Thor Motor Coach 2009 Mandalay, Owner'S Manual

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MANDALAY
Studies of tire safety show that maintaining proper tire pressure, observing tire and motorhome
load limits (not carrying more weight in your motorhome than the tires or vehicle can safely
handle), avoiding road hazards, and inspecting tires for cuts, slashes, and other irregularities
are the most important things you can do to avoid tire failure, such as tread separation or
blowout and flat tires. These actions, along with other care and maintenance activities, can also:
• Improve vehicle handling
• Help protect you and others from avoidable breakdowns and accidents
• Improve fuel economy
• Increase the life of your tires
Use this information to make tire safety a regular part of your motorhome maintenance routine.
Recognize that the time you spend is minimal compared with the inconvenience and safety
consequences of a flat tire or other tire failure.
Properly maintained tires improve the steering, stopping, traction, and load-carrying capability
of the motorhome. Underinflated tires and overloaded motorhomes are a major cause of tire
failure. Therefore, as mentioned above, to avoid flat tires and other types of tire failure, you
should maintain proper tire pressure, observe tire and vehicle load limits, avoid road hazards,
and regularly inspect your tires.
Tire information placards and motorhome certification labels contain information on tires and
load limits. These labels indicate the motorhomes manufacturer’s information including:
• Recommended tire size
• Recommended tire inflation pressure
• Vehicle capacity weight (VCW - the maximum occupant and cargo weight a vehicle is
designed to carry)
• Front and rear gross axle weight ratings (GAWR - the maximum weight the axle
systems are designed to carry)
Both placards and certification labels are permanently affixed to the motorhome’s interior
sidewall. Locate the placards and labels near the driver’s seat or within the bedroom wardrobe
closet.
Tire inflation pressure is the level of air in the tire that provides it with load-carrying capacity and
affects the overall performance of the motorhome. The tire inflation pressure is a number that
indicates the amount of air pressure- measured in pounds per square inch (psi)- a tire requires
to be properly inflated. (You will also find this number on the motorhome information placard
expressed in kilopascals (kPA), which is the metric measure used internationally.)
4-2
CHASSIS OPERATIONS & PROCEDURES
TIRES
Finding the Recommended Tire Pressure & Load Limits
Understanding Tire Pressure & Load Limits