Airstream 2013 International, Owner'S Manual

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TOW VEHICLE 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 tow vehicle manufacturers.
These include such things as a heavy-duty alternator and radiator, heavy-duty
springs (See Note), 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 tow vehicle’s life and generally does a better job of control-
ling 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 important part of the guideline.
Inspect the vehicle’s hitch regularly for loose bolts or nuts, cracked welds,
loose ball mounts, and worn parts.
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.