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TRAVELING WITH YOUR MOTORHOME
(See also SAFETY PRECAUTIONS, Section 1
of this manual.)
LOADING THE
VEHICLE
NOTE: Your motor home's load capacity is
designated by weight, not by volume, so
you cannot necessarily use all available
space when loading your motor home.
When loading the vehicle, distribute the cargo
load equally so that you do not exceed either the
Front or Rear Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR). The Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) means the weight value specified by
the chassis manufacturer as the load carrying ca-
pacity of a single axle system as measured at the
tire-to-ground interfaces. This is the total weight
a given axle is capable of carrying. Each axle has
its own rating.
Have your vehicle weighed to determine the
proper load distribution for your vehicle. Also
distribute cargo side-to-side so the weight on
each tire or dual set does not exceed one half of
the GAWR for either axle.
For example, if the Front GAWR is 6,000 lbs.,
there should be no more than 3,000 lbs. on each
tire. If the left side weighs 3,100 lbs. and the right
side weighs 2,700 lbs., at least 100 lbs. of the load
should be shifted from the left side to the right
side. The GVWR is listed on the Vehicle Certifi-
cation Label. (See Introduction Section).
The GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rat-
ing) means the maximum allowable loaded
weight of this motor home and any towed trailer
or towed vehicle. If trailer towing is not recom-
mended, the GCWR will equal the GVWR.
NOTE: We recommend that you dump all hold-
ing tanks before traveling to avoid car-
rying unnecessary weight.
SECTION 4
CAUTION
The weight of the loaded vehicle
(including options, attachments, pas-
sengers, water, fuel, luggage and all
other cargo) must not exceed the
GVWR or GAWR of either axle.
FRONT AXLE TIRE
ALIGNMENT
We recommend that you have the front
suspension and steering alignment checked and
adjusted after you have fully loaded the vehicle
according to your needs. Thereafter, have align-
ment inspected periodically to maintain vehicle
steering performance and prevent uneven tire
wear.
WEIGHING YOUR
LOADED VEHICLE
To check the weight of your fully loaded
coach, locate a commercial weighing scale that is
capable of weighing large trucks.
Drive the entire coach onto the scale. This
weight should not exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) specified on the Vehi-
cle Certification Label near the driver seat. (See
sample in the Introduction Section).
Loading: Load your vehicle completely as if
you were going on a long trip, with everything
you would carry, including food, clothing, bed-
ding, lawn chairs, etc., a full fuel tank, full LP
tank, and maybe a partial tank of fresh water -
but empty holding tanks.
Finding a Scale: In urban areas, the most
common places to find a public access scale are
commercial truck stops. In rural areas, most
grain storage elevators have scales available. If
4-1
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