Non-Millionairestreamers

[overlander63]

Eye Awl sew uwes speel chequer, it sieves mie farm pour speeling.

[Goin camping]

No one told me spelling counted.

[LJH]

Great idea juel! I would love to meet some thse people, quite an interesting group. LJH 6196

[uwe]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Eye Awl sew uwes speel chequer, it sieves mie farm pour speeling.

Hey now...

[Frank's Trailer Works]

It doesn't count, just hire a recent high school graduate and you will find out. I spell GOOD with only two fingers.

[overlander63]

...

Originally Posted by uwe

Hey now...

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Eye Awl sew uwes speel chequer, it sieves mie farm pour speeling.

YouTube video highlighting the importance of spell check.

YouTube - The Impotence of Proofreading By Taylor Mali

[TBRich]

Y'know...I don't mind hearing what folks think about different products and what they think is the best way to do something...either by yourself or by someone else. I don't claim to know everythng about everything, but I do know that the more info I accumulate and the more varying opinions I hear about topics of concern, the more prepaired I am and will be for what my situation is. For instance, at this point, our unit is still under warranty, so I expect anything that needs to be dealt with to be resolved by the dealer...and hopefully by the time it's not under warranty anymore, I will have learned enough to do some of this stuff myself...or at least know what needs to be done, or where to look to solve the problem...and how it can be best accomplished...whether it's through the "best" equipment or through someone sharing their clever and innovative imagination in solving a common problem. I takes all the opinions flying around to come to our own idea of what is the "best" way...and no one's opinion is any less valuable than anyone else's. What I don't like is when someone has the attitude that "it's my way, or no way"... and everyne else is out in left field...that is a definite turn-off. Fortunately I have not seen too much of that on this forum, and when I do, rather than get upset, I just take it all with a grain of salt...as we all should.

This is a great place and what I like most about it is that 'most everyone is trying to be helpful and share their own experiences to the benefit of others...that's how it's done in this sort of community.

That's my 2 cents! (And definitley not my $2 million!)

Thanks to all for making this a great forum!
TB

[safari57]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Eye Awl sew uwes speel chequer, it sieves mie farm pour speeling.

Dang it Terry, the scary part is that I understood what you said.

[Kevbo10]

no one will be admited w/o a 426 Hemi dragging an International, bigger the better. households with a net worth of less than five million will not be valet parked, households with verifiable income in excess of five million will be admitted to the presidents VIP section, and plied w/ room and spa services. black tie required at all events. no exceptions, except on cheese burger tuesdays. spelling w/ be checked. no one admitted over the age of 55.

PePe (2nite)

[tinhutjohn]

Some of the best times I've had on the Airstream forums and discussion groups, are when people come up with ingenious and inexpensive solutions to repairs, towing etc. There are no certain guarantees in life. Sometimes, as the song says, you're the windshield and sometimes you're just the bug. Most of us make reasoned choices on the basis of the plethora of advice that's offered and the depth of our pockets.
Someday I may have a Hensley but actually to be truthful I've seen a lot of reports of trailer crashes and more often than not, there's a Hensley involved. Even with a Hensley, you can still over-drive the technology.
The most important piece of equipment in any lashup is still the "nut" holding the steering wheel.
2 Canuck cents (now almost at par with Uncle Sam's pennies)

[Wayward]

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

Reading advice in the forums one can get the impression that towing ANY trailer with anything less than a $40+K new ¾ diesel is death waiting to happen, that using a map rather than GPS is dangerous, that using disc brakes puts everyone on the highway at risk, that only prodigy brake controllers will do, that having any hitch other than a Hensley is asking for it ect ect.

Before I ran across this thread I was beginning to wonder if I'd fallen into an ATU (Alternate Towing Universe). Perhaps I found this thread just in time - after crawling through the Towing Forum, I was nearly convinced that even world peace was possible, if everyone would just buy a 3/4 ton diesel.

I confess that I bought a new 25' Safari last year without ever having stumbled across AirstreamForums. My wife and I are planning to work-travel. I'd never owned a travel trailer before, but have logged tens of thousands of miles pulling 10,000+ lb loads. Nothing compared to the Airstream design, but it's light weight made up my mind. We could tow with a 1/2 ton!!!! Not having to contend with a 3/4 ton diesel while towing and commuting in town, was very attractive. I did the calculations on the 25' Safari to be sure my F150 would pull it safely. I determined that later on, a new Tundra or F150 would have nearly twice the towing capacity I needed, and bought the Safari! Lower differential gears, a quality WD/Sway setup were added - and we were on the road.

Armed with a working knowledge of GVWR, GCWR, payload capacity and towing capacity, I later ventured into the Airstream Towing Forum to help decide on my next 1/2 ton truck. WHOA! - what a shock! Could it be true? Was I was truly risking life and limb by foolishy thinking I could pull an Airstream with a mere 1/2 ton truck? I got out the specs and the calculator -yup numbers still looked good. Maybe I was dreaming. I hooked up the rig and blasted down the road, fearing no semitruck or uphill grade. Nope it was real - the rig towed just fine.

