Airstream Basecamp 2020, Owner'S Manual

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Towing
2020 Basecamp
7-3
Breakaway Switch
In the event of an accidental separation of the tow
vehicle and the trailer, the breakaway switch will set
and lock the trailer brakes for a sufficient length of time
to stop the trailer� The switch is activated when the wire
attached to it and to the tow vehicle pulls out the small
pin in the front of the unit�
When the trailer is connected to the tow vehicle, the
breakaway switch loop should be attached to the
permanent frame of your hitch� When disconnecting
the trailer from the tow vehicle, remove wire loop from
the frame� Do not remove the pin from the switch
because this will apply the trailer brakes�
WARNING
Do not use the breakaway switch as a parking
brake. If the battery should go dead, the trailer
parking brake would no longer be applied. Failure
to comply could cause damage to property, injury,
and/or death.
Loading
When towing a trailer, you are subject to new and
different challenges on the highway than you may have
previously encountered� Towing a trailer is no small
responsibility and should be undertaken with great care
and safety first in mind. An accident with a tow vehicle
and trailer can have much greater consequences than
carelessness with a small car� Like an airline pilot who
is responsible for expensive equipment and many lives,
you should take your responsibilities as a tow vehicle
driver very seriously and learn all you can about
doing the job safely and well� Balancing the load and
preparing the trailer and tow vehicle are critical to safe
handling�
One of the most critical aspects of safely towing a
trailer is knowing the weights involved and where they
are placed. The first thing to determine is how much
is being towed and confirming that it is within the
capacities of the equipment being used� Determining
where the load is placed is critical to the way your rig
will handle on the road�
Know what your trailer weighs loaded� Load your trailer
including water, propane, etc and take it to a public
scale� Weigh each axle of your vehicle� Refer to your
axle weight and tire limits to see if you are within a safe
range� Total all axle weights, ensuring you are below
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)�
Make sure your load is balanced� Do not load too
much on one side� A balanced load is much easier to
tow or drive� Front to back balance is also important�
Step back and look at your trailer, making sure that
there is not too much weight on the hitch, or on the
rear of the trailer� Secure all items, as loose items can
cause damage and become a safety issue� The Cargo
Carrying Capacity tag shown below is installed on
every trailer and can be found on the inside of the entry
door on your trailer�
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE TRAILER CARGO CARRYING CAPACITY
VIN #################
THE WEIGHT OF CARGO SHOULD NEVER EXCEED
XXX kg or XXX lbs
CAUTION
A full load of water equals XXX kg or XXX lbs of cargo @ 1 kg/L (8.3 lb/gal)
Airstream weighs the trailer as finished to arrive at the
trailer’s weight� That number is subtracted from the
GVWR of the trailer and listed under THE WEIGHT
OF CARGO SHOULD NEVER EXCEED on the tag,
The total weight of any and all cargo, including dealer
modifications or additions, water, and propane should
never exceed the number listed�
As cargo is added, removed, or shifts in location, the
weight on the axle(s) and hitch will change� Also, the
hitch and axle weights will change as a consequence
of the weight of the LP tank(s) diminishing from
use of propane, and/or the transfer of weight as a
consequence of water in the fresh water tank being
used and transferred to the grey and black tanks� In
shorter units, rear bath models especially, when the LP
tanks are empty and fresh water has been transferred
to the grey and black holding tanks, the reduction in
hitch weight may be significant. For this reason, we
recommend that the grey and black tanks be emptied
before traveling�
When loading the trailer, keep the following in mind:
• GVWR
• Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
• Tire Weight Rating
• Cargo
Never exceed these ratings� Your safety depends on
not overloading the trailer, trailer axles, and tires� Refer
to Section 4 - Floor Plan and Specifications for rating
list