Motor Home Loading; Determining And Distributing Your Motor Home Load - Fleetwood Jamboree 1985 Owner's Manual

MOTOR HOME LOADING
A motor home chassis (springs, wheels, tires,
axles, and frame) is designed to carry a certain
maximum load. This load consists of the weight of
the empty motor home itself, plus weight added in
the form of water, food, clothing, and anything else
that may be stored in or attached to the motor
home. The maximum load for which the motor
home is designed is called the GROSS VEHICLE
WEIGHT RATING (GVWR).
Another critical weight factor is the GROSS AXLE
WEIGHT RATING (GAWR). This is the maximum
weight a specific axle is designed to carry. Again
the rating represents empty vehicle weight plus
load. The weight is divided between each axle and
each has its own GAWR. The total of all axle loads
must not exceed the overall GVWR.
In addition t6 knowing the overall weight that can
be safely loaded in or attached to the motor home,
you must know how to distribute the weight so that
correct amounts of weight are placed on the axles.
The allowable carrying capacity of the motor home
is found by weighing the motor home empty, and
subtracting this weight from the GVWR.
DETERMINING AND DISTRIBUTING
YOUR MOTOR HOME LOAD
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for your motor
home are shown on the certification tag posted on
the driver's door jamb. These ratings are for a fully-
loaded vehicle including passengers and normal be-
longings. You must compare the GVWR to the
loaded weight of your motor home. If the loaded
weight of your motor home exceeds the GVWR or
the weight on any axle exceeds that axle's GAWR,
the motor home is overloaded and you'll have to
remove items to bring the weight down to or below
the GVWR and GAWR. Follow the method outlined
here to determine the weight of your motor home.
Use a platform scale, and keep the motor home as
level as possible during all measurements.
1. Drive the front wheels onto the scale platform
and take a reading. This is the front Gross
Axle Weight.
2. Drive the entire vehicle (both axles) onto the
scale and take a reading. This is the Gross Ve-
hicle Weight.
3. Drive forward until only the rear axle is on
the platform. This reading is rear Gross Axle
Weight.
4
4. Compare reading 2 with the GVWR (Gross Ve-
hicle Weight Rating) of your vehicle. If the
reading exceeds the GVWR rating, you will
have to reduce the total vehicle load.
5. If reading 2 is less than the GVWR of your
vehicle, check readings 1 and 3 to verify that
each is less than the GAWR on the certifica-
tion tag. If either exceeds the GAWR for the
axle, redistribute enough of the load to ensure
that loads on the front and rear axles are with-
in the required limit.
Periodically reweigh your motor home. Different
traveling configurations may change your loading
and weight pattern.
WARNING: DO NOT EXCEED THE RATED
LOAD OF THE MOTOR HOME, OR THE RATED
LOAD OF ANY AXLE.
NOTE: THE PASSENGER AND CARGO CARRY-
ING CAPACITIES OF YOUR MOTOR HOME ARE
SPECIFIED ON A LABEL AFFIXED TO THE IN-
SIDE OF A WARDROBE DOOR. THE LABEL IN-
CLUDES ALL FACTORY INSTALLED OPTIONS.
IF OTHER EQUIPMENT SUCH AS LEVELING
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