the definitive euro, asian and international model thread...

[brunoffrance]

not against galvanised frame, but against a galvanized one , not well made as it is , most of time ... not made in the rules of art, not made to never see rust in the treated parts....

bruno

[qqq]

I agree with Bruno & bienvenu chez les Chtreams

Ron

[ticki2]

My question has always been why not an aluminum frame to match the foundation with the structure. Many trailers are using alum. from small trailers to commercial 18 wheelers.

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by ticki2

My question has always been why not an aluminum frame ....

hi tiki2, and thanks for joining us...

i would suspect the steel version is cheaper and better supported by past a/s engineering and research.

i think there have been discussions about frame/materials (for domestic trailers) in several other threads....

a/s is an ASSEMBLY company primarily, using parts supplied and sometimes spec'd by other vendors...

this thread focuses on the euro models but i'll diverge here because of the interconnected nature of the world markets...

-leland engineering of michigan? supplies the steel frames for a/s (domestic/canada) trailers...

-leland engineering is a subsidiary of L.E. Technologies, along with amfab and venture technologies.

L.E. Technologies was purchased by DEXTER AXLE about 3 years ago (march/april 2005)

this is about the same time a/s switched over to dexter alxes, hubs, brakes for all domestic trailers...

see the interconnected issues here?

dexter axle is a subsidiary of tomkins plc a GLOBAL manufacturing company based in the U.K....

Tomkins plc - Tomkins

which brings us back to the original theme...

the 'euro/international' trailers are built on frames and with axles/brakes/hubs from BPW limited (i think)...

Welcome to BPW Limited's Home Page

this is a U.K. company that is part of the even BIGGER german/worldwide bpw bergische achsen kg...

another huge global company in this biz....

BPW | Bergische Achsen KG

assembly companies like a/s are very dependent of their suppliers...

while a/s may be one of the best known brand names in the rv industry,

it's still a small company and small companies don't have much leverage on their suppliers...

___________

now do any of our world wide forum members (or their friends) own one of these things yet?

IF they really are priced at 75,000 euro (THANKS FOR POSTING the price bjoern)...

that's 110-120,000 BUCKS U.S.! for a little trailer.....holy smokes!

cheers
2air'

[ticki2]

2air
Didn't mean to get off track , just seemed the focus was on frames for a while .

Interesting last post , should keep me reading , and out of your hair for a week .
You're more dangerous than a dictionary . Look up something , which leads to something else , which leads to something else....... LOL
You are a wealth of information , thanks

[2airishuman]

ticki2...

u weren't off track at all.

i'm just suggesting there may already be good stuff buried here, on the 'frame material question'...

here's one on the aluminum issue, but i've also read long exchanges about frame materials buried in other threads too..

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...ase-26036.html

i think for a/s to start utilizing a different material,

they'd need their SUPPLIER to already be using some other technology (galvanized steel, alum, bamboo or whatever) for frames...

i have no idea if leland/dexter/tomkins makes any aluminum frames...

cheers
2air'

[ajdesq]

I've just put down a deposit on a 532 International!






I pick it up at the end of July.




If you can't already guess, I'm just a teeny-weeny bit excited.

Expect a zillion photos when I get it... should I post them here or on a different thread?

Cheers all.

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by ajdesq

... I'm just a teeny-weeny bit excited...Expect a zillion photos when I get it...

alrighty andrew!

i've been waiting for that follow-up and congratulations on the soon to be yours 'stream.

it will be fun to see your pictures HERE and read about the trailer.

don't forget to share info about the tow vehicle and your rving adventures.

lots of us (worldwide) are subscribed to this thread and will be watching...

cheers
2air'

[Goin camping]

Originally Posted by ajdesq

I pick it up at the end of July.

I know just how happy you are Congrats!

Please post A LOT of pictures here.

[ajdesq]

Thanks guys! I can hardly wait. I'm having it specced up and down so it will have no microwave or TV, but it is having a built-in solar panel, refillable gas cylinders (first AS in the UK to have that), and some other bits and bobs. I know there may be a couple of issues during ownership, but the guys here in the UK who run Airstream Europe really do care about their owners.

29th July is the big day, let's just hope I can get online asap after that to post the pix.

Cheers for now!

[jurjen]

Yes, we need piccies, lots of them!

[ajdesq]

Finally, I am the proud owner of a 2008 Airstream 532 International!


It's been a long, exhausting, and exhilerating week.

It was an eight hour drive from home to Airstream Europe HQ with an overnight stop in a hotel that was so awful it was the best advert for RVs ever!



I got to Airstream but my trailer was still undergoing final checks:










So I was taken to lunch, hung out a bit, and by the end of the day we arrived at this happy moment:




I'm the bald guy on the left. If anyone thinks I look familiar, that's because I'm the RV magazine journalist who wrote the article that appears earlier on this thread. Yup, the man who tests caravans for a living has bought an Airstream...



... But I digress. My tow vehicle is a Renault Trafic long wheel base low-roof van, 2.5 common rail turbo diesel with an output of 140bhp. It's great for me as I can throw my kitesurfing gear and Triumph motorbike in the back. This is my outfit together for the first time:








First night was spent on a nearby Caravan Club Site. Look at the size of the pitch, now you see why we have smaller models than you guys!







