Everything that Broke on the Airstream Sport 22 after 25k Miles

Everything that Broke on the Airstream Sport 22 after 25k Miles
I think I covered everything in the video. When you spend huge amounts of money on a travel trailer like this and things end up breaking it can be frustrating. I quickly realized when we had a house it was the same way and the Airstream is having a mini earthquake every time we drive it! The few items that Airstream skimped on (using staples instead of screws) were bound to break, like the dinette.
Here is the hot water repair video.
• Broken Atwood RV Water...

[@cerasaman]

This is not an airstream quality issue. This is a tow vehicle trailer set up issue. The type of damage is 100% consistent with the trailer shaking more violently then it should. For example my 3500 dually is way to much truck/suspension for my 28 ft flying cloud. The result is a really rough ride. But proper setup can reduce it. I use an air safe hitch. There are others but I like this one best. Again, all the damage is due to vibration. With the right vibration, you could destroy anything including buildings. Change the vibration and your trailer will not break. I hope this comment finds as many potential rv owners as possible

[@touringtreadwells5750]

Vibration was an issue tire pressure was set by the dealer to Max wall pressure. Something we learned after was not correct. Some items definitely were broken before we even picked it up, door misaligned, non stainless items in the shower, using Staples where screws should be used the list goes on we still love the trailer.

[@cerasaman]

Good man. Glad your on to what’s breaking stuff. If your still having issues. Look in to some sort of air ride hitch. I left a cabinet door open in the trailer one time for 300 miles and nothing fell out. It’s a real game changer

[@happycampers.1837]

After Getting my Airstream serviced they run the tire pressure back up to 80 psi, I always run my 30 flying cloud at 65 psi. When they did that it created havoc on the inside of my trailer, next time I take it in I will be checking my tires before leaving.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

I'm glad we weren't the only ones that happened too even though it's a bad thing. I guess they don't know how much weight is in the rig so they just max it out

[@tundraboomer3372]

If I had that many things go wrong on an Airstream I bought new, I'd come unglued. This is why people who value high quality and reliability in a trailer, over a status symbol, buy Canadian-built fiberglass trailers, like those from Bigfoot or Escape. I towed my Bigfoot numerous time between California and Alaska, in every season, and never had a single over-the-road failure or had anything break. Your patience with your Airstream is commendable.

[@freetoroam7769]

After many years of putting up with the workmanship issues of my Lance camper, I went to a Bigfoot camper in 2018. Very solid with excellent craftsmanship. I don't believe I will ever need to replace it.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

Good to know

[@mitchberger2691]

@@freetoroam7769 Wife and I had 2 lance TT's. nothing but problems on the 2019 1995. Seriously looking at an Escape or the new Cortes trailer.

[@freetoroam7769]

@@mitchberger2691 I really like the molded fiberglass bodies. Very durable, and far fewer seems to maintain. Rubber/vinyl roofs just cannot compare. I think you would be very pleased with either of the two choices you suggested. Plus the workmanship should be much better.

[@markjutton1920]

@@freetoroam7769 8

[@flyingrv6]

I was gonna buy an Airstream but then I went to Walmart and bought a tent for $29.95 and saved $$85,000 bucks.

[@vinoto]

😂😅🤣

[@mrz-1860]

7/30/22 OUTSTANDING / you get 5 STARS.

[@robw3027]

Thanks for the video. My impression is way too many problems for the price of the Airstream.

[@richardroe7102]

I went to look at a few trailers at the Airstream dealer literally yesterday. All three of the brand new trailers we toured had something wrong with them. Like the steps wouldn’t deploy and had surface rust on them already. The snaps that hold the cushions to the wall were already broken. A alum panel joint inside the door was misaligned and bent looking. The screen door was bent to where it would latch all the way. The vanity above the sink had a screw missing and so it was barely attached to the wall. The galley faucet wouldn’t retract into the sink correctly. Just thing after thing after thing in these brand new $50k trailers.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

It's crazy isn't it! We found the same issues and the dealer said they spend hours going through them but didn't fix anything it's sad.

[@stevenlharris]

I've seen some trailers on the lot that look well put together and others (including a classic) that had screws improperly screwed into plywood, portholes that were misaligned, bad veneer adhesion, etc. I'm not sure the wife and I will take a chance and buy one sight unseen.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

We know what too look for now. All those small detail things make you thing what big things could be wrong.

[@davidmather3451]

Patrick is going to have an aneurism! LOL

[@altbouch]

I have the 2019 version of this trailer. When I brought it into Colonial Airstream in NJ to fix the dent I put in (hit a tree $5k) they replaced all the rivets that fell out (no charge).

[@micktaylor7937]

We have a 2018 Outdoors RV Timber Ridge 24 RKS and spent the winter boondocking in Arizona and camping in Alberta. Over 130 nights(27 below to 32 above) and 20,000 kilometres of towing only a small bolt snapped off on a bracket. The welded aluminum structure, fibreglass composite walls and marine plywood floor and roof is a very solid design. It has also survived 2 big hail storms that would have wrote off an Airstream. It comes with an off-road package lifted with shocks on all four wheels, great ground clearance and we have had nothing fall out of cabinets even on miles of gravel wash board road. Riveted construction in boats has been abandoned by all but Lund for a good reason it provides hundreds of potential leaks. My buddies Lund just could not take the pounding and leaked like a sieve. I love the look of an Airstream and for smooth roads and low tow miles they are awesome works of art. But I can’t afford one and our style of back country BLM camping and climate would kill one in a year. Airstreams are super model beautiful and just as high a maintenance. IMHO.

