What Truck to Purchase?

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by johnparris

I recommend taking another good look, with the mindset of "how does this feel if I'm living in it every day and night full time". Go in, spend a couple hours inside, and sit down for a while. Act as if you're at home at night, lounging around, reading, watching TV, etc. Do this for each model you're seriously considering. After you do it for a while in one, you'll figure out quickly what you like and don't like, and testing out the other models will go quicker because you'll know right away what to look for.

Is it comfortable? Does the seat feel good after an hour or two? Would you enjoy watching a 2 hour movie in the seats? What about if it's raining and you're spending most of the day inside?

Your instinct that the lounge in the 27 not being great for watching TV is almost certainly correct, for you. If you feel that now, you'll likely feel it even more once you've signed on the dotted line and you're spending the first couple of nights in it.

It's kinda like buying a mattress. You can't tell if it's good for you by spending 10-15 mins laying down on it in the store. It takes more time for the discomfort to set in.

We started out looking at a 25, then a 27, then a 28. We thought long and hard about how we'd be living in it. We looked for probably 2 years before finally doing it. We ended up with a Classic 30 because hands down it was the most comfortable and livable option for us. We felt at home right away, and still do when we're hanging out in the evenings having dinner, reading, watching TV, etc.

The new Classic 30' is very tempting, for sure! Wife and I would love to have one, if for nothing else, the couch! (Ideal would be the 30' Classic with the bath/shower that's in the 33'!...but I digress...)

I am concerned a bit about the extra 3' of the 30' over my 28' together with my F250 having an extra 1' length over my F150. Think all being a bit too much to maneuver for camping and my driveway at home...had to take out a couple small Oaks already when I moved up from the 25' and the F150...any comments welcome!

[Halford1]

Originally Posted by out of sight

I like big stuff. Here's my new tow vehicle diesel:

that motor for the BIG CAT truck or a boat?

[StephiesNana]

Having just completed a 16 day cross-country maiden voyage with our 27 foot Flying cloud, towed by my 2013 Yukon Denali, we are trading the Yukon in for a Denali diesel pick up. Increasing our torque rating will make my husband happier and more comfortable towing our aluminum covered wagon. The 450 feet of torque was adequate, but barely. Doubling it with the new truck will make towing a dream.

[Mike0392]

I’ll throw this in.
I have a 2018 F150 max towing package rated 13400lbs I pull a Classic 33 like it’s not even there. A V6 with a 10 speed transmission , no problems. When we retire we will purchase a super duty with the power stroke as we will be dragging this AS everywhere.
Do your research. Decide usage vs the price of an $80,000 truck.

[Rustmouse]

I’m a big fan of buying used, overbuilt trucks personally.

Look hard at the actual towing road miles you intend to put on the vehicle - if you’re working at or near max capacity of the vehicle, you can still do ok, but don’t go that direction if you plan on doing more driving than sitting with the trailer. You’ll wear the vehicle out prematurely, and then be replacing it sooner than later.

Same with diesel vs gas. The torque on the diesel trucks make them ideal for towing, and they are more efficient under load than gassers. But they cost more to maintain, and that will negate the efficiency gains. They do offer the ability to use engine braking on the hills and that’s a huge safety bonus.

And look at the time you plan on spending inside your vehicle overall. Comfort counts while you’re going from point a to point b, and once you detach, the F450 dually rig that tows your trailer like a dream is about as driveable in the city as it was with the trailer still attached!

I have gone the other direction, though I’m not full-time yet. I tow a smaller rig, with an Explorer EB which makes me way more maneuverable, but I’m at max capacity for the rig. But the wife and I park more than we drive our camper, preferring to stay in one area longer instead of hopping from place to place. (Though the wife’s Dodge Ram 1500 ecodiesel still wins out on the longer trips.

Balance your needs, and you’ll come up with something you’re happy with.

[wulfraat]

Originally Posted by moosetags

I won't tell what I think that you need. Instead, I will tell you what has worked for us. We are highly experienced Airstreamers. We have been Airstreaming for thirteen years and have spent almost 2,000 nights in our Airstreams and have towed them over 180,000 miles.



We have an Airstream 25FB. It weighs in at 7,400# ready to camp. We tow with a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Duramax Diesel. This is our second Durmax. Prior to 2011, we towed with Chevrolet Suburban 2500's with gasoline engines. They did okay, but we like the diesels much better.



We are currently in Strasburg, Colorado, on our way to Alaska.



Brian

I totally agree. Same here (what works for me). I only have 10 years and maybe 35k towing miles but I also moved to a 2500 duramax 2 years ago (2017 with new L5P diesel motor) from 8 years with a 1/2 ton setup. No comparison - tows great and you don’t have to worry about payload. Hitched up and fully loaded I am at ~5600 lbs on the rear axle (rated for 6,200) and ~4600 lbs on the front axle (rated for 5,200). Trailer weighs in at ~8,500lbs (w/950 lbs of tongue weight) wet ready for camping.

