Should You Lift Your Airstream RV? An Objective Look
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- Опубліковано 28 бер 2022
- In Episode 170 of Luv Subbin, we answer a common question: "Should I lift my Airstream RV using a 3" Dexter Axle Lift Kit"? It's a common subject discussed on the internet. Of course, we take an objective look and use math instead of opinions...
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We had ours lifted at Jackson Center this past year. It towed just as comfortable as it did before. We have a 30 foot classic.
Thanks for watching! I don't doubt it tows just fine as so many people do it. Safe travels.
We love y’all. We got a lift kit from Jackson Center last year and we haven’t scraped yet. We often scraped on BLM an Forest service or even in some rv parks. We love our lift!!
Thanks for watching! We're glad that the lift is working for you.
Great Video points. Many of the lifts we do end up being folks with the taller trucks and tend to travel to Alaska. With the dirt road and boondocking. That clearance is everything.
Thanks for watching! We hope our video helps folks make the right decision for them.
We loved this one! We have given thought to a lift kit but didn't really know how to evaluate our need! Much food for thought here AND a math lesson! Thanks! Excellent roll Cindy!
Thanks Denise! Hopefully we've given you the methodology to determine if a lift is correct for you. Cindy had her hiking pants on with the padded bum which proved fortuitous.
Timely information on a subject I have been considering for my Airstream. Thank you for your excellent presentation.
Thanks for watching! Hopefully we provided the information to make the choice that's right for you.
Great infomercial again, you guys are getting better and better on the videos. Love the videos. Not that the older ones were bad to watch either. I pondered this issue when we were about to receive our 20 FB Caravel in January. The apron on our driveway was at a significant angle of approach, but we were fortunate to have an Airstream dealer close by to do some math. They had the same model we ordered come into lot for delivery to someone else and I took out my trusty tape measure and recorded the distance from the center of axle to the Grey and black tank outlet(which was my low point) onto my paper pad of knowledge. Returned home and measured apron. Doable if i could back straight in on my driveway, but of course I do not have that luxury. I must come in at a 45 degree angle which elevates the right side and lowers the left which contains the tanks drain outlet. Then it became necessary to lift the trailer. Had it done at the dealer before we had delivery. Single axle so not to bad. ( small ouch) And Yes the newer tanks have a plastic valve drain on the side with a little metal shield. Cindy, I usually don't laugh at others misfortune, but I did. Sorry Hope nothing got hurt. Please keep the videos coming.
Thanks so much for watching and the super nice comments on our videos. We have fun making them, even when Cindy is falling on her bum! A driveway like yours is the perfect case for a lift - looks like you did some very similar calculations.
Brilliant! As someone who breaks in to hives when math is involved, you provided a very practical example of how to evaluate whether this is needed or not. Really well done as always!! Thanks!
Thanks guys! Hopefully you haven't scraped bottom on that awesome trip you're in the middle of. Safe travels.
Very Informative! Last year we replaced our 15" tires with 16" Michelin Agilis truck tires.... while the 1/2" lift may not seem like a big deal, the tires will last longer and the stability of the ride is much better. Thanks for your insight.
Thanks for watching! We're glad your set-up is working well for you.
Yep, that is a no brained, particulate when you need to swap out the tires. I put on 17” and the one inch extra height is perfect
Good information, I’ve did the lift and it’s much needed as I mostly boondock on forest service land or BLM land in the West, a lot of those roads are rough and approach angles are tricky. But I agree to not lift if you only plan to stay in campgrounds or RV parks.
Great video, this is one of the reasons we are looking into an Airstream, most of the newer trailers with the massive staircases is not appealing. I think people have grand visions of where they might take their camper but after having an RV for over twenty five years not having 50 amp service feels like roughing it for us.
Thanks for watching! We were recently at an unlevel campsite and had to put up two Legos on the door side to make it level. Every time I took that last step I nearly killed myself. That 3" would make it worse...
When refurbishing my 1972 Airstream I knew I needed new axles as the original ones sagged a lot. It was recommended that I go up in the load rating on the new axles. This gave me bigger brakes and a slight lift.
