Ha! I must admit that I take off the mirrors when I go on "excursions". In fact, we take them off as part of the unhitching process. Why? Because clumsy me almost walked into them a couple of times. 
Towing with a 200-series Toyota Land Cruiser (8 Viewers)
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Hey, just stumbled on the towing convo. I'm pulling a 30' tt and have been pleased with towing performance. I just increased tire size to a 35" (34.5" actual). I tow in firm suspension setting which eliminates most bouncing/bucking from a short wheel base tv.
We're looking at getting a 34' triple axle soon. Thank science for forced induction.
We're looking at getting a 34' triple axle soon. Thank science for forced induction.
- Thread starter
- #184
Looks like you need a drop hitch now.
My TT is similarly low. I had to get a 10-11" drop WD hitch to get mine level again
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EOV4NS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
My TT is similarly low. I had to get a 10-11" drop WD hitch to get mine level again
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EOV4NS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Ha! I must admit that I take off the mirrors when I go on "excursions". In fact, we take them off as part of the unhitching process. Why? Because clumsy me almost walked into them a couple of times.
Tell me about it! I've definitely walked into mine several times. The initial Doh!, then PITA to have to adjust the mirror.
Saving grace is the power-folding side view mirrors on the LX. It doesn't auto-fold until locking the car. So I now make it a practice to press the button to fold if I'm doing any setup around the car and not just walking away.
Most awesome. Full armor and 35s, AND a 30' trailer.
I resolved my leveling issue of the hitch height/trailer by lifting my Airstream 3". They sit rather low to begin with so even with the lift, it's not any higher than majority of travel trailers out there. Stability seems unaffected. Lifted with 2.875" Dexter #11 axle lifting blocks. And 3/16" by upsizing tires from 225/75/15 to 235/75/15s. Perfectly level now with the standard Equilizer drop shank at the lowest position.
Using the power fold button is a great idea. I use it a lot on trails but hadn’t thought about using it to move the extended mirrors out of the way.
Re: lifting the trailer. We’re thinking about it. Lance trailer are designed to ride low like Airstreams. Which is why I am told that they are the two best towing brands out there. I have an adjustable drop bar with my ProPride hitch. But it is still a pain at some RV parks where the sewer is higher than our tank outlet. I’ve also drug my WD bars a couple times. I’m scheduled to do the Lance authorized lift for my model. It’s 7”!
Re: lifting the trailer. We’re thinking about it. Lance trailer are designed to ride low like Airstreams. Which is why I am told that they are the two best towing brands out there. I have an adjustable drop bar with my ProPride hitch. But it is still a pain at some RV parks where the sewer is higher than our tank outlet. I’ve also drug my WD bars a couple times. I’m scheduled to do the Lance authorized lift for my model. It’s 7”!
^Excellent. Looks like Lance uses dexter torsion axles too. 7" is a lot! Will you have to extend the leveling jacks?
There were just too many good reasons to lift the trailer. Stock, it would all too easily drag the bumper just going into gas stations. The sewer outlet hight was the other big win. Other items I noticed is better access to the outside cargo holds, without need to stoop to get at them.
In lifting, I also took advantage of clearance space under the trailer to add a couple things. Airstreams are not known for great storage. I added additional sewer tube storage that also allows me to keep the sewer elbow on, all while still having more clearance than stock. Added a full width drawer for outdoor rug.
There were just too many good reasons to lift the trailer. Stock, it would all too easily drag the bumper just going into gas stations. The sewer outlet hight was the other big win. Other items I noticed is better access to the outside cargo holds, without need to stoop to get at them.
In lifting, I also took advantage of clearance space under the trailer to add a couple things. Airstreams are not known for great storage. I added additional sewer tube storage that also allows me to keep the sewer elbow on, all while still having more clearance than stock. Added a full width drawer for outdoor rug.
FYI on the Lance trailers... the newer ones now have a 3.5" lift instead of the older 7". This is due to a new frame they have moved to. I'm looking at possibly trading my 2185 in for a new 2285 model with that lift.
I have been successful taking the non-lifted Lance off asphalt, but I have drug the back in the dirt too. No damage, just drug the little triangles that are there to protect the bottom drains when pulling off a trail into a camp site.
