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DLswim100 · 08-20-2019, 09:22 AM

Will be retiring soon and am interested in acquiring a 25 to 28" Air Stream travel trailer. Have owned other trailers in the past. These trailers sit fairly high and I had no problem getting to my property, which has a series of steep-short hills, without bottoming out the rear of the trailer. Since the Air Stream trailer sits much closer to the ground I am concerned about this happening. Am not interested in "lifting' the axles. Hate to test this out after buying trailer and finding it is a problem. Do not know anyone that owns an AirStream that could test this out for me. Since other trailers have made it without damaging the rear end do I assume an AirStream will be OK?

BeSerious · 08-20-2019, 10:05 AM

i was concerned about the clearance for our new NEST. So I built a “stick” model of the NEST, to check the clearance BEFORE we got it home. I used a photo from the brochure to estimate the clearance at the tongue, wheel and the two lowest points (midway between the tongue and the wheel and the drag braces at the rear). It was really easy for my wife and I to move the stick model to various points on our driveway to check the clearance.

I used the photo in the brochure to make the estimates. But you could ask someone with your same model AS to provide the actual measurements for the clearance at the tongue, wheel(s) and two more points — midway between the tongue and the wheel and the drag braces at the rear.

The first image is my estimated measurements. Note the light blue overlay of my “sick model”. The 2nd image is the stick model on our driveway. The 3rd photo is our NEST comfortably clearing the worse point on our driveway.

Bill M. · 08-20-2019, 10:30 AM

It is not okay to bottom out the rear end of an Airstream. There is not much frame back there and you will do damage. Airstreams do sit very low. Long Airstreams can be tail draggers for sure. I think you better stick with a different brand that sits higher. Trying one could be a mistake if you get the tail down and can not go forward or back without damage. I do not know what your road looks like. Maybe an experienced Airstreamer could just look at it first and make a judgement. Lift kit is maybe not a big deal. I have not used one though. The rear end sits a little higher without the WD bars and that often helps in steep sites.p and dips,

damonbeals · 08-20-2019, 10:37 AM

We have a 31 foot Airstream and have never bottomed out the rear. We have come close with a few gas stations. I would suggest you reach out to the local Airstream club in your area. Someone might be willing to do a test drive for you.

I have seen a few people put drag wheels on the rear that doesn't doesn't solve the problem. Most trailers that bottom out in the rear are also not setting level while being towed, the hitch height it too tall causing the rear to be lower then it should.

Damon
#4827

mikeinca · 08-20-2019, 10:53 AM

For every person who says they've never bottomed their Airstream, there no doubt is someone else (like me) who has, including in my own driveway. Even though I had the driveway slope modified it's still a very near thing with our 30' Classic and requires that I hit a very narrow sweet spot with my wife providing feedback over the walkie talkie as to how close I am to making contact. It can be pretty stressful for both of us.

A 25' to 28' trailer will be easier to manage but it all depends on the overhang of whatever length you buy relative to the contours of your entry road. If you can't find someone with an AS to test it out, perhaps you could rent some other kind of trailer and mock it up with some 1x2" wooden pieces to simulate the height and length of the overhang of whatever AS you're thinking about buying. Believe me, you don't want to turn every trip to your house into an exercise in frustration.

kidjedi · 08-20-2019, 11:15 AM

Obviously the shorter the trailer, the better. 25 is the sweet spot for me, and I've had my Airstream in some pretty crazy (off road) places. You say you're not interested in a lift kit, but you don't say why. I think the standard 3" lift is a good idea and relatively easy, though I haven't yet done it with my current build. You can also temporarily lift the back end a little higher my adjusting WD bars. Don't leave them like that (you will be creating a lot of stress on the hitch, tow vehicle, and trailer), but if you're careful and take it easy, it will help you traverse the driveway. The height of your ball hitch and vehicle will obviously factor heavily into this possibility.

NoResults · 08-20-2019, 11:47 AM

Why not lift the trailer if it is close. I put a lift kit on my previous 23 and now on my 27. Works great. Gives me the added clearance for my driveway and don't have to worry about steep approaches to gas stations etc.

You could have this done at most dealers if you are not inclined to do it yourself.

Dave

mikeinca · 08-20-2019, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoResults

Why not lift the trailer if it is close. I put a lift kit on my previous 23 and now on my 27. Works great. Gives me the added clearance for my driveway and don't have to worry about steep approaches to gas stations etc.

You could have this done at most dealers if you are not inclined to do it yourself.

