Airstream Excella 1975 Owner's Manual page 24

2 ft.- r
-—1
Ft.—h
Bathroom Scale Wood
Tongue Weight
A scale which has a lower weight limit than
your tongue load, such as a bathroom scale,
may be used to check the tongue weight by
using the following method (see illustration):
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 an¬
other round piece can be exactly two feet
from the center line of the jack extension in
the other direction. Place a2x4or4x4on
the two round pieces and screw the jack
extension down on the top of the 2x4 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 capacity of the bathroom scales,
increase the two foot dimension 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.
An alternate method for determining the
weight of your trailer, without the use of
scales, is by using the following information
and form.
Before you fill in the blank form that pertains
to your trailer, please read the sample form,
page 18, 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
first line (i.e. 31 Ft. Twin Rear Bath).
Column A
Column A represents the Total Maximum
Personal Cargo weight that can be added to
your trailer. Personal Cargo includes food
supplies, clothing, other personal items, etc.
Find the Factory Weight of your trailer, Chart
A, page 20 and enter it across from ITEM 1
Column A (Factory Weight = weight without
options and variable weights (i.e. 5035 lbs).
Next fill in the total weights of the options
and variable weights with which your trailer is
equipped. This information is on Charts B, C,
or D, pages 21, 22, 23. Add all of the weights
together and this total becomes ITEM 2,
Column A (i.e. 860 lbs).
Next add ITEM 1 and ITEM 2. This becomes
ITEM 4, Column A (i.e. 5895 lbs). This is the
sum total of your trailer's Factory Weight
plus the Options and Variable Weights.
Next enter in ITEM 5, Column A (i.e. 7100
lbs), your trailer's Gross Vehicle Weight Rat¬
ing (G.V.W.R.). This information is on the
placard located on the front road side area of
your trailer which corresponds to information
on Chart A, page 20 .The Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating is the maximum the trailer can
weigh when it is being towed. Next subtract
ITEM 4, Column A from ITEM 5 Column A;
this amount indicates the Total Maximum
Personal Cargo that can be added to your
trailer (i.e. 1205 lbs). Under no circumstances
shall the G.V.W.R. be exceeded.
Column B
Column B represents the Recommended
Personal Cargo that can be added to your
trailer's tongue. Find the Factory Tongue
Weight of your trailer and enter it in ITEM 1
Column B (Factory Tongue = weight without
options and variable weights, (i.e. 490 lbs).
This information is on Chart A page 20.
Column B has + weight and - weight. Due to
the location of optional items within the
trailer, their weight will either have a + weight
or - weight effect on the tongue. If the option
is behind the axle system, or rear of trailer, it
will tend to have a - weight, or lifting effect
on the tongue; if the option is forward of the
axle system, or the front of trailer, it will have
a + weight or loading effect on the tongue.
Next fill in + weights or - weights of the
options and variable weights with which your
trailer is equipped, indicated in the Tongue
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