Along those lines of thought, when lifting a trailer, you may need to replace the main jack, the stablizer jacks, and the steps. That is quite a bit! This is especially true for the 7" lift, which is what my current Lance would need too!
I hope this helps in the overall discussion,
Jonathan
I have been successful taking the non-lifted Lance off asphalt, but I have drug the back in the dirt too. No damage, just drug the little triangles that are there to protect the bottom drains when pulling off a trail into a camp site.
Along those lines of thought, when lifting a trailer, you may need to replace the main jack, the stablizer jacks, and the steps. That is quite a bit! This is especially true for the 7" lift, which is what my current Lance would need too!
I hope this helps in the overall discussion,
Jonathan
Yep. Although I believe the lift on the new frames is 2.5” vs 3.5”. At least that is the case on the 2285. I am still debating the lift. I would to use more pads to stack under the stabilizers and tongue jack (I use chunks of 4x6 now) and something to step onto from the last step. I haven’t had any problems with the rear. It is the WD bars that have dragged a couple of times.
BTW, if you are or will be a Lance owner check out the Lance Owners of America forum. Great stuff there. Many have done lifts but not all. I’m there under the same handle.
I agee, Dan. LOA is a great forum if you own a Lance.
That's not my normal hitch, I had the tongue stripped and put on a new jack. My propride sits level, but I've been looking at going up 3" with our next tt.
I like that drawer. I may have to look into one of those.
Obligatory airstream shot. 
Yes, hard to see behind, but you could easily see the lanes on either side. Glad it was only 8 ft wide, lol. 
Ultimately we'd like to get a Lance because we're interested in four season camping.
Yes, hard to see behind, but you could easily see the lanes on either side. Glad it was only 8 ft wide, lol. Ultimately we'd like to get a Lance because we're interested in four season camping.
Are the Lance TTs of higher quality of the other brands? They seem a little pricier but I like the interior layouts better than some others. I'm still learning about TTs, trying to figure out what brand/setup I want. I originally wanted an Airstream but after walking through a co-worker's dual slide, I want a TT with slides since I'm going to be living in it full time.
I fabbed this one, joining 2 long commercial plastic bins, aluminum extrusions, and lots of rivets. They sell similar understorage units but nothing long enough for a carpet.
Sounds like a Lance would be a good fit and I was quite impressed with their construction/fit/finish when researching. I agree that slides are the ticket for full timing, as the extra width makes more way more interior volume.
As much as I like Airstreams, they are not really meant for 4 seasons. AL is not known for its insulating qualities, quite the opposite. There's little token insulation between the AL skins, many direct thermal conduction paths with its AL frame, and too many single pane portals and windows. Along with storage being compromised with it's curved shape.
@TonyP, in my very limited experience the Lance are definitely high quality than "the bunch". Airstreams are classics and known for their quality but I don't have any personal experience with one. I much prefer the floorplans of the Lance models with their slideouts. By "the bunch" I mean those dozens of "manufacturers" that seem to be within about a 60 mile radius of each other in the midwest. Indiana or something. (Lance is based in and does their manufacturing in CA.) The bunch mostly all use the same parts and processes. They change up the floorplans and the decor. Of those brands, we liked the Rockwood Roo hybrid which was our first trailer. But decided we didn't want a hybrid. We moved up the Lance and it was definitely a move up. Better overall quality though the Rockwood was the best of "the bunch" that we saw. The Lance has, IMHO, better floorplans, more/better lighting, good/plenty of windows, etc. And the other thing that pulled us to Lance along with quality was the space/quality you get for the weight. We didn't want to go with a PU truck so weight was important. At 6,000#, our 2285 model is near the top of the list for the Lance trailers though there are 2 that are a bit heavier.
As a side note, when wrestling with the various hitch options I reached out to Andy (can't remember his last name) from Can-AM RV in Toronto. Andy is highly regarded on issues related to hitches, especially with Airstreams. When I told him about my intended setup (LC and 6K# Lance) he said I had nothing to worry about. He said that the Lance and Airstreams are well above the pack when it comes to towability. Though most of their work is with AS, he is a fan of Lance.
