Towing A Vehicle Or Trailer ("Towed Load Or Towed Unit") - Fleetwood Southwind Owner's Manual

On The Road
!
WARNING
The heaviest loaded motor home with all pas-
sengers, goods, water, driver and towed vehicle
must not exceed any of the following:
1. The gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR).
2. The gross combination weight rating (GCWR).
3. The front/rear gross axle weight ratings
(GAWRs).
4. The individual tire and wheel ratings.
Towing a Vehicle or Trailer
("Towed Load or Towed Unit")
NOTE
3
Some states and provinces require brakes and safety
chains when towing vehicles. Consult the proper
authorities in the states or provinces through which
you will be traveling.
When you use your motor home to tow, remember
that you must stop the towed load with your motor
home's brakes. This is critical on hills and in the
mountains where you may encounter sharp curves
and possibly irregular road surfaces. Check your
motor home Chassis Operator's/Owner's
Guide/Manual for the maximum weight your
motor home can pull and stop on both level and
steep roads.
NOTE
3
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 recommended that the towed vehicle or
trailer be equipped with a properly installed and
operating supplemental brake control system that
operates in combination with the brakes on your
motor home. The supplemental brakes will NOT
allow you to tow more than the listed GCWR for
your motor home. If you cannot stop, you will
crash.
05-2
You must not exceed the tire capacities or the
weight factors listed below if you expect to tow
something behind your motor home, either with or
without a dolly. The factors are:
• GCWR - Gross Combined Weight Rating
• MGTW - Maximum Gross Towed Weight
• MTW - Maximum Tongue Weight
• GAWR - Gross Axle Weight Rating
The ratings for the above factors are all listed
on the Federal Certification Tag posted inside
the motor home.
• Tire Capacity
The tire capacity is dependent upon the infla-
tion pressure set at the load applied.
If you expect to tow with your motor home, there
are additional guidelines that you must follow:
• Do not use a load equalizing hitch if your
hitch head receiver rating is below 10,000
lbs. capacity. It could cause structural
damage to the motor home frame
components.
• Do not exceed Maximum Tongue Weight
as listed on the Federal Certification Tag.
Heavier tongue weights can change your
vehicle's handling and response, can cause
a vehicle to crash, and will restrict your
coverage under the Owner Care Warranty.
• Do not tow anything weighing more than
the GTW listed on the Federal Certification
Tag. Heavier towed loads can exceed your
chassis' ability to pull and stop the load and
cause a vehicle crash, damage the motor
home structure or drive train, and restrict
your coverage under the Fleetwood or chas-
sis manufacturer's warranty. Changing the
trailer hitch will not increase the tow capac-
ity of the motor home.
• Consult the Chassis Operator's/Owner's
Guide/Manual, and U.S. state and
Canadian provincial laws for towing weight
limits and for guidelines for installing sup-
plemental braking systems that operate with
your motor home's brakes.