Your
Driving
and
the
Road
Three important considerations have to do
with weight:
Weight
of
the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,000
pounds (450 kg), But even that can be too
heavy.
It depends
on
how
you plan to use your
rig. For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature and how
much your vehicle is used to pull a trailer
are all important. And, it can also depend
on any special equipment that you have
on
your vehicle.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering
information or advice, or you can
write
us
at:
Customer Assistance Department
Chevrolet/Geo
P.O.
Box
7047
Troy,
MI
48007-7047
In
Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Assistance Center
1908
Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
A
B
Weight
of
the Trailer
Tongue
The tongue load
(A)
of any trailer is an
important weight to measure because it
affects the total or
gross
weight of your
vehicle. The gross vehicle weight (GVW
includes the curb weight of the vehicle,
any cargo you may carry in it, and the
people who will be riding in the vehicle.
And if you will tow a trailer, you must
add the tongue load to the GVW because
your vehicle will be carrying that weight,
too. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in the
Index for more information about your
vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
If
you’re using a “dead-weight” hitch, the
trailer tongue
(A)
should weigh 10% of
the total loaded trailer weight
(B).
If you
have a “weight-distributing” hitch, the
:railer tongue
(A)
should weigh 12%
of
;he total loaded trailer weight
(B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh
the trailer and then the tongue, separately,
to
see
if
the weights are proper. If they
uen’t, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around
in
the trailer.
Total Weight
on
Your
Vehicle’s Tires
Be
sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to
the limit for cold tires. You’ll find these
numbers
on
the Certification label at the
rear edge of the driver’s door
or
see “Tire
Loading” in the Index. Then be sure you
don’t
go
over
the
GVW
limit
for
your
vehicle.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch
equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks
going by, and rough roads are a few
reasons why you’ll need the right hitch.
Here are some rules to follow:
0
If you use a step bumper hitch, and
your trailer tongue has a V-shaped
foot, your bumper could be damaged
in sharp turns. Check the distance
from the front edge
of
the
foot
to
the
middle
of
the hitch ball socket.
If
the
. .
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