gryffendorfen
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1962 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by gryffendorfen on Jul 10, 2014 23:36:14 GMT -8
In my previous post under "Talk About your Trailer," I introduced my recently acquired Lemon Drop, a '62 Shasta Airflyte.
I've already encountered my first big problem: towing capacity. I own a 2012 Subaru Outback 2.5i. According to the owner's manual, the towing capacity is 2700 lbs, the tongue weight is 200 lbs, and the maximum weight in the car - including passengers, gear, and tongue weight - should not exceed 900 lbs. I weigh 190 lbs, my other half 150 lbs, and my dog 45 lbs.
According to oldtrailer.com, the '62 Shasta Airflyte weighs 1840 lbs and the tongue weight is 200 lbs.
The question: Can I reasonably tow her?
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Post by bigbill on Jul 11, 2014 1:20:18 GMT -8
You are pushing the limits but a lot depends on what terrain you plan on pulling it over, and how fast you try to tow it. One of the things that specs fail to mention is wind resistance. There is a major difference between towing a small flat trailer and trailer with a 7 x7 flat wall sticking up on the front of it. In some parts of the country there is very little prevailing wind in other parts it seems like the wind blows 50 mph all the time. So there are many things that enter into the answer to your question. Me personally I drive a truck with a 9000lb tow capacity and don't worry about it but I burn more fuel than you.
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gryffendorfen
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1962 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by gryffendorfen on Jul 11, 2014 6:01:48 GMT -8
Thanks bigbill, I didn't factor in wind resistance. Or terrain.
One option is to buy a new vehicle. I looked at a Jeep Grand Cherokee, which has a 6,500 lbs towing capacity. I suspect this can handle a Shasta Airflyte.
The other option is to sell or trade the Airflyte for a Shasta Compact. This may be better for the Outback in terms of weight - the Compact weighs 1115 lbs with a tongue weight of 130 lbs - but would still have a lot of surface area for catching wind.
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SusieQ
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'62 Shasta Compact
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Post by SusieQ on Jul 11, 2014 6:21:21 GMT -8
I bought a new tow vehicle for my Shasta Compact, a Jeep Cherokee Trail Hawk. I LOVE my Jeep! I'm sure the Grand Cherokee could handle your Airflyte and I think you'd be pleased. If you wanted to go a little smaller than the Grand Cherokee, consider the Cherokee. With a tow package, its capacity is 4500 lbs. They handle like a car. Wow, Jeep should pay me for advertising.
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chametzoo
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1960 Mobile Scout
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Post by chametzoo on Jul 11, 2014 7:26:47 GMT -8
vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/thread/2566/2009-sante-1967-golden-falcon?page=1&scrollTo=26032Hi gryffendorfen: I gave my opinion on this subject at above the above link (post #2). Consider how far you are towing, terrain and temperature. The Subaru 2.5 would not really be happy towing even a Compact. I would say, keep your Airflyte and go with the Grand Cherokee. I'm very happy with my '03, which I got recently. Get a V8 with the towing package, which most importantly provides additional cooling for the transmission… which is the thing that will overheat before the engine does. Also drive with the transmission in "overdrive off" setting, which will minimize shifting and heat build up. Susie Q's very sleek and handsome Jeep Cherokee Trail Hawk may handle like a car, but those Grand Cherokees sure as heck don't! Be ready for more of a truck kind of handling! But they do have more of the scale and stance of a car, which is nice when not towing. I would also recommend a weight distributing hitch with a GC. It will help keep your front end on the ground and make your handling safer and easier. I use the Andersen No Sway, which is an unconventional design, light weight and easy to set up each time… and I'm here to tell you it works well. I wouldn't tow without it.
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gryffendorfen
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1962 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by gryffendorfen on Jul 11, 2014 7:52:01 GMT -8
Thanks for the advice!
The concern that I have is whether the Grand Cherokee/Airflyte combo may be overkill. For the most part, I will be traveling with just my partner, dog, and gear (kayaks, bikes, etc.). Perhaps a Cherokee/Compact setup is more to size? I'd hate to let the Airflyte go, but I also want to minimize my footprint.
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on Jul 11, 2014 13:34:58 GMT -8
Thanks for the advice! The concern that I have is whether the Grand Cherokee/Airflyte combo may be overkill. For the most part, I will be traveling with just my partner, dog, and gear (kayaks, bikes, etc.). Perhaps a Cherokee/Compact setup is more to size? I'd hate to let the Airflyte go, but I also want to minimize my footprint. If you are thinking about a smaller trailer, make sure you have a chance to "visit" one in person. We pull our Compact with a BMW X3 and we are well under the tow capacity, but we also have a small ski boat that we pull (and it weighs a LOT more than Hamlet does). We wouldn't trade the Compact for anything, but we did some reconfiguration to make him more functional for us. We took the two long benches and shortened them by 20". This allows for a sideways full size bed when we put the table down. It also allowed us to add a bathroom (in the original closet), a smaller closet and a two-drawer chest with counter space. But you DO have to take the table down to sleep, and that can be a deal breaker for a lot of folks. We live where it rains a lot, so we wanted to have that nice big table to sit and play cards or a game, or be able to sit with a couple friends or grandkids. The table in the Airflyte isn't quite as big.
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Post by vikx on Jul 11, 2014 22:45:04 GMT -8
I say go with a beefier tow vehicle no matter the trailer. Safer is always better.
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