Caravel 16rb / Ford Maverick combo.

[AMeadEPTx]

Good afternoon all! I am new to the Airstream community and this is my first post. I will be taking delivery of a brand new 2023 Caravel 16rb in the next couple of weeks. I was going to trade my 2022 Maverick in for a new 2023 Canyon Denali that is rated for 7700lbs but am now considering keeping the Maverick. It has the 4k Tow Package with an integrated trailer break. I have pulled a 3900lb boat with zero issues. It pulls hard and I always feel in control. The truck pulls the trailer not the other way around. I have over 20 years experience pulling 20k-30k loads in 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. I realize that the Caravel weighs around 3600lbs but I will always travel light and never with water in the tanks. Also am getting lithium batteries to keep weight down on hitch and will be using a weight distribution hitch always. My wife and I will exclusively stay in RV Parks with hook ups and sewer drains. My question is am I making a mistake in the communities eyes? I may upgrade the suspension with heavier duty springs and/or air bags as well. We just love the truck and it is so easy to get around and even with the 2.0t ecoboost can get 30mpg when not hooked to a trailer. All options and view points are welcome!

[kscherzi]

Oh boy. Let's just speed to the end. You need a F350 diesel otherwise you'll be a hazard to everyone on the road.

[AMeadEPTx]

Surely you are being facetious? If I wanted to use my F350 Platinum to tow an Airstream I would just skip all the way to a 33ft Classic. We are still in our late 30s and are only able to take short 2-3 day trips and want to use the 16rb as a base to lay our head and get out of the weather. Otherwise we will be outside enjoying the scenery, exploring, and socializing.

[SSquared]

Hello AMead, welcome to AirForums! We are glad to have you with us.


Yes, kscherzi is kidding. He's referring to the fact that AirForums has many long and argumentative threads about what tow vehicle is best/sufficient for a given trailer.


I don't know much about the Maverick so I have no opinion on your question. Also, I don't recall any threads here about towing with a Maverick.


Enjoy your Caravel!

[AMeadEPTx]

Haha I figured! I definitely figured that I would open a can of worms when I mentioned the Maverick being as I have been unable to find any other threads pertaining to the setup I am wanting to use. I’m happy to join the community!

[starlite29]

Can you clarify if the Mav is FWD or AWD?

Also as others will probably state, you can’t trust Airstream’s weight numbers. Tongue weights in particular can be low by 20%. If your margin is slim you may need to wait to weigh your actual trailer to make your decision.

[AMeadEPTx]

It is AWD.

[DCPAS]

Not much Googling shows your max tongue weight as 400 lbs and an unloaded 16RB Caravel at 490 lbs. Loaded, that probably goes up. Ford always lists tongue weight at 10% of rated towing capacity and the receiver may be capable of more, but . . . . I do not think I would do this even if you stay under the 4,000 gross weight.

[starlite29]

Originally Posted by DCPAS

Not much Googling shows your max tongue weight as 400 lbs and an unloaded 16RB Caravel at 490 lbs. Loaded, that probably goes up. Ford always lists tongue weight at 10% of rated towing capacity and the receiver may be capable of more, but . . . . I do not think I would do this even if you stay under the 4,000 gross weight.

Generally I’d agree, but he said he’s going to stay exclusively at RV parks so there may be things he can do to lower tongue weight. Does the 16 come with twin tanks and batteries? Could leave one propane tank at home and only wire one 12V Lifepo4, leave the spare too, might bring things real close to 400… of course if the actual tongue wt is 550….

[nvestysly]

Yes, I've seen the recently introduced Ford Maverick truck. They look interesting. Seems like it will fit nicely into the compact truck category and be a good vehicle for many purposes.

I have to admit though, when I first saw the title of this thread I was thinking of the original Ford Maverick! Guess that puts me in the old fart age group.
LOL!

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by AMeadEPTx

Good afternoon all! I am new to the Airstream community and this is my first post. I will be taking delivery of a brand new 2023 Caravel 16rb in the next couple of weeks. I was going to trade my 2022 Maverick in for a new 2023 Canyon Denali that is rated for 7700lbs but am now considering keeping the Maverick. It has the 4k Tow Package with an integrated trailer break. I have pulled a 3900lb boat with zero issues. It pulls hard and I always feel in control. The truck pulls the trailer not the other way around. I have over 20 years experience pulling 20k-30k loads in 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. I realize that the Caravel weighs around 3600lbs but I will always travel light and never with water in the tanks. Also am getting lithium batteries to keep weight down on hitch and will be using a weight distribution hitch always. My wife and I will exclusively stay in RV Parks with hook ups and sewer drains. My question is am I making a mistake in the communities eyes? I may upgrade the suspension with heavier duty springs and/or air bags as well. We just love the truck and it is so easy to get around and even with the 2.0t ecoboost can get 30mpg when not hooked to a trailer. All options and view points are welcome!

Go ahead and do the trade-in...why guess?

BTW...those 'upgrades' will do nothing to improve the vehicle's towing ability.

“It's better to have what you don't need when you need it, than not to have it when you don’t.” or “you may think you don’t need it but when you do….you’ll have it.”
RLC

Take note that this your first Airstream, and it's only made to hook you into the second, which will be larger. AMHIK

Bob
🇺🇸

[AMeadEPTx]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but the WDH should keep the full weight off of the hitch and should therefore count towards my truck’s payload capacity of 1512lbs. Like I said, I may be incorrect in this theory.

