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Old 09-03-2018, 01:11 PM   #21
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Spoke with dealer this morning about a thorough walk through and he said AFTER I pay and sign the papers they take it to the shop for ~4 days and completely check, clean and adjust everything. Check for leaks and electrical etc then walk me through it.
Umm, I'm not sure about that...
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Old 09-03-2018, 01:29 PM   #22
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-- snip -- A different AS dealer pushed Blue Ox pretty hard but again if thats what they have deals on it's the "best" ...right?

I was told Equalizer is easier to hook up though.......
EQ is easier to hook up? You decide:

EQ ...... you slide in the hitch head and set the shank pin. Then you slide in the weight transfer bars. Then you use the tongue jack to raise the tongue enough to pivot the bars onto the friction angles and lock the capture clips. Then you lower the tongue.

BO ...... you slide in the hitch head and set the shank pin. Then you slide in the weight transfer bars. Then you use the tongue jack to raise the tongue enough to hook the chains on the rotaters and lock them in place. Then you lower the tongue.

Note - the BO requires more force to rotate the chain locks in place. That is the difference. With a long breaker bar, it's easy.

They sell it, so it's the "Best", right ..... No, it is highly likely that the same dealer who sells the BO also sells the EQ. Most AS dealers do sell both.

The BO has flexible spring bars, a good selection of weight choices and uses spring force to dampen sway, not friction. Down side ... the weight transfer and sway control are dependent as it is with the EQ. A tighter chain position shifts more weight forward.

The Best is the PPP hitch design that you have read about. The links in the design prevent sway from starting. The other designs begin to dampen sway with friction or spring force as the trailer starts moving to the side. The better designs force the coach back in line. The less effective designs let the tow vehicle pull the coach back in line.

Unless you are quite sensitive to trailer wiggle or insist on traveling above 65 mph, all of the hitches when properly adjusted work reasonably well.

The Reese hitch line was mentioned. The Reese Straightline with dual cam sway control is a very good hitch. You might find it an acceptable solution for the 22 Sport. It separates weight transfer and sway control so they can be individually adjusted. Not hard to hook-up either. The PPPs are better, but the dual cam is quite good.

There are other Reese hitches, so do not get them mixed up as you research options.

OK - this is hard - school was hard - the more you study, the more you know, the better decisions you will make.

Caution ---- there were some early revision BO hitches manufactured with adjustable heads. There are still some of these hitches out there. One showed up recently and the fellow who ended up with it said the dealer had two more. THEY DO NOT WORK. Do not accept one unless you are smart enough to get it for little and convince BO to trade out the head for free.

Good luck with your research. Pat
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Old 09-03-2018, 04:55 PM   #23
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Hi,

I've just about decided to buy a brand new 2019 Sport 22FB! Numbers all work.

Salesman strikes me as a little lackadaisical though. For instance, When I ask what sort of battery it comes with he says "yes we supply a battery". I had to read the brochure to determine it comes with bed spread and pillows and a rear view monitor. Salesman was 100% clueless and said I had to buy the monitor for the rear view camera, no clue on how they connect and never pointed it out in the first place! The guy in parts explained how it's a complete system installed.

It's from a major dealer so I'm hoping once I go to pick up it is with a tech who KNOWS what's supposed to work and what's included. Or will it be said salesman?

So should I demand to go over it with a fine tooth comb and demand to see it all working and all extras in place before I sign any papers?

What sort of perks did you get with your brand new Airstream? I'm offered $25 gift certificate, a night at a KOA and 10 nights at a 1000 Trails.

They are providing an Equalizer or Blue Ox hitch and Prodigy brake controller; all installed and adjusted.

But again I'm more concerned about checking things work before final deal but salesman wants to hustle me over to the FO....

I don't want to make silly demands but I'm spending a lot of money and want to feel fulfilled not suspicious when it's all said and done!

Thanks!

Rounder44

aka

Warren
I'd go to UTube and see the videos that have walk through's on Air Streams. I am on my 2nd Air Stream in less than a year. 25' RB to 27' 2019 Globetrotter. Glad i did it, but I went in this time with my eyes wide open. There are videos that produced by a lady who does about 6 air stream tours. She's very good.

Write down what you want them to cover "In depth" and be sure you can do it by yourself when you're camping. Don't be afraid to ask and have them take the time with you, especially with the service guys, they're good and will answer anything. I can't tell you how many mistakes i made on the first Flying Cloud.
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Old 09-03-2018, 06:24 PM   #24
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Well,

4th time up to look at the AS today! Poked around a little more with the advice here and the videos. I could only find an in depth one by Colonial AS on a 2017.

