Visit our Popular Forums

flyfisher · 07-27-2014, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terryV

First thing you know, I was running along at 65 and 70 mph, and that "monster" behind me was following along like a meek little puppy.

Now, after two little week end trips, we are ready to go on vacation, with confidence.

Keep towing that thing at 70 miles per hour and your newfound confidence may be short lived a couple months from now.

gypsydad · 07-28-2014, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyfisher

Keep towing that thing at 70 miles per hour and your newfound confidence may be short lived a couple months from now.

Good advice! 30' at 70MPH is scary even without traffic!

SeeMore · 07-28-2014, 08:48 AM

Daedalus told Icarus, "fly neither too low nor too high." Likewise on the interstate - be neither too slow nor above 65 if you want to enjoy your trailer for decades :-)

J. Morgan · 07-28-2014, 08:58 AM

Depending on conditions, I will pull at 70 at times.

Sometimes 65 is too fast, sometimes not.

terryV · 07-28-2014, 04:52 PM

So, what is it that I should be worried about when traveling at 65 or 70 along a lightly traveled interstate with the other traffic moving at 70 and 75?

arktos55343 · 07-28-2014, 05:28 PM

A blowout would be the first thing on my list. There are many many threads regarding the substandard construction and road worthiness of trailer tires. You may not even notice a tire failure that far back on your TT/TV rig (right away)....but at 70 mph, the remnants of that failed tire will chew through your wheel wells and the side of your beloved AS like a knife through butter. Just sayin.......

switz · 07-28-2014, 05:42 PM

On our 2012 Dodge 2500HD diesel, 65 mph is the power spot in 6th gear. That is our max speed preference with posted white and yellow caution lower speed limit signs setting the pace as appropriate. 5th gear is about 55mph for winding roads or scenic views where I need to be able to drop speed quickly.

Our truck and trailer are nearly identical in weight of around 9,300 pounds each, but the push is there when going down hill.

J. Morgan · 07-28-2014, 06:29 PM

My truck and trailer together don't weigh 13,000 lbs.

If I remember right my weight ticket was 12,600 loaded ready for the road full propane, full fresh water, and a generator in the back of the pickup.

EDIT; I was wrong,,,, 11860 total weight,

2880 steer axle

2886 drive axle

6100 trailer axles

terryV · 08-09-2014, 10:58 AM

Well, I'm back from my first road trip with the A/S. All went pretty well except for the idiot truck driver who turned into the side of my baby to escape a semi that he pulled out in front of to pass me. He hit me just in front of the water heater, (took off the water heater door), and ruined both side panels and the rear quarter panels.

After that, he took off, never to be seen again.

I called the factory. They said they were booked up thru September. They also told me that Reliable RV in Springfield (where I bought it) was qualified to replace the panels.

John, at Reliable says he can start on it as soon as he gets the parts.

She's still usable, just a little ugly on the street side.

Anyway 2800 miles at 60 and 65 mph (see, I do listen to you guys) went well. The mountain roads in the Smokies were interesting. Camping in the mountains was great. The fly fishing was fantastic.

We saw 5 Airstreams on the whole trip. I think they were as excited to see us as we were to see them. One was a beautiful Bambi being pulled by an old (very old) restored pick up truck.

All in all, I can't wait for my next trip in September.

KJRitchie · 08-10-2014, 07:40 AM

So sorry to hear about your accident after just purchasing your AS. Let us know how Reliable works out for you. I'm in Nixa and wonder what the quality of work they do if I ever need service.

Kelvin

terryV · 08-10-2014, 10:23 AM

You know, the name of this old thread is "Are Airstreams that much better" and I believe I have proven with this accident that they really are that much better.

I felt my trailer move sideways when that truck hit me. I really believe that if I had had a stick built trailer, there would have been aluminum and kindling all over the highway. It's amazing, to me anyway, how well the AS took that hit.

I wish I knew how to post pictures here, so I could show you guys the damage.

J. Morgan · 08-10-2014, 11:25 AM

If you are posting off of the phone app , just click the icon to the right of the camera just above the "keyboard".

terryV · 08-10-2014, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

If you are posting off of the phone app , just click the icon to the right of the camera just above the "keyboard".

I'm posting from my iPad, with bluetooth keyboard. The pics that I would like to include are in my photos section.

My wife gave it to me for my birthday. Apple stuff is new to me.

J. Morgan · 08-10-2014, 04:59 PM

Are you posting from Safari or from the Airforums app?

