Airstream 2001 Bamby, Owner'S Manual

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AIRSTREAM SAFARI –BAMBI TRAILER OWNERS MANUAL 2001
B-1
TOWING YOUR AIRSTREAM
TOW CAR EQUIPMENT
If you plan to buy a new vehicle to tow your trailer we suggest that you include in your purchase the towing options
offered by most automobile manufacturers. These include such things as a heavy-duty alternator and radiator, heavy-
duty springs (See Note:) and shock absorbers, transmission cooler, heavy-duty fan and flasher unit and others,
depending upon the make of the vehicle.
Transmissions may be manual or automatic, but an automatic transmission may prolong your car’s life and generally
does a better job of controlling engine loads than the average driver using a manual shift.
Having adequate power is very important when considering the purchase of a new vehicle or the trailer towing
capability of your present one. American manufacturers realize more than 30% of the vehicles they sell will be used
for towing some type of trailer. The dealers are provided with guidelines to use when helping a customer decide on a
tow vehicle. The guidelines are not just determined by the power output of the engine. The gear ratio of the
differential is also a very part of the guideline.
Inspect vehicle's hitch regularly for loose bolts or nuts, cracked welds, loose ball mounts,
New trailerists often carry more food and other supplies than really needed. Remember that every item you take
along is one more thing to stow and adds weight to the total load you must pull. Consolidate items in shelves,
lockers, and in the refrigerator. It is better' to have one full and one empty locker, than two half empty ones. Special
care must be taken not to overload the front and rear ends of the trailer.
NOTE: Be realistic when ordering heavy duty springs. Only springs heavy enough to support your loaded vehicle
(not including trailer) are necessary. Too harsh of spring rate will only shorten the life of the tow vehicle and trailer,
and will make your journeys less enjoyable.
WARNING: Too stiff of springs can hinder the action of the weight equalizing hitch and prevent the transfer
of weight to the front of the vehicle.