Loading Tips; Trailer Hitches And Towing - Fleetwood tioga 1989 Manual

Periodically reweigh your motor home. Different
traveling configurations may change your loading and
weight pattern.
WARNING: DO NOT EXCEED THE RATED LOAD OF
THE MOTOR HOME, OR THE RATED LOAD OF ANY
AXLE.
NOTE: CARRYING CAPACmES OF YOUR MOTOR
HOME ARE SPECIFIED ON A LABEL AFFIXED TO
THE INSIDE OF A WARDROBE DOOR. THE LABEL
INCWDES AlL FACTORY INSTALLED OPTIONS. IF
OTHER EQUIPMENT SUCH AS LEVEUNG JACKS,
AWNINGS, ROOF PODS, ETC., ARE INSTALLED
AFTER THE MOTOR HOME LEAVES THE FACTORY,
THE WEIGHT OF THESE ITEMS MUST BE SUB-
TRACTED FROM THE lOTAL OF THE PASSENGER
AND CARGO CARRYING CAPACITIES. IF YOU TOW
A TRAILER, THE TONGUE WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER
MUST BE SUBTRACTED FROM THE lOTAL OF THE
PASSENGER AND CARO CARRYING CAPACITIES.
Loading Tips
After you have determined how much weight you can
safely carry and selected those items to make up that
weight. make a list and keep it for future
reference. Load
the motor home and distribute the load so that you get
proper weight on the axles. Do not load upper cabinets
with heavy items. Secure and braca items so they won't
move during travel, thereby shifting the load in the
motor
home. Do not load heavy items near either end of the
14
motor home or on the rear bumper. Adjust cargo storage
to keep the side to side wheel loads as equal as possi-
ble. Carry only as much 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
COMPONENT OF THE MOTOR HOME. DAMAGE
TO THE MOTOR HOME BODY AND UNSTABLE
HANDUNG 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 ADDmON OF RACKS NOT
SPECIFIED
BY
THE MANUFACTURER TO CARRY
ADDmONAL EQUIPMENT OR VEHICLES IS NOT
RECOMMENDED, 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
• Umit the vertical hitch load (tongue weight of trailer)
to a maximum of 250 pounds. Heavier vertical hitch
loads can cause damage to your motor home rear
frame and body, cause unstable driving and handling
characteristics, and may restrict your rights under the
Ownercare warranty.
• Do not tow a trailer weighing more than 3500
pounds, or more than recommended by the chassis
manufacturer, whichever is less. Heavier trailers can
cause damage to the motor hom" stmc:ture or drive
train, cause unstable
dlivin\!
01
handling
characteristics, or reSbict your rights under the Owner-
care warranty.
• Consult your chassis manufacturer dealer for the
Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWRI of the motor
horne chassis. The GCWR is the total weight of the
fully loaded motor home with driver, all passengers
and all cargo. and the fully loaded trailer.
• Information on specific combinetlons of engines, axle
ratios. and Gross Combined Weight Ratings applicable
to towing situations is available through your dealer