9
(WARNING Continued)
OXYGEN, OR RELEASE CARBON MONOXIDE OR OTHER HARMFUL GASES WHICH CAN CAUSE SERIOUS
INJURY OR DEATH.
Chapter 3: Towing and Leveling
Your Travel Trailer — a True Recreational Vehicle
Your travel trailer is a vacation home on wheels. It is carefully designed for every normal recreational use
and activity including travel.
Escape Trailer Industries strongly recommends that your recreational vehicle not be occupied while
traveling. It is unsafe and illegal to ride in a travel trailer. Your recreational vehicle is not equipped with
seat belts or other highway safety provisions commonly required for passenger vehicles. Also in some
emergency conditions cargo could shift suddenly resulting in injury or even death.
Do’s and Don’ts For Equipment Selection
• Be sure the tow vehicle is large enough for your trailer or fifth wheel and has the needed power and
heavy duty running gear. It must be rated by its manufacturer to tow the gross weight, and to carry the
hitch weight of the fully loaded trailer or fifth wheel.
• Use a weight distributing hitch rated not less than the trailer Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).
Follow the tow vehicle and hitch manufacturers' instructions. Install the hitch ball as close as practical to
the rear bumper to minimize rear overhang. (Does not apply to fifth wheels.)
• Do not over-tighten the weight distributing hitch spring bars. Follow the instructions of the hitch
manufacturer. When in doubt, use the less tight spring bar setting. (Does not apply to fifth wheels.) For
more information, see “Hitches & Towing” on page 17.
• Do not add any type of adapter to the fifth wheel king pin, such as a goose neck adapter. Lengthening
the fifth wheel hitch by means of an adapter will transfer greater loads to the chassis, possibly more than
the chassis is designed for, and could result in structural damage. Damage that is a direct result of the
use of such an adapter is not covered by Escape Trailer Industries warranty.
• Use a brake controller that automatically applies the brakes in proportion to the tow vehicle brakes and
also has a hand control for applying the trailer brakes only.
• Adjust the brake controller so that the brakes of the trailer come on as quickly as possible
without sliding the tires of the loaded trailer during strong braking.
• Inflate the rear tires of the tow vehicle to their maximum cold pressure. (See the maximum pressure
rating on the rear tire sidewalls.)
• Load heavy objects and goods as close to the trailer axle(s) as possible. Do not place heavy objects on
the rear bumper or on the tongue.)
Summary of Contents for Escape 2014
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