
6
You
must consider otherimportant weight factors if you
expect to pull a trailer, tow dolly, or another vehicle
behind your motorhome.Thesefactors have limitations
just like the weight factors above. These factors are:
GCWR-Gross
Combined Weight Rating
GTW-Gross
Towed Weight
MTW-Maximum
Tongue Weight
GAWR-Rear-Gross
AxleWeight Rating-Rear
axles
or
axles (if equipped with tag axles)
The ratings for these factors are all listed on the ward-
robe door tag.
If you expect to pull a vehicle with your motor home,
there are additional guidelines that you must follow:
•
•
•
Do not use a load equalizing hitch. It could
cause structural damage to the motor home
frame components.
Limitthe tongue weight
of
the trailer
or
towing
device
to
the
MTW
aslistedon the ratings tag.
Heavier tongue weights can damage your
motorhome frame and body, cause unstable
driving and handling characteristics, and will
restrict your coverage under the Ownercare
warranty.
Do not tow a vehicle weighing more than the
GTW
listedon the wardrobe doortag. Heavier
towed loads can cause braking problems,
damage the motor home structure
or
drive
train, cause unstabledriving
or
handlingchar-
acteristics, and restrict your coverage under
the Ownercare warranty. Changing the trailer
hitch will notincrease the tow capacity
of
the
motorhome.
The way your motor home handles will be affected by
the way the towed unit is loaded. If the tongue weight is
too light
in
relation
to
the GTW, handling problems can
result. Careful load planning and safe experimentation
with different loading patterns can help improve motor
home handling stability and make your driving and
towing experience more enjoyable.
WARNING
DO NOT EXCEEDTHE RATED LOADOFTHE
MOTOR HOME, OR THE RATED LOAD OF
ANY AXLE_ EXCEEDINGTHE GVWR, GAWR
OR
GCWR OF YOUR MOTOR HOME
WILL
REDUCEYOUR WARRANTY PROTECTION,
CAN CAUSE
UNDESIRABLE
HANDLING
CHARACTERISTICS AND MAY CREATE A
SAFETY HAZARD.
Carrying
Capacity
and
Load
Distribution
The allowable carrying capacity of the motor home is
the differencebetween the GVWRand the weightof the
empty motor home. When the motor home
is
being
designed, the number and size of storage compart-
ments, the liquid tank capacities and number of belted
seating positions are maximized for value and conve-
nience.lfyoufill all liquidtanksto capacity, fill all storage
compartments and cupboardsto maximumvolumeand
fill all available seating positions with passengers, the
motorhome will be overloaded.The number of passen-
gers and placement of cargo will affect the amount of
water and cargo that you can carry (See
"Loading
Tips").
In
addition to 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. When the
load isproperlydistributed,yourmotorhome will handle
better, and you
as
the driver will be more confident and
comfortable.
If
your motorhome is improperly loaded, driving will be
more uncomfortableand much ofyour driving attention
will be given to correcting vehiCle wandering, drift, pull
and sudden directional changescaused bywind blasts.
If
the front axle load is below 80-85% of the front axle
capacity, these handling discomforts will be more no-
ticeable. Always aim to load your motor home so that
the front axle is loaded to at least 80-85% of the front
GAWR.
Note: Carrying capacities
of
your motorhome
are specified
on
a label affixed to the inside
of
a wardrobe
door.
The
label includes all factory
installed options. If other equipment such as
leveling jacks, awnings, roof pods, etc., are
installed after the motor home leaves the
fac-
tory,
the weight
of
these items must be sub-
tracted from
the
total
of
the passenger and
cargo carrying capacities.
How
to
Weigh Your
Loaded
Motor
Home
Without
aTrailer
or
Other
Towed
Load
Refer to your local telephone directory to find a public
weigh station. The following procedures will help you
determinewhether your loaded motor home (complete
with cargo, fluids, passE)ngers, and driver) is within
GAWR, GVWR, and GCWR limits. When you arrive
at
aweighstation, the attendantwill guideyou throughthe
correct positioning of the motor home on the scales.
1.
Center the front wheels on the scale platform
andtakea reading.This is the front Gross Axle
Weight (Reading
1).