After eight years towing a 23' 2006 Safari, the 25 foot Airstream may as well be 50 feet long. Everything is different. Although the aluminum skin, inside and out was expected, but the windows, vents, lights, refrigerator, storage, faucets, sinks, stool... it will take some getting use to it all.
The maiden trip begins tomorrow to Wyoming, Southwest Montana and Eastern Idaho... the targets of this break in period. It required 12 months towing the 2006 Safari to find what needed to be tweaked. I expect to have this trailer completely combed through for anything... anything that needs attention to uneven road travel and getting adjusted to the wider body and longer trailer for "dips in the road".
My experience with the first AS was truly an education. The first thing I did was take the blue "waterproof" duct tape and wrapped the tow frame to the hitch. This part really catches the grit chipping off the paint. When I go to sell this trailer, I will remove the tape and should have a very nicely preserved painted frame. We will see. This is a "beta test" for abuse.
Second was to add some roof flashing, cut some strips out and inserted it along the brackets that hold the water tank to the frame. (You will figure out how to slide some flashing in between to hold the strip.) On this model I did this on the "left side facing the trailer inside, between the wheels. The fresh water drain and the hot & cold drain units are exposed directly to any gravel that will break or impair their use. The first thing that gravel broke off on my 2006 was the white plastic water drain... which I purchased an 8 cent cork and used it for several years to keep the fresh water from draining out. I took duct tape and attached it to hold this roof flashing (the bent flap of metal that fits behind the gutters on a roof edge). You cannot use screws as it could puncture the water tank itself. It seems firm and secure with a 30 inch section to support the small section that blocks anything from hitting these exposed pieces of hardware. Beta test... two.
In the mid section is a copper pipe that moves LPGas to the furnace. It is at a right angle to the travel of the trailer. I took strips of, of course, duct tape and have it well protected. This is another easy target for loose gravel and grit to pummel the copper. Beta test... three and counting.
The Power Jack and the new hitch are nice, but the tail gate of the Tundra would not drop without hitting the control switches and electric motor. Using an "allen head" wrench, there are three screws, I loosened them according to the loose sheets of instructions provided by the manufacturer and rotated this unit to the left side, facing the trailer. The tail gate clears by 1/4 inch... but I can drop the tail gate. 1/4 inch and 3 feet are the same to me... it clears. This I did not expect when hooking up today. But... this hitch, cannot recall the name, has the two long bars that rest flat and you have these two chrome "L" that clip on to hold them onto the bracket. Beta test... four.
The two Fantastic Fans I covered with those white all weather plastic covers. The frames for these Fantastic Fans are a bit different and you have to improvise where to screw the bracket onto it, to attach the covers. I took a drill to start the screw so it would not split or crack the plastic Fantastic Fan frame. If you have done these before... you will see there is a difference and you have less to work with. I had to use metal screws and not the nuts and bolts to attache the bracket, and added calk to help hold it secure. We will see... Beta test... five.
These next two to three weeks will complete the beta testing and find any weak hinges, undersized screws or "blue duct tape going wrong".
Everything at Windish RV west of Denver... checked out and worked. Fantastic Fans on others were noisy or were having a motor replaced by their mechanics. This one... they were quiet. But after reading on the Forum about bad motors... I was already aware! The Power Jack makes some weird sounds, but not as much as some others I tested while browsing other models. This one was quiet and I will keep a close eye to it.
I will be looking at how well the unit keeps DUST OUT OF THE INTERIOR.
Since this model has a Micro Wave... we have the refrigerator fan... no quieter or noisier than the 2006... we will see.
We are loaded, flushed the water system and lines, LPG is working and carrying about 5 gallons of fresh water, a second time, to flush anything out of the water tank. I had Windish RV add water to the tank so by the time we arrived home... I drained it once and this time should get most any taste out of the tank. Beta test... six, I guess.
The Airstream floor mat is nicer than the 2006 and the carrying bag for the pile of manuals was also nicer. The Pioneer Radio was discovered "always on unless you remove it" so figured that one out. It was intended for a car and when the ignition is turned off, the radio is off... well this is a trailer, so it has a 24 hour color show. Beta test... seven? Wife called Pioneer and had that one answered!