Thanks for watching and sharing your story on your '72.
Thanks for another great video!! We have been doing our research & shopping for an airstream. Will probably be waiting another 6 months to a year to buy. We have been wondering about this exact point. It seems to be a mod that quite a few new owners are doing immediately. Both of you have been around the block with an airstream & we respect your expertise on what is needed & what is fluff!!
Thanks so much for watching! Hopefully an Airstream will be in your near future. We hope that we provided enough information for people to make an informed decision versus just "That's what everyone else is doing..."
Also think about putting on truck tires. They will lift about one inch and they are much better quality tires.
Hell yes! Best upgrade ever
Thanks for watching and we're very glad that you are happy with your upgrade. We hope our video provides folks with the information they need to make an informed decision.
We both remember classic and European cars installing lower kits to look cool and improve cornering of their ride. Thanks for your information video and keep the airstream at original height.
Plus if are camping in BML land drop the trailer and check road condition and find a camping area.
Then moved into your picked camping area. 🍺Cheers to Rich and Cindy.
Thanks for watching! That's a great idea to drop the Airstream if the road conditions get squiffy. Good analogy with cars. Come to think of it, Formula 1 cars don't have much clearance...
We always learn something when we watch your videos! No lift for us and we definitely use our trailer. Haven’t had any issues with bottoming out yet… although Monster Jam Airstream edition does sound pretty cool! 😂
Thanks for watching! We tried to photoshop a Monster Jam Airstream but everything we tried looked really stupid. We need to up our photoshop game...
Wife and I are retired living out here in Central Oregon. We recently purchased a 2005 AS Classic 28'. It's new to us and we are enjoying it! I've been debating on the lift kit due to the size of the AS and we live off of a gravel road that we maintain. Haven't hit bottom yet on our first journey, but Murphy's law. As an alternative, I've been thinking of changing out the tires and rims to 16's, which will give 1/2" lift instead. Unfortunately, I just purchased four new Goodyear Endurance 15's after we bought the AS so I will have to wait. Yes, your wife's hair is cute, but like my wife and most others, is a little "bottom heavy." Sorry, couldn't resist the joke with her landing on her pride; no offense intended :-). Keep up the videos. Cheers
Thanks so much for watching and congratulations on your new 28' Classic. We have a friend that has taken his 30' Excella all the way to Prudhoe Bay in Alaska without a lift or aftermarket tires. Somehow, he survived. Each to their own and thanks for the humor - we always appreciate it...
Yes Yes Yes and Yes !
I personally have owned two (2) Airstreams and had the 3” Dexter Axle lifts installed immediately in each of them at the Jackson Center Service Department.
The only “down side” is that the Airstream’s aero dynamics will be slightly effected.
However my F-350 6.7 Power stroke Tow Vehicle has no worries pulling my 27’ Globetrotter.
Either navigating off road/rustic camping expeditions or while driving on paved surfaces which have severe inclines/declines, the factory frame height is just too low to the ground.
Remember these were originally designed over Seventy Years ago for the tow vehicles of those days, todays tow vehicles are light years more advanced and are well able to overcome the “cons”.
Don’t forget to look under your Airstream, its not just the frame and tanks to “measure” look at your LP gas lines and other Wiring fastened beneath -
I see it exactly as I see paying for my Airstreams collision insurance.
I never expect to have an accident where my insurance would be needed but none the less I sure as heck don’t want to be out of pocket for the expense of collision repairs, while traveling and having the stress of an accident on our hands, nope I want that insurance.
And that is exactly why I always use both the Dexter 3” Axle lift kit “And” 16” Michelin Truck Tires (NEVER keep “Trailer Tires” switch to Truck Tires ASAP - Safety Safety Safety!) - first with my 33’ Classic and today with my 27’ Globetrotter.
No worries taking my Airstream down Unmaintained Forestry Service roads and rustic Wooded camp sites with random low cut tree stumps (where I have seen older stock height Airstreams “Gut themselves” ) - not only an unbelievable hassle but very expensive to repair.
