Half Ton Truck w/ 32' ('89) Excella?

[SilverToy]

Don -

Not to pile on but I use an '01 3/4 2500 Suburban ( HD everything!) to tow my toy - SilverToy - '92 34' Classic Limited. The weight is more that SOB's of similar size but there is that.... what????? Well, it is AirStream after all!

I would difinately go to the Used Car places ( lots of trades with the Employee pricing, 0% interest, etc...) as there are bound to be loads of proper trucks for you to spend $ on. Actually know of a buddy that traded a 3/4 2500 8.1 Autoride, in on a new one - new one squeaks, heat shield rattle, sun roof blew out, trans issues, courtesy lights won't light, DVD acts up.... No wonder GM is in a jamb.... Would've bought his '01 but I already have one!

Anyway, Don, good luck on that tow home and be sure to take the correct ride with you! Congrats!

Ciao

Axel

[IceKing02]

Congrats, Don,

Go for the 3/4 ton and you'll never regret it--regardless of the brand. After towing with a 2002 F150 with many mods I'd still recommend the 3/4 ton just for lessening the wear and tear on a smaller truck. Besides, the of a larger engine is more fun in the hills... Going over the Rockies and through Canada was tough, even with the mods on the King Ranch...

Note to F150 owners: The BEST mod I've ever made was the rear sway bar from Hellwig--they should have been stock for the ride improvement. THAT'S why people think the Airstream is in the driver's seat and not them...goodness sake's does it put you back in firm control!!!

Cheers,

IceKing02

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by Boaz1362

I bought this one on E bay (item #4591979985) and from all the research and constant contact with the seller we believe we came out all right. I’m pretty sure it can still be viewed on E bay. From talking to the seller, I felt like we were dealing with a fairly honest kind of guy. I would welcome any feed back on this transaction positive or negative.

Don Wilkerson
Seabrook, Texas

Don,
I looked that trailer up on ebay (item #4591979985). If the trailer lives up to the description I think you got a great buy for the price! I'm not sure I could plunk down that kind of cash without first looking it over with my own eyes, but many do. It's certainly a lot of trailer for the money. It probably would have gone for more $$$ if it had been a shorter trailer like 25'. We have a 25', but I love the layout of those 32' models. There are many posts on this web site of what to look for when you first see it to make sure it lives up to the description (stuff like floor rot, frame rust, etc.). You can search this site for those items, but if it truely has been stored inside, it should be less likely to suffer from those conditions. Good luck!

[GStephens]

Just judging from the pictures, it looks like an excellant purchase to me in terms of price and condition. I have a similar unit in terms of age and condition that I wouldn't think of selling for that price.
GStephens

[Alden Miller]

I vote for the tow vehicle upgrade. Not so much for the power but for the braking. I started with a Dodge Ram 1500 with a 5.9L V8 and 410 rear. It could pull the trailer but after one panic stop (someone cut me off and then came to a sudden stop) we decided to upgrade the tow vehicle.

I know I went a little overboard on the upgrade but an airride hitch is in my near future.

-Alden

[rebel beck]

Great looking trailor. We bought a 2003 2500 hd with 4 wheel drive and just love it with our 31 ft. In fact I have to look back there to be sure the trailor is there. There are great deals out there on 2 year old trucks we started looking at new ones and the prices were scary for us. The truck we found has only 21k miles on it and in new condition.
Again look into sway control and of course the brake controls. There's nothing like having sway and not enough brake power take it from someone that has been there with other trailors.


Becky

[davidz71]

Don,
I tried to be frank and straight up with you on my earlier post about going with the 3/4 ton. Some additional things I noticed when towing my '77 back from AZ., in addition to lack of power on hills, was the sidewall wobbling with load D tires I had and the whiteknuckling experience I felt every time an 18 wheeler went past me. I didn't have a sway control bar, don't like them, and I spent much of my time checking out the rearview mirror for the next big truck. As they passed I was pushed away and then sucked toward them. I was using a good Reese weight distribution system but that was not the problem. It was wheelbase of the shortbed regular cab truck, the suspension, plus the load rating of the tires. My hands were tired and I was just plain run down after a 3200 mile round trip by myself. I don't think you want to travel even a few hundred miles and worry this way. Buying my '01 2500hd took care of the problem and it has just been fine. You won't regret it, I promise.