[@yukon065]

We're on our third Outdoors RV (keep moving up in size; now have a 26' 5th wheel Glacier Peak RKS). For our money, there is no better trailer on the market. We've towed these to hell and back, over incredibly bad roads (just got back from two weeks in the Wind River range in Wyoming) with ZERO problems. For the exclusively back country boondocking that we do, that off road suspension and the excellent insulation just can't be beat. Just for information, our tow vehicle is a 2018 Ram 2500 diesel.

[@Yaak18]

I'll take an Airstream over any other RV. Things break when you use them. The good thing is they are simple and cheap to repair. Today's Airstreams are made in the same factory using the same tooling since at least the early 60s'. The only thing that changes are the interior designs. They aren't reinventing the wheel from year to year so I don't know how people can say they've gone to crap. Just be thankful you don't own a motorhome! My motorhome was a mechanical nightmare and instead of hundreds to repair, it was THOUSANDS to repair. Going BACK to my Airstream as soon as possible.

[@beachbum1523]

GOSH!! If Airstream is the best of the best, I'd hate to see what problems other RV's have! 😮

[@TheSololobo]

Wow by the way this looks they should be selling these for 20k tops, might as well find a shell and rebuild it ourselves with quality materials and love not to mention keep some of that hard earn money.

[@currentlyhd7649]

Thanks for pointing these things out

[@lesaprince2668]

My parents tent camped up into their early 70's and instilled that love in me. Some of my happiest memories were of my older sibling and our parents all meeting up in the Smokey Mountains with a menagerie of popup, tents and truck camper. We had the best of times and the worst of times that are now funny to remember. Not so funny at the time but what was important is we were together and making memories. I now camp in a 24' Lance with all the comforts of home but I still have a quite a few items that my parents used when they camped that I drag out at my campsites. I'm 53 years young and intend to continue camping as long as I can. I have a lot more places I want to see and camp. Thanks for your vlog I've learned so much from you too.

[@nycbit7386]

same here, my grandparents took me every summer for extended and plotted out trips all across the USA and between seeing so much natural beauty before middle school and setting up a fire and eating outdoors every night for weeks on end - i have come to credit it for much of who i have become and will strive to share that with my own children one day.

[@davidwesterfield7070]

lesa Princesses has

[@jimmielittle877]

I'm 59 and dad had a pop up camper when we were kids and what's left of our family hopefully can RV again this summer (Airstream 22Bambi)?

[@patobrien1460]

Sorry to see that your 22FB gave you so much trouble. I've got a 2016 with about the same mileage and I've never had any significant problems with it..save the Radio/CD combination. I replaced it with a much better unit. I did have a problem with the plastic dividers so I removed the one on the "galley side". Frankly, I really like the look as it opened the interior. I've lost a few rivets along the way but a 1/8" pop rivet and cheap rivet gun easily replaced them. Outside of problems I've done a number of "upgrades" that have really made the coach very comfortable. Hopefully, your troubles are behind you. The dent you've put in the right rear corner is going to be an "expensive repair"!

[@arcticwolf4707]

" I am not saying is a bad trailer" ummm yes! it sure is for the money you paid for this brand!! all that with 25k only!!! bro, .. people use to live for YEARS in those Airstreams! but the quality seems to be dropping every year ... ive heard nothing but bad news about the newer models!

[@Embarq007]

That is so discouraging, how many of us are looking forward to buying an airstream because of the perceived quality on the new units. I’m thankful that the warranty is covering the issues and it does make you wonder if it was built on a Monday or a Friday

[@touringtreadwells5750]

I can't imagine what normal travel trailers endure on a similar trip. We did see one trailer on our trip that took the same roads that had there frame bend in half and completely total the trailer.

[@Embarq007]

I’m sure that was a stick built trailer that disintegrated. Airstream still is the trailer you would want for extended travel over rough territory roads etc. or at least I think it is

[@touringtreadwells5750]

I wouldnt buy anything but an Airstream.

[@JoseRivera-lk4cz]

i own a mini flagstaff micro ds22 .... i go every where ,,,,no problem,,,,.. every time hear this story on airstream i change my mind in buying one...... thnax

[@bernardsmith4298]

I think that all trailers use the same components, refrigerator, water heaters, AC units, inverters and axels/brakes. All can give problems, aggravating when they do. Can’t blame Airstream for these problems. I do however think that a trailer that size needs a very heavy duty axel to support that much weight. This would mean a very stiff or bumpy ride and could have contributed to some of the rivets coming out. Also could have contributed to some of the component failures ??? I have owned single axel trailers before and they do bounce around a lot, and every time I would stop all my stuff would be disorganized. Tandem trailers do seem to ride smother, get a tandem axel trailer next time, I think you’ll see a difference.

[@scottgorman7166]

Wow sorry to hear about all your problems. I had a 94. 21 foot Sovereign and man no issues except the heater ducting was crushed behind a bulkhead. I guess they don't make them like the use too. Happy Camping

[@kellyanneree3252]

Wow! How could you still like this RV? Thanks for your honesty!

