Fleetwood TIOGA ARROW 1986 User manual

TIOGA
ARROW
BY FLEET1NCDO
1986

SAFETY REGULATIONS REGAROING lP GAS SYSTEMS
ANO lP GAS APPLIANCES
The manufacture. of th ,S re cre atIonal veh,cle IS leQul.ed to fUfntsh the f ollow -
,ng consumer ,nl ofrna\lon as pfov, ded by The N3tlonal Fire Prev enll on AS SOC HI-
tlon and the Ame lie an National Standards Inslllute.. Th e ,nl ormallon and warn
Ings found here may also be found in othe. se ctIo ns 01 th. s Owner's Ma nual.
Please see sect ions titled " lIqu id Petroleum Gas Syst em" and "Appliances" tor
o
lhe. sa fety and operat,ng ,nfo.mallon.
WARNING :
lP GAS C ONTAINERS SHALL NOT BE PlACED OR STORED INSIDE THE VEH IC LE lP GAS
CON TA I NERS ARE EQUlPPfD WITH SAFETY DEVICES WHICH RElIEVE EXCESSIVE
PRESSURE BY DISCHARGI NG GAS TO THE ATMOSPHERE .
WARNING :
IT
IS NOT SAFE TO USE COOKIN G APPLIANCES FOR COMFORT HEATING. COOKING
APPLIANCES NEED FRESH AIR FOR SAFE OPERATION . BEFORE OPERATION :
1. OPEN O VE RHEAD V ENT OR TURN ON EXHAUST FAN , AND
2 OPEN WINDOW
THIS WARNING
LABEL HAS BEEN LOCATED IN THE COOkiNG AREA TO REMIND YOU
TO PROVIDE AN AOEQUATE SUPPLY OF FRESH AIR FOR COM BUSTION . UNLIkE HOMES .
THE AMOUNT OF OXYGEN SUPPLY IS LIMITED DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE RECREA-
TIONAL V EH IC LE, AND PROPER VENTILATION WHEN USING THE COOKING
APPLIANCES,S!
WilL AVOID DANGERS OF ASPHYXIATION IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPOR -
TANT THAT
COOKING APPliANCES NOT BE USED FOR COMFORT HEATIN G AS THE
DANGER OF ASPHYXIATION IS GREATER WHEN THE APPLIANCE IS USED FOR LONG
PERIODS OF TIME .
WARNING :
PORTABLE FUEL - BURNING EQUIPMENT. INCWOING WOOD AND CHARCOAL GRilLS AND
ST OV ES , SHALL NOT BE USED INSIDE THIS RECREATIONAL V EHICLE THE USE OF
THIS EQUIPMENT IN SIDE THE RECREATIONAL V EHICLE MAY CAUSE FIRES OR
ASP H YX IA TION
WA RNIN G:
DO NOT BRING OR STOR E LP GAS CONT AINERS _ GASOLINE , OR OTHER FLAMMABLE
lI0UlOS INSIDE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE A FIRE OR EXPLOSION MA Y RESUL T.
A warning lab
el has been IOCited nelr the lP gas container This label reads: 00 NOT
FilL CONTAIN ER ,SI TO MORE THAN 80 PfRCENT OF CAPACITY .
Ovetfillinlil the
lP g as eo ntainer can result in uncontrolled ga s flow which ea n eaule lir e
or elplosion. A properly fijled eOll tlintl wiQ COOlain apjlfOllimately 80 percent of its volume
IS ~quid lP gas
The following label ha s been pI' ced in Ihe vehi~le nea r th e r .n ge . r eB
IF YOU SMELL GAS :
1. hllnguish any open lIam es. pilOt lights and an smoking mate.ials,
2. 00 not toueh electrical switche s.