No problemo - well under my axle ratings and the truck sits nice and level. Dogs like the new capper too. My only regret is that I didn’t buy this rig 10 years ago when I started airstreaming.

There is a big difference between a 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton. I’ve towed with both - many years with a well provisioned 1/2 ton suv with 400+ HP and hitch strength. It worked well for me but was always it it’s limits, which I only really understood / appreciated after I made the move to a bigger TV (something I thought I would never do).

The additional 2-3k lbs in front of the trailer adds to stability and a relaxing drive (personal experience). Diesel allows you to move uphill at whatever pace you choose, vs being forced to slow down to 50mph (we live near the Rocky Mountains).

My wife tows the 17,500 lb train no problemo and no stress. I like sharing the driving responsibilities

[PCJ]

We just went full time in May, we purchased our AS last year so we could work out any bugs and have them fixed prior to going full time. We purchased a 1 ton Chevrolet diesel, because of it's pulling power our last P-U had issues with the mountains and us like you we wanted where we wanted and not have any problems pulling. Please look at fuel cost diesel vs gas, of course there is a large upgrade on the diesel which would buy a lot of fuel. But there is not an AS made that our truck would not pull.

[safaridave]

A good friend switched from a Chevy 2500 pickup last year to a new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT to tow their 25FB. The wife was tired of the hard riding pickup around town when not towing. We went on a trip together and I was amazed at the ease with which the 475hp Hemi V8 pulled the AS quite effortlessly. The GC was equipped with the optional and enormous Brembo brakes so stopping was always under complete control and the cruise control was quite effective in holding the speed down when descending steep grades. In addition to being a great TV, they boondock fairly regularly so the size and off-road ability of the GC is a big plus in getting in and out of remote locations. It also has every luxury convenience imaginable and is a blast to drive when not hooked up to the AS.

[sarge12212]

I might get kicked out of the Forum for saying this, but an Airstream is not really the best full-time live-aboard camper you can get. It's smaller, square footage wise than most tiny homes.
If we are just talking pure bang-for-the-buck, you can get a good used 3/4 or single-tire 1 ton and a good used gooseneck camper with big double slides and have more elbow room.
Don't get me wrong. I love my old AS, but I don't think my wife would live in it full time. I think after a month or two she would point the truck in the direction of home and MIGHT take me with her! 😂

[Mr. Merk]

Originally Posted by safaridave

A good friend switched from a Chevy 2500 pickup last year to a new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT to tow their 25FB. The wife was tired of the hard riding pickup around town when not towing. We went on a trip together and I was amazed at the ease with which the 475hp Hemi V8 pulled the AS quite effortlessly. The GC was equipped with the optional and enormous Brembo brakes so stopping was always under complete control and the cruise control was quite effective in holding the speed down when descending steep grades. In addition to being a great TV, they boondock fairly regularly so the size and off-road ability of the GC is a big plus in getting in and out of remote locations. It also has every luxury convenience imaginable and is a blast to drive when not hooked up to the AS.

I hadn't thought of those! Kind of in the same realm as the Cayenne Turbos, similar sized tires too. Another decent rig might be the Mercedes GLE (7,200lb cap) or GLS. I had a customer take a GLE350 up doing all the "Jeep roads" in Colorado without issue and I've put the GLS450 with offroad pkg through its paces on a test course and I have to say I wouldn't have done a lot of it with our Jeep Rubicon. With 7500lb towing capacity is very close to the Cayenne, Q7, Touareg family. The GLS550 has 450hp.

[mcclesp]

Again, much thanks for the continued dialogue, experiences, and recommendations!

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Mr. Merk

I hadn't thought of those! Kind of in the same realm as the Cayenne Turbos, similar sized tires too. Another decent rig might be the Mercedes GLE (7,200lb cap) or GLS. I had a customer take a GLE350 up doing all the "Jeep roads" in Colorado without issue and I've put the GLS450 with offroad pkg through its paces on a test course and I have to say I wouldn't have done a lot of it with our Jeep Rubicon. With 7500lb towing capacity is very close to the Cayenne, Q7, Touareg family. The GLS550 has 450hp.

Yea, fun to drive when not hooked up, right? But when your towing a 7,000+ Airstream, with a 800-1000lb tongue weight, along with passengers, gear, perhaps a generator, firewood, etc., your likely over your payload rating with those "fun" suv's...Then there is the misconception that those "big brakes" are for stopping both your vehicle and the 7K+ TT your towing at 65+ MPH going down a steep grade, and it's raining outside with wind...Hold it; I just mentioned some logical considerations, but I scared myself!

Seriously, all those things are important when deciding on your TV...but, many folks enjoy the road with their SUV's throwing caution to the wind. I went thru 2 new Tahoes with my first 25'AS, before getting a 1/2T F150EB 4x4...night and day. Now the F250 for my 28'; again, night and day over the F150...many posts from experienced owners have same experience..enjoy but be safe out there!