There is really no down side to lifting an Airstream with the Dexter Axle 3” lift kit, in my opinion and experience.
Go for it, you will never regret having an extra margin of clearance where as if you keep with the factory height you just might very well find yourselves “hung up” - While traveling far from home and having not only an unexpected cost to deal with but you will also then need to deal with getting repairs too !
Thanks for watching and sharing your insight and good points. We hoped that the main body of the video was objective so that people could assess what is best for them. In your case, you seem to have made a decision that you're very happy with which is what is important. We hope to see you down the road some day.
Thanks for the comment. I just picked up a 2020 27FB International with hatch and was planning to add the Drexler kit. You’ve convinced me.
By the way how much is the 3” Drexler lift kit including the service?
Interesting topic and I love the math lessons. I saw 13 Adventures just lifted their rig. Safe travels!
Thanks as always! I saw that too but we had planned the video before he came up with his. I certainly wouldn't want to upset a Marine SGM...
2018 Classic 33FB & my husband lifted ours. Not what I voted for, but it has come in handy for a few sites we visited.
Thanks for watching! Many folks are very happy with their lifted Airstreams. We hope our video provided the necessary information to make the right decision for whatever the circumstance.
Cute hair Cindy! Hope your bum is OK. ;-). I can’t believe you may have only hit once in 20 years, I think we have hit twice last year alone in our 30 foot classic. Considering roller wheels on the frame by the back bumper so at least we won’t scuff stuff. Our problem seems to be gas stations with an angle drive way. Not too worried about rocks, we don’t go off the grid.
Thanks for watching and the nice comment on Cindy's hair! She was wearing her hiking pants which have a padded bum so I think she survived. One thing to consider with the rolling wheels is depending on how they are installed they may actually further reduce your clearance thus causing you to bottom out more.
80/20 BLM/Park ratio Airstreamer here -- I have gone as far as 17 miles down a forest service fire road to find the perfect boondocking site, and I've yet to find a situation where a lift kit would have been genuinely needed. [2011 Intl 28RB, and now a 2021 Intl 25FB). I've seen campground escape angles requiring shifting to 4L to pull out of, to washboard, to roads turned into creekbeds by prior rain...
Hi Ian! Thanks for watching our video. You always provide such good advice for all the Airstream Newbies. I guess I don't have an issue if people need a lift kit - it just baffles me that so many are buying them before they even pick up their Airstream. Safe travels and we hope to see you down the road.
@@LuvSubbin Well - when you have eleven months to wait after a factory order, you have a goodly amount of time to pre-plan your additional shiny parts!
As soon as my warranty is over next month, I am already planning a half tear-out of the long couch for additional kitchen/bar space, with a hidden cubby for a roomba :)
Great video very informative.
Thanks for watching! We hope we gave folks the tools to decide if they want to lift or not.
I could see lifting a Basecamp, however classic styled airstreams are fine for most roads. Lifting would also affect the aerodynamics. Adding height could restrict certain roads with overhead bridges.
Thanks for watching! We agree that most Airstreams do not need a lift. Even the Basecamps have some pretty decent clearance.
There is a campground we use in Florida that's on CoE land and the maneuvering space to back in to your site requires you to drive up onto the dike/levee and the trailer or even long class c dig into the road :(
They need caster wheels or the manufacturer to do like some military vehicles and mount the spare on a stub axle there to roll
Thanks for watching! Wow, that must be really steep. Good comment on the castor wheels as long as the installation doesn't reduce the clearance further.
Always learn from your enjoyable videos. What is the assembly attached to the back side of your tongue jack? An place to hang your safety chains when not towing?
Thanks for watching! The thing on the back of my tongue jack is my flag holder. The first backdrop shows how it can hold 3 tall staffs.
Our 25 footer had drug coming out of many gas stations as we've traveled across this country. I will be having the dealer to add it to the 30 Foot Classic we currently have on order when it arrives. I know being longer can't help with this situation.
Thanks for watching! Absolutely. If you feel it is necessary - do it.
Another great video! We hope you are going to the Fryeburg Rally this year!
