Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Operator's Manual page 154

Transporting loads with the vehicle
152
Coolant heat can additionally be dissipated
by opening the windows and by setting the
blower fan and the interior temperature to
maximum.
When overtaking, pay particular attention
R
to the extended length of your vehicle/
trailer combination.
Due to the length of your vehicle/trailer
combination, you will have to travel an
additional distance beyond the vehicle you
are overtaking before returning to the
original lane.
If the trailer begins to swing from side to side:
X
do not accelerate.
X
do not counter-steer.
X
brake if necessary.
G
Warning
Under no circumstances try to straighten the
vehicle/trailer combination by increasing the
speed.
i
You can reduce the risk of the trailer
swinging and snaking by retrofitting anti-
roll bars or trailer stability programs. You
can obtain further information from an
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
Uncoupling a trailer
X
Make sure that the automatic transmission
is set to position P.
X
Engage the vehicle's parking brake.
X
Remove the trailer cable and uncouple the
trailer.
X
Engage the trailer's parking brake.
Load distribution
The Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) is the
combined weight of the trailer together with
the cargo and equipment loaded on the
trailer. The maximum permissible gross
weight is vehicle-specific and depends on the
equipment level: 5000 lbs (2268 kg) or
7500 lbs (3402 kg).
The permissible Trailer drawbar Weight
Rating (TWR) is the maximum weight
permitted on the trailer drawbar: 750 lbs
(340 kg) or 500 lbs (227 kg) is the limit for
trailer couplings approved by the vehicle
distributor named on the inside of the front
cover.
The Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR)
is the sum of the Gross Trailer Weight and the
vehicle weight, including a driver weight of
approximately 150 lbs (68 kg). The
permissible GCWR is vehicle-specific and
depends on the equipment level.
When driving with a trailer, you should not
exceed the permitted Gross Combination
Weight Rating (GCWR).
You must distribute the load on the vehicle
and trailer so that the permitted maximum
values for the vehicle (GCWR) and trailer
(GTW) weight as well as permitted axle loads
(GAWR) and noseweight (TWR) of your vehicle
are not exceeded.
i Take into account that the vehicle's
permissible payload must be reduced to
compensate for the noseweight.
The applicable permissible values, which
must not be exceeded, can be found in your
vehicle documents and on the type plates for
the trailer tow hitch, trailer and vehicle
( Y page 277). You will also find a list of the
permissible values in the "Technical data"
Y
( page 284) section. Where the values
differ, the lowest is valid.
! The permissible gross combination
weight is less than the sum of the
permissible gross vehicle weight plus the
permissible trailer load. Exceeding the
permissible gross combination weight can
lead to damage to the drivetrain, to the
transmission or to the trailer tow hitch.
For this reason, applicable values for the
permissible gross vehicle weight or the
permissible trailer load are reduced
accordingly if either the vehicle or the
trailer is fully loaded. In this case, the trailer
or the vehicle may only be partially loaded.