Visit our Popular Forums

beetlebob · 02-23-2013, 08:07 AM

Well Airstream people called me on my phone. NOW that is service and I do not even own one yet.I am in the service industry and this is a first. Yes it is over kill I KNOW THAT. Will I haul more than I need,YES. I want to park in the shade so solar panels will not help much under a tree so this is why I am putting in on the truck and access to everything will be easy and wiring shorter.ie not much voltage drop. With a few add ons I can get RV tags and insurance also. Long life and rugged construction all plusses. When you are on your 3rd truck I will still be using my 1st. My car is a 1989 with over 200k on it and still in great shape. I keep things> Back to the point Airstream said I WILL NOT damage the frame. It is built strong. How many people out there are having frame issues????. Also said I will not need any type of fancy hitchs.Still will put on sway bars. How many people are getting popped rivets??? Take some pictures(Might be for another post or is there one for me to see) I still like the people who post the negative short answers they do give me something to look at. Hope to see you all next year at Alumiplusa in Ohio. This year booked up. Peace to all and God bless.

Bill M. · 02-23-2013, 08:24 AM

Alumaflamingo in Sarasota next Feb. do you know places to boondocks weeks at a time? I have known several people full timing in an Airstream. I think they all had a place to park hooked up cheap for a good bit of the year. Or spaces in a winter and a summer campground.

ROBERT CROSS · 02-23-2013, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beetlebob

Well Airstream people called me on my phone. NOW that is service and I do not even own one yet.I am in the service industry and this is a first. Yes it is over kill I KNOW THAT. Will I haul more than I need,YES. I want to park in the shade so solar panels will not help much under a tree so this is why I am putting in on the truck and access to everything will be easy and wiring shorter.ie not much voltage drop. With a few add ons I can get RV tags and insurance also. Long life and rugged construction all plusses. When you are on your 3rd truck I will still be using my 1st. My car is a 1989 with over 200k on it and still in great shape. I keep things> Back to the point Airstream said I WILL NOT damage the frame. It is built strong. How many people out there are having frame issues????. Also said I will not need any type of fancy hitchs.Still will put on sway bars. How many people are getting popped rivets??? Take some pictures(Might be for another post or is there one for me to see) I still like the people who post the negative short answers they do give me something to look at. Hope to see you all next year at Alumiplusa in Ohio. This year booked up. Peace to all and God bless.

Bob,

Here are some "rivet" links.

As you can see some folks have had a problem....not the factory though, it only happens after delivery.

Bob

SteveH · 02-23-2013, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beetlebob

Well Back to the point Airstream said I WILL NOT damage the frame. It is built strong. How many people out there are having frame issues????. Also said I will not need any type of fancy hitchs.

IMHO, it's not the frame you will damage with the ride of the 650, but the aluminum shell and all the cabinetry.

An airride hitch would help greatly.

random 17 · 02-23-2013, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nilesrob

Not saying that anything we have done is right for you, but we added a 50 gallon auxiliary fuel tank to our F250, added over-the cab racks for boats, and have an over-the-bed rack for carrying whatever - firewood, anything not super weather dependent. We carry a generator in the bed with a sufficiently long cord to reach without having to move the generator. We can carry extra water in the bed of the truck but haven't had the need yet to do that. As to the washer/dryer, well, that I don't have an answer to. Solar panels can be added on the trailer, although we have not done that.

What I would suggest as a newbie is to attend 2-3 rallies where people can show you what they have done with their particular needs. Airstreams and towing vehicles are just like anything else in life - they are a compromise that best fits your most important needs. First, figure out what is most important to you (if you even know - we still try to figure this out), then see what works for you. This part should be fun!! If you get it completely wrong, how bad is that exactly? Life has worse problems.

Nice setup! Are those the Thule bed racks?

slowmover · 02-23-2013, 09:16 AM

We want to boondock and stay out for weeks at a time.

3-weeks or 13-weeks, any configuration will have limits. And it's only a few weeks of use any given year, in a manner of speaking. So over a 10-year life, how many trips back to civilization (re-supply) will be "saved"? And at what cost? (as Jammer did a nice job with above).

