normal cargo load) but a replacement is not in the cards right now. We are planning a trip in June to Missoula MT. from Denver, out for two weeks and back. Maybe 2400 miles RT all said. This trip will be a deciding factor on whether we love Airstreaming and upgrade to more suitable TV, or sell the trailer and return to our slide in camper way of travel.

My questions are: would you subject this truck to such a trip? What problems could I expect if any?

I would like to hear it all....don't hold back. All comments pro and con will be welcome. Thanks......Bob M.

Bob,

We tow an '08 25 FB Safari with a 1/2 ton 2004 Dodge Quad Cab hemi. Here is a link to my comments regarding our experience through the Colorado mountains during our 30 day Western adventure last year (see post #42):

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...rip-50931.html

We have now towed it around 15k miles with #1000 lb equalizer bars and have not experienced any problems, including popped rivets or rearranged cabinetry.

I do believe your estimate of "fully loaded" is quite high....might want to check the numbers for your trailer again. Ours is maxed out at 7,300, but the CAT scales revealed it really weighed around 6,000 with our normal travel load.

Happy trails,

Ron

[Bob McAlice]

Yes, you are correct. My error, I was looking at the GVWR rating and then adding cargo. Well, that is a pro right off the bat. Thanks

The mechanic that services the truck suggested an after market transmission fluid cooler that mounts in the grille. Has any one here got that type of set up?

[Bob McAlice]

Chief.....reading that post gives me a good feeling now that this set up might not be as bad as I thought. Your engine and gearing seem better for towing than mine. We sold our worn out Hallmark pop up camper, also a 92. When Hallmark told us that a 09-10 replacement was 25K we could not believe it. My wife said "we could almost buy an Airstream for that much". Well, that set the gears in motion. A summer long search found the right one for us at a real good price.

[ROBERT CROSS]

We used one of these on our 95 Burb.

Also added a remote filter kit,(tekonsha w/temp gage,no longer available).

[moosetags]

We have a 2005 25FB that we have towed over 50,000 miles and have spent almost 600 nights camping in her. She weighs out at 7400# ready to camp. This is the actual weight of the unhitched trailer.

I think that your truck will do the job, but you absolutely need to install a quality transmission fluid cooler. An engine oil cooler would also be advisable. Since you've been carrying a truck camper, your tires are up to the task. Back to the transmission cooler, some folks install two of these. I am thinking about installing a second one in my Suburban 2500.

Brian

[Aviator]

Have fun.. It should tow nicely.

[Elvie]

1990 F-150, 302/5.0 engine, 2 wheel drive, don't know the diff. ratio, but does 65 MPH at 1800 RPM in 4th. Engine and trans overhauled summer '08 at 215,000 miles. We had installed a trans cooler years before, a necessity I think.

The Bambi grosses out at 3,760 lbs. The entire rig loaded weighs 8,800 lbs.

I use 3rd gear mostly and rarely drive over 65, except for those long downhill stretches here in the west. We have been all over the country, up and over too many passes to remember, and average 11 MPG towing usually.

I say your setup sounds great to me, but get the trans cooler, stay to the right so people have little excuse for not passing you and have fun.

PM if you care to.

[Bob McAlice]

I made an appointment to get a trans cooler installed next week. Also going to install manual locking Warn hubs. The chrome on the original equipment cover is peeling badly and I cant find new ones anywhere. Out of print. No salvage yards have one either. Got to have this nice truck looking it's best when towing an Airstream!

cover pictures by seveno8 - Photobucket

Thanks for the replies so far.