Anyone see anything wrong with this picture?

Hannibal wrote:
All these videos are biased for advertising hype. Just a touch more whip to the wheel puts a lot more whip to the trailer. If the car or crossover TV has one advantage, it's that the distance from rear wheel to hitch ball distance is much shorter. Just the same, here's a video pushing it to the limit with a GM SUV.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz-rgndtVbw

And a biased Airstream video going easy on the AS and pushing it beyond the limits of the stick and tin TT. I remember whipping our old utility trailer for fun when we were young. It doesn't take much.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cMg42sW6NU

These tests are all at maximum speed, that's the point of doing them. The trucks have to back off at slower speeds or they go unstable. That's important in evaluating relative stability, the trucks are worse measured against these setups.
Of course an Airstream will look like it's not pushed as hard, Those quality torsion axies and better geometry do result in superior handling. What's wrong with marketing that given they sell those trailers at a premium price partly on that superior handling?
It's unfortunite many videos seem to be missing now, the most useful ones are the a to b comparisons with multiple vehicles towing identical trailers. Most of what they try to sell are matched pairs, so I can understand them marketing that but I consider it most unfair fpr you to characterize a valid engineering test as "advertising hype" simply based on not understanding what the tests are testing.

Terryallan wrote:
Like I said, and you confirmed. Thousands of dollars to make it tow. All I did was to bring mine home and hook it up.

Actually I corrected a couple of errors in assumptions based on many years of going there as well, and an actual cost is more useful than a general comment of (unspecified) thousands - which would have also included $10,000.
You say you 'just drove yours home'. You did not say how much you paid the manufacturer to do the work before you drove it home. As I alluded there is the cost paid for the factory 'trailer package', and in the case of a truck the are many hidden capital costs for that end as well as typically higher profit margins. If cost is the criteria then you also need to look at the recurring costs, where again the truck cost more too.
I'll agree that it is often simpler to just buy what the manufacturer wants you to buy. Is that slways best, well I say that depends.

These threads are entertaining, but you are all wrong.

I can drive one of these, and here you can license one as a private use truck for $100 a year, plus an annual permit fee of $120 approx for the steer axle weight and three dually axles...

So I say this is what you need to tow safely, minimum. Everything else is a dangerous compromise.

The beat goes on, the beat goes on
Drums keep pounding
A rhythm to the brain
La de da de de, la de da de da

:Z

All these videos are biased for advertising hype. Just a touch more whip to the wheel puts a lot more whip to the trailer. If the car or crossover TV has one advantage, it's that the distance from rear wheel to hitch ball distance is much shorter. Just the same, here's a video pushing it to the limit with a GM SUV.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz-rgndtVbw

And a biased Airstream video going easy on the AS and pushing it beyond the limits of the stick and tin TT. I remember whipping our old utility trailer for fun when we were young. It doesn't take much.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cMg42sW6NU

horton333 wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
I have read about CanAm, and they do mod on cars to make them tow all the time. And when they get done with the car it is a very capabil TV. However. that is thousands of dollars later. It's not cheap to turn a Porsche into a tow vehicle. But with enough money. You can do just about anything.

Plus most of what I have seen them do is with Airstreams, and Airstreams a, brake controler re known for their easy towing.

It cost me $1,800 for a full hitch install with electrical connector, circuit breaker, and brake controller , etc. on a car. That includes everything even tax. I think they quote $400 flat plus materials if you just want to strengthen an existing setup, that's what they did for a friend anyway. What does a car manufacturer charge for a class II towing package .......?
They are a large Airstream dealer, but that is not what most of their cars pull. I believe their most popular was the diesel Jetta's pulling 21-23 foot ultralites. Not sure this year's with the VW diesel problems. Face it, Airstreams are a great trailer to tow and we'll made, and I test drove Andy's personal 300C with a three axle Airstream (yes very nice to pull), but at their 50k entry price point and limited room inside is just not bread and butter. At their last ride day they had 5 combinations up, only one an Airstream.

Like I said, and you confirmed. Thousands of dollars to make it tow.
All I did was to bring mine home and hook it up.

rbpru wrote:
You tow with what you like. If it is an overload you loose acceleration, ride comfort and increase TV wear and tear.

The breaking is a function of the TT.

Some might consider it a white knuckle tow, other think it is just fine.

'White knuckle' is a common assumption of those who have not done it with a properly designed setup, actually cars can be more stable as they have a significant inherent advantage of being lower. Again these pictures are not enough to have an informed opinion for the one setup, but looking at how short the overhang ratio is and the almost level stance I doubt stability is a problem.
I know with my car setup I have more available torque than vehicles rated to tow over 5 times as much, so excuse me if I chuckle about the loosing acceleration from overload opinion as any generic comment.
Anyway if there is anything I have learned about discussing these sorts of issues on trailer forums over the years, the engineering and experience will tend to be pushed aside in favour of opinion. C'est la vie.

Looks like it's really connected, and like it's been very well setup.

That said, it's very likely exceeding just about every capacity on the TV. Not my cup of tea. I tow near the limits, but only near, not over.

are you sure he is towing that thing or just backed up to the coupler?

Maybe he just waited until the pic went out on the internet, then pulled it down the block and hooked it back up to the 3500...

Ya never know. ;)