[@touringtreadwells5750]

It was home for half a year, I'll be doing what I like video about it soon

[@glenmorrow1255]

Just stopped by their local dealer this morning and they are priced to be indestructible. Models on the lot ranged from $40k to $160k. Hope you bought the home warranty.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

Yes we have the normal 2 year or 3 year and some extended warranty

[@Jack-zc9el]

What are y’all off-roading or something???! lol I have had none of these issues with mine bro. You must’ve gotten the D team build on that one. Hopefully airstream fired that crew 🤯😆

[@bradwilliams4921]

This is the second of 2 videos that I have seen on Airstream issues and both videos reported rivets popping out. This seems unacceptable on such an expensive camper. After seeing this, with my obsession with quality, I don’t know if I am cut out to own a camper.

[@gilbertbradshaw3463]

We bought a Forest River Class B Motorhome RV and picked it up from the manufacturer in Elkhart Indiana. There were screws rolling around on the floor as we drove off and tons of things were broken. Then we started talking to other RV owners and everyone says that’s totally normal. This thing was like $120,000. I was shocked. The Airstreams really are way higher quality and better built than most regular RVs. But still. I totally know what you are saying.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

Thank you! Not even close to the standards of cars or houses unfortunately

[@janebray9392]

We bought a 3rdhand Taylor Coach, pulled it into USA, 33 STATES, 13,000miles and all that happened was cupboard door latches needed replacing(8yrs old), and air conditioner needed tighting down(took 5 minutes), and got new tires on it. Newbies, had only tented b4, but fell in love with it so have ordered our own custom made Taylor Coach, it will be 18ft long! $33k Canadian.

[@jeremysmith9868]

My wife and I bought a 16' Sport last year. We have had issues with the water heater not starting and overhead cabinets opening too (never leave a jar of instant coffee in the cabinet as you are traveling). However, we have always used the campsite's bathhouse so the lack of hot water was not a show stopper. We have loved everything else about the travel trailer though.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

Check out my other video on the channel about the hot water heater issue

[@mike.p.1400]

Thank you. You convinced me.

[@bluetube61]

Have’t read all the comments but you have enlightened me on this trailer length in that it seems that a shorter, lighter airstream takes the bumps in the road a little harder than a longer, heavier 4-wheel versions. Would be interesting if you could repeat the entire trip with a 25-27’ airstream. Thanks for the video👍🏼💥🤛🏼

[@touringtreadwells5750]

Double axles even out the bumps. Our tire pressure was set by the dealer so some of it was vibration but some of the stuff was just poor construction

[@chuckeastman6446]

Have you ever thought that making the tires a ‘solid’ tire with the foam for never flat tires, made your trailer ride so ruff it shook it apart? You are riding on solid wood tires. I have dragged my Airstream over 30,000 miles and never had that many problems, thank God!

[@touringtreadwells5750]

I think that may be it!

[@bcgrittner]

Good night! Next RV purchase will take some real thought. Probably not Airstream. Thank you for being so candid.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

You are welcome

[@arrowdog8852]

I'll sum it up the problems in a single four letter word: THOR Half the RV industry is owned by one company, Thor. They've done _nothing_ to improve the design of AS for 20+ years... in fact, the QC is typical Thor junk. Look at the 'puckering' on curved panels and 'witnessing' of buck rivets, no craftsmanship. Get a vintage Airstream, pre 1980's

[@abrahamlincoln4264]

So which travel trailers are NOT owned by Thor - that you'd recommend - looking to spend no more than $30,000

[@touringtreadwells5750]

That has been our only trailer so I cannot help you.

[@Kenscialoia]

So much for the myth of the flawless quality of the Airstream.

[@bob-jo5gd]

Airstream's quality isn't a myth, but what the buyer chooses to do with the trailer is on him/her. Anyone can wrap a Rolls-Royce around a tree if you try hard enough.

[@moricey4776]

Ken Scialoia ; So people are just to busy and break things. I want to know what year it is , it looks old and they put a large dent in it back right corner.

[@moricey4776]

It depends on how you treat the Air Stream, I want the 33 ft classic with the dark brown interior, love it! 👍🇺🇸

[@jimmielittle877]

Ken he says it's a 2018

[@touringtreadwells5750]

It's a 2018 and the last day of our trip I backed into someone's extended toe mirror

[@deney54]

I have a 2016 22 sport and the only thing that went wrong was the water heater's mother board. Sorry to say but you sport looks beat down. Mine still looks like new. And I have about the same miles. Take care of your stuff and it will take care of you.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

But have you driven to Alaska? The lower 48 is so smooth compared Canada and Alaska roads. We saw a trailer frame where the A-frame section bend 15 inches up from those road and total the entire trailer. I will admit due to the lack of info that the tires were inflated to the sticker on the rig which sounds like that is to high.

[@williambranham6249]

@@touringtreadwells5750 Are Air Streams designed to travel "off Road"?

[@homey9804]

@@touringtreadwells5750 YOU ABUSED IT!!!!

[@Joe-cu4hi]

Glad you are satisfied with your AS. We had a 1974 25’ Land Yacht we bought in mid 80’s and enjoyed for years, only issue was water heater tank needed replacement. Now we own a 1999 Bambi we bought new. Only regular maintenance and this year replacing the refrigerator door. I see to major issues with “All manufacturers not just AS, 1. Profit at an accelerated rate is the most important thing to achieve. 2. quality of assembling is compromised and low quality parts used. For example my Dometic refrigerator is made in Sweden (still working fine with regular maintenance) later models made in US, new ones are Chinese which unfortunately is not of equal quality. In my profession I assemble very precise machines for medical dental and other business Fields .unfortunately the very low cost of Chinese parts are irresistible for the company to ignore so although they do know they will not last, the short term view of large profits overrides any integrity the company was built on. Add to that low wages which fosters low moral and you have a world full of cars, RV’s you name it that does not last like they used too

[@hermanh7659]

Anyone interested in buying a new airstream ," don't " you're better off getting a used one . Stay away from anything made in china

[@williambranham6249]

@@hermanh7659 Are Airstreams made in China?