Hi Sandy! Thanks for watching. We are all signed up for Fryeburg and will be there. Make sure you stop us and say "Hello" - we'd love to meet you.
Thanks for the informative video. I trust Airstream do their research on this already - if raise the COG is a good idea for most people they would have done it long time ago.
I agree. Many people are quick to discount and ignore the decades of experience and engineering Airstream has in building their units. Fortunately, Airstreams are made well enough that the units are forgiving of their owners modifications.
Thanks for watching! That's kinda our thought as well. If it was truly the right thing to do Airstream would build them that way.
Another great video. And with math! I racked my brain trying to tie Top Gun to angles. Maybe angle of attack? Who was Cindy’s stunt double? I think you should have listed her in the credits!
Thanks Mike! The latest trailer for Top Gun Maverick was just released and I think I'll have a whole new body of quotes after May 27. I'm filing away "Everyone here is the best there is. Who the hell are they going to get to teach us?"
Yes my chevy silverado has that incline meter and its a 2019.
Thanks for letting me know.
@Luv Subbin Thanks for the informative video. With your help I determined the approach angle of my driveway is 3.35 degrees. We’re very interested in a 27FB. Hoping someone on here will have the two trailer measurements for a 27FB without 3’ lift.
Hi Philip and thanks for watching! Here's a little secret. When I calculated the departure angles for the 16' Caravel and 27' International, I used the pictures with a ruler to measure the distances and entered those into the program. Literally, the distance from the rear wheel to the bumper on the 27' was like 5 cm. You could try that...
@Luv Subbin Thanks again! I’m a bit embarrassed. I forgot that you had the info on the 27 International in the video. It’s looking like my driveway will be fine without a lift. Really appreciate to helpful info. Happy Camping & Safe Travels 😊.
What do you tow your AS with & what’s the GVW of it also ? ? Have you guys ever run into any hail storms in your travels ? ? I’ve heard of horror stories with the aluminum skins being damaged & repair cost . Thx again for the great info & video . Continued safe travels .👍⚾️
Thanks for watching! We tow our Airstream with a 2018 Ford F-150 with the V-8 engine mated to a 3.31 rear axle. The truck was the 7700 GVWR option which gives it a payload capacity of 2,095 lbs. We have never run into any hail larger than pea sized so we do not have any dimples. Hail will, of course, wreck havoc on an Airstream.
New AS owner here. I can’t speak for other models but my 2022 Flying Cloud has the drain on the bottom like yours.
Thanks for watching and providing that information.
Great video... If I see bolders where I am going to camp.. I took a wrong turn..
Thanks for watching! I agree with you. But even if I do see boulders, I'll drive around them instead of over them...
I haven't added a lift kit, yet. I'm more concerned with the truck tire tread pieces that litter the highways than angles of departures or stumps or rocks. I have never hit this debris but imagine with towing the AS and having to straddle one of those things at highway speed with traffic maybe on all sides leaves limited room for avoidance. 3" might make the difference from straddling and missing that debris and kicking it up and ripping something apart.
Thanks for watching! You make a good point. We've been lucky in that we've never hit anything in 96,000 + miles of towing but you never know...
Lift it. Just don’t forget your trailer clearance unless your making up for what you lack. Then definitely don’t do that or buy a toy. Her hair dye reminds me of that princess in the older Star Wars.
Thanks for watching! Yes, I call that hairdo her Princess Leia.
I'm not lifting my old Airstream. I put mine on pontoons. Sweet house boat!
Thanks for watching! If you see some pictures from Wally Byam's 1959 Africa caravan, they actually had to put some Airstreams on pontoons to cross some rivers.
"Now why are Rich and Cindy rolling around in their driveway today?" said the neighbor across the street peering out the window.... Have you considered the low points on the truck which would hit obstructions before the trailer? Thanks for giving me the idea to check the low hanging points on the trailer.
Thanks for watching! Great point. As soon as I read your comment I went out and started doing measurements on the truck. Everything is taller than the water tank/spare tire. We do have a 4X4 version of the F-150 so I don't know if that made a difference.
