Off-Road Towing; When Being Passed; Backing Up; Stopped On A Hill - Airstream Pendleton Owner's Manual

Towing
On slippery pavement, do not use engine drag to
help slow down as this may cause the rear wheels
of the tow vehicle to skid. On icy pavement, drive
slowly and, if you feel the tow vehicle skidding,
gently apply the trailer brakes only. This will bring
the tow vehicle and trailer back into a single line.
Chains do not help trailer wheels.

Off-Road Towing

When driving in mud and sand, let the momentum
carry the rig through Apply power gently and use as
little as possible Stay in the tracks of the vehicle ahead
and keep the tow vehicle in the highest possible gear If
you get stuck, it is best to tow out the entire rig together
without unhitching

When Being Passed

Despite the best hitch, you will notice that whenever
a large bus or truck overtakes your rig, the displaced
air first pushes the trailer rear slightly to the right and
then affects the front It may be necessary to steer
very slightly, momentarily, toward the bus or truck to
help compensate for the sway induced by the passing
vehicle Do not apply the vehicle brakes, as this
can tend to exaggerate the situation. You may find,
however, that briefly applying the trailer brakes with
your manual control will help eliminate sway
On a two-lane road, cars may line up behind you
because you travel at a lower speed It is both
courteous and sensible, if you are able, to signal, pull
onto the shoulder, and let them pass Your trailer is
designed to be towed easily at any legal speed, so if
you are not careful, you may be inclined to forget it is
there
Passing
On freeways or expressways, pick the lane you want
and try to stay in it Always maintain plenty of space
between you and the car ahead, at least the length of
the tow vehicle plus trailer, for every ten miles per hour
Remember that in order to pass another vehicle, you
will need longer to accelerate You must also allow for
the length of the trailer when returning to the right hand
lane
7-6
WARNING

Backing Up

When backing up, the important thing to remember is
to do everything slowly and to immediately correct if
you see the trailer turning the wrong way Concentrate
on the rear of the trailer With your tow vehicle and
trailer in a straight line, back up slowly and turn the
bottom of the steering wheel in the direction you
want the trailer to go Watch out of the window or in
the mirror until the rear of the trailer is pointing in the
desired direction Your tow vehicle will be following the
trailer in an arc Straighten the tow vehicle and trailer
by turning the steering wheel more sharply, and then,
when they are in line, straighten the steering wheel
Always try to back to your left because the visibility is
much better. When you don't make it on the first try, it
is usually much easier to pull forward to your original
position and start over, or at least pull forward until the
rig is straight, and then start backing
If your spouse or traveling companion normally directs
you when backing, they should position themselves
forward of the tow vehicle so the driver can easily see
them Their directions should always indicate to the
driver the direction the rear of the trailer should go
A little practice in a parking lot with the person giving
directions can save a lot of frustration when backing
into a campsite

Stopped On a Hill

Refer to the following warning if stopped on a hill for a
prolonged period of time
Chock the trailer wheels when stopping on a hill
or slope. Leaving your tow vehicle in gear is not
enough for standstill safety. Do not use trailer
brakes as parking brakes.

Controlling Sway or Fishtailing

Sway or fishtailing is the sideways action of a
trailer caused by external forces It is common for
travel trailers to sway in response to strong winds,
crosswinds, when passed by or passing a semi-tractor
and trailer, or driving downhill
WARNING