[@Eagle10300]

Bigfoot Fibreglass trailers are the way to go! Have one for 5 years and zero problems with lots of mikes. Very well made.

[@freetoroam7769]

My 2018 Bigfoot camper is excellent as well, and has needed no warranty work yet. My last camper, American made and purchased new, was plagued with workmanship issues. I'm predicting my Bigfoot will hold up well enough to be my last RV.

[@JT-mo3yd]

Painful to watch. Valuable information. Thank you. Now go park it in front of Thor HQ and set it on fire.

[@mikerogers9711]

WHY would you spend so much money on a great trailer and basically have it fall apart. Even if Airstream fixed “most of” the issues. Seems like there quality control is going. Down hill.

[@GMack224]

About to buy a 2021 22’ Bambi. Expecting delivery in October. I bought an AS because of it history of quality since I don’t know anything about the RV industry. I hope I don’t encounter your problems but I don’t know of anything made that is 100 % quality 100% of the time.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

Make sure your tire pressure is correct based on the weight of the trailer and it should do better. Do some close trips first to work out all the kinks

[@alwaystwoam]

This was super helpful. Thanks!

[@edwardbecker2625]

Damn that's a really expensive trailer

[@elmobolan4274]

Wow, sounds like this Airstream was made in China...

[@SumDood1]

We have several Airstreams come to our service center each weak!

[@robinsnest3855]

Airstream being the top manufacturer of travel trailers you have shown how the quality has gone down hill. I would recommend with the purchase of any rv that individuals spend the extra money and have an professional inspector check and test to assure these kinds of things don't happen. That's a large list you have for repairs, sorry for your troubles. Best of luck.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

I agree, I can tell where they skimped on stuff. Using staples or tacks instead of screws and lauan plywood instead of real plywood. We bought this brand new and the dealer said they went through it and they didn't.

[@williambranham6249]

Robin It seems these things happened after the purchase and during use. How would an inspection help.?

[@randallsguaranteedsold6361]

Thank you for the honest update

[@leonardc1303]

“Except for the brakes...”. Well that kinda matters

[@williampotter2098]

No kidding. Airstream lost a lot of money because of this video. Well, really because they don't know that people can go online to see information like this and not get screwed by some greedy company who is throwing away a golden reputation and their future for a few immediate ducats. Ridiculous. Their board of directors must be a bunch of dunces ...

[@BuckleBunny]

Wow! I’m hoping this was from going off road vs driving on the highway because this is crazy.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

Little of both, Alaska is bumpy

[@stevenjulian1040]

Should look into black series campers next time !!!!

[@benjaminallen2370]

My boat trailer when new had all those trailer issues (tongue jack, hubs, brakes) in first 500 mi. Saltwater is a b. Maintenance 4 Life tattoo a must. But honestly sad to hear about so many (all?) classic brands selling out to profits. Too many to list

[@Crabbyskunk]

An Airstream has always been a dream of mine... but this is such an atrocious report I am completely turned off

[@Erin-Thor]

Keep in mind that several of the components failures were not Airstreams fault. EVERY RV manufacturer tries to save a buck, especially if the customer will never see it. Since Airstream was purchased by THOR their quality has declined.

[@1SavageQueen89]

Omg, same!!! Maybe if you find an older one and revamp it then it won’t be as bad compared to the new airstreams

[@vinoto]

@@Erin-Thor How is it not Airstream's fault? Doesnt matter who owns them now or where they source parts, whatever goes into that tin can is their responsibility

[@Erin-Thor]

@@vinoto - If you go to Home Depot and buy an LG fridge, and one year later it stops working... Who do you call? Home Depot gives you a 30 day return privilege, but LG warrants the fridge. Do you blame Home Depot or LG for the fridge failure? When you buy an RV, that manufacturer warrants the RV, but it’s made up of a bunch of different components... each with their own specific and different Manufacturers warranty.

[@robertestes5887]

That looks like warranty work that should have done by people in Jackson Center Ohio

[@WestShoreMan]

Ive had mine for 10 years and a few small issues only.

[@Daniel-qr1zf]

Judging from the outside condition, and way that he is banging around inside, I'd guess that the problem isn't actually with the Airstream.

[@BB-dg1sc]

Other than backing into a truck mirror (mirror is plastic & dang near destroyed the shell) most of the damage seemed lack of quality control. No way rivets are supposed to fall out!

[@jimmielittle877]

Josh found out the service center maxed out his tire pressure every time so he has to deflate to normal pressure now after service 🌼

[@touringtreadwells5750]

Ya this is true and super frustrating.

[@oldschooldiy3240]

So much for the vaunted Air Stream quality!

[@lambda4931]

Wow, how disappointing! Airstream should give you a new unit. When I see one going down the road, I'll remember this video.

[@michaelsmith9308]

AIrstream/dealer should fix everything THEN for the EMBARRASSMENT should pay for a two week vacation in an exotic country ALL EXPENSES paid, and you sign an agreement NOT to publish this VIDEO! SHAME on AIRSTREAM, my best friend has one too, and yes it looks nice and was a 100,000 plus and YOU would expect QUALITY standards to exceed JUNK.

