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John1048 · 05-18-2018, 05:14 PM

Please help resolve what seems to be a contradiction I may have detected in my researching the merits of various AS trailers. I hear so many on this forum cite the extra outside storage that is gained on the twin bed version of the Flying Cloud 26U as being a distinct feature with a desirable advantage.

Yet, I have read many comments in these forums and other sources of trailing advice that it is dangerous to add weight to the trailer rear of the axles and that adding such weight can be a contributing factor in trailer sway and loss of stability.

So my question is what is how can this extra storage be utilized safely and avoid adverse effects.

Thanks for you help,
John1048

JMynes · 05-18-2018, 05:19 PM

Store light weight stuff in them.

MQF · 05-18-2018, 05:52 PM

You are not going to store enough weight in them for it to matter. I have the queen, go for the twins. Only regret I have about ours.

LilBigfoot · 05-18-2018, 05:54 PM

We have the 26U with twins...great lay out. The extra outside storage is not large enough to store heavy items in there anyway. No problem with extra rear weight. I use one side for electrical cables, etc and the curb side for small odds and ends. Works out great. Carrying a lot of fresh water is a bigger problem.

MWBishop · 05-18-2018, 07:49 PM

Not for storage of gold bars, but I imagine the gear stored in them by most people (including myself) is comparable to the weight of the stuff folks store under the queen bed.

**DKB_SATX** · 05-18-2018, 08:05 PM

At around 6800-7000 lb loaded for travel, my 26U Twin runs 925-950 lb on the tongue, so there's no issue of stability with normal things in those aft storage compartments. If you carry a lot of anvils you should keep them in the shower or the full-height closet so they're close to the axles.

RivetED · 05-18-2018, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilBigfoot

We have the 26U with twins...great lay out. The extra outside storage is not large enough to store heavy items in there anyway. No problem with extra rear weight. I use one side for electrical cables, etc and the curb side for small odds and ends. Works out great. Carrying a lot of fresh water is a bigger problem.

Pretty much "ditto". The 26U also has the storage area in the front of the trailer to counter some of the behind the axle weight (maybe). However we don't really store heavy weight 'stuff' anywhere except in the pick-up bed (3/4 ton). That's a whole different discussion but not for here please.

Getting back to the OP, this is our 2nd twin-bed A/S (other-'04 25' Safari Twin) and one of the major reasons for us is the extra outside storage. The extra inside storage and usable floor space are another bonus to the twin-bed floor plan as we see it.

We love the lounge/booth up front compared to the 25' Safari sofa and side table set-up. Just needs some minor tweaks for our liking but that seems to be SOP for most A/S owners!

Enjoy your 26U, it's a good floor plan.

John1048 · 05-18-2018, 08:33 PM

Thanks

apparatus31 · 05-19-2018, 11:58 AM

Get the twin beds, the outside storage is well worth it and also the area between the beds for getting ready is a great way to go also. Use one outside storage area for wheel chocks levelers and miscellaneous, use the back one for power cords extra water small toolbox and the other for outside cooking utensils. Works great

switz · 05-19-2018, 05:13 PM

Would suggest a 50 amp power cord be as close to the wheels as possible vs under the twin night stand. That is a lot office torated wright way back there. Just my experience.

Even better is put it in the tow vehicle forward of rear axle.

Wayne&Sam · 05-19-2018, 05:31 PM

[QUOTE=switz;2103416That is a lot office torated wright way back there. [/QUOTE]

I think auto spell got away with you there. I don't get it.

Wayne&Sam · 05-19-2018, 05:34 PM

I think most of the warnings deal with adding a hitch or rack at the rear bumper which would add weight to the rear.

We have a rear twin 25' and got in mainly for that huge rear storage. Get it.

NWRVR · 05-19-2018, 06:06 PM

Curb side is my wine cellar and bottled water, street side is shore electric cable, catv and sat cables, sway bar wrench, chocks and levelers. Rear compartment potable and flush hoses, TP, etc.

Not much weight.

**DKB_SATX** · 05-19-2018, 09:57 PM

Written like a temperate-climate guy... in Texas if I carried wine in the outer compartments I'd arrive with vinegar May-September.

Wine and chocolate travel in the truck or the fridge for us.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NWRVR

Curb side is my wine cellar and bottled water, street side is shore electric cable, catv and sat cables, sway bar wrench, chocks and levelers. Rear compartment potable and flush hoses, TP, etc.

Not much weight.

Mollysdad · 05-19-2018, 10:14 PM

I have the queen and I've wondered if I'd prefer the twins.
Before I bought I thought, "No way", but there sure is a lot of plusses on the twins and not too many minuses.....and the dog could have the other side.

The cabinets above the back window in the queen are almost worthless, unless you like standing on the bed.

If I had to do it over? I really don't know. I sure wish I had more outside storage. I'd have to spend an hour or so in the twin to check.

**DKB_SATX** · 05-19-2018, 10:49 PM

At night (for us), the cabinets over the twins are super-easy to access. In the daytime we often have Eddie's travel crate between the twins... which makes it hard to get to the end-cap cabinets without crawling on the beds. We're thinking about getting a flexible crate because Eddie mainly likes being "surrounded" by the crate to be calm, he doesn't really need it to restrict his movements.