3. Shut off t he ga s supply at tIM lank val'l'll(s) or gas supply eonnectlOn
4. Open doors and otner ve ntilating openings.
5 l eave the IreB unlil olio. clears
6. H awe the gls system checked Ind l ea kage source cOfTe ctltd before USing Igli n
LP gas regulato., must al wa ys be in statled with Ihe diap/'1rlgm 'I'IInt laelng downward
Regu ia lOls IIIaI are not in eompartmenTS have been equipped with a pr OT ective CO'I'IIf. Make
su re Ihat regulator vent laclls downward and the eovel ;s kepI in ptace to minimize ven!
blockage whi
ch could l esUIt in e ~c. ss i...e gas pressu.e c au si ng fire or e:o.piosion .

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Front End Alignment
PLANNING AND PREPARATION
Read the Book ..
Inspect and Maintain
Loadmg and Weight Distribution
Control of the Motor Hom e
MOTOR HOME LOADING
Determlnmg and Distributing
Your Motor Home Load
Loading Tips
Trailer Hitch es and Towing
Towmg Automobiles
READY TO LEAVE
Starting and Warmup
SafelY Bells
ON THE ROAD
Driving and Parkmg
Pa~kmg On A Grade With A Trailer
Miscellaneous Safety TIps
Carbon Monoxide Safety Precautions
Overheating
12-Volt Fuse Replacement
Tires
Changing A Flat Tire
Towing
AuxIliary Start System
AutomotIVe Air Condilloner
SERVICE
Motor Home ChassIs Operator 's Manual
Battery ServICe.
GeneralOr Power Plant System Service
INTERIOR
AND FURNISHING
Storage ....
Dinette Conversions
Pull, oul Lounge Conversion
Emergency EXit Window
Effects of Prolonged Occupancy
Controlling MOisture Condensation
1
2
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
5
5
5
6
6
6
7
7
7
7
8
8
8
8
9
11
11
12
13
13
13
13
15
15
15
15
16
16
16
LIQUID PETROLEUM GAS SYSTEM
Fllimg
LP Gas Tanks
LP Gas Regulator
Using LP Gas System at L ow Temperatures
LP Gas System Leak Checks . .
Lighting LP Gas Appliances.
LP Gas Pr eca uti ons
PLUMBING
Fresh Wate r System
The Wate r Pump
The Monitor Panel
Troubleshooting the Fresh Wate r Sys tem
Water Pump Troubleshooting
The Waste Water System .
Wate r System Winte rizIng
ELECTRICAL SY STEM
Batteries
Power Converter
Auxiliary Battery
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Ground Fault Interrupter
EntertaInment Equipment
TV Antenna ..
Gener ator Power Plant
Electrical
System Wiring.
APPLIANCES
Water Heater
Furnace
Range
Range
Exhaust Hood
Air Cond Iti oner . .
RefrIgerator s
Smoke Detector.
MAINTENANCE
ExterIor
Sealant Renewal
In
tenor
MAINTENANCE
TRAVEl CHECK LIST
INDEX
18
18
18
18
18
18
19
20
20
21
21
21
23
23
25
27
27
28
29
29
29
29
29
29
30
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
33
33
33
34
37
38
39

FULL ONE-YEAR/15,OOO MILE
r----WARRANTy-----,
FOR MOTOR HOMES MANUFACTURED BY SUBSIDIARIES OF flEETWOOD ENTERPRISES, INC .
SOlD IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
COVERAGE PROVIDED
'Iou. ne ..... molo' t>ome. IncludIng , he l,'UCtu.o), J)lumbl"ll ""al""11 and ele<:wcal IV'S!"'"' and ~ ap"" .nce • ....t eqUlpmem " .. IIDed by the
I nin"tacw'~,. IS ",."ao, .. <1 un!le. "" ' m~1 use 10 be ', ee '. om m~n"l.c""'no (\elects In m. ' ~"" '" wo' ~ m ... sh,p,
The w .. ".nIV exTends 10 the '''51 .e.ao! pUrch'Se< lind h'$ Iransl,reelsl and bell'ru 011 I IIe date 01 ""Q"'81 ret aIl dehvery o. The dale ,h., mo ' Or
hom<! IS \"51 placad ....." se,~oce .... ,.n .al. commerel~ o. <!ern(J(l$U.I Of unl' CWhlChever OCCUrS torsll Tho; ..... nan ty .. "ends 1 <)0" I peflod of
one Vell. I.om such diU, or "nUl the ....., II .... ece..ed 15.000 "'tal miles 0/ use as d<! •• rm,ned by tile moleltge <hoW" on ,"" oOo", .. 'e. Iwnoc_,
<KGu," '''sti. W t<tt on "" 'r Ce 01 det ec ts must two 1I",.,n to T hG .e lilng dule . 0' I ~e rn~nulac t,,, c. n<l1 I. te. ,1I~n len 1101 d "~S lIh... the e ~ PI •• "on
0' the "PIltOC~ble """In'" pe.ood.