[Rocinante]

If the truck is what’s stopping my trailer instead of the trailer brakes, I most likely already have problems from which super huge truck brakes probably couldn’t save me.

[Mr. Merk]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

Yea, fun to drive when not hooked up, right? But when your towing a 7,000+ Airstream, with a 800-1000lb tongue weight, along with passengers, gear, perhaps a generator, firewood, etc., your likely over your payload rating with those "fun" suv's...Then there is the misconception that those "big brakes" are for stopping both your vehicle and the 7K+ TT your towing at 65+ MPH going down a steep grade, and it's raining outside with wind...Hold it; I just mentioned some logical considerations, but I scared myself!

Seriously, all those things are important when deciding on your TV...but, many folks enjoy the road with their SUV's throwing caution to the wind. I went thru 2 new Tahoes with my first 25'AS, before getting a 1/2T F150EB 4x4...night and day. Now the F250 for my 28'; again, night and day over the F150...many posts from experienced owners have same experience..enjoy but be safe out there!

Of course you're right, it makes driving unhooked much more pleasurable as well! I think you might be surprised how well they tow. I would go far as to say they tow better, not just ok. I was initially towing with my Crew Cab GMC Sierra with the towing PKG. It wasn't enjoyable. We sought out a Cayenne Turbo mainly to pull our camper.

It has 200 more hp (500hp) and never loses speed up hills. The four wheel air suspension keeps things comfortable and level. The big brakes never fade or cook like my Sierra did (even when using trailer brakes.) The Cayenne is equipped with a towing module that changes shift patterns, stability control, ABS, even the security system and trailer lights are monitored whenever the trailer is connected. The all-wheel drive and wider tires don't hurt anything either. On top of all that is very comfy and has all the amenities you'd expect from a luxury SUV. Our generation (08-10) aren't very expensive these days. You can source them under $20k expecting to put a few into it for maintenance.

[out of sight]

Originally Posted by Mr. Merk

Of course you're right, it makes driving unhooked much more pleasurable as well! I think you might be surprised how well they tow. I would go far as to say they tow better, not just ok. I was initially towing with my Crew Cab GMC Sierra with the towing PKG. It wasn't enjoyable. We sought out a Cayenne Turbo mainly to pull our camper.

It has 200 more hp (500hp) and never loses speed up hills. The four wheel air suspension keeps things comfortable and level. The big brakes never fade or cook like my Sierra did (even when using trailer brakes.) The Cayenne is equipped with a towing module that changes shift patterns, stability control, ABS, even the security system and trailer lights are monitored whenever the trailer is connected. The all-wheel drive and wider tires don't hurt anything either. On top of all that is very comfy and has all the amenities you'd expect from a luxury SUV. Our generation (08-10) aren't very expensive these days. You can source them under $20k expecting to put a few into it for maintenance.

Pound for pound the Cayenne is one of the best tow vehicles out there. The trouble is it doesn't have the pounds, nor the axle ratings, to tow a larger Airstream. Its rated for only about 600 lbs tongue load.

[jcl]

Originally Posted by out of sight

Pound for pound the Cayenne is one of the best tow vehicles out there. The trouble is it doesn't have the pounds, nor the axle ratings, to tow a larger Airstream. Its rated for only about 600 lbs tongue load.

I haven’t towed with one, just with a similar X5, but I agree it is one of the best from all reports.

Note that the axle ratings don’t limit the vehicle to 600 lbs tongue weight, the receiver does. Fortunately, there are solutions and alternatives to the stock receiver readily available.

[out of sight]

Originally Posted by jcl

I haven’t towed with one, just with a similar X5, but I agree it is one of the best from all reports.

Note that the axle ratings don’t limit the vehicle to 600 lbs tongue weight, the receiver does. Fortunately, there are solutions and alternatives to the stock receiver readily available.

The problem is it goes 177 mph but my Airstream tires are only good for 87 mph.

[mojo]

Porsche?Touareg receiver rating is 770lbs in US. Europeans use a different ratio for their different style of hitch of 8% or 616lbs. But payload is the real limiting factor.

[out of sight]

Originally Posted by mojo

Porsche?Touareg receiver rating is 770lbs in US. Europeans use a different ratio for their different style of hitch of 8% or 616lbs. But payload is the real limiting factor.

Yes. Euoropeans use the factor of 8% tongue weight for safe towing (on the ball). The question is, at what speed? If they are selling in the US I assume that is 80 mph, the top trailer speed in the US (Texas).

[pappy19]

Heck there are some people posting on this forum that swear by Chrysler 300 sedans are better for towing 30' Classics than any pickups, 1/2 ton and above, and they talk novices into the " minimalist " purchases. Unbelievable. In my humble opinion, up to a 25', you can get by with any 1/2 ton, over that length, better off with a 3/4-1 ton, gas or diesel, your choice. The argument that these HD trucks are harsh to drive solo, just isn't true anymore.