Using The Engine To Slow The Motor Home; Air Suspension System; Maneuvering In Traffic - Fleetwood EXPEDITION User Manual

Using the Engine to Slow
the Motor Home
To use the engine as a braking force, select the
next lower gear. Engine braking provides good
speed control for going down grades. When the
motor home is heavily loaded, or the grade is
steep, preselection of a lower gear prior to the
grade may be desirable.
Gear preselection means the selection of a
lower gear to match the driving conditions you
encounter or expect to encounter. Preselection
will give you better control on slick or icy roads
and on downgrades. Downshifting to lower
gears increases engine braking. The selection of
a lower gear often prevents cycling between a
gear and the next higher gear on a series of
short up-and-down hills.
AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM
Your motor home is equipped with air suspen-
sion. When the engine is started the suspension
will begin to fill with air, lifting the motor home
body 4-6 inches. A buzzer will sound until the
air tanks are sufficiently full for proper opera-
tion.
Your motor home has four suspension air bags -
two for each axle. The pressure in these bags is
controlled by three air valves. These valves are
preset and determine the distance between the
chassis and axle, or "ride height." Each air bag
may contain a different air pressure. This pres-
sure is determined automatically by the system
to maintain a level chassis, and is continually
adjusted as long as the chassis engine is
runnmg.
The air suspension system is not the same as the
Leveling System. See Leveling System.
MANEUVERING IN TRAFFIC
Be cautious when maneuvering to allow for the
length and width of the vehicle. Always allow
room to comer and to change lanes. Your vehicle's
On The Road
side view mirrors and rear view camera monitor
(if equipped) will help you keep aware of your
vehicle's position and the position of other vehi-
cles and/or obstructions near your motor home.
You must monitor them constantly while you are
driving. Become familiar with the operation of the
side mirrors and learn to use them to view objects
and the road beside and behind the motor home.
The rear view mirrors are controlled from a
panel located on the driver's left side instrument
panel. To adjust the mirrors, select either LEFT
or RIGHT mirror and press the appropriate
arrow. Activate the mirror heaters (if equipped)
by pressing the HEATER position.
Remember that your motor home is heavier than
a car, making it less maneuverable and harder to
stop. Also, because of its greater side surface
area, it is more easily affected by cross winds.
Allow extra distances for passing and stopping.
,/1
NOTE
1
Although your motor home is equipped with power
steering, the front wheels may be difficult to turn
when at
a
dead stop. When maneuvering in some
close situations, give yourself some room to move
either forward or backward. The vehicle has to be in
motion for the front wheels to be turned with ease.
Driving on winding or mountain roads is not
difficult if done with reasonable care. Observe
proper vehicle speeds when ascending or
descending hills and always operate in the
proper transmission range. Downshift on hills to
avoid overheating or undue engine loads.
Downshift when descending grades.
Engine compression and friction will help con-
trol vehicle speed, and relieve some of the strain
on the brakes. Shift the transmission to a lower
gear before starting down the grade.
Mountain driving or desert temperatures can put
extreme demands on drivetrain components.
Under extreme heat conditions you may need to
turn off the vehicle air conditioner to improve
engine and transmission cooling.
05-17
- -
1
- - - - -