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Old 09-05-2020, 02:24 PM   #1
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Windsor Locks , Connecticut
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RAM ECO DIESEL for Flying Cloud Bami

We just purchased our first Airstream Flying Cloud Bambi 19’ here on the classified and it will be delivered on Tuesday.
I have a 2017 Canyon which should tow it fine from what I’ve read here, however I was considering a new truck anyway so the Eco Diesel may be in the cards and was curious if anyone has one and what their thoughts are re: the truck and what they are towing with it.
May also look at the Ford and Chevy/GMC as well. I like the Tundra but the gas mileage is horrendous and they are introducing a hybrid model in the next 1-3 years.
I’m thinking ahead because who knows we may go bigger one day and between my son and I it won’t hurt. He has a 27’ Forest River and also a trailerable 25’ Steigercraft Miami, so if we decide to take his boat and trailer to the ocean or Lake Ontario, we will have plenty of towing power.
What’s the largest Airstream I could tow with the Eco Diesel or similar size pickup?
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Old 09-05-2020, 07:45 PM   #2
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SteveS52, welcome to the Airstream Community and Forums!

Your assumptions are correct about the towing capabilities for a Bambi. The Canyon should handle it fine as would an Eco Diesel from Ford, Chevy or RAM. Towing ratings are meaningless in my opinion - payload is what trips you up.

The challenge is when you decide to move up to an Airstream over 23’ where payload becomes a limiting factor. Check the door stickers on new 1/2 ton trucks and you’ll see a huge range from the low 1000’s to over 1800 lbs.

Tongue weight on a 25’ Airstream loaded for camping can go close to 1000 lbs. Add your cargo to the truck including hitch, bed cover, gear (bikes etc.) and passengers and you’ll be at the 1800 lbs or more level.

Half ton trucks have lower maximum axle ratings than 3/4 tons. Our RAM 1500 was rated at 4100 lbs. max rear axle. After a trip to the CAT scales we found our 27’ Globetrotter was within 100 lbs. of being overweight. That leads to “payload anxiety” where you start thinking about leaving the trailer spare, maybe a propane tank at home just to shave some pounds.

So to sum it up, if you think you’d like to upgrade to a 25’ or larger Airstream, either get the most payload you can on a 1/2 ton or move up to a 3/4 ton. We did just that and haven’t regretted it. And, any gas powered 3/4 ton truck can pull any Airstream. You don’t have to get a diesel.

Hope that helps!
Jeff
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Old 09-05-2020, 09:49 PM   #3
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You will be just fine with the Ram Ecodiesel. I pull a 28’ with a F150 3.5 Ecoboost wonderfully. Not a problem Any 1/2 ton will pull a 19’. As I understand the ecodiesel can be configured to pull 11,000lbs. Remember a 27’ dry weighs about 6000lbs dry.

And don’t stress out on payload. Your truck won’t fall apart if it is over a bit. And you can put things into the trailer instead of the bed of the truck. Some people on this forum are payload anal. I’m not suggesting a cavalier attitude, but if you are 50 or 100lbs over it’s hardly noticeable. Remember these limits are set under some of the most extreme conditions. My son is an engineer and he says when they build these systems the limitations have significant fudge factors. Now if you are a 1000lbs over that’s a different story. Use common sense.
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Old 09-06-2020, 04:09 AM   #4
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Windsor Locks , Connecticut
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Ram

We love the size, it’s perfect for us. Most likely will pass this beauty down to one of our grown children.
However my son has toys and I’m thinking Of the larger truck when we take a fishing trips to Lake Ontario and possibly several trips out west and hopefully to Alaska, do some fishing along the way.
A bigger truck with a cap would be great.
And you never know, it depends how much my wife likes being on the road.
She can’t wait to take the new Silver Bean on a road trip!!!
I may stay put with the 1/2 ton truck. We will take my AS when we head to Lake Ontario and one of his boats to other destinations.
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Old 09-06-2020, 09:45 AM   #5
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A year or so ago at an Airstream Rally in Bend, OR, a met a couple who summered in Bend and wintered in Palm Springs, CA, in their AS 34, a triple axle. They pulled their AS with a Ford 150 ECO 3.5. I asked them specifically how that worked for them, especially going over the Siskiyous, on the OR/CA border, and they replied, "Works just fine --- no problems."

Now as someone who pulls an AS 27 with a Ram/Cummins 3500, their decision seems to me a little "over the top," but I guess variety is what makes the US great.
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Old 09-07-2020, 11:37 AM   #6
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Live our F150 diesel pulling our 2018 20’FB Bambi. Plea NYU of power and great gas mileage: 16-21mpg depending on time of year and terrain.
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Old 09-07-2020, 04:36 PM   #7
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Lubbock , Texas
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I own a 2020 Ram 1500 Limited EcoDiesel and use it to tow a 2020 Globetrotter 23FB (6300 gvwr).

Overall, I love the truck. The limited trim is extremely nice and compares well with my wife’s x5. The EcoDiesel gets about 27mpg on the freeway and about 16mpg towing the airstream.

