Vehicle Loading And Weighing Capacity - Fleetwood Southwind eagle 1 1984 User Manual

4
WARNING
EXCEEDING THE GAWR OR GVWR OF
YOUR MOTOR HOME CAN CAUSE UN-
DESIRABLE HANDLING CHARACTER-
ISTICS AND MAY CREATE A SAFETY
HAZARD. MODIFICATION OF YOUR
VEHICLE BY ADDITION OF RACKS NOT
SPECIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER TO
CARRY ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT OR
VEHICLES IS NOT RECOMMENDED AND
MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT YOUR
WARRANTY RIGHTS.
WARNING
DO NOT EXCEED 250 POUNDS HITCH
WEIGHT OR 3500 POUNDS GROSS
TRAILER WEIGHT. UNSAFE HANDLING
CHARACTERISTICS WILL RESULT, FRAME
AND POWER TRAIN MAY BE DAMAGED,
AND YOUR WARRANTY RIGHTS MAY BE
ADVERSELY AFFECTED.
DO NOT EXCEED CHASSIS MANUFAC·
TURER'S LIMITATIONS ON TOWING
WEIGHT .
•
Every pound of extra weight means extra
gasoline consumption. Don't carry any
more than you need.
VEHICLE LOADING
AND WEIGHING
Your motor home is designed to carry the loads defined by the
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) and gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) shown on the certification tag posted on the
driver's door jamb. These ratings are for a fully-loaded vehicle
including passengers and normal belongings.
Periodically weigh the fully-loaded motor home including driver,
passengers, cargo, and trailer (if any) at a public scale to
determines axle loads. Use the following procedure or any other
method recommended by the scale operator which correctly
determines weight values. Keep the vehicle as level as possible
during all measurements.
1. Run the front wheels onto the scale platform and obtain a
reading. (This first value is the front axle Gross Axle
Weight.)
2. Next, place the entire vehicle (both axles) on the scale and
obtain a reading. (This second value is Gross Vehicle
Weight.)
3. Drive forward until only the rear axle is on the platform and
obtain a reading. (This third reading is rear axle Gross Axle
Weight.)
4. Compare reading 2 with the GVWR of your vehicle. If this
reading exceeds the GVWR rating, it will be necessary to
reduce 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 certification tag. If either exceeds the GAWR for the
axle, redistribute enough equipment from front to back or
back to front to ensure that loads on front and rear axles are
within the required limit.
Check vehicle weight periodically to obtain optimum mileage
from tires and improve handling. Tires should always be inflated
as recommended in the Chassis Manufacturer's Instructions. See
your Chassis Operator's Manual.