Driving; Loading - Airstream 2012 INTERSTATE Owner's Manual

LOADING

One of the most critical aspects of safely operating a motorhome is knowing
the weights involved and where they are placed. The first thing to determine is
how much cargo is being loaded and confirming that it is within the capacities
of the equipment being used. Determining WHERE that load is placed is criti-
cal to the way your rig will handle on the road.
Do not try to guess what your recreational vehicle weighs loaded. Load your
RV including water, propane, etc and take it to a public scales. Weigh each
axle of your vehicle. Refer to your axle weight and tire limits to see if your
within a safe range. Total all axle weights and make sure you are below the
GVWR. If you are not overloaded make sure your load is balanced. Do not
load too much on one side. A balanced load is much easier to tow or drive.
Front to back balance is also important. Step back and look at your recre-
ational vehicle. Make sure that there is not too much weight on the hitch or on
the rear of the RV. Be sure to secure all items. Loose items can cause damage
and be a safety issue if not properly secured.
The Cargo Carrying capacity tag shown below is installed on every
motorhome and can be found on the inside of the screen door on your
vehicle.
MOTOR HOME OCCUPANT AND CARGO CARRYING CAPACITY
VIN #################
THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO SHOULD NEVER EXCEED
Safety belt seating capacity: XXX
A full load of water equals XXX kg or XXX lbs of cargo @ 1 kg/L (8.3 lb/gal) and the tongue
weight of a towed trailer counts as cargo
To arrive at the "THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO
SHOULD NEVER EXCEED" number, Airstream weighs the vehicle as finished
and adds the weight of full tanks of liquid propane and chassis fuel. That num-
ber is subtracted from the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the motor-
home and listed on the tag, The total weight of any and all cargo, including but
not limited to dealer or customer modifications or additions, fluids (freshwater,
holding, and water heater tanks), food, clothes, tools, the tongue weight of a
towed trailer or vehicle, and passengers should never exceed the number listed
while the motorhome is in transit.
The "Safety belt seating capacity" is the number of passengers that seat belts
are provided for.
The "A full load of water equals" number is arrived at by multiplying the fresh
B - 1

DRIvING

XXX kg or XXX lbs
CAUTION
B