It illustrated the "problem" in that it's IMPOSSIBLE to give a 100% analysis without fully equipping and staging the coach. No battery, LP tanks are empty. Many pieces like stereo front are not with the coach. Dealer is not going to fill the fresh water or remove plastic and bench test everything without a sale in place. A freezer will have to sit over night etc...The dealer said it takes them 4 days to go over everything and they video where need be then spend a day with me going over everything then I spend a night and any issues addressed the next day.

So I'm baffled about this "surveyor" approach as since there is only one of these for sale he's going to be able to FORCE the dealer to set up a trailer on spec. I'm getting used to my salesman's mannerisms and he seems quite firm that that's the way they do all the RV's and they have 100's.

I can see a LOT I can do but seems I'll have to have some faith that the dealer will stage and confirm all working.

Or.....????

R44
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Old 09-03-2018, 06:30 PM   #25
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Well,

4th time up to look at the AS today! Poked around a little more with the advice here and the videos. I could only find an in depth one by Colonial AS on a 2017.

It illustrated the "problem" in that it's IMPOSSIBLE to give a 100% analysis without fully equipping and staging the coach. No battery, LP tanks are empty. Many pieces like stereo front are not with the coach. Dealer is not going to fill the fresh water or remove plastic and bench test everything without a sale in place. A freezer will have to sit over night etc...The dealer said it takes them 4 days to go over everything and they video where need be then spend a day with me going over everything then I spend a night and any issues addressed the next day.

So I'm baffled about this "surveyor" approach as since there is only one of these for sale he's going to be able to FORCE the dealer to set up a trailer on spec. I'm getting used to my salesman's mannerisms and he seems quite firm that that's the way they do all the RV's and they have 100's.

I can see a LOT I can do but seems I'll have to have some faith that the dealer will stage and confirm all working.

Or.....????

R44
The service department where I work allows 2 hours for a PDI, and an hour to clean.

And it's done after the customer gives a deposit, and before, not after he signs all the papers and signs off on it.
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Old 09-03-2018, 07:24 PM   #26
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BTW!

Super Cell storm over the dealer last night and I poked around pretty good and found one drop from the left open vent so that was a plus! In fact there have been quite a few intense storms the past month or so and there's no evidence of leaks.

I guess I can take that as a plus!

R44
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Old 09-03-2018, 09:09 PM   #27
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Re: Hitch

Based on observation and no experience of performance I must say the Blue Ox is much more impressive!

Cast/forged parts as opposed to welded tube stock... Looks more engineered.

But it's all about performance and I won't argue with those who prefer one over the other!

Thanks,

R44
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Old 09-04-2018, 12:55 PM   #28
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The BO shank does not have material in the receiver engagement section that allows a new pin hole closer to drop so there is less overhang. The H-beam construction is nice for weight reduction, but the welded solid stock construction shank only adds about 2-3 lbs and allows the flexibility of custom hole placement. If you want to get serious, lightening holes/slots can be added, but it's costly f you do not do your own machine work and understand the concept of stress risers. Note you can get one with a shorter pin hole location configuration from other mfgs. They are a universal component.

There is much discussion about the shortening of the overhang. Lots of folks don't like the tailgate clearance to be reduced. Some folks even are concerned about the trailer being too close to the TV. Suggest that there are tailgate solutions and sites that don't require such a tight turn in. We often back in turned to the passenger side so the corner is not so tight. Takes some practice and GOAL backing, but you don't have to jack-knife the corner of the coach into the trailer to get into the site.

Rig tune is a spiral process. One change helps stability and impacts convenience or comfort. You resolve that issue and need to adjust another. If each step continues to the next - continuous improvement - you get to a rock solid rig lash up. It is not a go pick up the trailer from the dealer and assume it is all good. Note - you are going to add gear to the rig. That changes the tune. The dealer may have it perfect for the rig when it leaves the lot, but it changes over time.

The BO will do well and it may be the easiest solution for you now. Maybe consider it the default. Now go look into the Reese Straight Line Dual Cam and the Hensley Cub (lowest cost PPP hitch, except for rebuilds/used). You may chose to reject them for now, but understand the design element differences. They may not be important to you and your RV use, but make an informed decision. Oh, the Dual Cam is not hard to hook up. Saw a lady do it on her 19fter last month while we were hooking up. We got there first and she left first.

