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04-03-2017, 12:55 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 71
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Potentially dumb class B towing question
Hey all - we've been full timing in a Class A for just over a year now and one thing bothers us with our class A...when we're driving through a small town and want to stop at a place to check it out (gift shop, winery, etc) it never seems like their is ample parking. So we end up driving on by thinking "maybe we'll come back after we get to the campsite." Sometimes we do, but most often times we're probably heading hours away so we miss the opportunity.
Due to this, we started thinking about smaller RVs. But we have 3 dogs that take up a lot of room. Then we started looking at towables but love the all inclusiveness of the Class A, B, C (by that I mean having a fridge and bathroom always at hand without necessarily being in a car/truck that you have to pull over to go to the bathroom, etc)
So my question is this...is there a Class B or conversion van that can tow an Airstream - Specifically one with these weights (I apologize ahead of time if you would need other weights to provide an accurate answer)?
Hitch Weight (w/ LP & Batteries) (lbs.) 1,175
Unit Base Weight (w/ LP & Batteries) (lbs.) 8,261
Or would we need to get an actual pickup to make it happen?
Again, sorry if this is a dumb question but any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
__________________
Todd, Jazz, Zooey, Cooper, & Luna
2011 Winnie Tour 40CD | Cummins 400HP
Flat Towing 2010 Kia Soul
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04-03-2017, 03:48 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club Appalachian Campers Mid Atlantic Campers Coastal Campers Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,622
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You might want to consider a little shorter A, that has a shorter wheelbase for higher maneuverability. We bop into towns all the time. My wife's a quilter, and has a phone app similar to RVParky which shows all the quilt and fabric shops around.
A couple of times I have to just drop her off at the curb as there literally is little to no parking, but most of the time I can find someplace not far away to park.
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DaveB, Raleigh, NC
2015 Tiffin RED 33AA, w/Honda CRV
VMSpc, Magnum BMK/ARC50
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04-04-2017, 05:27 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 4,569
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clink
... it never seems like their is ample parking. ..
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I'm getting closer and closer to retirement and I've started to think about how enormous the larger Class A's are. Since you're full timing it's hard to imagine that most palatable answer is a smaller MH. Ultimately you do stop or go back occasionally. This thread also makes me think about the difference between FT'ing and vacation. It's hard for me to believe I could eventually get out of vacation mode. I guess you'd still be 35 -40 feet long if you decided tow an airstream. I'm just thinking out loud and can't really help as only you can decide what is most important to you.
good luck!
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1996 Tioga Class C
2007 Monaco Diplomat 40 PDQ
TOAD 2012 Cadillac SRX 4
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04-04-2017, 05:46 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Jacksonville, Fl
Posts: 3,542
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I'm not clear on how anything pulling a decent sized trailer will be shorter/easier to park than what you're in now.
Wouldn't you still have essentially the same problem? "Where can we park, that we can easily get in and out of, so we can go back to see that cute little shop?"
WHAT you're parking would be different, but I don't think the overall length would change notably.
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2013 Winnebago Sightseer 36V
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04-04-2017, 05:48 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Carolina Campers American Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Newton Grove, NC
Posts: 204
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Our 43 footer has saved a ton of money by the fact is is so long! To wit: "dw may say.... lets stop at this cute little shop.....me....sorry we're to big.
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04-04-2017, 07:43 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Posts: 4,040
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Get yourself one of the Transit or Sprinter based Class C motorhomes. They can park in the space of two cars.
However, in little towns there is lots of parking along side streets. If you think you want to stop, pull off the main drag and you should be able to find parking.
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Roger & Mary
2017 Winnebago Navion 24V (Sold)
2014 Tiffin Phaeton 36GH (Sold)
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04-04-2017, 01:35 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 71
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Thank you for the feedback and responses!
"To wit: "dw may say.... lets stop at this cute little shop.....me....sorry we're to big." This happens all the time to us!
Just to address the reasoning behind this...you are all right that in practice, towing a trailer behind a class b (or any tow vehicle...pickup, van, etc.) isn't really going to reduce the length, but it will provide a smaller vehicle driving experience, especially the height, and the ability to back up.
Right now we are flat towing our car (a method which prohibits backing up), and I'm terrified that I'm going to turn down a smaller street or into a parking lot and accidentally get stuck and block a bunch of folks in (its already happened once at a gas station but people were still able to get around us while we were disconnecting the car, etc.) and I'm thinking that this setup might make it easier to stop in little(r) spots along the way. I could be completely off base here, and if so, I'm totally open to other suggestions like the shorter class A or class C.
I am looking for a class B currently though with the trailer if the whole setup is doable. The reason I like this setup is the perceived maneuverability of driving a "regular" sized vehicle that I feel more comfortable with. Another thing I really like is for instances that we want to visit "City A" but the closest RV park is 15 miles away, I can drive the class B into town and in a pinch sleep in it, while still having the trailer at the RV park for the rest of the stay.
Hopefully all of that makes sense. Does anyone have any additional input of know of a Class B that can potentially tow 9000+ lbs?
__________________
Todd, Jazz, Zooey, Cooper, & Luna
2011 Winnie Tour 40CD | Cummins 400HP
Flat Towing 2010 Kia Soul
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04-04-2017, 06:41 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,143
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Unless the B really isn't a B but is a Class C on a heavier chassis that doesn't have a cabover so some call it a "B+", I don't think you will find a traditional B chassis that will tow more than 5,000 pounds. Is this airstream something you already own? If not, there are other trailers available that are below 5,000 to consider.
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History:'05 Concord, '08 View, '05 Chinook, '01 Jamboree 24D, '78 Apache Popup, 81 Komfort Tlr,
84 Mazda B2000 'w canopy,Tent from wedding in '96
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05-22-2017, 09:22 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: SoCal
Posts: 116
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To answer your question: No, there is not. Most Class B's are limited to 5,000 LB maximum towing capacity.
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Tim Sullivan, 2016 Winnebago Era 170A. (Formerly: Two different VW Westfalia Camper Vans; 1984 Itasca 31' Windcruiser MH; 1993 Holiday Rambler 33' MH; 2000 Country Coach Magna DP MH)
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05-25-2017, 12:40 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 161
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Isn't towing an Airstream Trailer behind an RV redundant? The point of a smaller Class B is to not need a toad to get around. The class B is your camp and your in and around vehicle. IMHO, Class Bs are more for traveling and stopping along the way as you go, not setting up camp and unpack everything you own for a 3 month stay.
__________________
History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.
~General Dwight D. Eisenhower
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05-25-2017, 03:54 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: UK
Posts: 542
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Why not trailer the toad rather than flat tow it, you could then reverse with it.
And why not get a class B as the toad something like a Romahome?
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