[@gerardhaubert8210]

Read his comments, Airstream warranty and Customer Service took care of almost all of his issues

[@mjones7794]

Even if they are covered by warranty, too many issues

[@massacmongo995]

Cross Airstream off my list . Really disappointed with how their quality control has gone to hell.

[@Erin-Thor]

They have declined since being purchased by THOR Industries. Their cost saving measures have definitely harmed their reputation.

[@rxonmymind8362]

@@Erin-Thor That's what every company does look at Sears when they bought lands end. Lansing was my go-to company for quality clothes. Sears bought them road the name to death and fired all the people that made lands end the company that they are. Sears was only selling lands end in name only and selling clothes made in China through lands end as it cost saving measure. Well that backfired on them there's sales plunged and they tried to rehire all the people they fired that knew about clothes and made them. The rugby shirts which were thick in indestructible with rubber buttons were amazing. Worn by real rugby players. Well you know the rest of the story with Sears. I predict Thor will sell off Airstream after it squeezed every penny out of it and destroys the brand. They don't learn from other industries that tried the same thing. In the business world history constantly repeats itself.

[@Erin-Thor]

@@rxonmymind8362 - Awe! I used to love Lands end! Their “guaranteed period” was the best ever. And yes, their shirts were the best I’ve ever seen.

[@rxonmymind8362]

@@Erin-Thor Yes their single stocked shirts were so sharp. I could tell when someone else wore it and I complimented them.

[@Bunkysworkshop]

I am shocked with all the items that broke. I have always thought the Airstream trailers where of quality build. I have been thinking of one for our future but the price has always made me think twice.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

If you are looking for something short term just for weekend trips I wouldnt buy an Airstream.

[@chaosncheckt9356]

We have a nucamp t@b 400 BDL and traveled 16k miles from FL to AK a few months after purchase. We made a point around 12k miles to stop and have the wheel bearings serviced and added a rear view camera. In the entire time, we never had a major problem, just a few minor ones that were easy to fix on the road and didn't require a visit to an actual service center. We expected to have minor issues/problems/challenges as we were pulling a small home over some wild road conditions. Watching this video I would suggest you contact Airstream and discuss options other than they honoring their warranty. I hope while you were on your trip, you communicated each issue with the manufacturer or the place of purchase so you have a record. During our trip we bumped into a single traveler pulling a 24' Little Max and he had problems from the day he pulled it off the lot. He was in communication with the factory/dealership to document his problems and was on his way back home to deposit the trailer at the dealership. He wanted either a refund or a replacement trailer. Discussing his problems, which were similar to yours, he felt there was no way the manufacturer could make the trailer right. I think this might be the case with your Airstream. Yes, they probably are all fixable but I think they may just be the tip of the iceberg.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

All of the items were covered under the warranty but the major ones were very annoying.

[@kelly1038]

Thanks for the heads up

[@denden01161]

I guess Lance TT is my next to purchase. Don't like headache for a new trailer.

[@davebrown3230]

The biggest problem is the supplier's of things like hardware and appliances . Things like your rivets are on Airstream .

[@blinko1391]

I have a 2020 Airstream Bambi (19CB), We have towed it approx. 6-7k on some fairly rough roads and our only issue was the cabinet that houses the fridge, it worked it's way loose. (Don't take Interstate 17A from Flagstaff to Cottonwood AZ. !!!! lol) It was easily fixed with some L brackets. Other than that we have been pretty lucky. For all those commenting on how crappy Airstream quality is wait until you buy something else! My buddy at work bought SOB last spring and was able to camp twice last year....the rest of the time it's been in the shop waiting for parts/repairs. The fact is that all RV's are subject to some pretty extreme conditions out on the road and require the owner to be proactive and also to make some repairs from time to time. Get real people and stop being jealous because you don't have an Airstream of you own!

[@dougc78]

Wow! That’s really disappointing to see that lack of quality in an Airstream.....

[@homey9804]

This camper was abused!!! I have sold Airstreams for a living for 5 years and have never seen these things fall apart like this. I see alot of comments about how bad this is, and it is. BUT, This thing must have been pulled down a washboard for all this to shake apart like that.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

This still suffered less damage then other travel trailers in the same summer we went to Alaska.

[@curtisstewart3179]

But that was what Airstream was revered for. My '73 30 footer was bought out of a deer camp in northern Minnesota. I replaced all the copper water lines, became a rivet god and worked it over as I had time. I work construction and pulled it all over the US. It made/saved me a fortune. My guess is I pulled it better than 80,000 miles in 10 years. Stil have it. But the axel and brake issues should never happen. Mine were gone over when I titled it in Texas and the tech found nothing wrong. That was 25 years after it was built! I did change the brake shoes twice the 10 years I lived out of it but never any brake issues. It sounds like Thor bought the brand and is just sucking up gravy.

[@BB-dg1sc]

Rivits falling out, hinges not working, keep drinking the airstream cool aid. Ur salty b/c u made a living off selling them, but did u live in one?

[@truther4life]

This guy is living in this Airstream!! Door opens 1000's of times a day!! Geez!! Also how fast does he drive!!

[@ronbent4725]

I agree, plus solid foam filled tires isn't helping with road vibration.

[@LadyPenelope]

Ok, well that looks like a POS to me. You expect MUCH more for THE high end RV in the U.S. Makes me happy I can't afford one. You should get a new camper for all the crap you went through! Sorry to see all this, but thank you for sharing it...it's important for others to see.