I also read on the Lance Owners of America forum yesterday that the 2018.5 models are out. (In the trailer industry the model changes occur in the late Summer/early Autumn and they name those models, YYYY.5. So we have a 2017 model. 2 months later they released the 2017.5 models with some significant changes. (No worries. I prefer to let the changes get some mileage.) So now the 2018.5s are out. Most people will be ordering them now with delivery in the winter or spring. They will probably start showing up on dealer lots after the big RV shows in the Winter. Those RV shows are a good place to check them out.
One other mention is that the demand for Lance is growing. They have actually bought a new building and moved all their CNC and lamination process's to it earlier this year and it added 60,000 sf. I heard they received nearly 1500 unit orders in July alone.
Two more things - which you probably already know.
http://lanceowners.hoop.la/forum/trailer-talk-1
PM me if you have specific questions.
As a side note, when wrestling with the various hitch options I reached out to Andy (can't remember his last name) from Can-AM RV in Toronto. Andy is highly regarded on issues related to hitches, especially with Airstreams. When I told him about my intended setup (LC and 6K# Lance) he said I had nothing to worry about. He said that the Lance and Airstreams are well above the pack when it comes to towability. Though most of their work is with AS, he is a fan of Lance.
I also read on the Lance Owners of America forum yesterday that the 2018.5 models are out. (In the trailer industry the model changes occur in the late Summer/early Autumn and they name those models, YYYY.5. So we have a 2017 model. 2 months later they released the 2017.5 models with some significant changes. (No worries. I prefer to let the changes get some mileage.) So now the 2018.5s are out. Most people will be ordering them now with delivery in the winter or spring. They will probably start showing up on dealer lots after the big RV shows in the Winter. Those RV shows are a good place to check them out.
One other mention is that the demand for Lance is growing. They have actually bought a new building and moved all their CNC and lamination process's to it earlier this year and it added 60,000 sf. I heard they received nearly 1500 unit orders in July alone.
Two more things - which you probably already know.
- No trailers are without issues. Someone said that as you are towing your trailer down the road it is like putting it through a continuous 7.5 earthquake! And then there are those who take them off pavement. Being a bit of a handyman will help. We had a handful of minor issues. All of which were fixed under warranty. If you go to the Lance Owners of America forum you will find plenty of topics on issues - just as you find on MUD - and how to fix them. You will also find many topics on "mods". Most of these are for convenience or because people have nothing better to do.
- Your intended use. I can't remember if you travel single or are married or whatever. If there are two of you, having a queen size bed that you can enter/exit on either side is a real plus. Furthermore, we chose the 2285 model because it separates the bedroom and living area. Great when I get up in the middle of the night and can't sleep or when we are entertaining folks and don't want them to see our messy bedroom. But it is a larger model. If it is just you, then the 16xx or 19xx models may be more than enough. They would be lighter and easier to tow. Also, especially with a lift, easier to take off pavement (though these are not true offroad trailers.) If you expect to boondock a lot you may want to look at the solar option and upgraded battery/batteries. We have a portable (Renogy 100x) solar suitcase and I replaced the original batter with a 125ah AGM battery. Haven't used the solar yet but looking forward to checking it out.
http://lanceowners.hoop.la/forum/trailer-talk-1
PM me if you have specific questions.
So given the comment on a slide out, here is where I am sitting this morning as I write these response. My wife gave me permission to take these pics.
My wife gave me permission to take these pics.
As for cold weather, you may have noticed the small ceramic heater in the lower left corner of the first picture. It can be in the 30's outside and that heater keeps the bedroom area around 60 without breaking a sweat. I only use the propane furnace when the outside temp is going to drop below 30. The ducting for the propane heater runs through and around the water tank area and keeps them from freezing. We were in Gunnison, CO last weekend and the overnight temp got down to 20. We were toasty warm inside and our water was fine. But the "city water" spigot froze so we lost water pressure to the trailer. Good reason to keep some water in the fresh water tank - just in case.
There are people who live year round in the Lance trailers. And some even park them at ski areas and live out of them there. You just need to be aware of what to do to keep water from freezing and have a good power source for the furnace (generator/inverter, solar).
There are people who live year round in the Lance trailers. And some even park them at ski areas and live out of them there. You just need to be aware of what to do to keep water from freezing and have a good power source for the furnace (generator/inverter, solar).