Seriously though - who can argue with belts and suspenders out on the road? Big heavy tow vehicles forgive many a towing sin. Extra horses make life easier. But the great thing about Airstreams is that there's one to fit most anyone's TV budget, comfort level, environmental conscience or lifestyle. I was following a recent forum started by a guy looking for towing advice for his brand new Chevy 1/2 ton. He almost gave up on the purchase of a 4500lb Argosy he'd found, being convinced here that he'd need a 3/4 ton diesel to tow it safely.

Secs are specs - rather than scare people safe, I'm all for studying the published specs to help folks safely matchup cool Airstreams to all manner TVs, and......then, more happy Airstreamers!

[henw]

It's all in the eye of the reader. A non- AS owner might look at this forum and think that they owned second rate equipment just because it doesn't carry the right brand name. Use that info that applies to you and enjoy the rest knowing that it is helpful to another reader. I will improve my camping experience based on what I need to do , and, can afford. But, I in no way expect anyone to be politically correct in there comments here when it comes to economics. I want to read about do it yourself cures and luxurious solutions as well.

Tom

[Streamer1]

I believe when the stuff finally hits the fan, its a matter of what your experience has been towing and with what and what is your "comfort level." If you can pull your AS safely and efficiently with a "downsized 1/2 ton truck" then more power to you. If the only way you can "sleep at night" is using an F350 PSD Dually to pull your "Basecamp" then so be it. Whatever works and whatever you can afford.

[Minnie's Mate]

When I was a teenager, my parents had a small (20', IIRC) Coachman or Champion Class C motor home. They subscribed to Motor Home magazine and I used to get a kick out of reading the "how-to" section. One of the ideas that was sent in that really stuck in my mind was a reader that, faced with an expensive telescoping antenna, bought a modestly priced swimming pool skimmer pole and removed the skimmer. He mounted it to the side of his motor home with antenna mounting brackets and mounted an antenna to the end. When he set up camp, he extended the pole about 10 or so feet above the roof of his motor home and claimed it withstood 30-40 mile/hour winds, but would collapse to about six or eight feet: less than the height of his motor home's wall.

Today, we have to have a bat wing or sat dish, but 30 years ago a pool skimmer pole was sufficient to get the antenna in the air to have TV in the campground. Thing is, he was probably one of the few campers in any given campground that had TV!

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

I spell GOOD with only two fingers.

Actually, if you touch-type, typing "good" involves three fingers.

And... by the way... spelling, grammar and composition ALL count!

I occasionally tow my 25' trailer at 5300 lbs with an '02 Tundra 4WD auto with the 3.4L V-6. The truck is rated at 4800 lbs towing. Yes I'm overweight. I also use a straight line dual cam and a Prodigy, and in doing my homework have found out that the brakes, suspension, and frame in my V-6 Tundra are identical to the V8 Tundra rated at 6500 lbs. So... am I nuts and unsafe, or am I making the best use the equipment I own?

Don't answer that...

Roger

[HiHoAgRV]

Great thread Rodney, I agree with everything you posted (although I think it's taken a couple of odd turns). When I see the "if you can afford an Airstream then..." in a thread I usually just close it out. It's right up there with the proud owner showing us their preowned pride and joy only to have the first reply, in effect, pointing out their new baby is cross eyed.

[Mikethefixit]

It is great that we live in a place where We can openly express our opinion,it is however up to each individual to determine what thier comfort level is Without disregarding the saftey of yourself or that of others. I am on a fixed income,I defineatly cant afford a Hensley,but I feel safe with the equipment I have ,although not state of the art ,its safe and workable. I started 10 yrs ago and bought a straight-line Reese, 5yrs ago for the F350 and now we are about to go next week and get our AS,Used though it maybe, it will work for Us.
Please keep in mind Opinions EXPRESSED here Should be JUSTTHAT/ OPINIONS!
Thats my OPINION an Im sticken To it

[bobfowler]

I don't know HOW I missed this thread until now...

Many excellent points have been raised, but if you think things can get "elitist" here, try going through the musical instrument newsgroups (saxophone is especially painful). For even more fun, look at some of the photography forums and newsgroups, if you don't use the latest and greatest, you OBVIOUSLY suck...

I forgot which episode of the VAP it was, but it was pointed out that you don't HAVE to do a shell off restoration to have a great camper. I'm a firm beliver that cutting a few corners is OK, as long as safety isn't compromised. It's all about camping and fun, not about keeping up with the Joneses.

[Chuck]

Originally Posted by bobfowler

Many excellent points have been raised, but if you think things can get "elitist" here, try going through the musical instrument newsgroups (saxophone is especially painful).

oh yeah? which one? I've only participated on one, and not all that much. I didn't think that the equipment elistist crowd (typically, "youngsters") was too overbearing. But they're there, for sure.
One thing I did notice, browsing around...alot of these "big talkers" have links to clips of themselves playing their fancy horns...most of 'em can't play for $h!t.