Tow Vehicle Requirements; Brake Controller; Hitching - Travel Trailers; Equalizing Hitches - Gulf Stream Travel Trailer Owner's Manual

TOW VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS

Prior to hitching and pulling your travel trailer or fifth wheel, make sure your tow vehicle is properly suited and
equipped for such use. Read your tow vehicle's owner's manual sections on trailer towing, Gross Combined Weight
Rating, hitch requirements, sway control requirements, braking requirements, and all related areas for proper towing.
Gulf Stream Coach, Inc. is not responsible for problems associated with insufficient towing capabilities of the tow
vehicle or hitching systems. Make sure your hitch is rated for the amount of weight you are towing when fully loaded.

BRAKE CONTROLLER

All Gulf Stream travel trailers and fifth wheels are equipped with electric brakes due to the weight of the trailer. This
requires your tow vehicle to have an electronic brake controller installed to control and adjust the trailer brakes.
There are several different manufacturers of brake controllers. Each controller has adjustable settings that could
provide safe, effective stopping or lockup your trailer brakes upon use, depending on the settings selected. It is
required that you read the instruction manual for the brake controller and learn about its proper use prior to pulling your
Gulf Stream travel trailer or fifth wheel.
Consult with your dealer on which brake controller is recommended for your tow vehicle/trailer combination.
WARNING! TEST YOUR TRAILER BRAKES WITH YOUR BRAKE CONTROLLER PRIOR TO EACH TRIP
TO ENSURE ITS PROPER OPERATION!
HITCHING – TRAVEL TRAILERS

EQUALIZING HITCHES

In addition to the pulling weight of a trailer, a tow vehicle must also support approximately 9-15% of the actual weight
of the trailer at the hitch point. With a 6,000 lb. trailer, this additional weight might be 700 to 800 lbs. This much
weight added to your rear bumper could cause the car to become out of balance, and traction on the front wheels to be
reduced. This may result in poor steering control, poor braking control, and can be potentially dangerous. Use of
heavier springs, spring helpers or stiffer tires will not correct the basic out-of-balance condition. The problems from
this condition are compounded when traveling over bumps and dips in the road. The balance problem is solved by the
addition of a suitable matched "equalizing hitch," sometimes called a "weight distributing hitch." Basically, the affect of
an equalizing hitch is to distribute the hitch load equally between the front and rear tow vehicles axles and the trailer
axle(s) (see figure on page 10). If the weight at the hitch is 450 lbs., the affect of the equalizing hitch would be to
distribute this weight in approximately equal portions to both tow vehicle axles and all trailer axles. Thus, your tow
vehicle can remain relatively level. This not only will give you better steering and brake control, but also will insure that
your headlight beams remain down on the road where they belong. Equalizing hitches also afford help in sway control.
Most hitch manufacturers offer equalizing hitches in several sizes designed to handle trailers of various hitch-weight
classes. Get the hitch size that is right for your requirements. Your dealer will help you select one on the basis of your
trailer weight and tow vehicle. Improperly sized equalizing hitches can damage your trailer frame.
Please consult your tow vehicle's owner's manual for requirements on using load equalizing hitches.
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