A close up of the badge:









Next morning I went back to Airstream HQ where I met up with a family who have a 684 that they tow with a Nissan Navara:







And finally, just to reassure us all that we are the sane ones and it is everyone else who is mad, this is a picture of my room in a FOUR STAR hotel the night before I picked up my 'Stream:




...and this is a picture of my bedroom the next evening:








...mouldy milk cartons in the hotel:




... and breakfast in the Airstream:






More pix, especially internal I guess, as I get the time to do them. Hope you like the above!

[Goin camping]

Excellent! Very nice looking trailer.

Please do find the time for more pictures.

[2airishuman]

WOW!

COOL!

HOLY COW!

thanks for posting andrew...

it's hard to describe the delivery day excitement

and the glow that can last for weeks afterward.

i new that was you on the left (no need to keep your rv writer secret now)

see post #20 for his review article in the caravan magazine, last year.

the dealer/sales guy has got the big squeeze in that handshake

sure, we want interior shots but ALL the little exterior details matter too.

i see u got the patio awning, NICE!

was that installed at the factory or added after shipment to the dealer?

also with the full wrap front windows, are they offering the option of rock guards?

because of the differences in electric and sanitation and galley bits,

we will wanna see how each of those areas plays out in everyday use.

and the renault looks like a great tow vehicle too.

cheers
2air'

[jurjen]

Great pictures! I see we share another interest: Triumph motorcycles.
I have a 96 ST and a 69 T120.

[utee94]

Thanks for the pictures Andrew, yes please keep them coming. As 2Air pointed out, the differences between your systems and our systems are very interesting, so pictures of those specific areas would be great. And the taillights, too. I love the taillights on these models.

Congratulations and Happy Caravanning!

-Marcus

[cameront120]

Originally Posted by jurjen

Great pictures! I see we share another interest: Triumph motorcycles.
I have a 96 ST and a 69 T120.

Note my user name...no concidence! The 69 Bonneville saw Triumph at the top of their game, in my opinion. Right now I own a new Bonneville, but hope to get back to vintage.

[jurjen]

Here is a picture of the T120 in front of the AMC Eagle that I want to use for towing a light Airstream.

[ajdesq]

Ah, 'proper' Triumphs! My trumpet is one of the 'new' ones, despite the fact I've had it for 15 years since new.

However, the purpose of the posting is more to give our American cousins a glimpse into Airstreaming UK style.

In the UK we basically have three kinds of caravan (RV) park: Club Sites, Commercial Sites, and Certificated Sites.

'Club' sites are owned or franchised by one of the two huge RV touring clubs in the UK. Facilities can vary, but normally supply a mains electric hook-up.

Commercial Sites are privately owned and can vary from little more than a field to all-singing all-dancing holiday parks.

Certificated sites of which there are about 3,000, are small sites that can take a maximum of 5 units. They are affiliated to one of the two Clubs, and while some offer mains hook-ups and a WC, many are very basic but real retreats.

Anyhow, the only 'hook-up' provided (if any) is a 16 Amp 230 Volt mains supply. Only now are 'Service Pitches' being built where you can also hook up to mains water and run a pipe to a grey water drain. I'd imagine that Service Pitches account for less than a quarter of one per cent of pitches available.

Black water always has to be removed by hand from the RV in a cassette tank and disposed of in a designated WC disposal point.

So, a typical pitch at a 'Club' Site looks like this:



They are either all-weather hardstanding like this one, or grass.


In the background is the mains bollard:





So the services to the Airstream allow for an external fresh water tank and an external grey water tank. The vacuum toilet cassette is under the wardrobe.

You can fill the 40 litre inboard water tank either directly with a filler hose on site (normally only done by motorhomes) or, more commonly, using the 40 litre external tank and the inboard pump. Once the inboard tank is full you may go and fetch another 40 litres in the external tank and have an 80 litre supply on tap. It is also possible to operate from the external tank only, bypassing the internal tank and leaving it empty, which is great when you're touring because to save weight you naturally dump the fresh water before hitting the road.

So here are the external services:



To the left is the cylindrical fresh water tank which may be rolled along the ground for ease of transportation. The flatter tank is the 38 litre grey water tank... 2 litres less to account for all the tea we drink There is no inboard grey water tank.

Next to that obviously is the mains electricity input.


As for propane gas... Normal procedure in the UK is to 'hire' two cylinders from one of the two major gas companies Calor or BP. When one cylinder is empty, you take it to a shop and exchange it for a full one. However, we have a relatively new system here called Gaslow Refillable, which as you might guess you can refill at any Fuel station that sells LPG. Mine is the first Airstream in the world (to my knowledge) to be fitted with Gaslow refillable. Here's a pic:





The filler cap is bottom right (indicated by arrow) and the hoses are pretty self-explanatory.


So here endeth today's lesson folks. I know that there is still loads to cover like the heating, towing, and stuff like that. But in the meantime, here's another gratuitous shot of my handsome outfit:





Happy Airstreaming one and all!

[Pschoerrn]

I found something new on one of our Manufactures Sites today... As some of you might know, I am working for a company selling design furnitures. Our Partner Fritz Hansen A/S from Danmark is presenting an Airstream Studie together with Airstream Europe and Mini Cars from the UK at th etomorrow beginning furniture fair at Milan, Italy... I think i Might go there for the weekend, but that will be decided tomorrow. If I go, I'll post pics from the trailer... Here is a first pic from the Airstream website...


Cheers!

Bjoern