Trailer Hitches And Towing; Towing Automobiles - Fleetwood Bounder 1987 Owner's Manual

water as needed for travel use or to balance the load.
Whenever possible, empty the holding tanks before
traveling.
WARNING: DO NOT INSTALL ANY TYPE OF
WEIGHT CARRYING RACK OR FRAME TO THE
REAR BUMPER OR ANY CHASSIS OR BODY COM-
PONENT OF THE MOTOR HOME. DAMAGE TO THE
MOTOR HOME BODY AND UNSTABLE HANDLING
CHARACTERISTICS MAY RESULT.
WARNING: EXCEEDING THE GAWR OR GVWR OF
YOUR MOTOR HOME CAN CAUSE UNDESIRABLE
HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS AND MAY CREATE
A SAFETY HAZARD. MODIFICATION OF YOUR
VEHICLE BY ADDITION OF RACKS NOT SPECIFIED
BY THE MANUFACTURER TO CARRY ADDITIONAL
EQUIPMENT OR VEHICLES IS NOT RECOMMEND-
ED, MAY CREATE A SAFETY HAZARD, AND MAY
VOID YOUR WARRANTY.
Make a loading diagram of your properly loaded
motor home. It will help you locate where specific
items are stored, and will help speed the loading pro-
cess. Store emergency items in a readily accessible
location. Include tools, first-aid kit, rain gear, flashlight,
highway warning devices, and an electric cord with
light.
WARNING: DO NOT STORE OR CARRY LP GAS
CONTAINERS, GASOLINE, OR OTHER FLAM-
MABLE LIQUIDS INSIDE YOUR MOTOR HOME,
Trailer Hitches And Towing
If you expect to pull a trailer with your motor home, .
please use these guidelines when choosing a hitch and'
trailer:
'. Hitch classification: Class II
;. Limit the vertical hitch load (tongue weight of
the trailer) to a maximum. of 250 pounds.
Heavier vertical.-hitch loads can cause damage
to your motor home rear frame and body, cau.se
. unstable driving and ..
han.c;:Ilingpha~acteril)\ics,
and may restrict your rights under the Owner-
care warranty.
. .
• Do not tow
'8
trailer weighing more than 3.500
'" •. , pounds, or 'more than' recomme'nded "b'l'the'
chassis manufacturer, whichever is less. i:leavier
trailers can cause damage to the motor home
.;.,'
structure or drive train, cause unstable driving
or handling characteristics, or restrict your rights
under the Ownercare warranty.
• Check the following chart (provided by the
chassis manufacturer) to determine the Gross
Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) of the motor
home chassis. The GCWR is the total weight of
the fully loaded motor home with driver, all
passengers, all cargo and the fully loaded trailer.
Chassis
Axle
Manufacturer Engine
Ratio
GCWR
Chevrolet
7.4L (454) V8 Gas 4.73 14,000
Chevrolet 4.10 15,500
Chevrolet 4.56 17,500
Chevrolet
4.88
18,500
* Alternate gear ratios may be retrofitted for
special towing needs. Contact your local chassis
manufacturer dealer for chassis recommenda-
tions. Exceeding these GCWR's may cause
damage to your motor home drive train or
chassis, unstable driving and handling
characteristics, and may void your warranty.
• Weigh your motor home fully loaded with driver,
passengers, cargo, and the fully loaded trailer
attached. Do not exceed the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR)of any axle,and do not exceed
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of
either the motor home or the trailer, or the Gross
Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) of the motor
home. If any of t!:tese ratings are exceeded,
weight must be eliminated or shifted until scale
weights are equal to or less than ratings.
Towing Automobiles
If you plan to ·tow an automobile with your motor
. home,. the tongue weight must not exceed 250
pounds. Th,e .Gross Combilied
Wei~!:lt,(Ilust
not
ex~eed,
.the GCWRJls~ed·onthe-chart, ..
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.12
CAUTION: Towing devices (other than wheeled
dollies) that raise the front or rear wheels of the
vehicle In tow off' the grQund creatll tongue
weights in excess ofthe 250 pounds maxlmu.in,
and must not be used.