Make extra wide turns to compensate for the
wider turning radius of the trailer or tow
vehicle.
Place wheel blocks (chocks) under the trailer
wheels before setting the tow vehicle’s brakes
and transmission. The blocks will absorb the
stress and secure the trailer.
Frequently check operation of trailer brakes and
trailer lights.
Decrease trailer load substantially for high
altitude driving.
Driving Tips
Your Born Free Motorcoach will drive very much
like your “family car.” The biggest difference in
handling will come from the increased weight,
width, height, and length. These differences will
become second nature to you after just a few miles.
The Born Free Motorcoach may be driven at
interstate speeds, just like your car; it will, however,
take a bit longer to achieve the maximum driving
speed. The motorcoach will slow more when
climbing an incline because of the added weight;
you should allow yourself more time and room for
overtaking and cutting back when maneuvering a
pass.
Because the Born Free Motorcoach is wider, than
the “family car,” consideration should be given
when maneuvering through tight places. When
maneuvering through a tight place, it is best if you
have your co
-
pilot get out and walk with the
motorcoach as it moves. Station the co
-
pilot at the
left rear of the motorcoach where you can observe
his/her signals.
As you become more familiar with your Born Free
Motorcoach, you will become more aware of its
additional weight, length, and width. As you
approach low hanging branches or low building
canopies, the height of the motorcoach must be a
constant thought. For proper clearance, in most
cases, eleven (11) feet should be allowed for a
motorcoach with a roof
-
mounted air conditioner.
An experienced traveler “walks his rig” at every
stop; it takes but a minute to make a trip all the way
around to look at the motorcoach to ensure all caps
are in place, access doors are secure, and tires are
well inflated. The rear inside duals should be
checked either by kicking them or hitting them with
a tire iron. An under inflated tire will move on the
rim causing heat to build
-
up, or, possibly a fire.
“Once around before in” is a good policy to follow.
Fuel efficiency of the Born Free Motorcoach
depends on several factors: (1) the load it’s
carrying; (2) the size and weight of the motorcoach
body; (3) driving habits and general condition and
maintenance of the vehicle; and (4) road, terrain,
and wind conditions. Adding a trailer to the
motorcoach will place an additional load on its
engine and will subsequently reduce the fuel
economy.
Some suggestions for increasing fuel economy:
Refer to the Chassis Owner’s Manual for break
-
in instructions and driving speeds the first 1,000
miles.
Change the oil and filter according to the
manufacturer’s recommendations.
Manually shift the automatic transmission when
appropriate.
Inspect air and fuel filters frequently when
encountering excessive dust, bugs and debris.
Keep cargo to a minimum.
Make sure tires and air bags are properly
inflated.
Restrict dash air conditioner use when possible.
Operating Tips – Diesel Owners
The performance of your engine can be greatly
affected by what fuel is used. Because of the
variety of fuels available today (e.g. low sulfur,
ultra low sulfur, blended biodiesel, etc.) it can be
confusing to know what fuel will allow your engine
to perform at its highest level of efficiency in
different conditions. Your choice of fuels in hot or
cold weather, for example, will affect engine
performance and may impact it negatively or even
create unsafe conditions. To better understand the
impact of different fuels with your engine refer to
the Chassis Owners Manual provided with your
motorcoach.
Engine starting procedures and “break
-
in”
instructions are also different for diesel engines.
Please refer to the Chassis Owners Manual for more
information.
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