Distance from axle to axle

[Julie-Bob]

Can anyone inform me of the distance between the two axles on a 25ft airstream? I'm unable to find this information in any documents from Airstream. I'm looking to make a 2x8 long enough to drive the trailer on to keep the tries off blacktop while in storage. The trailer is over an hour away at the present time and I'm unable to get to it for a while. Thanks

[azflycaster]

On mine it is 33.5 inches from center to center. 48 inches would be plenty.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Julie-Bob

Can anyone inform me of the distance between the two axles on a 25ft airstream? I'm unable to find this information in any documents from Airstream. I'm looking to make a 2x8 long enough to drive the trailer on to keep the tries off blacktop while in storage. The trailer is over an hour away at the present time and I'm unable to get to it for a while. Thanks

I use these....early version

Bob
🇺🇸

[John Ware]

Allow me to add my two cents in by recommending that you chamfer the boards on the ends.

[Wazbro]

Originally Posted by John Ware

Allow me to add my two cents in by recommending that you chamfer the boards on the ends.

If you don't chamfer the boards go with 5' in case one slips a bit when you try to get the trailer on them.

[Julie-Bob]

Thanks to all fellow Airstreamer's I will make them 5ft with a 45degree cut. That will allow some room to play with.

[lemley]

FWIW, I use something similar in my Airstream shed. It's attached to the ground with stakes to keep it from sliding. Likely not something you can do. One thing handy for me is a block at the far end. I leave a chock against that block and back up until I feel the trailer on the chock. That keeps me from overshooting the board. It also makes sure that the trailer is in the same place every time.

[inthralled]

Why do you do this? I am parked on cement, do I need to raise the tires off the cement?

[Scott S]

Julie-Bob, a word to the wise. Use your long board only on pavement. I used about a 3 foot board on soft/wet ground. The tire pushed one end of the board into the ground and the other end was forced upwards into the bottom of the trailer, ripping the belly pan. It was not a happy moment!

[hairyclive]

Originally Posted by inthralled

Why do you do this? I am parked on cement, do I need to raise the tires off the cement?

Any vehicle in long term storage can benefit from the removal of weight from the tires and suspension. Jacking using the frame near, or on, the spring mounting area will benefit both tire and suspension life.

https://driving.ca/porsche/auto-news...ese-eight-tips

https://www.tirebuyer.com/education/...ires-in-winter

If you are in an area where the tires are exposed to sunlight or moisture removing or covering the tires also helps with extending tire life.

https://www.michelin.ca/en/auto/lear.../storing-tires

Storing tyres directly on asphalt or cement is also not a good idea.

https://tiresandgrooves.com/is-it-ok...s-on-concrete/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...50061813008477

https://www.carthrottle.com/post/cau...e-degradation/

Interesting aside; I found this while looking for info for this answer:

https://www.dezeen.com/2019/11/05/re...ring-pavement/

[banderabob]

I don’t do anything extra, just park on concrete, outdoors in a covered, open air trailerport. Is there some reason to do this because of the blacktop?

[Spaggs]

We’ve got 33” between axles (measured at the center on each hub) on our 28’.

[greghoro]

Pay the extra money and use 2” x 12”. Don’t have to be so exacting and gives more room for error when lining up.

Greg

[Life is a Highway]

Recycled Tire Rubber squares made in the USA. I use them for storage tire pads, on the road as leveling pads or under the stabilizer jacks if necessary. Available online or at a Camping World.

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by hairyclive

Any vehicle in long term storage can benefit from the removal of weight from the tires and suspension. Jacking using the frame near, or on, the spring mounting area will benefit both tire and suspension life.

https://driving.ca/porsche/auto-news...ese-eight-tips

https://www.tirebuyer.com/education/...ires-in-winter

If you are in an area where the tires are exposed to sunlight or moisture removing or covering the tires also helps with extending tire life.

https://www.michelin.ca/en/auto/lear.../storing-tires

Storing tyres directly on asphalt or cement is also not a good idea.

https://tiresandgrooves.com/is-it-ok...s-on-concrete/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...50061813008477

https://www.carthrottle.com/post/cau...e-degradation/

Interesting aside; I found this while looking for info for this answer:

https://www.dezeen.com/2019/11/05/re...ring-pavement/

Airstream trailers generally do not have springs in the suspension. It’s important to know WHERE to “jack” up an Airstream or you can cause significant damage.

There may be a “jack-pad” fore or aft of the axle itself …a place designated for placement of a jack for lifting the trailer. Otherwise, carefully placing the jack on the frame or axle-attach-brackets themselves may be done.

But do NOT jack an airstream with rubber-torsion suspension by lifting directly on the axle or permanent damage to the axle can occur. The square body of the axle “tube” is hollow and filled with rubber rods that provide the flexibility for travel and the axle-tube can be deformed/crushed if it is lifted directly upon a jack.

Even experienced “Tire Stores” and shops cannot be trusted to know how to jack up an Airstream trailer…. so it’s important to educate them if you let them jack your Airstream trailer.

[Fungus]

Two-by for my 25FB is 56 inches long. I used this Hopkins 08200 Endurance RV Leveling System with Wheel Chock. I built it as a tandem not a separate unit for each wheel. My driveway slopes east-west quite a bit. If I were to do it again I would either have a set for each wheel or forgo the Hopkins and angle the ends of a 2x12. The long distance to drive up on these require perfect alignment due to their length...I little more width would be nice.