The maiden trip begins tomorrow to Wyoming, Southwest Montana and Eastern Idaho... the targets of this break in period. It required 12 months towing the 2006 Safari to find what needed to be tweaked. I expect to have this trailer completely combed through for anything... anything that needs attention to uneven road travel and getting adjusted to the wider body and longer trailer for "dips in the road".
My experience with the first AS was truly an education. The first thing I did was take the blue "waterproof" duct tape and wrapped the tow frame to the hitch. This part really catches the grit chipping off the paint. When I go to sell this trailer, I will remove the tape and should have a very nicely preserved painted frame. We will see. This is a "beta test" for abuse.
Second was to add some roof flashing, cut some strips out and inserted it along the brackets that hold the water tank to the frame. (You will figure out how to slide some flashing in between to hold the strip.) On this model I did this on the "left side facing the trailer inside, between the wheels. The fresh water drain and the hot & cold drain units are exposed directly to any gravel that will break or impair their use. The first thing that gravel broke off on my 2006 was the white plastic water drain... which I purchased an 8 cent cork and used it for several years to keep the fresh water from draining out. I took duct tape and attached it to hold this roof flashing (the bent flap of metal that fits behind the gutters on a roof edge). You cannot use screws as it could puncture the water tank itself. It seems firm and secure with a 30 inch section to support the small section that blocks anything from hitting these exposed pieces of hardware. Beta test... two.
In the mid section is a copper pipe that moves LPGas to the furnace. It is at a right angle to the travel of the trailer. I took strips of, of course, duct tape and have it well protected. This is another easy target for loose gravel and grit to pummel the copper. Beta test... three and counting.
The Power Jack and the new hitch are nice, but the tail gate of the Tundra would not drop without hitting the control switches and electric motor. Using an "allen head" wrench, there are three screws, I loosened them according to the loose sheets of instructions provided by the manufacturer and rotated this unit to the left side, facing the trailer. The tail gate clears by 1/4 inch... but I can drop the tail gate. 1/4 inch and 3 feet are the same to me... it clears. This I did not expect when hooking up today. But... this hitch, cannot recall the name, has the two long bars that rest flat and you have these two chrome "L" that clip on to hold them onto the bracket. Beta test... four.
The two Fantastic Fans I covered with those white all weather plastic covers. The frames for these Fantastic Fans are a bit different and you have to improvise where to screw the bracket onto it, to attach the covers. I took a drill to start the screw so it would not split or crack the plastic Fantastic Fan frame. If you have done these before... you will see there is a difference and you have less to work with. I had to use metal screws and not the nuts and bolts to attache the bracket, and added calk to help hold it secure. We will see... Beta test... five.
These next two to three weeks will complete the beta testing and find any weak hinges, undersized screws or "blue duct tape going wrong".
Everything at Windish RV west of Denver... checked out and worked. Fantastic Fans on others were noisy or were having a motor replaced by their mechanics. This one... they were quiet. But after reading on the Forum about bad motors... I was already aware! The Power Jack makes some weird sounds, but not as much as some others I tested while browsing other models. This one was quiet and I will keep a close eye to it.
I will be looking at how well the unit keeps DUST OUT OF THE INTERIOR.
Since this model has a Micro Wave... we have the refrigerator fan... no quieter or noisier than the 2006... we will see.
We are loaded, flushed the water system and lines, LPG is working and carrying about 5 gallons of fresh water, a second time, to flush anything out of the water tank. I had Windish RV add water to the tank so by the time we arrived home... I drained it once and this time should get most any taste out of the tank. Beta test... six, I guess.
The Airstream floor mat is nicer than the 2006 and the carrying bag for the pile of manuals was also nicer. The Pioneer Radio was discovered "always on unless you remove it" so figured that one out. It was intended for a car and when the ignition is turned off, the radio is off... well this is a trailer, so it has a 24 hour color show. Beta test... seven? Wife called Pioneer and had that one answered!
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