An Airstreamer who claims to have never scraped is like a sailor who claims to have never run aground. I guess it depends on where you travel. We leave the pavement a lot. 10 years and 96K miles with a 23’, and before lifting I scraped the aft ‘sliders’ many times. Hit a rock which cracked my fresh water tank. Struggled with insufficient height for dumping tanks. Finally lifted the unit and fully appreciated the higher clearance and easier dumping. No loss of fuel economy or stability whatsoever. We bought a 28’ last year and scraped the aft sliders in a gas station on the tow home, and yes I know how to take the curbs at an angle. Lifted the 28 and am totally satisfied with performance. To each his own.
Well, I'm also a sailor and did indeed run aground. The difference is when I did run around, I noticed it. I'll say this: maybe I have scraped the back of the Airstream. But I will also state with 100% confidence that if I did, I never noticed it, heard it, or have any evidence otherwise to believe that I did.
This past Sunday we watched one of your previous videos where you weighed the airstream and your truck. You mentioned that you have traveled over 70,000 miles without a blowout which seems to be award worthy. Do you travel with your tires at the Max cold pressure or what pressure do you travel at? Jim and Tina
Thanks for watching! We are now at 94,336.2 miles with zero blow outs or deflations. We inflate to the cold sidewall pressure of the tire. For our new Load Range D Goodyear Endurance tires, this is 65 psi. Many people on the internet will state that this is a "maximum" pressure. I disagree. The Federal Certification plaque on the side of the Airstream, the owner's manual, and the sidewall number all agree exactly. Many also suggest the Goodyear Load/Inflation Chart. With my tire loading, that says I should inflate to less than 25 psi which is obviously dangerous. IMO, sidewall pressure is the way to go.
Our 30 ft Classic comes with H rated tires. They call for 70 psi. We were once at our local chapter airstream rally and there was a tire/roundtable meeting where drivers expressed their concerns over the rivets popping. Have you lost many rivets?
Airstream now sells a 3” lifted trailer. The Trade Wind.
Thanks for watching! Yes they do. We covered it in an earlier video while at the Hershey RV Show. My personal opinion - and it is just that: an opinion - is that the lift and the knobby truck tires were courtesy of the Marketing Department and not the Engineering Department.
I drug my Airstream for the 1st time last weekend. Can't use an extra tank for gray water because it's too low. A few inches would be helpful
Thanks for watching! We tried to keep our video fact based. If people feel the need to install a lift, by all means that is a good decision. We just never once have felt the need in 22 years and 124,000 + miles of towing... Safe travels.
Is that snow in March Brrrr
Extremely cute hairdo!
Thanks for watching! I agree.
I guess lifting you trailer could be a problem on low canapy gas stations or such but not mentioned?
Thanks for watching! We have a card in our truck that gives all heights and weights of our rig. I think if ever I got within 3" of a canopy I would not even try it!
@@LuvSubbin Back in Iowa when I pulled a travel trailer I was surprised at a few fift wheel rigs that did not make it under a few overpasses. Other times you would see an air conditioning unit laying along the road.
I remember dragging my tail going in and out of gas stations! 😥
The backdrop looks like Watkins Mills State Park.
Thanks for watching! The backdrop for the first scene was Carlyle Lake Corps of Engineers in Illinois and the second was leaving Patapsco Valley State Park in Maryland.
How does Airstream view a lift kit with Warranty coverage?
Thanks for watching! I cannot answer that on the information I possess. I have heard folks comment on the internet (take that for what it's worth) that Jackson Center will install a Dexter lift kit if asked and it does not affect the warranty. Certainly check for accuracy of that statement as well as if a third party install would void things...
Like the SoCal hot rodders say: "Lets keep our Airstream's low and Slow". There are much better trailers made for off road than an Airstream.
Great video. I installed new Dexter axles and a lift kit on our 76 Excella 500 this past summer. It was a diy project from start to finish. My main reason for the lift kit was to keep the ass end from bottoming out with the streets we have to travel on in my neighborhood. Here’s my video about the install.
m.ua-cam.com/video/XyyKNMGpt5M/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching! As soon as I'm done with my nightly comments I'll check out your install.