OWNER S OBlIG",nONS
ll-. O "''''' ''S 'e500ns,1>Ie ' 0' _mal m.,n''''''''''CtI .. Oesc"bed H1 lhe Owne't Manual. __ '. "''''Of adjus,ments (wc~ n "" JuS'lnen .. to
• .,. ,nle'", 01 ute.ro, doo.s lP .~utelo' p.uou ... cabrnet,. lI cl-.S. TV anlenna con1lol e lC.) ", ~I be pe.lo.med by lhe deele. du.ong lhe fi.~t
90 (lav. 0 1 ... """ntv c",",,'age Tlle.uho . such ad ju stmenlS a.e the . upon.,bolrly of I ll<! o .... ne' •• notm.t ma ,nlena"". ""leu "QU"e Oa ••
Oore" .e .,,1t ot 'Cpa" 0' 'ep l "come "l 01 " d~I .C " v" pa't unde' thiS w" ".n .y .
II a p.obilm occu," ... ",",11 I'" 0"""' beh",""s '. COVO',ed by ' I'ros ",,,,,an'y ,he Owf\O' shall conlK' II-. SELLING OEAlER 0' 0''''' •• u'''''".eo
dule'. G'V I "U lI.m su H,c""nl .nto .ma, ,,,,, 1o ,e sol~ the ma"" n " 0"'"" ' Ihill del,ve. t he motOr ""_ 10 ,he OEAlER Of "' ..... ,.""""9 pI ....'
I OC~hOf' 1 0f wa " an ly ''' 'v'ce.
OEAlER
'S OBLIGATIONS
Bv ~9 . eemenl ..... 111 ,''' 'nanutactu 'e •. Ihe rl ea l ~. '. ob l 'ga ted to mJ lnl .,n t he mO I O, home P f1 0' 10 . et ",1n il!, 10 pe,to .m II de t.,lerl p.e(!el.ve.y
,n,,,,,,,I,on and
1o ,a~" Of , .. pI.~ .. any pans necessa.y 10 conecl defects on ",ale". 1 Of W'O'~",a".II.p
WtiEN TtiE DEALER OOES NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM
II lhor de_.." .. unable Of...-oIIong .O .......... a p<otMm wl'roch the owne •• s conv,nced IS covered by 'he ..... ".n IV <he ,houkt con t aci ,htt MANU F AC
TURING PlANT ~t tl-. addfl!SS I,ste(! below ana p,o>,o(!e ,he manufactu.e ... ,H,. dorsc"ph"n In "''''ong of the proble.n an(! at1 emp t~._ 1o
.esOI". ,t
MANUfACTURING PLA.n OBLIGATIONS
Upon
,e ce,p l 01 ""tre e 01 a c' .,m .......... 1"" de"le, was unable 0' un ... ,l tr"U 10 'UOIVfi ,I\e p. ot>klm. I"'" m.nu ' ac lu"f\{I plan' .... ,11 ,ep a" O. 'eplace
.nv pa . .. ",cessa ' y 10 cor.eCI del ""IS ,n , nale", 1o. "' o '~man .h l p 0' ""II ,ake othe, app.op" il •• etro" DS rna. b<r 'e q"rred
WtiOI lHE ,.."'NUFACTURING PlANT oaES NOT RE SO L VE TtiE Pfl081EM
I! lhe '''I''~~''''la'''',,' ot ''''' m""ufacl"trng plant at. ""ab lt 10 .esolve ,he p,oblem and ,tie ow r.e. IS conv,need 11I~1 I, '. cove'ed by th~ ",.".nly,