Others are doing it already. And plenty of them have no constraints on the initial cost of the vehicles.

As an Airstream is not really a off-road vehicle it isn't as though one is ever going to be in difficult places to reach.

The limits of the TT are more important, IMO, than the limits of the TV. And they ought to work well together. I see long life as the paramount virtue of this trailer type, followed by road performance. It is at the heart of the design and the construction. Ergo, easy to use, reliable, and light-on-their-feet.

And, admittedly, it's easy to get carried away by the what-ifs that can make either TV or TT too heavy and too big, in the end. In this case, too far from the design criteria.

Good luck.

.

mojo · 02-23-2013, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beetlebob

Back to the point Airstream said I WILL NOT damage the frame. It is built strong.

Go for it. I am sure you will be able to adapt or modify your truck and trailer to work together. Unfortunately, this forum is filled with opinions based on myths and rumors. Vehicles are modified in many various ways for better performance and handling, whether it be racing, off-roading, or towing.

There was a time when everyone spouted that you CAN NOT HANG A BICYCLE RACK ON AN AIRSTREAM because it will cause rear end separation.

Then Airstream started selling rear mount bike racks.

dbl0svn · 03-05-2013, 06:36 AM

Here's my 2cents....

I see no reason why you could not tow with an f650, 750, or class 8 if you choose too. So long as the wife signs off on it

, you are good to go

. This is more than enough truck to tow anything, anywhere at anytime. Length won't be an issue unless you like to camp in state parks etc. unless your F650 is around the same length as a 1 ton. Some states require that you obtain a non-commercial class A drivers license just for weight and length. It does not require you to go through scales or anything like that as long as it is used for personal use only. You would operate it on the same principle as a 1 ton, but it will just be bigger.

This truck should put no more strain on your Airstream than any other veicle. The hitching system is all the same.

If you like the look, then go for it.

I like the idea. With what a new 1 ton truck costs these day, the price is not far off, the fuel economy is not far off, but the durability of a class 6-8 truck is unsrupassed.

Food for thought. Thanks for the idea

.

dbl0svn · 03-05-2013, 08:12 AM

My wife and I have been looking at a new 30 Classic, but we cannot agree on tow vehicle. Everthing that she likes does not have a high enough tow rating.

Now you have me thinking about getting a new Volvo VNL430 single axle and installing a hauler bed. I think the wife would be happy the first time that she rode in it and realzed how nice they are and how nice they drive. Sure it is overkill, but I would never have to buy another one and would get about 10mpg with 550HP and 1,850 Tq using the I shift ATM while towing. Heck I get less than 10mpg in my pickup now and it won't last anywere near as long. Hills? What hills? 65mph?, 75mph? up an 8% grade for ten miles? Not even an issue. Same with coming back down.

I test drove the Volvo the other day. Easy as can be to drive and park.

Sometimes it's good to think outside the box and follow the road less travled.

beetlebob · 03-06-2013, 05:40 AM

I have talked to the Reading truck body people in Columbia SC. (close to me) and Judy has been a GREAT help. Pictures booklets and even an estimate. WOW I am planning on putting a Reading service box with a lid on the back. All the external boxes are water tight,lock and can give me all the storage for the things I do not need but think I do to put into it. So less weight in the trailer and all in the truck that can handle it. Also going to build my solar elec system onto the truck and run a super cable to the trailer already at 110 so very little voltage drop if any. I think I am changing to a Freightliner M2/106. They have more nices to make the ride better and quieter than the Ford. Also with a 108 wheel base it is the same as a F350 Kingcab with better turning and longer life.Will take a few years to get built and to get some money by someday soon I will be out there touring the world with my wife. Keep an eye out.

dbl0svn · 03-06-2013, 07:21 AM

Beetlebob, That sounds like a plan. Just be sure to test drive the Freightliner M2/106 first. The most power that you can get is the 350hp and 1,150 ft/lbs tq in the 106 with the 9 liter and I would recommend it. The 106 does not require any special license or anything else.

The M2/112 moves you into the class 7 truck with 450 hp.

That sounds like one sweet setup. I'll keep an eye out for you