[@jimbremer8049]

I almost bought one last year ..... I was jacked around by the salesman in Springfield .MO Landed a NO BO for 1/3 of the price ran it hard threw the Rockies for three week no problems, Sorry to hear your airstream is a lemmon.

[@tao4409]

They are bustin' arse to get these things out the door, and obviously not taking the time and care they once did. That's a LOT of minor stuff and a few dangerous issues. Not impressed Airstream........

[@philo5096]

Oliver trailers out of Nashville are the way to go, total quality. They are not cheap though, but either is Airstream.

[@bluestarindustrialarts7712]

Oliver is out of Holenwald Tn. All fiberglass. They are not without their issues either, they are small, and when you do need something done it requires a trip to the factory. They have no service networks except for simple non-exclusive stuff. And their 20 x 6.5 ft Legacy Elite 2 will run about 75k.

[@philo5096]

@@bluestarindustrialarts7712 yea they r small. I'm 6'3", too tall for an Ollie. But they r nice to look at.

[@jimmielittle877]

Josh's Airstream is a beautiful RV

[@bernardbrown5336]

One good ice pellet storm and your Airstream will look like a golf ball!

[@kiwiinaustria]

that's crazy, for the crazy money they ask for these trailers they should be the rolls royce of trailers.

[@athletejmv]

Had a bunch of stuff fall apart on my 2018 16 sport and 2019 22 sport. Gave up on airstream because I can’t get parts directly from them

[@danielreed9734]

I own a 2016 Sport 22FB. I am the fourth owner and my trailer has at least 17,000 miles on it. The first four years of mileage are unknown. The trailer is in excellent overall condition and everything works. I get the impression that the purpose of this video is to imply that the Airstream is not a good product. I disagree and what I see when I view this video is slipshod maintenance and describing many routine maintenance issues (or lack thereof) as defects. The wheel bearings on the Sport 22FB should be repacked every 10,000 miles or every year, whichever comes first. Brakes require maintenance and checking just as in any other vehicle. I agree with other commenters that much of the damage seems to be a result of excessive vibration. The "Touring Treadwells" mention that they put some crap in their tires to make them leak proof. I don't understand that. The tires that come standard on the Sport are good for five years and then it is recommended that they be replaced because of age. The owners manual recommends that the tires be maintained at 65 psi. It appears that many owners inflate them to 80 psi. Why? Better gas mileage? I doubt it will improve your mileage much and you will probably create more vibration in the trailer. When cabinetry is coming apart and doors are opening on their own, you have a vibration problem and/or you are also driving too fast over rough roads. BTW, replacing interior pop rivets in an Airstream trailer is not a defect. It goes with the type of aluminum monocoque construction and is considered routine maintenance. I resent the erroneous impression you are leaving people with that the Airstream is not a quality product.

[@Erin-Thor]

Re: Your rear dent. Consider going to bed bath and beyond or some hardware stores have then, suction cup mounted bath grab handles. They are meant to be used for a day or two as they are just suction cups. Push it on to the center of the dent, and give it a yank. May or may not work depending on the dent. All I know is they are a godsend for your type of dent.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

Thanks for the tip I bought a couple of 3 inch suction cups the ones that have a lever to make the suction and they pulled some of the dent out. The issue is there is a seam at the bottom with rivits that is way stronger.

[@danburch9989]

In 1961, Airstream switched to torsion axles. If the wheels and brake drum are not balanced as a unit, they can cause high frequency vibrations that can pop rivets, break screws and cause other damage. Many other tow-behind campers use the same principle. I don't think these are good for campers. They should have a tuned suspension system like cars do to absorb road shocks better. We had a camper with those axles. Driving along the interstate (never dirt roads or backcountry) and the aluminum screws broke. Towing them over 45 mph is probably not good either. They're built cheap to maximize profits. I can get by with a small cargo trailer and an tent at a lower cost.

[@rodneylw10]

Another issue is the tires. Years ago Airstreams were fitted with poly tires and they ran on lower pressure- softer ride. Now people are being told to get rock hard tires (Load E) and filling them to 80-100 psi. This is murder on the Airstreams but diehards continue to tell them maximum pressure. Too rough. The trailers practically bounce down the road. I use the tire chart for load and put the recommended pressure for the load as per the tire company. I do not have shake apart problems.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

Our dealer set them to max PSI and we didn't know any better at our first airstream

[@danburch9989]

@@touringtreadwells5750 The higher the air pressure, the higher the weight carrying capacity of the tire up to the maximum design limit. Then again, maybe the "technician" didn't know any better either. More isn't always better.

[@mitchberger2691]

@@rodneylw10 Timbren independent suspension would be a nice upgrade. Less rivets would be missing.

[@scottdahlen8006]

Respectfully, I think one needs to consider that nearly all other trailers are built on flimsy Lippert frames and are lucky to make it 10,000 miles before the slideouts stop working properly and leaks develop. Those trailers would be scrap at 25,000 miles if they made it that far.

[@jakeberg6758]

Great video! Sorry that thing ended up being such a giant POS😤😤😤

[@firstchoice7761]

For what it cost, this is not worth it. Might be little stuff but none of it should have happened.

