Hitch; Using The Rear Receiver - Holiday Rambler Imperial 2008 Owner's Manual

DRIVING & SAFETY — 2
CAUTION:
Open the bay doors slowly after a trip
as cargo may shift during travel.
WARNING:
To avoid injury, never place hands or
fingers near the edges of the bay door
when opening or closing. Always use the
latch handle. Apply pressure with the
other hand just above the latch handle.
TIPS:
Multi-purpose items, versatile clothing
and periodic removal of unused cargo
will streamline cargo storage.

HITCH

Using the Rear Receiver

When using the rear hitch receiver, remember
that the motorhome is intended for towing light
loads and is primarily designed as a recreational
vehicle. Safety and durability of the hitch
receiver requires proper use. Avoid excessive
towing loads or other misuse of the receiver.
Towing will affect fuel economy.
22
Weight pushing down on the rear hitch
(tongue weight) must not exceed 10% of
maximum tow capacity. It is recommended to
weigh the motorhome when fully loaded to
ensure proper weight distribution of the GCVW
(Gross Combined Vehicle Weight).
When weighing the motorhome, add all
passenger weight to the GCVW total. The
motorhome fully loaded, including fresh water,
LP-Gas and any vehicle or trailer towed, must
not exceed the GCWR (Gross Combined
Weight Rating).
WARNING:
Most states and Canadian provinces
020065d
require trailers and/or towed vehicles
to have adequate auxiliary brakes.
Failure to comply with these State and
Canadian province requirements may
result in fines and/or pose a safety
hazard, which may result in an accident.
WARNING:
DO NOT tow a trailer or vehicle that
exceeds the rated capacity of the
hitch receiver. Overloading the hitch
receiver can cause unusual handling
characteristics and overstress the hitch
receiver and chassis. It could also void
the warranty. If there are any questions,
call customer support.
2 00 8 I MP E R I A L
Ball Mount:
Ball mounts come in
various confi gurations
and weight limitations.
There are three things to
consider when selecting
a ball mount: weight
rating, pin to ball center
length and rise/drop. The
weight rating of the ball
mount, tongue weight
and tow weight must
meet or exceed the total
load weight. Pin to ball
100200
center should not exceed
8". Ball mounts of longer
length will signifi cantly
reduce the weight
rating of the hitch
receiver. Observe weight
reduction percentages
that may be listed on
ball mounts longer than
8". Selecting how much
rise or drop a ball mount
will need is relative to hitch
receiver height and height
of the towed load with
respect to the type of towing
equipment between the
motorhome and towed load.
Distance from the
center of the hitch ball
hole to the center of
the pin hole.
Distance from the
shank to the top of the
hitch ball platform.
020314
Distance from the
top of the shank to
the top of the hitch
ball platform.