Anyway, 2 of us with a medium-big dog find the 26U Twin plan to work really well for us. It would be even better if Eddie were more calm when we're not around, but as it is the crate makes a huge difference... even when I'm working from the trailer and sitting at the dinette with my computer a lot of the day, Eddie will wander back and sleep in his crate part of the time. It works for us.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

I have the queen and I've wondered if I'd prefer the twins.
Before I bought I thought, "No way", but there sure is a lot of plusses on the twins and not too many minuses.....and the dog could have the other side.

The cabinets above the back window in the queen are almost worthless, unless you like standing on the bed.

If I had to do it over? I really don't know. I sure wish I had more outside storage. I'd have to spend an hour or so in the twin to check.

LilBigfoot · 05-20-2018, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

I have the queen and I've wondered if I'd prefer the twins.
Before I bought I thought, "No way", but there sure is a lot of plusses on the twins and not too many minuses.....and the dog could have the other side.

The cabinets above the back window in the queen are almost worthless, unless you like standing on the bed.

If I had to do it over? I really don't know. I sure wish I had more outside storage. I'd have to spend an hour or so in the twin to check.

If you have a table saw and some carpentry skills, it wouldn't be a hard mod to convert to twins. Mattresses you can get made. And probably buy the centre cabinet from AS. I'll post a photo of the underneath support for the twin mattress. No more bumped head on the overhead cabinets.

PKI · 05-20-2018, 05:47 PM

How do you use - the first answer best (light in ends - heavy over axles) - it's the same for all coaches - so your question was good to ask.

Sleeping bags, folding chairs, your colapsable water containers, pillows, paper plates, disposable plastic cups, your empty water hose, your hot weather hats, and similar can be stored in the ends (front and back) of the coach.

Can goods, shore power cord, tools, bottled water, wine, beer, crockery, glass, densley packed clothing, spare batteries, crash helmet, lead fishing weights, soft drinks, heavy plates, and similar should go as close as possible to over the axles (low in the coach too).

The better the load out, the better the stability.

It's not what you feel in normal operation/towing. It's what the rig does when an excursion occurs. If your tanks are behind the axle, keep empty. If they are in front of the axles, the weight low down may improve stability.

This is not an issue of what you can do, but rather what you should do.

Neighbor went fishing in Canada. The plane was full on the flight back. He had to fly the highway home, because the plane could not lift the heavy load enough to fly any higher route. Not what he should have done, but what he could do. Story may have been one of those, but serves the purpose of an example.

Good luck with your investigation. Pat

ArkFortyCal · 05-27-2018, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

I have the queen and I've wondered if I'd prefer the twins.
Before I bought I thought, "No way", but there sure is a lot of plusses on the twins and not too many minuses.....and the dog could have the other side.

The cabinets above the back window in the queen are almost worthless, unless you like standing on the bed.

If I had to do it over? I really don't know. I sure wish I had more outside storage. I'd have to spend an hour or so in the twin to check.

We first had the queen bed in our original Airstream as well and I also thought “no way” on the twins when I first learned of them. When we upgraded several years ago to a larger model the sales guy (who’s an experienced Airstreamer) convinced us to get twins because of all the benefits. Everyone talks about the benefits of the twins but I had a major issue from the start (and still today) that we would be sleeping in two different beds and that has never been ok with me.

Last year we ordered an even larger trailer (30FT now) and as we we were thinking of the purchase I had thoughts of replacing the twins. When we started finalizing our order and plans we both decided the benefits of the twin option was to great to go without so we ended up ordering another twin model.

Who wouldn’t love those additional outside compartments of the twins? And the interior space between the beds is what we really couldn’t go without. It allows for space to stand between the beds, access to our main storage for clothing in the overhead cabinets, a space for the dog to sleep at night and get out of traffic if we are busy in the kitchen. We are also having a desk built into the nightstand so we can have two office spaces.

I am sure the weight in those side compartments could be an issue but the fact the OP is asking this questions shows they would be conscious enough to not over pack these added side compartments. We store fresh water hoses, water filters, wheel chocks, leveling LEGO blocks, TV cable, and our extra 100FT 20amp cable with misc adaptors and etc. in the street side compartment. Curb side compartment stores our extra large outdoor mat,2 folding chairs, outdoor lighting (lanterns and such), folding broom, leaf blower, and small misc bits. I estimate we have around 50lbs in each compartment.

Mollysdad · 05-27-2018, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

We're thinking about getting a flexible crate because Eddie mainly likes being "surrounded" by the crate to be calm,

If you're considering a soft crate, may I highly recommend this one. I actually have two, I got the large first, following the guidelines. Molly is 75#. It was too big, didn't fit through the door without folding, and took up too much space under the table. But she loved sleeping in it. So I bought the medium, and she uses it at home to curl up even with the door open.
It's very well made, folds in a minute. Not for dogs that chew, but then none are.
I saved a few $ by ordering a "Warehouse Deal" and I couldn't tell it from new, still had the tags and instruction sheet.

https://www.amazon.com/Noz2Noz-669-S...pSrc=srch&th=1