FOUR WINDS INTERNATIONAL
GENERAL INFORMATION
14
DO NOT OVERLOAD THE MOTOR HOME.
When loading your cargo, be sure it is distributed evenly
to prevent overloading front to back and side to
side. Heavy items should be placed low and as close to the axle positions as reasonable. Too many items on
one side may overload a tire.
VEHICLE WEIGHING PROCEDURES
Periodically weigh the motor home at a public scale to determine axle loads. The following procedure is
suggested, although any method recommended by the scale operator which correctly determines weight value
is acceptable. During all measurements, it is important to keep the vehicle as level as possible.
Where To Weigh Your Motor Home
To weigh your motor home correctly, measure the fully loaded vehicle axle by axle and wheel position by wheel
position. You can find several certified public or commercial scales at moving and storage lots, farm suppliers
with grain elevators, gravel pits, recycling companies and large commercial truck stops. You can also look in
the telephone book under "weighers" or "weighing". Allow adequate time, since the entire weighing process
can take up to 30 minutes. There may be a small fee for each weight taken, but the expense is a worth while
investment toward the safe and economical operation of your motor home.
How To Weigh Your Motor Home
Your motor home must be weighed fully loaded. That is with passengers, food, clothing, fuel, water, propane,
supplies etc. Any towed vehicle (car/pickup, boat, or trailer ) or item loaded on brackets on the back of the
motor home should also be included in the weighing.
1. The following steps are suggested when using a long platform scale:
a. Pull onto the scale so that only the front axle is on the platform ( with the end of the
scale midway between the front and rear axles) and record the scaled weight.
b.
Pull forward until the full unit is on the scale and record the weight.
c.
Pull forward so that only the rear axle is on the scale and record the weight.
d.
If a boat, trailer or other vehicle is being towed, it should be weighed and combined with
the towing vehicle's weight to ensure the total weight does not exceed the GCWR.
Note:
Even though the weight of the total axle may be within the axle's rating, it may
be overloaded on one side. This causes one wheel position to be overloaded.
Therefore, side-to-side weighing should be done.
To obtain the individual wheel position weights, repeat this process with only one side of the motor home on the
scale. To determine individual wheel position weights, it is necessary to repeat the previous three steps (1a,
1b, and 1c), but this time, use only one side of the scale. To calculate the opposite side of the vehicle wheel
position weight, subtract this side's weights from the weights recorded in steps 1a, 1b, and 1c.
NOTICE
