anybody towing an 27 airstream
03-21-2018, 12:56 PM
#11
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A quick look on the airstream website and I can't figure out which model trailer is 27' and anywhere close to those weights. An important spec you haven't shared is the tongue weight of the trailer. What is that spec? The MKII Q7 is rated at 7700lbs towing, with a 770 lb hitch weight. I bet you will be near or over that max hitch weight with the airstream. If you're close, you'll have to be careful when loading the trailer to not add too much weight in the front of the trailer. However, that is a catch-22, since you want at least 10% of the trailer weight on the tongue for stable towing, and closer to 15% is even better. If you are loaded at 6800 lbs, you couldn't go over 11% tongue weight before exceeding the Q7 hitch weight. You risk either being overweight or having a relatively light trailer tongue weight which leads to bad sway problems.
All that said, my 21' Lance travel trailer is ~5500-6000 lbs loaded, but with a heavy tongue. I'm maxed out on the hitch weight, and I have adaptive air suspension. I am running a sway controller (but no WDH). The car tows it amazingly well, even in Utah over pretty significant passes and even with some pretty strong winds. I have not had any "tail wagging the dog" difficulties.
OH, and YES, adaptive air is awesome and I think a "must-have" for towing a big trailer!
All that said, my 21' Lance travel trailer is ~5500-6000 lbs loaded, but with a heavy tongue. I'm maxed out on the hitch weight, and I have adaptive air suspension. I am running a sway controller (but no WDH). The car tows it amazingly well, even in Utah over pretty significant passes and even with some pretty strong winds. I have not had any "tail wagging the dog" difficulties.
OH, and YES, adaptive air is awesome and I think a "must-have" for towing a big trailer!
and be just under or move the batteries and the tire and be under by 120 or so. The Max weight is 7600 LBS. The dry weight 5868 Lbs . Thinking that I could loaded it light and keep it under the 6600 LBS area.
Glad your enjoying your Lance ,the one we looked at was nicely finish and looked like a HI-Line coach. Maybe I should consider something smaller then a 27.
Thanks Again
Silverbuckle
03-21-2018, 01:09 PM
#12
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Towing
i have towed many things over last 55 years that I've been driving. It is all about control. Ideally you want to be towing with a MORE than capable vehicle, not one that is on the limit iof every parameter. It is miserable pulling something that is overwhelming the tow vehicle, hell, rent an F350 Lariat for your vacation!
03-21-2018, 01:18 PM
#13
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Hi Dreadlocks,
Thanks for all the info, you really laid out the options . Looks like the Air Suspension is the way to go. With a heavier trailer I will make an appointment with
Can Am to take the worry out of the hitch set up.
Great Post , thanks again
SIlverbuckle
Thanks for all the info, you really laid out the options . Looks like the Air Suspension is the way to go. With a heavier trailer I will make an appointment with
Can Am to take the worry out of the hitch set up.
Great Post , thanks again
SIlverbuckle
03-21-2018, 05:18 PM
#14
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Thanks for the info , The adaptive air suspension look like the way to go. The 27FB Flying Cloud is the air stream model . The site shows it at 791 LBS tongue weight with that I could move the spare tire to the rear
and be just under or move the batteries and the tire and be under by 120 or so. The Max weight is 7600 LBS. The dry weight 5868 Lbs . Thinking that I could loaded it light and keep it under the 6600 LBS area.
Glad your enjoying your Lance ,the one we looked at was nicely finish and looked like a HI-Line coach. Maybe I should consider something smaller then a 27.
Thanks Again
Silverbuckle
and be just under or move the batteries and the tire and be under by 120 or so. The Max weight is 7600 LBS. The dry weight 5868 Lbs . Thinking that I could loaded it light and keep it under the 6600 LBS area.
Glad your enjoying your Lance ,the one we looked at was nicely finish and looked like a HI-Line coach. Maybe I should consider something smaller then a 27.
Thanks Again
Silverbuckle
03-23-2018, 06:13 PM
#15
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Still haven’t towed with my Q7 yet, but that is why I got the air suspension and the 4wheel steering. Read many positive reviews.
BUT I have driven the car for 3 months now and absolutely love both these features. If they help with towing as much as they help with standard driving comfort, it should be great. My old q5 was able to tow my trailer, but going up hills was a little rough on the engine.
BUT I have driven the car for 3 months now and absolutely love both these features. If they help with towing as much as they help with standard driving comfort, it should be great. My old q5 was able to tow my trailer, but going up hills was a little rough on the engine.
03-23-2018, 06:28 PM
#16
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Basically, when the front end of the car, or the back end of the trailer is higher than the middle, the wd system tries to lift the center. But the hitch from end isn’t designed for the torque. Here are photos of the front end of the hitch on a 2011 q5 one phot, the hitch is still installed, but no longer attached. 2nd photo shows how the attachment point ripped away.
03-23-2018, 07:02 PM
#17
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Fyi, personally I find the 4-wheel steering to complicate matters when towing, at least during hook-up and low speed, tight maneuvering. The rear of the car pivots more than what I'm used to, kicking the trailer tongue out more than a regular car does. That of course kicks the rear of the trailer in the opposite direction more than expected. This is particularly noticeable when backing into and pulling out of my tight storage garage which requires a tricky maneuver (not straight back and in). So be careful the first few times you maneuver in a tight space!
03-24-2018, 06:14 AM
#18
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Fyi, personally I find the 4-wheel steering to complicate matters when towing, at least during hook-up and low speed, tight maneuvering. The rear of the car pivots more than what I'm used to, kicking the trailer tongue out more than a regular car does. That of course kicks the rear of the trailer in the opposite direction more than expected. This is particularly noticeable when backing into and pulling out of my tight storage garage which requires a tricky maneuver (not straight back and in). So be careful the first few times you maneuver in a tight space!
Your comments ARE something I have worried about, as I have an ultra tight spot to pull the trailer out of with the drivers side being < 12 inches from a wall... should be fun.
05-19-2018, 08:30 PM
#20
I’m that guy who almost ripped the receiver off my car with the weight distribution hitch.
Basically, when the front end of the car, or the back end of the trailer is higher than the middle, the wd system tries to lift the center. But the hitch from end isn’t designed for the torque. Here are photos of the front end of the hitch on a 2011 q5 one phot, the hitch is still installed, but no longer attached. 2nd photo shows how the attachment point ripped away.
Do you know where/when your hitch was installed? It looks like it is an aftermarket hitch using the thin trunk pan sheet metal for two of the attachment points (including the one that failed). I saw an etrailer installation video for a Q5 hitch, the Curt - C13136 and if it is your hitch, the overall attachment strategy seems ludicrous, and certainly wouldn't tolerate any rotational torque up or down on the hitch. Other than the 2 dubious attachments to the sheet metal spare tire pan, this hitch attaches to 2 U-bolts that rotate vertically into the frame for installation -- not very stable. I could see it holding static weight, but the design looks really shaky for dynamic loads or any kind of upward rotation (like that of a WDH).
I cannot be certain that is the same one, but the design seems the same as the limited photos you showed. See the video HERE: U- bolt installation at 3:33, trunk pan attachment at 4:16.
Can you clarify if that is your hitch? What model of WDH were you using?
Anyway, seems we shouldn't be equating this to a Q7 hitch risk as the structure and attachment engineering are completely different.
Last edited by lateott; 05-19-2018 at 08:33 PM. Reason: typo and question