Trailer Hitch Recommendations for a 16 Foot Airstream Bambi Sport Travel Trailer

Updated 07/05/2016 | Published 07/02/2016

Products Featured in This Question

Adjustable Width Trailer Hitch Receiver for RVs, 22" to 72" Wide

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$486.52

Curt Adjustable Trailer Hitch Receiver - 18"-51" Wide - 2" Drop - Class III - 2"

(572)

$319.87

Adjustable Width Trailer Hitch Receiver for RVs, 18" to 51" Wide

(572)

$310.88

Ultra-Fab 2" Trailer Hitch Receiver for Trailer Frames

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$319.17

Question:

In the same spirit a previous customer asked that was answered, only with a larger airstream, I too need to install a cargo carrier to the back of my 16foot Airstream to house a couple of Honda Generators. Ive read in Airstream Forums that the A-Frame on the front cannot handle the extra weight, so Im hoping theres a way to mount a carrier to the back of the trailer and would need to know what parts to buy and hopefully theres a video to help with installation?

asked by: Lauryn

Expert Reply:

I am not sure what the problem is at the front of the frame of your Airstream trailer. Especially since at the front the generators would be supported in more than one spot. At the back the frame would have to support the hitch and a carrier with the generators in the carrier.

Now at the front it does increase the tongue weight of the trailer and that would make it possibly too heavy for the trailer hitch on the tow vehicle or for the tow vehicle itself.

For a hitch I recommend something with a high tongue weight capacity such as # C13701 which is rated for 500 pounds tongue weight. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that you could put 500 pounds of weight on the hitch because the trailer/frame may have its own capacity which you would have to get from Airstream.

This hitch fits frame widths (outside of one frame rail to the outside of the other) of 31 to 46 inches. Hitch # C13702 is rated for 600 pounds tongue weight and fits 18 to 51 inch frame widths. And hitch # UF35-946403 is rated for 350 pounds tongue weight fits 47 to 77 inch frame widths.

If you can tell me the sizes of your generators I can make a recommendation for a cargo carrier. Installation of the above hitches is pretty straight forward. They bolt to the bottoms of the frame rails. This will probably require drilling.