,.... o w "", sl'rOuid call . he 1 0M he.. """,be, hSle(! bel<> ... to duwllfl the ptoblem and lhe ' '' amp'' m<tOe to .esolve i\
W HAT IS NOT COVEREO BV THE EXPRESS WARRANTY
THIS WARRANl'V DOES
NOl COVER
TtiE
AUTOMOTIVE SYS TEM II NCWDING THE CHASSIS AND DRIVE TRAIN), TIR ES AND BATl EIl IES. WtilCH ARE COVER ED BY
THE SEPARAlE WARRANTIES OF TH E RESPECTIVE MANUFA CT URERS OF THESE COMPONENTS
2 DEFECTS CAuSEO BV OR RE LAT ED ro
'" ABUSE. MISUSE. NEGLIGENCE OR ACCIDENl
B FAIlURE TO COMPLY Wl lH INSTRUCTIONS CONT AIN ED IN l HE OW NER S MA NUA~
C. ALTERATION OR MOOIFICATION OF lHE M OTO Il HO ME;
J N OR MA L DETE IlIORATION DUE lO wEAR OR E)(POSURE SUCH AS FADING OF FABRICS OR DRAPES CARPET WEAR. E TC .
4 NORMAL MAINTENANCE ANO S ER VICE ITEMS S UCH AS LIGHT BULBS . FUSES, W IPER B LADES LUBR tCANTS. ET C
S. M OTOR 1'I0MES ON WI'IICH TH E ODOMElER RE ADI NG HAS BEEN AlTEREO
6. TRANSPORT ATION TO AND FRO M DEALE R OR MANUF AC TURIN G PLANT LOCATION lOSS OF TI ME IN CO NV EN IE NC£, CO MMER
CIAlLOSS LOSS OF USE. TO WING CHARGES. IIUS FARE S. CAR RENTAl, INCIDE NT AL CHARGES SUCH AS TE tE PtiONE CA L LS
OR H OTEL BillS. OR OT HER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENllAl DAMAGES
SOME STAlES
00 Nor A LLOW lH E E)(ClUSION OR llMIT"llOtj OF INCIOENTA.l OR CONS EQ U ENlIAl DA M MjES soT HE A60VE
LI MI TATIO N Oil E)( CLUSION M ""Y N OT APPL Y TO YOU
THIS WARRANTY GIV ES YOU SPECIFIC lEGAL RIGHTS , AND YOU MAV ALSO HA VE OTHER RIGI'ITS WHICI'I V"'RV FROloll SlATE TO SlATE
lHE IoII",NUFACTURER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR "'NY UNDEFITAKING . REPRESENTATION, OR WARRANTY MAOE BV ANY DEALER OR OTHER
PERSON BEYOND TI'IOSE UPRESSlV SET FORTI'I IN TtilS WARRANTV
Brand Name _______ _ ____ _ _ __ _ _ Model ________ _ _ Seria) No. _________ _
CORPORATE HEAOOU AH) ER S
Consum",! Atta" 5- O cpan m ~ nl
F )O Clwood E nlE'. p 4t ~ e s I nc
PO Box 71 00
R IVIl !S l d.- , Ca ht o. rua 92 523
From Cahl o rnl" 1 800 ) 44 2- 4804
F. o n, 0\J151 0e ot California 180018b44 7 !:J 5

INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the recreation al vehicle l if es tyle and the
growing family of motOr home owne r s. We since r ely
thank you for ch oosing our product.
