Fleetwood Expedition 2009 Service Manual page 11

or other loads behind your motor home.
The maximum amount of weight your
motor home can pull or stop is determined
by the manufacturer of the chassis on
which your motor home is built. Check the
Chassis Operator's/Owner's Guide!
Manual provided by the motor home chas-
sis manufacturer for the limits on the
weight you can tow.
.1' 1
NOTE
1
In most cases the GCWR of the
chassis
and the fin·
ished motor home are the same. In some cases, due
to the equipped hitch receiver, the GCWR may be
reduced. Please refer to the Federal Certification Tag
posted in your motor home for the rated GCWR.
If the Chassis Operator's/Owner's Guide/
Manual equipped with your motor home
does not provide specific information on
towing weight limits, it is strongly recom-
mended that the towed vehicle or trailer be
equipped with a properly installed and oper-
ating supplemental brake control system
that operates in combination with the brakes
on your motor home.
o
You may be able to increase the weight of
any towed load by properly installing on the
towed load a supplemental brake control
system that operates with your motor
home's braking system. Even with addi-
tional brakes, you cannot tow more than the
GTW or GCWR for the chassis under your
motor home. Again, check the Chassis
Operator's/Owner's Guide!Manual.
o
You CANNOT increase the towed weight
limit by changing the size of your hitch.
o
Propedy load what you tow to avoid a
vehicle crash.
o
Do not attempt to tow something that is
too heavy for your chassis.
o
When driving in mountainous areas,
look for and obey highway signs con-
cerning grades and curves. Your <hiving
experience when pulling and stopping a
Introduction
towed unit on mountain roads will be very
different from what you experience on
level ground.
• State laws in the United States and provin-
ciallaws in Canada vary concerning towing
equipment requirements and limits. Check
the laws in the areas where you anticipate
traveling.
Alterations to Your Motor Home
Many motor home owners like to add a
personal touch to their motor home. But
there is a difference between changing how
your motor home looks versus how it
handles or responds to driver inputs. If you
expect to make any type of alteration to
your motor home, consult a professional
who understands the correct way to do the
alteration and how the alteration will
change or affect the stability, handling,
vehicle response, and overall performance
and safety of your motor home.
An
improper alteration that affects vehicle
handling or response call cause a vehicle
crash, and allY improper alteration to the
electrical or Propane systems call cause a
fire and can endanger your motor home
and its occupants. Fleetwood, your chassis
and other manufacturers stand behind the
motor home as delivered - NOT as altered
by someone else.
Warning Devices
Your motor home is equipped with warning
devices. Check them before a trip for
proper operation. A disabled warning
device cannot warn you or vehicle occu-
pants of a life-threatening danger. Keep
them working and respond to them quickly.
Examples of These Devices Include:
o
Carbon Monoxide Detector!Alarm
o
Propane Detector! Alarm
o
Smoke Detector! Alarm
o
Seat Belt Warnings
o
Hazard Flashers
01-5