Weighing The Motorhome - Monaco 2002 Diplomat Service Manual

Improperly inflated tires, or suspension that is incorrectly loaded, can
result in poor fuel economy, poor handling and over-stressed chassis compo-
nents. Vehicle loading affects tire inflation pressure and the load carried by
each axle. Motorhome axle configuration and floor plan styles will require
different weighing procedures.
WARNING: Improperly inflated or overloaded tires can
cause a blowout. An overloaded axle can cause a compo-
nent failure of the suspension system. Tire blowouts or bro-
ken suspension components can lead to loss of vehicle con-
trol resulting in property damage, personal injury or death.
CAUTION: If actual weight carried by any tire is below
the tire chart weight specification a minimum tire pressure
of at least 75 psi. must be maintained. Tire pressure below
75 psi. can overheat and damage the tire casing leading to
premature tire failure or blowout.
Slide-Out Tire Pressure:
A motorhome equipped with slide-out room(s) will weigh slightly heavier
on the road side. The tire inflation pressure of the road side tires determines the
inflation pressure for all tire(s) on that axle. This is due to the weight transfer
that occurs when cornering. Approximately the same weight load will be
transferred to the curb side around left-hand corners.
NOTE: When weighing a motorhome equipped with a
slide-out room, each tire on any axle must be inflated to the
same pressure. The wheel position carrying the most weight
will determine the tire inflation pressure for each tire of
that particular axle.
Scale:
Certified public scales are located in a variety of places such as moving
and storage lots, farm suppliers with grain elevators, gravel pits, recycling
companies and large commercial truck stops.
To locate nearby public scale, check the local area telephone book
yellow pages under "scales-public" section or "weighers." A nominal fee will
be charged, but this is money wisely spent.
Weight scale types and weighing methods will affect the procedure used
to determine proper tire inflation pressure and axle loading. The size of some
scales will allow the entire motorhome to fit on the scale, which will read the
GVW with only one scale recording required. Other scales are designed to
weigh only one axle at a time, which may require two or three scale readings
to determine the GAW or GVW total. Some scales will read only one wheel
position at a time due their physical size. Several scale readings may be
required to determine the GAW or GVW total.
Slide-out equipped motorhomes will require each wheel position to be
weighed. This is referred to as a four corner weigh. This type of weighing
procedure will accurately determine what the correct tire inflation pressure
should be. Depending on the type of scale being used, several different scale
readings may be required.
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D I P L O M A T
Driving & Safety
WEIGHING THE
MOTORHOME
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