Your motor home has been designed to provide you
with many yeats of carefree , pleasant tr aveling and
vacationing . This manual desc ribes ma ny f eatures of
your moto r home and provides a gu ide to operating
pr ocedures so that you can obtai n the best perfo r-
mance from those features. You r moto r home has
been designed to confo rm with. or exceed, th e
American National Stan d ards Institute A1 19.2. NF PA
501C, Canadian CSA Standard 2- 240 (Canadia n-bu ilt
or units built for Canada ). and app l icable moto r vehi-
cle standa rds. These standa rds est ablish the plumb-
ing. heating , electrical and other requirements fo r
quali
ty and safety. Compliance with these standards
is indicated
by the seal attached just ou tside the entry
door. This seal is the outward sign of internal qua lit y.
like all finely crafted equipment, you r motor home
will require care and regular maintenance in order to
retain its ma x imum performance characteristics. This
manual. along with the info r mation provided in your
Owner 's I nformation Kit and Chassis Ope r ator 's
Manual outlines important areas of maintenance and
provides a maintenance schedule that you should
follow to ensure safe, trouble -free service from you r
motor home. Study these instructions carefully . A
good working knowledge of your motor home and
how to care for It will help you enjoy many miles and
years of recreational living .
The motor home has been tho r oughly inspected
before s hipment . It is the duty of your dealer to
inspect the motor home and to prepare it fo r you dur-
ing the predelivery phase of the sa le.
YOUR DEALER IS RESPONSI BLE FOR PERFORM-
ING A COMPLETE PREDELIVERY INSPECTION
OF
THE CHASSIS AND ALL MOTOR HOME COM-
PONENTS AS SPEC IFIED IN THE PREDELIVERY
CHECKLISTS SUPPLIED BY FLEETWOOD AND THE
CHASSIS MANUFACTURER. YOU SHOULD RECE I VE
A COPY OF THESE COMPLETED CHECKLISTS FROM
YOUR DEALER WHEN YOUR MOTOR HOME IS
DELIVERED TO YOu.
He will instruct you in its basic use ; howeve r, sup -
plement this instruction by reading all instructional
material furnished with the motor home. If , after taking
delivery of y our new motor home, you feel it requires
additional conditioning or adjustment , please return
it to your dealer as soon as pOSSible.
If y
ou ha ve any questions regarding operation,
main t enance , or service , please contact your dealer
immediatel y so he can assist you. Your dealer 's
Service or Sales Depa rt ment will handle any normal
problem which might occur. Customer ser vice is of
1
u tm ost impo r tance to your dealer , and is just as
im
portant to the man u facture r. You r mo tor home IS
covered by one of the most comprehensive warranty
pr ograms in the indu stry . T his ma nual con tains a sec-
tion outlin i ng the warran ty and exp l aining your rights
and obligat ions, as we ll as the rig ht s and obligations
of the dealer and manufactu rer, u nde r the ter ms of
the wa rr anty . Please read this section carefully . Yo u
w ill be
better info r med in case yo u have a warranty-
rel ated prob l em, and your deale r will be bette r able
to get yo u on th e road again. If, f or some reason, a
pr
oblem is not handled to you r sat isfaction:
1.
Discuss any warranty -related pr ob l ems directly
wit h the m anager or owne r of the dealership ,
gi
ving him an opportunity to help his ser vice
depa r tme nt resolve the matter for you.
2. If a pr oble m ar ises tha t can not be resolved to
your satisfaction by your local dealer. contact the
facto ry ser vice manager. T he fact ories are listed
in th is manual. Please con t act the one nearest
you.
3. We sincerely believe that your d ealer and the
facto ry representat ive will be able to solve any
pr
oblem which might arise. If their combined
effor ts are not sat isfacto ry, please send a letter
desc r ibing the cir cumstances to:
Fleetwood En te rprises, Inc.
Cons u mer Affairs Depa r tment
P. O. Bo)( 7300
Riverside, Ca 92523
Please i nclude t he brand name and seri al numbe r
of your motor home .
4. If you wish to call for ass ist ance , pl ease t hese
toll -free telephone numbe r s.
From Cal iforn i a: 1800) 442-4804
F rom outs i de California: (800 ) 854 - 4755
Thank you for choosing o ur prod uct. Your dealer and
we , the manufacturer , will continually strive to me rit
your confidence .
