[A/S] Tow Vehicle Choices

["Terry Tyler" <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Eric,

You have read Harvey Barlow's reply (below). I suggest you don't let the fact that he's towing a 34'
Airstream influence you to discount or ignore or minimize what he said. Like Harvey, the information
I'm about to share with you in the next few paragraphs will be worth exactly what you are paying for
it.......nothing.

With that said, we've had our share of tow vehicles. There are two that we've had for more than 20
years which I refuse to sell. Both have 460 CID V8s. Each vehicle has the factory trailer towing
package and each is ready to tow any of our Airstreams anywhere on the continent - tomorrow. 

One is a 1975 Mercury Station Wagon with close to 200,000 miles on it (used only for towing one of
our trailers) and the other is our 1978 Ford E250 Van with close to 300,000 miles on it. Both have
the original engines and both loaf along at low rpms while towing at Interstate speed limits, yet
each will eagerly become a wide eyed, fire breathing tiger that can powerfully yank our Airstream
forward with sure footed strength when I tromp down on the accelerator. Each vehicle's aggressive
pulling power is limited only by the traction of our tires. 

The Van has been our most serious tow vehicle and is what we are towing with today. We left the
Northeast in September, went to the Slabs in southern California last month and today, are in
Deming, New Mexico. Within the last three months, our Van has pulled the Raton Pass twice with our
fully loaded '77 31' Airstream (8700#s) and easily maintained the speed limit both times in both
directions without once having the temperature gauge go above the letter "O" in the word "NORMAL."
This is also the same tow vehicle that has towed one of our Airstreams in every USA state, all
Canadian provinces but one, and all states in Mexico except those around the Yucatan.  

Yes, we have owned lesser powered tow vehicles. Routinely, they had a standing appointment with the
repair shop, they strained to keep up with traffic while towing, they had to be downshifted when
climbing hills with the only discernable difference being the engine got louder, plus they never
seemed fully in control of the towing situation when the going became dicey. We still have one of
those lesser powered tow vehicles. It's a 1986 Suburban with factory trailer towing package and
diesel 6.2 liter engine. If it wasn't such a fun vehicle to drive solo, if it wasn't so easy to do
routine maintenance on it, if it didn't have such a cavernous carrying capacity and if both my wife
and I weren't so pleased with its looks, the comfortable seats and handsome interior decor, I'd
trade it in a flash. <grin> In a pinch, it does tow (with effort) either of our 22' Airstreams.  

For me, the most important criteria in a tow vehicle is unmitigated performance under all sorts of 
circumstances associated with towing. That's followed closely by reliability and dependability over
the long haul. The fact that I'm compulsive about routine maintenance and about repairing everything
immediately when I recognize the need - helps make them last for years. 

Having said all this, it doesn't mean you shouldn't go with your lesser powered tow vehicle, but it
does mean you know ahead of time how significant a choice you're making. Eric - it's your call, your
money and your style of towing. Do what you think will work best for you. And then, enjoy that
Vintage Airstream to the fullest, even if your tow vehicle trembles with fear each time you connect
the Airstream to it.   

Terry
mailto:tylerbears@airstream.net
1963 22' Airstream Flying Cloud
1967 22' Airstream Safari
1977 31' Airstream Excella 500
1986 32' Airstream Excella