I have already planned ahead as well. Since we are doing short 2-3 trips I will carry 1 of my 2 100w lithium Battle Born batteries and I will be removing both 30lb propane tanks in exchange for 1 20lb tank.

If the Maverick hadn’t blown me away with how it pulls a 3900lb boat I wouldn’t even consider this as I usually never get close to a truck’s capabilities. In my experience Ford has massively underrated this little truck. Between its 250hp and 277lb-ft it REALLY gets it for being so compact. I’m all for adding airbags and heavy duty springs also if necessary. Also, I will never go over 70 and will more than likely keep it under 65mph as well as tracking all of my miles and swapping out the tires very conservatively with high quality rubber.

[AMeadEPTx]

Robert we went back and forth on the 19 and 22. We have had 32ft campers but are unique in the fact that we don’t need all of the space and want as small of a footprint as possible in the name of ease. We want it to not be a hassle. We want to make a few of the Airstream meets and then be able to hook up on a whim and get somewhere within a couple hundred miles and enjoy the long weekend. The wet bath won’t bother us. Former military so a shower is a shower. Lol.

[Snowey BC]

we have a 16ft (2008), use a wdh, and pull with a diesel canyon. we basically live in the rockies can't go anywhere east or west without going through them and are pleased with the feel.

[AMeadEPTx]

Snowey, thanks for the insight. I may end up getting the new 2023 Canyon. Sadly they did away with the diesel option this year in exchange for a 2.7t 4cyl that puts out 310hp and 430lb-ft and that has a tow rating of 7700lbs.

[Shiny16]

Originally Posted by starlite29

Generally I’d agree, but he said he’s going to stay exclusively at RV parks so there may be things he can do to lower tongue weight. Does the 16 come with twin tanks and batteries? Could leave one propane tank at home and only wire one 12V Lifepo4, leave the spare too, might bring things real close to 400… of course if the actual tongue wt is 550….

The 16rb Caravel will likely weigh 3700 to 3800 pounds leaving the factory. To keep it below 4000 would mean having to leave almost everything at home. There are lots of things you can do to reduce tongue weight to bring it down to the Mavericks limit of 400 but I think at that point the tongue weight would be at an unsafe low weight.

[Shiny16]

Originally Posted by AMeadEPTx

Correct me if I’m wrong, but the WDH should keep the full weight off of the hitch and should therefore count towards my truck’s payload capacity of 1512lbs. Like I said, I may be incorrect in this theory.

I have already planned ahead as well. Since we are doing short 2-3 trips I will carry 1 of my 2 100w lithium Battle Born batteries and I will be removing both 30lb propane tanks in exchange for 1 20lb tank.

If the Maverick hadn’t blown me away with how it pulls a 3900lb boat I wouldn’t even consider this as I usually never get close to a truck’s capabilities. In my experience Ford has massively underrated this little truck. Between its 250hp and 277lb-ft it REALLY gets it for being so compact. I’m all for adding airbags and heavy duty springs also if necessary. Also, I will never go over 70 and will more than likely keep it under 65mph as well as tracking all of my miles and swapping out the tires very conservatively with high quality rubber.

Using a WDH does not reduce the the tongue weight.

Recommended tongue weights for boat trailers are much lower than travel trailers. It’s possible that your 3900 pound boat had a tongue weight within the specs of the Maverick. Ir you’re 16rb weighed in at 3900 (it will like weigh more) then less the 400 pounds would not be an acceptable tongue weight.

[AlbertF]

The Maverick has a long wheelbase, wide track, lots of payload capacity (1500 lbs), and lots of power.

The only concern I have is whether the receiver will flex when the tension from a weight distributing hitch is applied. It may need reinforcement.

If I owned the Maverick, I would definitely tow the 16RB with it, especially after reading that you were impressed with how it tows.

[AMeadEPTx]

That’s kind of my thinking as well. Plus, they give it that 4k tow rating knowing damn well it can handle it. I bet you they also are giving it a 20-25% margin of error because in my experience the thing is completely in control. Between the trailer break and AWD the truck counteracts any and all swaying. It literally blew my mind. I was worried the first time but quickly realized that it towed more confidently than an old 2009 F-150 Platinum I had with the 5.4 Triton V8. I’ve also watched several max tow videos on YouTube where people exceeded the 4k rating and had absolutely zero issues up and down the Ike in the Rockies of Colorado. Depending on if there is any flex I will definitely consider reinforcing the hitch. Thanks for your reply!

[NutmegsCamper]

Something to consider about the difference between a boat and a camper. The boat is a lot more aerodynamic than the camper, even an airstream. A camper can be like a big wind sock towed behind a vehicle, using up a lot of the massive 250hp in the maverick. Previous posters have covered the tongue weight constraints, as the AS, to be safe, will be above the tongue weight max of the maverick.

Would I use this combo to tow to my local campground 20 miles away down country roads? Probably. Would I do it from Ohio to Georgia? Absolutely not. If I were hell-bent on keeping the maverick, which is a nice vehicle, especially for the commuting thing, I'd reconsider the AS and look at another camper of equal build quality and shed about 1000 pounds - the NuCamp Tab400. We had one before we grew into the AS 23 footer, and I still miss the Tab.

All that said, if I had my mind set on the AS, I'd go a slightly more robust vehicle, like a Ford Ranger or possibly the Canyon.