NOTE: Some equipment and features described or
sh
ow n in thi s manual may be optional on some
model
s. This ins tru ctional manual is of general na tur e
only. Because of th e cont inuous pro cess of product
impr oveme nt conducted by Fle etwood it is possible
t
hat rec ent product changes may not be included in
th is manu al. Spec ificatio ns may change withou t
n
ot ice. This manual is acc ur ate as of date of publica-
ti on. Th e instru c tion s included in thi s manual a re
intended as a guid e. and in no re s pect e)( tend the
responsibilities of the manufacturing subsidiary, parent
company
or affiliates beyond th e st andard writte n war-
ranty as presented in
thi s manual.

NOTE: This product is designed for recreational use
and short term occupancy onl y. It is not designed or
intended to be used as permanent hOll si ng . Use of
this product for long term or permanent occupancy
may lead to premature deterioration of interior
finishe s. fabrics. ca rpetin g. and drapes. Damage or
deterioration due to long term occupancy may not be
conside red normal . and may under the terms of the
warranty . constitute misuse . abuse . or neglect , and
may therefore reduce you r warranty protection . This
manual contains a discussion of long term occupancy
problems. Plea se refer to that sec tion before consider -
ing this product for long term occupancy.
A Few Words on Energy...
To all of us who dnve cars or tru cks. or he at and
cool homes and businesses. very li ttl e needs to be
said about
energy . Oi scusSlons of th e tOI>i e oft en lead
to th e question . "W hat can be done to save our
natural energy resources?" There is no si ngl e si mple
answer. To some . energy-e ff iciency IS a problem. Fl eet-
wood thinks of energy conservat ion as an op portu nit y
to research new ideas . wh ile givi ng you the best in
2
recrea uona l liVing. Space -age technology ha s given
us li ghtweig ht , but s trong. a nd attr active mat enal s.
Sophisticated ma nu fac turing techniques offer the best
in
time and energy ma nag emen t to bring you a motor
home th at has saved en ergy even befo re you drive
it away .
It' s "energy-efficie nt enginee ri ng ".
F
leetwood IS thinki ng abo ut energ y. And we 're
helprng.
FRONT END ALIGNMENT
AS A PART OF THE PREDELIV ER Y INSPECTION
PROCEDURE, THE DEALER
IS TO ROAD TEST THE
MOTOR HOME, NOTING AND CORRECTING ANY
STE ER ING PROBLEMS BEFORE DELI VE RY TO THE
RET AIL CUSTOMER.
TH EREFORE , FLEET WOOD AND IT S SUBS IDI ARIES
W ill NO T BE RESPO NSIBLE FOR FR ONT END ALI GN -
MENT AFT ER THIS PREDELIV ERY INSPECTION IS
DONE.

PLANNING AND
The camping trip is one of the most popular types
of vacations, and each year mi llions of Americans
embark on camping tripS using some type of recrea-
tional vehicle. Propel planning of your trip . including
familiarity wi th your equipment , your itinerary . antici-
pated activities. and anticipated needs will ensure a
pleasurable
expe rience. ThaI IS what this manual IS
all about. The Ideas and Instructions presented here
are intended to help you get the most from your new
RV . and enJoy your trip.
READ THE BDOK
A thorough knowledge of yo ur RV IS Important if
you are gOing to get the most out of the convenience
and safety It ems bUilt into your vehicle. Be as familiar
with It as you are with your personal car or truck .
Study all the booklets Included In your Owner's Infor -
matIon Kit. These booklets cover detaIls of operation
for the major appliances and equIpment built Into your
motor home for your com fort , convenience and safet y.
INSPECT AND MAINTAIN
Follow a consistent schedule of inspection and
maintenance for your motor home . Your continuing
safety and comfort depend on It . Pay particular atte n-
tion to brakes, tIres, suspe nsion and exhaust system
components, steering itnkages, and electrical systems.