I towed the airstream from Scottsdale to Flagstaff after we picked it up and went up some serious grades with it. The truck didn’t even flinch. It will even hold 8th gear very well at 70 mph going up a slight grade.

The downside is definitely the payload (even though the truck is rated to tow 9400). The diesel adds a lot of weight, so your payload suffers. On mine, we only have room in the truck for myself and my wife and the dogs. Everything else goes in the trailer. If you get one, I would steer clear of any heavy options like the ram boxes, sunroof, split tailgate, 33 gal tank, and skid plates.

I would definitely recommend it for anything 23 ft and under.
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Old 09-10-2020, 10:23 AM   #8
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RAM ECO DIESEL for Flying Cloud Bami

Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveS52 View Post
We just purchased our first Airstream Flying Cloud Bambi 19’ here on the classified and it will be delivered on Tuesday.

I have a 2017 Canyon which should tow it fine from what I’ve read here, however I was considering a new truck anyway so the Eco Diesel may be in the cards and was curious if anyone has one and what their thoughts are re: the truck and what they are towing with it.

May also look at the Ford and Chevy/GMC as well. I like the Tundra but the gas mileage is horrendous and they are introducing a hybrid model in the next 1-3 years.

I’m thinking ahead because who knows we may go bigger one day and between my son and I it won’t hurt. He has a 27’ Forest River and also a trailerable 25’ Steigercraft Miami, so if we decide to take his boat and trailer to the ocean or Lake Ontario, we will have plenty of towing power.

What’s the largest Airstream I could tow with the Eco Diesel or similar size pickup?


On our 2nd EcoDiesel. Had a 2017, now have 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel 4x4 Limited w 3.92 rear, 3rd Generation 3.0 Liter V6 Diesel.

It is a great smooth riding truck more than adequate for a Bambi. I put wider Cooper AT3 xLT 305x55r20 Load Range E tires on it.

The automatic four corners airbag suspension levels the truck perfectly so I use the Curt weight distribution hitch mostly for anti-sway.

I am towing a Keystone Cougar 29bhs. Just under weight limits on the CAT scale but have to be careful not to overload front storage area on trailer.

Have a 2021 Airstream International 27FBQ on order. It is 1200 lbs lighter although hitch weight will be similar. [ATTACH]378159
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Old 09-11-2020, 09:45 AM   #9
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What do you get for gas mileage towing the Keystone?
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Old 09-13-2020, 04:03 PM   #10
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What do you get for gas mileage towing the Keystone?
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Old 09-13-2020, 04:47 PM   #11
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The advice that towing limits are nearly meaningless and payload is a bigger factor is off the mark. Towing, axle and combined weight limits address technical, safety and stability issues while payload addresses ride quality, comfort and commercial licensing issues so they both are in play. Stay below the technical limits to stay safe. Stay below the payload guidance to stay comfortable (except when commercial haul licensing considerations determine payload, as is common with 3/4 ton trucks with 10,000 GVWR). Since comfort generally degrades before safety, payload is generally the one hardest to stay away from. For trucks, general guidance that works well is that 23' and under a half ton will be the most pleasant and appropriate, 26 and above the 3/4 and 1 tons shine. 25' is a tossup.
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Old 09-14-2020, 04:43 PM   #12
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Airstream has commented that the Ford F-150 is the platform they build all their travel trailers around.

The broad spread of payload and configuration options available on that vehicle is overwhelming to say the least.

The RAM with the 3.0L VM Diesel engine wouldn’t have any difficulty comfortably pulling just about anything available on an airstream lot so long as it is properly loaded and balanced..

Diesel engines are simply better at handling towing duties.

My father has a full size suburban that I feel uncomfortable towing my 23d with. The engine is screaming to get up every grade and the transmission constantly searches for gears — I really hate driving that truck.

I much prefer towing with my Chevy Colorado 2.8 miniDuramax. The transmission selects a gear and sticks with it, the engine purrs up long grades at around 2-3k rpm, it doesn’t feel like I’m pushing the truck to its limits every time I get on the freeway or decide to pass someone, the exhaust break saves my pads and rotors when coming down long mountain passes, and most of all it’s just comfortable to drive.

I would expect the ecoRAM to do an even better job than my ‘mini truck’.
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Old 09-14-2020, 05:37 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Seanlb View Post
Airstream has commented that the Ford F-150 is the platform they build all their travel trailers around.

The broad spread of payload and configuration options available on that vehicle is overwhelming to say the least.
I find this hard to believe. First off payload numbers are not particularly relevant when towing. Axle and combined weight limits are far more informative with respect to assessing towing capacity and the underlying safety considerations that go into establishing the numbers.

From a physics perspective, applying the traditional definition of a 1/2 ton vs. 3/4 vs. 1 ton, the breakover points are about 7500 and 10500 so engineering wise the statement that Airstream builds for the F-150 is suspect. Now from a marketing perspective if the Airstream marketing folks are saying they want their entire fleet to be marginally safely towable from the 150 platform then I can accept that as clearly they have achieved that particular goal in that you can find an F-150 that will (barely) tow the entire fleet in relative safety.
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