Good luck with your research. Pat

Oh, a point on leaks - ASs leak down the inside of the outer skin. You need a moisture meter to find most leaks. The new coaches get heavy spray tested without the inner skin in place so they can find and repair leaks. A new one will likely be dry, but after shaking down the road for miles joints get opened and need attention. The sun then goes to work on the sealant. It's an ongoing maintenance thing. Just like your house, car ......
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Old 09-09-2018, 11:19 AM   #29
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Shakedown issues

We just purchased a 22 ft Sport. Live on gulf coast of Florida so our pickup date was smoking hot. We went through the trailer and systems with the tech setting everything up. Trailer was cooler than outside with ac hooked up but still pretty warm. Took to a nearby campground for a shakedown. I am a total virgin at rev camping. Got backed into the site then??? So hooked up the electrical and nothing, couldn’t figure out the water, etc. who knew the hookup box had a breaker for each type of hookup! Got the water hooked up. Figured I should level the trailer after the hookups...whoops, probably should have done it first. Got it close enough and was going to disconnect the car. Couldn’t figure out the hitch and I’ve
Done trailers before. Figured out the connection needs to be as straight as possible and the hitch handle needs to be pushed forward before it will lift up...who knew? So we had our planned bottle of champagne by the light of our charcoal fire, Smokey Joe by Weber, got dogs etc by the lovely lake. At some point we noticed the ac wasn’t cooling and we tried everything. It was a very warm sweaty night. Breakdown went fine, emptying the tanks and rinsing was easy. Put the sway bars back on and noticed one side seemed loose. Went back to the dealer and left it there until hitch and ac are fixed. Also no one mentioned you supply the cable tv wire hookup. It was still a fun experience but glad we have some time to work the bugs out. As my spouse says we now have 18 hours experience. Also a lovely couple dove in and helped us with hookups. Good luck
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Old 09-09-2018, 11:35 AM   #30
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I bought my Bambi a year ago, delivered, sight unseen, from the midwest. A smart way to do things? No definitely not, but either I got lucky or I found a very good dealership and salesman. They made me a walk-through video and posted it on YouTube so I could go back to it again and again (and again). But it certainly did not cover everything and I have been on a steep learning curve ever since. I have read Rich Luhr's newbie guide and the AS owner's manual like 10 times. This forum has been amazing plus various websites, blogs, and friends. It takes a global village! The sales person is just the beginning. Have fun!
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Old 09-09-2018, 11:46 AM   #31
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YouTube Video by Colonial Airstream
https://youtu.be/GdGN9ac3Of8
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Old 09-09-2018, 12:14 PM   #32
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If it was me, I would find another dealer. You NEVER pay for it before they prep and you do the PDI. You can put a deposit down and sign an order but never never pay for the whole thing and sign the final papers before you are 100% satisfied and have been demonstrated that everything works. A good PDI should take 3-4 hours and be done by someone knowledgeable, not this salesman who seems to know nothing about the trailer he is selling.
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Old 09-09-2018, 12:20 PM   #33
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Rounder44...find the most nit picky Airstream OWNER that lives in your area. Not all RV Dealers are the same. Your nit picky owner will cover that with you in a few short sentences.

Have them with you and:

- Pressure up the water system and test all faucetts
- Propane lines bled, test cook top, hot water tank, furnace
- Have dealer show where the hot, cold and fresh water drains are located
- Have the dealer hook up or set up tow vehicle braking system and test drive
- I like our equalizer hitch. 1000# bars on our 25 foot- have it adjusted correctly
- Check Air Conditioning on their lot
- Ceiling vent fans for noise and operation
- Salesmen are a transient group. Motorcycles one week, Trailers next week
- Set hitch to trailer and take a... test drive. Sagging? Too firm? How would you know as a first time buyer? They should... shoulda, woulda, coulda?
- Have batteries tested after having them working without plug in power

Of course, this is asking... too much. There are other 'buyers' lined up for the trailer you are currently interested... yadda, yadda and etc.

Our 2006 was purchased by Ignorant Pie in the Sky to be Airstream owners. The best trailer. Well... great advertising. Our Solar Panel was never wired up... began our journey into self service and repair.

Our 2014 Airstream... we did what we could at the lot. Top to bottom. Passed on a number of those sitting on the lot. Our batteries were... shot. You cannot know everything. Neither do RV service people. A $1,000,000 bus will get more attention than a SOB trailer on sale for a year...

Yes. You will feel you are asking too much and the sales people will be 'upset'. Trust me. I would rather pass on a NEW trailer, upset the salesman and commission and purchase a USED trailer from someone who will do all of the above.

It takes one to two years to tweak your Airstream from NEW. Salesmen work on commission. An employee servicing trailers is paid by the hour... guess who will walk you through your new trailer?
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Old 09-09-2018, 12:29 PM   #34
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Pretty much everything has been said already but still, I'll underline it again. be cautious when you take delivery. try everything you can, press every button that you see, etc..

