Bobzdar
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
Airstream is a '67 Overlander which is around 4200lbs dry, probably 5000lbs loaded for camping. We had around 350lbs worth of passengers, maybe 150lbs worth of bikes in the back with ~500lbs tongue weight, so right around 1000lbs of payload, leaving only about 160lbs left (it adds up fast!).
Trip was about 2 hours each way including crossing the shenandoahs, which involved one long mountain pass. My usual speed is whatever the speed limit is (so up to 70mph, which is about all I'm comfortable taking the old A/S up to), slowest we went on the highway was 55mph in 5th gear heading back up the moutain into a head wind, which was faster than a lot of others in the slow lane. It could have gone faster in 4th but would have been running 4000rpms and I think the speed differential to some of the other cars would have been dangerous as some of them decide to pull out and pass at the last second. Temps hit around 234 oil, 220 coolant and 210 on the trans going up the hill in 90 degree ambient with a/c on.
I could definitely feel some movement in cross winds or when being passed by tractor trailers or large vehicles, but nothing scary. I have a wd hitch with sway damper, trailer has electric brakes and I have a Hopkins agility brake controller. No issues stopping.
It tows about equivalent to my 2005 Silverado with 5.3. That was rated 305hp and a 4spd auto, and has a similar tow rating and payload. That was a little less susceptible to sway but the engine would get hotter on hills and it bounced around a little more - it's an LS 4x4 which has a fairly soft suspension.
We go camping 8-10 times per year, so not like I'm towing every day and that mountain crossing is usually the worse one we do, so in all I'm fairly pleased with it. Does the job with little drama and can easily maintain highway speeds. Oh, mpg dropped from 19 to around 12 while towing. My Silverado would do 16 empty and 12 towing. Most of the time was in 6th and 7th gear, with the occasional drop to 5th for hills. I left it in auto about half the time, but in hilly areas I switched to manual so it wouldn't be doing a bunch of shifting. Adaptive cruise works pretty well, I just set it to max distance and it leaves a good gap to the car in front if they're not traveling the speed limit.
Trip was about 2 hours each way including crossing the shenandoahs, which involved one long mountain pass. My usual speed is whatever the speed limit is (so up to 70mph, which is about all I'm comfortable taking the old A/S up to), slowest we went on the highway was 55mph in 5th gear heading back up the moutain into a head wind, which was faster than a lot of others in the slow lane. It could have gone faster in 4th but would have been running 4000rpms and I think the speed differential to some of the other cars would have been dangerous as some of them decide to pull out and pass at the last second. Temps hit around 234 oil, 220 coolant and 210 on the trans going up the hill in 90 degree ambient with a/c on.
I could definitely feel some movement in cross winds or when being passed by tractor trailers or large vehicles, but nothing scary. I have a wd hitch with sway damper, trailer has electric brakes and I have a Hopkins agility brake controller. No issues stopping.
It tows about equivalent to my 2005 Silverado with 5.3. That was rated 305hp and a 4spd auto, and has a similar tow rating and payload. That was a little less susceptible to sway but the engine would get hotter on hills and it bounced around a little more - it's an LS 4x4 which has a fairly soft suspension.
We go camping 8-10 times per year, so not like I'm towing every day and that mountain crossing is usually the worse one we do, so in all I'm fairly pleased with it. Does the job with little drama and can easily maintain highway speeds. Oh, mpg dropped from 19 to around 12 while towing. My Silverado would do 16 empty and 12 towing. Most of the time was in 6th and 7th gear, with the occasional drop to 5th for hills. I left it in auto about half the time, but in hilly areas I switched to manual so it wouldn't be doing a bunch of shifting. Adaptive cruise works pretty well, I just set it to max distance and it leaves a good gap to the car in front if they're not traveling the speed limit.
Sponsored