SECTION 3
PRE-TRAVEL INFORMATION
Tow vehicle battery
The tow vehicle battery is the primary source
of power for your RV’s electric brake
operation. To ensure available power when
needed, keep your tow vehicle battery and
charging system working properly.
Brake controller (customer supplied)
The brake controller should be installed in the
tow vehicle to work in conjunction with the RV
electric brakes. Consult with your dealer or
the brake controller OEM to decide what is
right for your towing combination.
LOADING YOUR RV
Decide on the various items of food, clothing,
equipment and other supplies you will need
for the length and destination of your trip.
Store and secure all loose items inside the
RV before traveling. Overlooked items such
as canned goods, or small appliances on the
countertop, cooking pans on the range or
free-standing furniture items can become
dangerous projectiles during a sudden stop.
Distribute cargo side-to-side so the weight on
each tire does not exceed one-half of the
GAWR for either axle. For traveling safety, it
is important to make sure any tie down straps
(if so equipped) on appliances or furniture are
secured.
WEIGHING YOUR TOW VEHICLE & RV
Now that your RV is loaded you should have
it weighed. The actual weight of the RV,
passengers, all options, liquids, the hitch
weight of your towed vehicle and your
personal cargo is important for you to know
so you do not exceed the GVWR.
There are two important factors when loading
your RV, total weight and balance. It is
imperative that you verify compliance within
all applicable weight ratings. Overloading your
RV will void the Towable Limited Warranty
and the warranties of many component part
manufacturers.
Have your RV weighed periodically at a
public scale to determine the proper load
distribution. Keep in mind that individual
scales will operate differently. The
surroundings of the scale need to be
adequate to accommodate weighing each
side of your RV.
To weigh your tow vehicle and RV
Store items in areas designated for
storage. Do not store anything in the areas
reserved for the converter, electrical panels
or the furnace or water heater, etc.
Never load the RV in excess of the GAWR
for either axle. Overloading your RV may
result in adverse handling characteristics
and damage to the chassis.
DO NOT EXCEED YOUR GVWR! This
means you should weigh your RV as
loaded for your normal travel to determine
the actual weight. If you exceed the
GVWR, you MUST remove items from the
RV, or drain liquids, then re-weigh the
vehicle to ensure you have achieved a
safe weight. Do not travel with full
grey/black holding tanks. This not only
wastes gas but, depending upon the
location of the grey or black holding tanks,
can affect handling characteristics.
Total weight of your tow vehicle and RV
must not exceed the GCWR. Do not
assume that you can tow a RV that
happens to be within the capacity of the
tow vehicle hitch. By doing so, you may
exceed the total GCWR of your tow vehicle
and RV towin
combination.
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