[@gj4578]

I don't want to say anything bad about this video, since this is one person's history of what happened to his Airstream. I've been watching the KZbin channel "Long Long Honeymoon" for a number of years now and they have a 25 foot Airstream, which has 2 axles. I don't know if that helps stabilize the whole trailer enough to keep it from rattling and popping out rivets as much, but I don't remember them complaining as much about some of these other problems. One thing is for sure. Airstreams are expensive. If you can afford a brand new one I think you've already made up your mind. There are plenty of used ones available.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

2 axles help a bunch I've been told some of the vibration stuff is our "newbie" Airstreams fault but most of it new house stuff and working out all the kinks. The water heater, water level sensor, converter and dinette and closet were out of our control

[@rsmith89b]

A lot of this sounds like driving conditions. Anything will brake if you abuse it. I'm not saying he went baha'ing with this trailer but you can't blame Airstream if you pull it in areas not even a Jeep belongs.

[@seabliss22]

Thank you for this honest review. Not you, but Most AS owners are too stuffy to admit when their precious over priced trailer has issues. The good news is that AS does stand behind their products and has repaired all your issues. Also, you have invested in a trailer that will hold a solid resale value. Personally I do like the looks of the AS but lack of storage, lack of ground clearance and knowing I could dent up my skin so easily has caused me to choose another brand.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

It dents way to easy but man is it shiney haha

[@jimg691]

Alaska and Canadian roads can be rough on any travel trailer. If the dealer fixed the problems I think that speaks well of them. I never owned an Airstream but my years of pulling other travel trailer brands showed me none of them are designed for badly maintaned roads and gravel wilderness roads. Yes I have been to Alaska with a travel trailer, my daughter and son in law live near Fairbanks.

[@georgemullett5153]

Remember the selling point to theze trailers is the quality. Lol thats like telling people thier trailers are made by amish, fairies, santas helpers etc.. this is the exact reason i built my own..

[@jimmielittle877]

Hey you picking on fairies?

[@moricey4776]

That air stream looks old, what year is it? Large dent in the right back corner outside that you have would throw the trailer out of alignment!

[@touringtreadwells5750]

It's a 2018 but the look hasn't changed in a long time. The dent is just cosmetic low speed into a side view mirror.

[@moricey4776]

Touring Treadwells ; After seeing this I wouldn’t want to move the trailer as much and they are suppose to do more parking than travel. The new fiber glass nest air stream might be better for travel. It doesn’t have as many rivets.

[@rcdixon76]

Thanks so much for posting. Beautiful trailer, I hope you got everything fixed. I'm really leaning towards a non-Airstream option after seeing several videos like this.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

You are welcome, don't be discouraged, if your looking to get something just for weekends I wouldn't get an Airstream u less you have the money for it. What I want now is a Living Vehicle. But they are twice the price of an Airstream

[@steves3688]

Something for everyone purchasing travel trailers these days...buy a tandem axle (dual axle) trailer! Almost always better suspension and ride way smoother! These single axle travel trailers bounce around a whole more thus things break more! Plus if you experience a blow out less damage is way more likely! AND if you need to change a flat you can ride up on a ramp or wood blocks with the good tire to get the flat tire off the ground so you can change it!

[@MrJohncobbjr]

I've been considering getting one but those things are unacceptable for being so new

[@touringtreadwells5750]

I would buy another one which we might do. I think of it like buying a brand new house. Have to work out all the kinks.

[@fredmartinez4331]

@@touringtreadwells5750 for the money you put out for the purchase of this trailer, you shouldn't have any kinks to work out. My view of Airstream trailers has been shattered. It seems to me that they are living on their reputation which is going to go down hill very rapidly if they don't get their act together.

[@ldd9672]

I have a 5 year old 22 airstream sport..... we have never had any issues with the over head kitchen cabinet opening or the closest door. I think this happened to I because you are putting heavy items in both. I put things like bread, crackers, paper towels, muffins etc in the upper cabinet above sink. In the closet towels and clothes. Anything heavy goes in bins under beds. We did like U have an issue with the plastic divider between bed and dinette comes loose...it is a pain...and they should fix the design of how it attaches. We have had it fixed twice and still occurs ......slippage. We also had like u the dinette board come detached from the wall beside the door, this was fixed well under warranty and haven’t had an issue since. It really is a fantastic trailer imo. Has everything .... well made .... just a few minor issues....warranty came through on those just the plastic panel like I said hasn’t been resolved. Not sure if we will just remove it or try another solution to fasten in better as it is no longer under warranty.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

I'm glad someone else had the same issues as us. We had clothes in the closet in plastic bins. The floor in the closet was support by a couple of wood strips and I think on of them pulled out and made the clothes bins tip and open the door. The plastic piece is annoying. We removed it after messing with it a bunch of times.

[@ev1558]

Just goes to show that if your suspension isn't good, then it will rattle the rest.

[@athletejmv]

Forgot to say great video and thanks for sharing. Again, these aren’t worth the asking price in my opinion. Both my trailers had under 300 miles and reliability and quality are a priority for me... they didn’t live up to those expectations which is why I got rid of them before losing too much value.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

I agree it's really too bad. It's built well on the outside compared to most I've heard but they skimped on everything else. Any place they cut costs failed.

[@athletejmv]

@@touringtreadwells5750 totally agree. I wish I could find a solid RV company out there... still seems like Airstream is the standard. Scamp is going to be my next pursuit in terms of quality and overall fit and finish for a more reasonable price (check them out if you get a chance). I was considering the AirStream30RB, but gave up on that and don't want to spend nearly $100k with high dealer maintenance cost... still tempted lol. Had I not had so many issues with my 16' and 22' I would have been RVing full-time with my family in the 30RB. For now with the expectation that my campers will deteriorate, I'll stick to using them for camping and short travel trips.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

It seemed like the body was good but all the other stuff seemed to be sub par.

