new to Airstream and large towing... help?

[cmmorsey]

Thanks Msmoto...

Based on your suggestion, a few others and some research,... I think I will go with the Reese. Thanks!

[mimiandrews]

We have the Reese dual cam and have found it very satisfactory.

[cmmorsey]

Thanks everybody, this is what I think I'll be ordering:

http://www.reeseprod.com/content/pro...665&part=66084


With Lp I'm at 800lb and from some sudgestions I should go one up... 1200lb is one up.

[rodsterinfl]

You got it cmmorsey. I would still contact Ford and have a discussion about the wheels/tires and options. You certainly have a nice truck and now a great vacation RV too!


@mrpres- sorry bout the 23D 23FB thing. cmmorsey is getting a 23D I believe so I was focused on that model. Yes, the 23FB has a much lower tongue weight, you are correct.

[cmmorsey]

Thanks for all your help @rodsterninfl

[rodsterinfl]

Hey, people on here have given me all kinds of direction. Naturally you have to always check everything out but it is a wealth of information and things to consider.

[Luigi123]

I was in your position a few months ago with many suggestions of specifics types, I ended up with a Reese Dual Cam, and for a newbie, all is good. I saved the money for a few solar panels. Cost installed for the Reese Dual was $1,000, installed, with 1200 and 800 sway bars.

[Bill M.]

I also use the Reese Dual Cam. About 8 years and 50,000 or so miles. Have not used another hitch so I have no comparison. Get the 800 lb bars. Camping World sold me the 1000 lb and later I went back and got the 800. Like them better. Read the Reese instructions for setting it up (even if the dealer does it). I do not have to re adjust my hitch after I got it setup. My 25' puts 800 lbs on the truck when it is loaded and hitched. Seems like yours will be that or less.
The payload on your truck seems awesome. I pull with a 2500. But I caravan a lot and have seen lots and lots of happy campers pulling with 1/2 ton trucks, SUVs, and whatevers. None of them have the payload and power of your rig. Once you get the setup right it will work for years with little attention. You are not likly to get (and probably do not want) 20% weight increase on the front axle when hitched. Best I can do is to restore the front axle to its unloaded weight. Seems about right to me.

[rodsterinfl]

Hmm. Bill, why do you like them better? Here is why I ask, when I was shopping for a hitch I planned to buy a 1000 lb bar hitch. Sean asked me what my tongue weight was and I told him that the cat scale was 970. He told me I needed the next model up as the limit of the bars was so close to the actual weight with little adjustment ability. Although it is a different hitch from the Reese, I would think that the weight bars would work the same. Just a thought.

[rodsterinfl]

Oh, just to share. I mis-named the vehicle window sticker and a forum member was nice enough to share the correct name for such- Monroney rather than Marone. THANK YOU.

[Photobum]

Rodsterinfi,

5.4 L, 2004 F150 (with a brand new engine 15M miles ago).

[rodsterinfl]

ok @Photobum, here is my source:

http://www.fleet.ford.com/resources/...s/2004_All.pdf

You are rated for 1420lbs payload. You will be good to go with a weight distributing hitch at least from the hitch, truck payload and towing capacity standpoint on a 25FB. It would have a tongue weight of about 600 w/loaded LP, etc. guessing.

A pro pride hitch is really nice and would work well for you. It that is too much $ then consider that Reese Straight line with 900lb or so weight bars. Get them more than what you need but not too much over, if that makes sense.

[Photobum]

I was looking at the Blue Ox. What do you think?

[switz]

Our 2013 25FB International Serenity had a literature tongue weigh of 833 pounds but with a Hensley hitch installed, full propane tanks, street and rear awnings and a solar panel sitting at the dealership, the weight was 1,150 pounds.

Real world numbers may make a 1,420 payload vehicle inadequate for the task. The same trailer loaded for camping had a weight of 1,175 pounds and a GVW of 6,990 pounds.

[rodsterinfl]

It is a good thing he is looking at a 23' model Switz. That is a bit lighter for cmmorsey but yes, for Photobum's 25fb, it will be close.

I do not know anything about the Blue Ox. Anyone?

[Msmoto]

Gosh, I forgot to add about my TV that I had air springs installed so once the trailer is attached, the weight distribution hitch set up to transfer weight appropriately, I can fine tune the ball height so as to have the trailer perfectly level while towing.

I believe everything we can do to have the set up correct will improve the safety factor when towing. Once in a blizzard, heading up a slight grade, I saw my 27 FB Int hung out in the left mirror…at about a 45 degree angle. A huge wind blast had hit, and the truck tail followed it out to the left about four feet. But, a slight lift on the accelerator to bring the rear wheels back into traction, and some minor steering correction, combined with all the actions of the Reese dual cam sway control hitch, saved the day. The next 75 miles in the blizzard was at 35mph with several 18 wheelers behind me telling me on the CB this was the correct speed. LOL

[cmmorsey]

Well, this is what I installed with the father in-law.

Reese WD hitch with Trunion bars and duel cams ....

Any thoughts suggestions or the like...?

Thanks


Airstream 2008 Int Sig 23d
2012 Ford F150 FX4

[cwf]

Take it easy over the bumps and when backing up... you won't like the sound they make....

have fun!

[PattyJ]

Hi,

I just bought a Safari airstream and am figuring out how to get it from Ohio to Denver. How much did it cost you to ship yours? What type of shipping did you use? Semi trailer, auto hauler?

[cmmorsey]

Hi PattyJ. Used U Ship... $1300 ... We have a company in Denver... If you're looking for a whole house fan look at mygreenhomedesign.com


Airstream 2008 Int Sig 23d
2012 Ford F150 FX4