Ah yes...Religion, politics and what brand of truck to buy. Guaranteed fight starters everytime!!
I pull an 06 31' Classic. I tow it with an 05 Dodge 3/4 with the Cummins and a 6-spd(also added the engine brake and a Hensley Hitch).
Without the trailer, the truck has returned up to 22.5 mpg and with the trailer attached about 14.5.
For every person that tells you to get a 3/4 ton, there will be an equal number that will say that a 1/2 ton is fine.
I sold a Boss mustang that I owned to a guy from NC(I live in PA). He shows up at my door with a Nissan and a 16 ft landscape trailer(and no trailer brake).No way I would have attempted it with that rig...I would have borrowed a 20' car trailer and a 3/4 or 1ton diesel. He hauled it home with no problems.....
My point is, everyone has a different way. From the rig I assembled, you can figure out the route I selected.
I should let it alone...but I can't. I am a big FORD guy but I ordered a Dodge after I did my research. Figure that Ford shouldn't let the owners find the problems with the 6.0 engine. Maybe the 6.7 twin will be OK.
I wish you the best...
Last year I bought a F150, never really expecting to actually own an Airstream. We bought our 63 Ambassador and assumed it would pull behind the Ford just fine. Unfortunately, I am now wishing I had bought an F250 Powerstroke. On the flat lands the F150 does fine but on the hills, slows to a crawl. So now I am looking at taking a major hit on the F150 just to get rid of it so I can get a larger truck. I want the confidence of having plenty of power and the ability to trade up on trailers if I decide to.
I like big trucks. I was pulling my 34' with a 3/4 ton Powerstroke (7.3 liter) and a Hensley which did fine (14 mpg loaded). I upgraded to a 1 ton dually Powerstroke (7.3liter) with Hensley and now forget the trailer is back their. Better to ere on the bigger side in my humble opinion.
I had a neighbor with a Yugo. The front seat in total would tilt forward to access the back seat, Carefully because if you slammed the seat forward it would contact the windshield and knock it out. So he said.. zz
The 2008 Tundra CrewMax 5.7L V8 4X4 has a rated capacity of 10,100 pounds for towing. My new Safari 25 SS/SE has a weight of about 5500 dry weight. Even fully loaded, I'm still going to come in under the recommended 80%. The 28 foot International CCD has a GVWR of 7300 pounds. It sounds perfectly reasonable to me to be towing with this truck. I've spent a lot of time researching on Tundra Solutions forums, and there are lots of reports of people towing much larger fifth wheels than this. I haven't yet made a purchase, but I've found that a lot of people are basing their decisions on personal experience, rather than published data (which is understandable). I've decided to research my decision, rather than use a lot of anecdotal reports of "the right way" to do it.
Thats cool but if you are not interested in the anecdotal reports of some pretty savvy people on this site--why bother coming here?
My, oh my, oh my, I still must be living in the good ole days when the Nissan and Toyota were just 1/4 ton. I know i've heard the stories that a Tundra would tow a 27' unit but I still have a hard time believing it. My first AS was a 71 27' International and I could pull it O.K. with my 1/2 ton Suburban. However when I moved up to the 28' Excella the weight increased and I really would be afraid to pull it with the 1/2 ton. I now have an older F250 with the 460 and granted, I gave up on mileage but I have the comfort that I will not have any problems in the mountains. Where we live if we go anywhere we have to cross as high as 11,000 feet so I want something that has the umph to get over the hill.
It is my opinion that folks should buy the truck they want, as long as it serves their needs, and of course, is safe doing it.
However, I also know from personal experience the 1/2 ton trucks of today, are much different than from just a few years ago. In the past I towed all sorts of trailers with 1/2, and 3/4 ton trucks, and all were with small block engines (350 Chevys and 360 Dodges). While they got the job done, they were stuggling with a 24' Argosy because they had a whopping 210 horsepower.
The engine in my current truck, an 07 GMC 1/2 ton, a 5.3 Liter and even smaller displacement than the old trucks I had, has 315 HP, and pulls like no 1/2 ton truck I've ever had. Yes, you have to gear down and let it turn up the RPM at times on the long hills, but that's what it's built for, and believe me, it pulls. Aditionally, the trucks suspension, frame, and brakes makes the old truck's look like toys.
