Hitching Up - Airstream Excella 500 1973 Owner's Manual

Hitching Up
Hitching your Airstream trailer is something
that will become almost second nature with
practice. However, there are a few tips, learned
from experience, which will help you.
The electric jack is strongly recommended for
anyone who, for any reason, should not
physically exert himself. Available as a
factory option or through the Wally Byam
Stores, the electric jack makes hitching and
unhitching a much easier operation.
Steps for Hitching Up
1. Jack up the trailer hitch until there is
clearance for the hitch ball to slide under,
remove safety pin and raise the locking lever.
2. Back the car straight back to the hitch.
This can best be accomplished through the
use of pre-arranged hand signals with the help
of another person, but if you are hitching up
by yourself we recommend the use of a
hook-up view mirror.
3. Lower the trailer hitch onto the hitch ball;
then close the locking lever and insert safety
pin. Note the height of the hitch ball.
4. Now raise the trailer and car to the full
height of the hitch jack and then attach the
leveling bars. Lower the car and trailer and
note the height of the hitch ball. The object is
to adjust the tension on the load leveling bars
so that the car and trailer are held up about
1" higher at the hitch ball than before the
bars were attached. This will result in the best
balance for towing and steering control as the
weight equalizing hitch transmits the hitch
weight of the trailer via the load leveling bars
Hitch Installation Proper - Hitch ball slightly higher.
Hitch Low ~ Load on front wheels too light.
Need more tension on load equalizing bars.
Hitch High
-
Load on front wheels too heavy.
Too much tension on load equalizing bars.
Step 3.
Safety Chains
Electrical
Connector
Leveling Bars
Power Jack
(optional)
Break Away
Switch
Locking
Safety Pin
Coupler
Dolly Wheel
Break Away
Switch Cable
Hitching Up Equipment
onto all four wheels of the car. A little
practice with your rig will teach you how far
to pull up the bar, and you may wish to mark
the chain links that match your rig. Always
choose level ground for checking correct
hook-up. For further information see hitch
manufacturers' literature.
Note: If your car is equipped with adjustable
load leveling air shocks, you must load the car
first with typical luggage and passengers and
bring it back to level. Then attach the trailer
and adjust the load leveling bars. Otherwise
the air shocks on your car will overload the
rear wheels.
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