Airstream 2015 Flying Cloud - Page 68

Towing
7-6 Flying Cloud
When Being Passed
Despite the best hitch, you will notice that whenever
a large bus or truck overtakes your rig, the displaced
air rst pushes the trailer rear slightly to the right and
then affects the front. It may be necessary to steer
very slightly, momentarily, toward the bus or truck to
help compensate for the sway induced by the passing
vehicle. Do not apply the vehicle brakes, as this
can tend to exaggerate the situation. You may nd,
however, that briey applying the trailer brakes with
your manual control will help eliminate sway.
On a two-lane road, cars may line up behind you
because you travel at a lower speed. It is both
courteous and sensible, if you are able, to signal, pull
onto the shoulder, and let them pass. Your trailer is
designed to be towed easily at any legal speed, so if
you are not careful, you may be inclined to forget it is
there.
Passing
On freeways or expressways, pick the lane you want
and try to stay in it. Always maintain plenty of space
between you and the car ahead, at least the length of
the tow vehicle plus trailer, for every ten miles per hour.
Remember that in order to pass another vehicle you
will need longer to accelerate. You must also allow for
the length of the trailer when returning to the right hand
lane.
Backing Up
When backing up, the important thing to remember is
to do everything slowly and to correct immediately if
you see the trailer turning the wrong way. Concentrate
on the rear of the trailer. With your tow vehicle and
trailer in a straight line, back up slowly and turn the
bottom of the steering wheel in the direction you want
the trailer to go. Watch out the window or in the mirror
until the rear of the trailer is pointing in the desired
direction. Your tow vehicle will be following the trailer in
an arc. Straighten the tow vehicle and trailer by turning
the steering wheel more sharply, and then, when they
are in line, straighten the steering wheel.
Always try to back to your left because the visibility is
much better. When you don’t make it on the rst try, it
is usually much easier to pull forward to your original
position and start over, or at least pull forward until the
rig is straight, and then start backing.
If your spouse or traveling companion normally directs
you when backing, they should position themselves
forward of the tow vehicle so the driver can easily see
them. Their directions should always indicate to the
driver the direction the rear of the trailer should go. A
little practice in a parking lot, with the person giving
directions, can save a lot of frustration when backing
into a campsite.
Stopped On a Hill
Refer to the following warning if stopped on a hill for a
prolonged period of time.
WARNING
Chock the trailer wheels when stopping on a hill
or slope. Leaving your tow vehicle in gear is not
enough for standstill safety. Do not use trailer
brakes as parking brakes.
Controlling Sway or Fishtailing
Sway or shtailing is the sideways action of a
trailer caused by external forces. It is common for
travel trailers to sway in response to strong winds,
crosswinds, when passed by or passing a semi-tractor
and trailer, or driving downhill.
WARNING
Excessive sway or shtailing of your travel trailer
can lead to the rollover of the trailer and tow
vehicle. Serious injury or death can occur. It
is important that you read and understand the
information in this section.
Sway or shtailing of your recreation vehicle can be
controlled and is primarily impacted by four factors:
• Equipment
• Tongue Weight
• Driving
• Corrective Measures
Equipment:
When hitched together, the trailer and the tow vehicle
must be level. The tires of both the trailer and tow
vehicle should be in good condition and properly
inated to their recommended pressures.
Braking is a very important factor in vehicle control.
Refer to Brakes (and Electronic Brake Controller) in
this section.
We recommend a friction sway damper or hitch with
built-in sway control be provided for your unit. Please
consult your dealer regarding this equipment. Also,
refer to Sway Control Device in this section for more
information.