Airstream 1980 Argosy Owner's Manual page 22

A scale w h i c h h a s a lower weight limit t h a n
your t o n g u e load, such as a bathroom scale,
may be used to check the tongue we~ght by
using the following method (see illustrat~on).
Place a piece of wood of approximately the
same thickness as the bathroom scales on the
ground in line with the trailer hitch jack as
shown. It should be so spaced that a short
piece of pipe or other round piece will lay
exactly one foot from the center line of the jack
extension. Place the scales so that another
round piece can be exactly two feet from the
center line of the jack extension in the other
direction. Place a 4 x 4 on the two round
pieces and screw the jack extension down on
the top of the 4 x 4 until the tongue of the trailer
is supported by it. Multiply the scale reading by
three. This will be the tongue weight of your
trailer. If you exceed the capac~ty of the
bathroom scales, increase the two foot
d~mension to three or four or more feet but
always multiply the scale reading by the total
number of feet between the wood and scales.
Caution: Be sure trailer is level when you read
scales.
A n alternate m e t h o d for determining t h e
weight o f your trailer, wlthout the use of
scales. is by using the following informat~on
and form
Before you fill in the blank form that pertains to
your trailer, please read the sample form, page
1 6 , to see what type of information will be
needed.
First enter the model length, type of beds, and
type of bathroom of your trailer on the f~rst line
(i.e. 3 1 Ft. T w i n Rear Bath).
Column A
Column A represents the Total Maximum
Personal Cargo weight that can be added to
your tra~ler Personal Cargo includes food
supplies clothlng other personal items etc
F ~ n d the Factory Weight of your trailer Chart A-
1 page 1 8 and er~ter t across from ITEM 1
Column A (Factory Weight
=
weight without
options and variable weights (I e
4691
Ibs.)
Next fill in the total weights of the options and
variable weights with which your traller
IS
equipped This information is on Charts B and
C pages 20 2 1 Add all of the weights
together and this total becomes ITEM 2
Column A
( I
e 832 Ibs.) Next add ITEM 1 and
ITEM 2 This becomes ITEM 4 Column A
( I
e
5523 Ibs.) This 1 s the sum total of your trailer s
Factory Weight plus the CIpt~ons and Varlable
Weights
Next enter in ITEM 5 , Column A (i.e. 7100
Ibs.), your tra~ler's Gross Vehicle We~ght Rating
(G.V.W.R.). Thls information is on the placard
located on the front road s ~ d e area of your
trailer which corresponds to information on
Chart A , page 1 8 . The Gross Veh~cle We~ght
Rating is the maximum the trailer can weigh
when it is being towed. Next subtract ITEM 4 ,
Colurln A from ITEM 5 , Column A; this amount
Indicates the Total Maximum Personal Cargo
that can be added to your trailer (i.e. 1577
Ibs.). Under no circumstances shall the
G.V.W.R. be exceeded.
Bathroom Scale Wood Support
Tongue Weight
C o l u m n B
Column B represents the Recormended
Personal Cargo that can be added to your
tra~ler's tongue Find the Factory Tongue
Weight of your trailer and enter it in ITEM 1
Colurln B (Factory Tongue
=
weight without
optlons and var~able we~ghts
(I
e 622 Ibs.)
T h ~ s informalion is on Chart A-1 page 18
Column B has
+
weight and
-
we~ght Due to
the location of optional items within the trailer.
their we~ght will either have a
+
weight or
-
weight effect on the tongue If the option is
behind the axle system, or rear of trailer, it w ~ l l
tend to have a
-
weight, or llft~ng effect on the
tongue.
i f
the option 1 s forward of the axle
system or the front of the traller, it will have a
+
weight or loading effect on the tongue Next fill
in
+
weights or
-
weights of the options and
varlable weights with which your trailer
IS
equipped, indicated in the Tongue Weight
Columns on Chart B or C