J. Morgan · 08-10-2014, 05:01 PM

I dont know for sure about the Ipad , because the Ipad I have is too old to run the latest Airforums app, but I want to think that from the app it will be much the same as from my phone.

switz · 08-11-2014, 09:41 AM

Back on topic, the Corian sink is cracking in the bathroom. This is only our third trip.

From watching the build process, I would guess the refrigerator and it's cabinet and then the shared wall with the bathroom would have to be removed to get the countertop out without damaging the wallpaper. Then they would either replace the entire counter top, since the sink is glued to the Corian countertop, or have a major issues getting a non-leaking seal after cutting the existing sink out.

The local dealership is totally unqualified to do this repair, so this will have to be a factory job. The list continues to grow.....

dkottum · 08-11-2014, 11:58 AM

Is it possible some of us have modified our Airstreams and towing with very heavy duty trucks to the point where our Airstream is getting the heck beat out of it.

Inland Andy and Andrew Thomson, long-time Airstream repair shop owners, have cautioned about this. But we still do it.

Our Airstream was delivered in perfect condition. I inspected for leaks with a moisture meter and had none for several months. Now in three years I have found five new leaks, somethings shaking things around back there.

I am looking at the 16" LT tires I put on; maybe I don't need 80 psi in them. I used an Equal-I-Zer hitch for the first year or so, learning that neither of the Andy's recommended them due to stiffness of the square w.d. bars. There was a lot of storage space in the front of our trailer, and after a long trip we would return with it well stocked.

We have a light duty truck, heavy duty but flexible w.d. bars. It's a flexible connection to the trailer. If it was not maybe an Air-Safe hitch would be good.

Our Airstream Owners Manual states that we should load so that we have at least 10% of our trailer weight on the tongue, but never more than 1,000 pounds. Have we exceeded that manufacturer recommendation? I see it all the time here.

When things begin to fall apart it's easy to blame the builder. Perhaps they deserve it, but we also need to take a look at how we use and maintain our Airstreams. This is a message the two Andy's on this forum have been telling us for years.

terryV · 08-11-2014, 06:11 PM

Interesting thoughts.

In retrospect, my dad ordered a new 31' Airstream from the factory back in the early '70s. Then over the next 10 to 15 years, he wore out 3 Suburbans pulling it all over the US and Canada.

Other than the interior fading from the sun, normal maintenance' and a few bugs when new, he had no problems with that trailer.

He had an EZ Lift (I think that was the name of it) hitch, and used the conventional sliding sway control. Pop was a habitual speeder; never met a speed limit that he liked. He liked hunting in Wyoming, and pulled it off-road and on gravel roads frequently.

In '84 he had a 1 ton Ford van with Diesel engine customized. He added a Banks turbo and 2 speed over drive gear box because he wanted more power (speed) in the mountains. He was never easy on anything he owned.

When I sold that trailer for my mother after Pop's death in '87, it was still tight and roadworthy. It was definitely not gently used, tho.

terryV · 08-17-2014, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkottum

Is it possible some of us have modified our Airstreams and towing with very heavy duty trucks to the point where our Airstream is getting the heck beat out of it.

Inland Andy and Andrew Thomson, long-time Airstream repair shop owners, have cautioned about this. But we still do it.

Our Airstream was delivered in perfect condition. I inspected for leaks with a moisture meter and had none for several months. Now in three years I have found five new leaks, somethings shaking things around back there.

I am looking at the 16" LT tires I put on; maybe I don't need 80 psi in them. I used an Equal-I-Zer hitch for the first year or so, learning that neither of the Andy's recommended them due to stiffness of the square w.d. bars. There was a lot of storage space in the front of our trailer, and after a long trip we would return with it well stocked.

We have a light duty truck, heavy duty but flexible w.d. bars. It's a flexible connection to the trailer. If it was not maybe an Air-Safe hitch would be good.

Our Airstream Owners Manual states that we should load so that we have at least 10% of our trailer weight on the tongue, but never more than 1,000 pounds. Have we exceeded that manufacturer recommendation? I see it all the time here.

When things begin to fall apart it's easy to blame the builder. Perhaps they deserve it, but we also need to take a look at how we use and maintain our Airstreams. This is a message the two Andy's on this forum have been telling us for years.

Thinking back to my dad's time, the hitch and spring bars were very flexible. When he hitched up with those chains and let the trailer down with the electric jack you could see the bars bend in a big arc. If the tire footprints on the TV were the same length front and rear, on level ground, he had dropped the right amount of chain links.

I know the ride in his TV was much smoother than mine with the equalizer. If the ride on a bumpy road is beating me up, what is it doing to the trailer? You may be on to something here. BTW, that was in a time before radial tires. Tire pressure was much lower back then.