The whole idea of these forums is to share experience so that folks can make informed decisions.
I don't really have a problem helping others make informed decisions. Being negative and not mentioning the positives is not helping people make informed decisions, only providing half the story. There is nothing wrong anywhere with using a three quarter ton or one ton truck to haul an Airstream. It is done all the time. The issue is certain models of weight distribution hitches that can damage the tongues of trailers. That problem is not an Airstream problem, it is a dealer selling the hitch problem and then the customer putting too much tension on the spring bars and possible separation at the front from the frame/body integrity. The Airstream magazine went into detail a few years ago over several issues on how to select the correct hitch regardless if the truck is a half ton or a one ton dually without resulting damage. In the forums this was debated and discussed at length with one southern California dealer that repairs this kind of damage offering solutions to the too much hitch spring bar problem. The stouter the van or truck, the less spring bar tension or even spring bar rating is needed. The solution was and is really simple. It is all in the magazine.
I recently recall an extensive amount of fourm verbage concerning Lippert frames on RV's, mostly fifth wheels. And approximately 75 percent of all RV fifth wheel and travel trailer frames are made by Lippert. Airstream and Arctic Fox are two exceptions (Arctic Fox did use Lippert for some of their travel trailer frames in the past). Cabinets and floors and walls coming apart inside due to poorly designed or built Lippert frames, poor welding, etc. Lance had axle issues with their first run of travel trailers, they were too weak. Weekend Warrior manufactured some toy haulers with frames insufficently strong resulting in wall damage. Dozens of pages in these forums were devoted to the WW issues. So, whose product would you suggest would be the best for the OP? Who makes something perfect? If you really want to help the OP suggest a product that will work for them that has never had issues. Be positive not negative. Don't tell them what
not to get; tell them what
to get.
Airstreams have torsion axles, most other RV's don't. In almost all ways they are superior to springs and shackles in how they tow. Some models come with electric/hydraulic brakes, most travel trailers don't. Compare vastly superior stopping distances next time you try to inform a potential Airstream customer about the deficiencies. None have rubber roofs to wear out before the payments are made. None have filon sides to possibly delaminate. All tow better due to the rounded shape than most box trailers and get better fuel mileage. The interiors are elegantly understated, the outsides do not have overstated goofy graphics that go out of style next year. Most RV parks and campgrounds that have a ten year rule ignore it for Airstreams. Nobody knows how old they are anyway except a sharp knowledgable AS owner. If you are going to share information about a product to a potential customer to
inform them, inform them on the good attributes as well.