At delivery. mine was missing rivets already, some garnish trims around the bathroom door were starting to take off. I could pass a finger under the screen door from outside. The crank for stabilizers was for another model and wasn't fitting. And at first trip, I figured out the fridge wasn't working but the freezer was ok and one window needed adjustment.

2 other good advices:
- Check referrals about their service. I forgot that and I ended-up with a dealer that always has a 3-4 weeks delay to get an appointment and then if they have to order a part, delays again. I had to live without my fridge working for half the summer.
- Use your trailer and move it has much as you can during the warranty period, things WILL break, get loose, need adjusting.. and you'll be glad it happened under the warranty period.

Good luck,

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Old 09-09-2018, 12:32 PM   #35
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Hi

There is an enormous variation in the "quality" of AS dealers. That's a surprise to some and others get a bit mad about it. Like it or not, the dealers are independent businesses and they get to operate as they please to a great extent.

I would not buy from a dealer who wanted my money and then would spend 4 days to deliver my trailer. It was not the case when I bought mine. It's not the case at a number of dealers. To me this is a red flag.

It takes at least a couple hours to walk through a trailer after purchase. It also takes somebody who knows the product pretty well. That *could* be a sales guy. It more often is a tech or somebody who does walk throughs for his main job. Having a walk through with somebody who does not know the product is also a red flag.

While we're on the topic of red flags, being pressed to buy an "extended warranty" or a "special exterior coating" at time of delivery is also a red flag. Neither one is likely worth what they probably are asking.

I'm not sure I would want to be buying from a dealer who hit any one of the red flag items. Multiple red flags very much suggests that you need to be *very* careful.

On a new trailer, things are pretty well defined. A used trailer is something very different. What applies to one does not always apply to the other. A new trailer has not had some guy named Bob messing with it's innards .

So back to our regularly scheduled program ... hitch wars ....

Bob
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Old 09-09-2018, 01:34 PM   #36
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We got a pretty thorough walk-through when we bought our 25RB, but the dealer omitted telling us how to use the entertainment system. (I guess they figured we have a 16-year-old at home, which we don't.) We still haven't fully figured it out 4 years later, but we're learning. We haven't been able to get any help from our dealer's service department.
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Old 09-09-2018, 02:21 PM   #37
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We got a pretty thorough walk-through when we bought our 25RB, but the dealer omitted telling us how to use the entertainment system. (I guess they figured we have a 16-year-old at home, which we don't.) We still haven't fully figured it out 4 years later, but we're learning. We haven't been able to get any help from our dealer's service department.
I don't think they even know.
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Old 09-09-2018, 03:04 PM   #38
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New Airstream checklist.

Friends of ours had their son in law videotape the dealer walkthrough. They knew there was no way they would remember everything so they recorded the entire process for future reference. It paid off, giving them a good understanding of how stuff worked.
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Old 09-09-2018, 05:55 PM   #39
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Hi,

Yes I got a thorough walk through PDI BEFORE cutting a check. Dealer wanted a DEAL in place so were at least on the same page. Hammered that out, spent ~2 hours with the coach (after at least 2 hours of "kicking tires" without power during the week).

Was all set up and we covered electrical and plumbing. Banged a few more doors. Found a couple minor issues but I was pleased.

Then cut the check and signed the papers!

Dealer storing it for me so in a couple weeks they will set up my Tacoma (hitch, brakes etc) and I'll camp at the resort and see if any issues come up then. They get you up to speed driving and maneuvering and set you up in camp.

I can't think of anything I missed but perhaps an outlet I didn't see. Camp out will give me time to really see!

R44
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Old 09-10-2018, 03:58 PM   #40
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Hi

We spent a full day "trying on" various trailers before we made any sort of decision at all. What we *thought* we wanted going into the day was very different than the trailer I'm sitting here in a lovely campground in Texas in .... I have absolutely no regrets about the "change in plans". That day was a day *very* well spent.

We went on a weekday to avoid the crowds. I have no idea if there are crowds in May, but that was the idea. We pretty much were left alone to look at this or look at that. Any time we had questions, getting quick and accurate answers was very easy. At the end of the day, we cut a deal and that was that.

The whole delivery process was a bit later. We had to go shop for and buy a tow vehicle. There was also the usual getting insurance stuff as well as paperwork / checks flying around via FedEx. Delivery went very smoothly and we camped out at Colonial that night. Very much a good experience.

Goodies and perks wise it was pretty normal. The nicest thing we got was a blanket to stay warm in the fall. In June at 100+ degrees .... not quite as useful. The rest of the stuff was just the basics you need to hook up and camp out for a weekend.

Bob
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