I've always wondered about lift kits. I don't mean to take this discussion off the rails, but my dealer said that Airstream recommended against them. Maybe they just didn't want to get into doing them.

ghaynes755 · 08-20-2019, 12:56 PM

On my third Airstream. 25 and Classic 30 I never dragged them. Clean skids under the bumper. But my new Classic 33 gets close all the time. Only to see this past week while traveling that one of the skid plates was bent inwards nearly 90 degrees. No real marks on it but must have been turning right and dragged it as the tail was swinging. Getting it straightened back up and lift kit installed on Thursday.

uraljohn · 08-20-2019, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeinca

I've always wondered about lift kits. I don't mean to take this discussion off the rails, but my dealer said that Airstream recommended against them. Maybe they just didn't want to get into doing them.

Find yourself a new dealer. AS does not recommend not using a lift kit. The AS Factory policy has changed in the past year or so and the Dexter supplied lift kit is approved and does not effect the warranty.

When we were shopping earlier this year for our new 2019 FC25 I made it a point to ask the dealers we shopped at about installing a lift kit from Dexter prior to taking delivery. All but one said no problem. We shopped 5 different dealers. Lift kits have been installed by many folks on this forum with excellent results. Do not be afraid of a lift kit upgrade. Get your AS and go travel in it.

mikeinca · 08-20-2019, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uraljohn

Find yourself a new dealer. AS does not recommend not using a lift kit. The AS Factory policy has changed in the past year or so and the Dexter supplied lift kit is approved and does not effect the warranty.

When we were shopping earlier this year for our new 2019 FC25 I made it a point to ask the dealers we shopped at about installing a lift kit from Dexter prior to taking delivery. All but one said no problem. We shopped 5 different dealers. Lift kits have been installed by many folks on this forum with excellent results. Do not be afraid of a lift kit upgrade. Get your AS and go travel in it.

Thanks for the updated info. Admittedly, the feedback I got from my dealer was about 3 years ago when I had a 25' Flying Cloud so if factory policy has changed in the last year the dealer's policy may have changed as well.

ROBERT CROSS · 08-20-2019, 02:05 PM

There are rear frame skid plates, we have used them numerous times, it's why they are there,(up to a point), no problems so far.
We are in the area quite a bit, but won't be in New Bedford until May '2020.

But you could lift it like an SOB.

Bob
🇺🇸

GMFL · 08-20-2019, 04:39 PM

I would just plan on lifting it. One of the best things I’ve done to my trailer.

waninae39 · 08-20-2019, 04:50 PM

we had the same issue in out sport 22FB

the three inch lift kit was the solution

we than got a lighter two step entrance

checks this forum as many people with single axles are selling the other one as the only sell them in pairs

PKI · 08-20-2019, 06:31 PM

Not sure what the road looks like or who owns it. My initial thought was that the low points should get some gravel and the high points could use a hair cut.

Some folks carry some boards to bridge low spots or ruts. It takes a while to work through bad areas, but less than the time it takes to fix the coach.

Driveway transitions, chuck holes, ruts and roadside drop offs all can do real damage. Keep an eye out for tank drain clearance. Pat

guskmg · 08-21-2019, 02:19 PM

I just asked Airstream Service about installing Dexter lift kits. OK on all but the tri-axle models. It is a lateral stress issue with Dexter and also not recommended by Colin Hyde of Plattsburg, NY.
guskmg

The Twinkie · 08-21-2019, 05:37 PM

Have a weld shop make you a lower hitch/ball combo that you could use only while you're transporting in that home area!
Lowering the front will do a lot for the rear to clear.
Just a thought.

uncle_bob · 08-28-2019, 09:24 AM

Hi

If you are buying a new AS, the cost of the approved lift kit is pretty minor as a percentage of what you are spending. The only significant downside is the bottom of the step being 3" higher off the ground. It would be a rare campsite that caused a problem with the steps in that case.

Indeed if you do the lift "up front" the hitch gets set up to match. There is no added rework cost there.

====

Plan B is to buy something else. If the drive *looks* like it will be a problem, there likely is a combo of loading in the TV and trailer / hitch setup that will make it a problem. Without pictures or real data, that's only a guess. Even finding a "similar" trailer and trying it ... maybe not so much. There are variations in loading and setup. What works with one may or may not be ok with another ....

====

Plan C would be to ask the dealer if you can bring one home to check.

Bob

farafield · 08-28-2019, 11:00 AM

Aaargh, why are Airstreams set so low? I wish they would change that!

PKI · 08-28-2019, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farafield

Aaargh, why are Airstreams set so low? I wish they would change that!

Aaargh - they are low because that makes for a great tow. That's why I have an AS. All the SOBs were high center of gravity trailers. I would say, it makes a good highway only trailer, but lots of folks take them wherever they want to go, so I'd be wrong. Every RV is a compromise configured to make the target group happy. For an AS, you need bigger tires and maybe a lift to gain rough road clearance.

Hope you work out your problem. Pat