Can I pull my Airstream backwards 50 feet?

[Cavefalls]

Just bought my neighbor's 1965 Sovereign (hip hip hurray!!) that has been parked in their yard for at least 25 years. During that time the landscape has changed and there is no way to pull it out from the front of the trailer. I can't get my truck anywhere near the front of it. In other words, I need
to somehow pull it out of their yard from the rear of the trailer to get it into the street.

Any suggestion?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Cavefalls

[vinstream]

I woud think a trailer dolly in the front with someone at the helm steering... I would then pull with the TV with a chain connected to the Axle not the rear bumper... Go slow and should do the trick!

[airdreamers]

Cavefalls welcome to the Airforums. Slow and easy is the ticket!

[dwightdi]

You need to get a wheel under the tongue jack, to prevent bending the Jack. You need to pull on the frame from the rear with chains or cables to prevent bending the axles or bending the bumper.

[AirHeadsRus]

That is tough. Is there any way to get a small tractor or Bobcat in there to lift the front?

[xrvr]

If there is enough room, can you put two tow trucks, one on each side in the rear so they can either winch it or pull it out slowly. Is it on solid enough ground? If not put plywood or something down so the wheels and tongue jack can roll. Ideally, lifting the weight off the jack and slowly pulling back with a winch would be the way to go. The winches would have to be attached to the A frame or trailer tongue and kept clear of the trailer sides. Then lift up as well as back. Possible? Tow truck drivers can do amazing things. Jim

[Ganaraska]

Trailer dealers have electric dollies to move trailers around the lot. If you could get one of those it would be a breeze. Especially if you put sheets of plywood or chip board under the wheels. You need 6 pieces, 1 under each side and 1 under the dolly wheel, and keep moving them back as the wheels roll off them. This will make the wheels roll very easily.

If you can't get an electric dolly you could try putting a small trailer under the tongue, like a yard tractor trailer. Winch the trailer back slowly with a comealong or winch attached to the back bumper or even push it by hand.

This is not a very difficult problem if you prepare carefully and take your time. Make sure the tires are pumped up to 30 PSI and the wheels turn freely. Working slowly and cautiously, it should not take more than an hour or two.

Airstreams move very easily, they have even towed them with bicycles for a stunt. You should not have any trouble. Keep a couple of wheel chocks to put behind the wheels if it starts to move too fast.

To do all this by hand, would be best to have at least 2 people.

[Ganaraska]

Following up the yard tractor trailer suggestion above. I have seen guys move small trailers with a ball on the back of a yard tractor. This might work if you piled some weight in the back of the Airstream and got the tongue weight down to 100 pounds or so.

[deauxrite]

This post should get some kind of award for the most unusual. After reading thousands of posts about all kinds of issues..this one is the most unusual that I have seen in years. And in true Air Forum style..several posters come throuhg with ideas and solutions..you guys ROCK!

[overlander63]

I've done many recovery missions on Airstreams. Here are some things to consider, especially on an older one:
Air up the tires.
Connect your tow chain, strap, cable, etc to an axle mounting flange. You may have to drill a hole in it to make a place for the hook to go. If you connect to the axle, you will bend it. If you connect to the frame at the rear, if the frame is rusted, you could rip the frame out from under the trailer.
Get a wheel for the tongue jack.
You will need two pieces of plywood. Put one under the tongue jack wheel, the other behind it. After you move the jack onto the second piece of plywood, take the first piece and place it again behind the one you currently have the trailer on.
Have at least one spotter.
Open and close all the windows. I didn't on a 1967 model, and one of the Corning windows shattered when the trailer flexed and the window was stuck to the gasket.
Have a way to stop the trailer if it starts to get away from you. Throwing yourself under the tires to stop it is not recommended.

[Ganaraska]

A lot depends on how even and level the ground is. If it is a smooth lawn with no slope 3 or 4 people can move an Airstream easily by hand especially if you put boards under the wheels. If you can get a yard tractor or electric dolley around in front, it would be a cinch.

[Isuzusweet]

My suggestion would be to rent a Dingo. A very powerful, compact tractor that you walk behind or even stand on. You would have complete control on speed and force just in case. Place the front of the tongue in the bucket and brace with 2x4's or 4x4's so that it doesn't shift side to side. Attach some chains from the hitch to the bucket in the centerline so that the hitch can't come out of the bracing or out of the bucket.

Good luck and go slow.

[ALANSD]

hire a rollback tow truck.

[Cavefalls]

My words can't express how much it means to me to have all of you helping me out with my 50 foot towing challenge. I'm receiving wonderful advice from folks I've never met (but hope to) - from all over this fine continent.

Your ideas have given me the confidence to pull this off. I've been admiring my neighbor friend's Airstream for 7 years. We live in a rural area and the AS has been sitting in a part of his land that has lots of trees and rocks.

Many thanks to all of you !!

Cavefalls

[perryg114]

I am assuming it is on grass and not concrete? Photos would help. It would be possible to rig a temporary hitch by removing the bumper. You would need to make sure the front hitch is off the ground. This would at least get you far enough to get to the front of the trailer. I am assuming this is flat ground a not a hill. On flat ground you could just pull it with a chain or rope. You need some spotters with some chocks to put in front of the wheels if it does not want to stop on its own.

Perry

[reinergirl]

Once you have a wheel under the front jack you'd be surprised how easy it is to move , I'm assuming level ground.... The pieces of plywood will help, if the ground is spongy you'll need them under the wheels as well. We used the chains in the front to move ours on the driveway, we used wheel chocks and big landscape timbers, being careful to never go more than a foot or two at a time, momentum is not your friend in this case.

If you post pictures, there may be other creative solutions...

Would a front hitch on your truck do it? Inexpensive and useful in many other situations...

[Cavefalls]

Thanks again for all the great ideas. I will let you know how it turns out.

[ZoeZane]

Hey Cavefalls,
How did it turn out??
We’re in a similar situation, but we’ll need to pull ours out about 200 feet from behind! A friend suggested we use a tractor pulling from the back while we back it part way (once we get it a certain distance) with a truck.

[turk123]

Originally Posted by ZoeZane

Hey Cavefalls,
How did it turn out??
We’re in a similar situation, but we’ll need to pull ours out about 200 feet from behind! A friend suggested we use a tractor pulling from the back while we back it part way (once we get it a certain distance) with a truck.

Cavefalls posted only three times back in 2014 never to be heard of again.

A couple of conclusions. It worked out badly. The trailer came apart as he used a large excavator to drag it out. His neighbor upon seeing the disastrous result reached for his shotgun... well, you know the rest.

Or . . . He got it out! He completely restored it without our help here in the forum and is living on a beach in the Florida keys.

I'm guessing it still sits lonely in the neighbor's backyard, waiting to be found again.