We pulled our Airstream (23' at the time) 11,000 miles this summer to Alaska and back. In retrospect, we did it too fast (28 days), but the point is, we went over every mountain pass between here and Alaska, and most in Alaska, and never once did I wish for more power. Some days we drove over 500 miles, so we were not letting the grass grow under our wheels. All this, and we averaged 12.1 MPG for the entire 11,000 miles. On the trip, I talked with many Diesel owners that were not getting any better mileage. I am more than satisfied with my 1/2 ton.
I am looking to purchase a airstream in the 25 to 30 ft size and want to get the right tow vehicle prior to purchasing the trailor. I am looking at the Nissan Titan with 5.6L gas V8 with the tow pkg. Anyone have any expiernce with this vehicle or recommendations for alternatives?
Any feedback would be most appreciated.
I tow my Classic 25 with a Titan (tow pkg.) with no problems. Unlike a diesel, you need to keep the revs up when going uphill as you need to make horsepower - but the engine is designed for it. Would I tow a larger trailer with the Titan? No way, but it is just fine for what I have.
Quote:
The Titan will get about 16 mpg not towing, and around 9 towing
No way! The worst I have gotten was 10 mpg towing at 65 through the Adirondack Mountains. Now I travel at 55 - 60 and get anywhere between 12 - 14 depending on conditions/terrain.
__________________
Ron
2004 Classic 25 - The Silver Sausage
2008 Silverado LTZ CC 2500 Duramax - Brutus
WBCCI 2623
The 2008 Tundra CrewMax 5.7L V8 4X4 has a rated capacity of 10,100 pounds for towing. It sounds perfectly reasonable to me to be towing with this truck.
Sounds like you've already made up your mind I pretty much did the same thing with my Ford diesel but that was after had towed my 30' Classic with my "old" truck, an F250 V-10 gasser. The difference was amazing with the diesel. However, I probably would of argued otherwise had I not experienced the difference... anecdotally... IMHO...
Quote:
Originally Posted by msmst25
I spent a lot of time researching on Tundra Solutions forums...
By golly and I'll bet their reports were glowing as to their virtues...! They're cool looking trucks. 'Course, Fords' website said the same thing... as did Chevy, Dodge, Nissan, etc., etc...
Quote:
Originally Posted by msmst25
I haven't yet made a purchase, but I've found that a lot of people are basing their decisions on personal experience, rather than published data (which is understandable). I've decided to research my decision, rather than use a lot of anecdotal reports of "the right way" to do it.
Research includes many different sources of data, including 'anecdotal' (which by the way, is the source of a large amount of published "data" where the 'postulate' is tested). I'd suggest looking for consistency in folks "personal experience" with each model/make - there's a boat-load of tow vehicle threads/information here, so buckle down, do the research. Sometimes, if enough people are saying the same thing about the same thing, chances are they're on to something... that's what recalls are made up of.
Unless of course they're talking about UFO's...
Options! Choice! That's what makes this country great. And capitalism work. Rangebowdrie below makes a good point regarding payload limit... but what the hay, Toyota makes a good vehicle. Good luck with both of you're purchases!
__________________
.
.
.
. Bill & Kim's Marvelous Adventure with Catahoula Charlie
30' Classic
F250 Diesel
AIR 9218
Research includes many different sources of data, including 'anecdotal' (which by the way, is the source of a large amount of published "data" where the 'postulate' is tested). I'd suggest looking for consistency in folks "personal experience" with each model/make...
Yup. Could be. Perhaps the Canadian Trucking Challenge was one of those sources reviewed. Would certainly add to my satisfaction if Ford were the winner...
Just sayin' that maybe the forums, dedicated to Airstreams & a boatload of member's experiences, has some good resources of their own (without outside sponsors). Still believe that consistency in our experience towing Airstreams is paramount.
Anyone know who sponsored the Canadian Trucking Challenge? Government? Insurance? Dealers? Be interesting to know...
__________________
.
.
.
. Bill & Kim's Marvelous Adventure with Catahoula Charlie
30' Classic
F250 Diesel
AIR 9218
Quick Links
LOST IN THE SIXTIES
I pretty much did the same thing with my Ford diesel but that was after had towed my 30' Classic with my "old" truck, an F250 V-10 gasser. The difference was amazing with the diesel. However, I probably would of argued otherwise had I not experienced the difference... anecdotally... IMHO... 
Adventure
Linear Mode