[@stevenlharris]

@@touringtreadwells5750 would be nice if they would sell a new shell and let owners completely customize the interior.

[@bamatim58]

Love how some of the folks here just took it upon themselves to say the trailer was mistreated, not taken care of, or even imply that kids may have been the cause. lol And i would almost bet they dont even know the owner or any thing about them. I looked at new Airstream campers just this past weekend and i can tell you the build quality isnt the same as it was 30 years ago. Not even close. Im not even sure if they are that much better if any than the Jayco Eagle campers i looked at on the same lot at less than half the price. Hope the Treadwells get their camper straightened out. Good luck with it.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@stevenlharris]

Truth is probably somewhere in the middle. It doesn't have to always be 100% the fault of the owner or the manufacturer.

[@FishHeadBiologist]

I'd say 90% of the problems were owner induced..

[@MajTom-wd2yt]

POI....There really isn't anything special about an Airstream except the fuselage...semi-monocoque with an aluminum skin , all accoutrements are standard RV fare.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

so true

[@williampotter2098]

Retiring in a year and had a plan to buy an Airstream. You'd have to be an idiot to buy one of these. Screws pulling out, rivets pulling out brakes don't work, bearings don't work, cabinets can't keep the door open. I quit watching half way through. I learned what I needed to learn. Airstream has cut quality to make more money and their trailer just isn't worth owning and as a matter of fact, they may be dangerous.

[@jimmielittle877]

What part of North Carolina did you visit? We're looking into hopefully RVing this summer and the Airstream 22 looks like the perfect size for our family!🌻

[@touringtreadwells5750]

We had friends in Fayetteville so we stayed with them for a few days. The 22 is nice but a little tight for more than two people good luck

[@jimmielittle877]

Thx we live south of Greensboro by the way, and I'm enjoying the information and tips of your videos 🌻

[@lambda4931]

Airstream is the Harley Davidson of RVs, old tech for nostalgia.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

Haha good comparison

[@johndillon9973]

I watched an Airstream salesman describing a new Airstream and he said that the 16’ foot unit is measured from the center of the ball on the front tongue to the rear bumper????? In reality the 16’ unit is then actually a 13’ unit! I never have had an RV’s length determined from the ball to the rear bumper and I have had many different rv’s!

[@touringtreadwells5750]

It is weird, all others are inside dimensions. It is a lot of money for 17-18 feet for the 22 sport

[@drsage1626]

I think that is a LOT of problems for a very expensive trailer. We purchased a new Lance 2375 and have not had a single problem with it. Granted we haven't driven it 25K miles but we lived in the 2375 and our first trailer a smaller Lance for 4 consecutive winters in California..(Our house is in Minneapolis). Many of the problems he pointed out could not be completely blamed on the mileage. The only problem we had was with our first Lance that we bought used when it was 2 years old. Some caulking around the front roof fan vent dried out and water was seeping in. Not to worry, Lance uses the more expensive Azdel instead of plywood and all we did was collect the water as it dripped out and the next morning I fixed the leak and you could not tell anything had happened. if the Azdel had been painted plywood like most trailers use, I would have had a big stain on the ceiling and would have had to spend considerable time and money fixing it. In my book Lance is one of the highest quality Travel Trailers you can buy...and they are about half the price of an Airstream AND they have slides. Airstream is living in the past with their refusal to build with slides.

[@touringtreadwells5750]

I've heard good things about Lance. I think airstream is living in a legacy still and if it works don't change it. The long miles on bumpy roads does play a huge factor in the wear of the trailer. We saw a trailer with a frame bent 15 inches out of wack from a paved road with no accident

[@Vyveris]

Here's your list: jack, propane hoses leak, rivets, screws for securing couch, water level meter, water heater, towel rack, converter

[@touringtreadwells5750]

Plexiglass divider, right brake not working, toilet sticking, faucet leaks when driving, closet opening while driving , microwave frame crack. I am sure there is more it's been a few years since we have sold it

[@rogeeeferrari]

you could do a video of any brand travel trailer and get the same result, things come loose and break on all of them. A lot of this is easy to avoid with some safety checks before you head out, any hardware inside is going to loosen up, locktite is your friend. Also, you mention the tongue jack being bent, I'd lay odds that there's a story you could tell us about how that happened. Got to say that is a lot of trailer for a single axle, I would highly recommend you step up to a double, smoother towing and much more stable but stuff will still come loose

[@touringtreadwells5750]

Oh agree, it should be two axles just for safety at minimum. The tongue Jack was bent before we got it. The tech that help us load it the first time was struggling with it when we picked it up but never said anything. I'm glad this thing is riveted together for the most part

[@4aneme8R]

Taken over by Thor , my fear was that quality would suffer. A question I would have was quality prior to takeover as good as we think?

[@portnuefflyer]

I tore one apart once, that had been crushed by snow sliding off a roof. they had used steel bolts to fasten the aluminum bottom wall plates down, corrosion was already starting! You NEVER use steel bolts on aluminum structures.

[@lcseds]

Thor bought Airstream in 1980 as it's first product. Not like Thor bought them in the last few years.

[@4aneme8R]

@@lcseds We found out during a tour of the factory a couple of years back.

[@robertsontirado4478]

Seams like they are rough with the thing.