ThiS manual Includes a section outlining motor home
m'llntenance Items and re commended maIntenance
3
PREPARATION
Intervals. Adherence to thes e schedules wIll mInimize
the possibIlity of failure of any Import ant system or
part of your motor home . The time spe nt inspecting
and maintaining your motor will prOVide you with
many years of recreational pleasure.
LOADING AND WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION
Proper loading is one of the most Important con ·
siderations when traveling In a motor home. Your
motor home is built to withstand a certain maximum
load. Check the labels and t ags a ttach ed to the m otor
home to determine the safe load l imits. For sa fety 's
sake, NEVER OVERLOAD THE MOTOR HOME . This
manual co nta ins Information about prop er loading and
weighing of your motor home.
CONTROL OF THE MOTOR HOME
Know how to control your motor home on the
highway. Be familiar With passing and stopping
requirements , and problems that can llevelop. Know
how to brake properly , how to back up, and how to
turn . Practice in a secl uded place until you become
famili ar with th e handling characteristiCS and tech -
niques of your motor home , Don't overlook the laws
of your state or province that govern driVing a motOr
home . Your state Motor Vehicle Department offIce can
provide you With the applicable vehi cle codes that
spell out your rights and responsi bilit ies as a motor
home owner.

MOTOR HOME LOADING
A motor home chassis (s pnng s, wheels, tires, axles,
and fr ame) is designed to carry a cer tain maximum
load. This load conSi sts of the weight of the empty
motor home itsel f, plus weigh I added in the form of
water, food, clothing, and anything else that may be
stored In or atlached to the motor home. The ma ll: i-
mum load for which the motor home IS designed IS
called the GROSS VEHICLE WEIGH T RATING
(GVWRJ.
Another critical weight factor IS the GROSS AXLE
WEIGHT RATING lGAWA). This IS the maXimum
weight a speCific axle IS designed to carr y. Again the
rating represents empty vehicle weight plus load. The
weight IS divided between each axle and eac h has
its own GAWK The total of all axle loads must not
exceed the overall GVWR.
In addition to knowing the overall weigh t th at 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.
The allowable carrying capacity of the motor home
is found by weighing the motor home empty , and
subtracting this weight from the GVWR .
DETERMINING AND DISTRIBUTING
YOUR MOTOR HOME LOAD
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVW R) and the
Gross Axle Weight Rallng ( GAWR) for your motor
home are shown on the certification tag posted on
the driver's door jamb . These ratings are for a fully-
loaded vehi cle Including passengers and normal
belongings You must compare the GVWR to the
loaded weight of your motol home. If the loaded
weight of your motor home exceeds the GVWR or the
weight on any axle exceeds that axle 's GAWR, the
motor home IS overloaded and you'll have to remove
Items to bring the weight down to or below the GVWR
and GAWR. Follow the method outlined here to
determine the weight of your motor home . Use a
platform scale , and keep the motor home as level as
possible dUllng all measurements.
1. Drive the front wheels onto the scale platfo lJ TI
and take a reading . This IS the front Gross Axle
Weight .
2.
Drive the enure vehicle (both axles) onto the
scale and take a reading . This is the Gross
Vehicle Weight.
3. Drive forward until only the rear axle is on the
platform. This reading IS rear Gr oss Axle Weight .
4
o=
o
o=
4. Compare reading 2 With the GVWR (Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating) of your vehicle. If the
reading exceeds the GVWR rating , you will have
to reduce the total vehicle lo ad .
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 cert ifi cation
tag . If either exceeds the GAWR for the axle,
redistribute enough of the load to ensure that
loads on the front and rear axles are Within the
required limit.
Periodically reweigh your motor home . Different
traveling configurations may change your loading and
weight pattern .
WARNING : DO NOT EXCEED THE RATED LOAD
OF THE MOTOR
HOME , OR THE RATED LOAD OF
ANY AXLE .
NOTE, THE PASSENGER AND CARGO CARRYING
CAPAC ITIES OF YOUR MOTOR HOME 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 . AWN ·
INGS. ROOF PODS. ETC
.• ARE INSTALLED AFTER