[VAC] Re: Cart before the Horse

[Tom Greenberg <tigreen@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Margie and John -

Congratulations on your new Airstream!  You'll find a lot of info and
opinions on this list...here is mine:

I think that a 6 cyl. Explorer is a completely inadequate tow vehicle for
your Safari.   Remember that the titled weight of the trailer is "dry"...as
in empty water and blackwater tanks, no propane, no belongings, no food,
nothing!  You can easily add another 1000 lbs. to the bare weight of the
trailer by the time all these things are considered.  Our Overlander is
titled at 4250# and weighs well over 5000# when ready to travel.

If I were you, I would be looking at larger SUV's (even though some have a
shorter wheelbase which makes them less than ideal), full-size pickups, or
full-size vans.  There are plenty of good used Suburbans, Tahoe/Yukons,
Durangos, etc. with V8 power and high enough tow ratings to serve your
purpose.  The critical rating to keep in mind is the Gross Vehicle Combined
Weight Rating...this is the "total" weight of the tow vehicle, trailer,
passengers, and all contents of both vehicles.

I also highly recommend that you consider a high-quality weight-distributing
hitch system...either a Reese or equivalent...or even better, a Hensley or
Pull-Rite.  A quality hitch coupled with an appropriate tow vehicle will
give you a safe and effective towing experience.

We tow with a Dodge Durango using a Hensley Arrow hitch.  With a 5.9L and
3.92 rear end it is tow-rated at 7350#.  It does a great job of towing our
26' even though it is only a "mid-size" vehicle.  If you have any specific
questions about the Hensley or the Durango I'd be happy to answer them.

Good luck with your search,

Tom
-- 
Tom & Jan Greenberg, West Bloomfield, MI
'66 26' Overlander & Hensley Hitch
2000 Dodge Durango 5.9L
the Tin Twinkie website:   http://people.mw.mediaone.net/tigreen/index.html
tigreen@mediaone.net