This is cute and all, BUT, the angle of my disappointment in the condition of that mailbox post CANNOT be measured no matter what confusing math is used. Is it not on a check list!?!?
Out there, somewhere, a tiny, innocent baby flamingo has a bitter tear running down its pink cheek..... and dammit Rich, it's all your fault!
Thanks for watching and the best comment of the day! We're still laughing. My poor mailbox has not only been whacked by our lawn service and run over by an ambulance. I vow to correct the heavy list to starboard!
Question: What does lifting do as regards the shock absorbers? Is one able to keep them? Or do they need to be deleted?
Comment: One thing that can't be factored into your analysis is driver skill. It does take skill to navigate off road situations, some people have it, some don't. Some have more, some have less. Some think they have it, but don't. Some have it, and know not to drive down a particular road.
A skilled driver probably won't need a lift. A skilled driver will know how to get themselves out of a predicament. A skilled driver knows the limitations of their rig, their limitations as a driver, and plans accordingly. In the hands of a less skilled driver, even a lift kit won't help.
Thanks for watching! The same excellent points you make on off roading can even be applied to "on the road" as well. Many of the scrapes going in and out of gas stations can be avoided by taking the obstacle at an angle. Regarding the shocks, I don't know the answer. In fact, my Airstream doesn't have shocks as it relies on the Dexter Torflex torsion suspension...
@@LuvSubbin Since 2020, all Airstreams, from the Caravel through the Classic, have Dexter Torflex suspensions, as well as shock absorbers. The shocks are horizontal from the frame to the axle. The lift changes the length and angle between the shocks and axle, so I'm almost certain that with a lift kit the shocks have to go. But, I've been wrong a while lot on my life, so I could be wrong once again.
Nope, you do not loose any suspension components with the Dexter 3” Axel Lift lit.
Unless you only plan to drive your “rig” on roads you are totally familiar with, you can never be sure what the road conditions are going to be like where you could/should be out exploring the country side, and as to “just drop your rig” and go and see what the road is before driving with your Airstream too, well first just where do you suppose is a safe harbor going to be in relation to where your at, at that moment when you realize the conditions could be kinda tight for a low clearance Trailer ?
Secondly what are you going to do should you bottom out and cause damage to your Airstream ?
As to “Center of Gravity” it is a Non Issue. We’re talking about an Airstream folks, these Travel Trailers have the lowest COG of any TT period.
All holding Tanks are still mounted between and under the frame, just by keeping your fresh water holding tank full while traveling your COG is far superior to every other TT on the highways and the 3” lift kit for my Airstreams has had Zero negative driving/handling effects with over 100,000 miles traveled with lifted Airstreams (on 16” Michelin Truck Tires).
@@jfreeham Thanks so much for the additional information. I wonder why they chose to add shock absorbers after so many years of just the torsion axle? But I think you're right - you would need to get new shocks.
An engineer should know that the method used to calculate the slope for this test has a high probability of error. I would not trust your results. A longer Airstream also has more length behind the rear most axle and a lower angle of approach that was not mentioned. Good video but you assumed far too much to make a an educated conclusion. I would have expected better!
Thanks for watching! Sorry I failed to meet your expectations. There's a great phrase that says "Don't let perfect stand in the way of better". I'll stand by our video as generating thought for those considering this modification.
You are not considering the fact that most a ton of roads have step up obstacles , that often are the width of the road/ trail. You are not going to steer around rocks, because you will not always be able to. Sorry , I just do not think your approach is valid. I have been an overlander for many years, and this is from my BLM and Forrest road experience.
Thanks for watching! We tried to present an objective way of determining if one should lift and, like you, give our opinion based on experience. Each answer is correct and everyone can do what they deem best...😀
BTW still do not plan on lifting my 2022 Globetrotter 23 FBT. I think there may be a need for the 27 and 30 foot models, There are folks that have shown bumper damage. I think you need to just make sure when departing aprons, to go on a slight angle. I had a lowered S2000, so I am practiced at this concept.