Thor Motor Coach 2009 Mandalay, Owner'S Manual

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MANDALAY
The tire tread provides the gripping action and traction that prevents the motorhome from
slipping or sliding, especially when the road is wet or icy.
A tread depth gauge is recommended to check your tread depth. Another simple way to check
the tread depth of your tires is to use a penny. Take a penny and put Abe's head into each of
the grooves of the tire tread. If part of his head is covered by the tread, you're driving with the
legal amount of tread. If you can see all of Abe's head, your tread is down to 2/32" and it's time
to replace the tire.
Built-in tread wear indicators, or "wear bars," which look like narrow strips of smooth rubber
across the tread, will appear on the tire when that point of wear is reached. When you see these
wear bars, the tire is worn out and it is time to replace it.
NOTE: On vehicles with GVWR in excess of 10,000 lbs., federal regulations require that tires
on the front axle must be removed when worn down to 4/32" depth. Please use a tread depth
gauge to check your tires.
If you have any doubt about the tread depth on your tires, consult a tire service professional.
To avoid vibration or shaking of the motorhome when a tire rotates, the tire must be properly
balanced. This balance is achieved by positioning weights on the wheel to counterbalance
heavy spots on the wheel-and-tire assembly. A wheel alignment adjusts the angles of the
wheels so that they are positioned correctly relative to the vehicle’s frame. This adjustment
maximizes the life of your tires. These adjustments require special equipment and should be
performed by a qualified technician.
NOTE: The front end alignment of the motorhome has been set by the body builder. For the
motorhome in its unloaded or empty condition. However, since alignment is affected by not only
how much weight you add to the motorhome in the way of cargo and how you disperse the
cargo, we advise you to have the motorhome alignment checked in the loaded condition (the
way you would travel down the road). Not having the alignment set in the loaded condition could
result in abnormal tire wear, which is not covered under the limited warranty.
4-4
CHASSIS OPERATIONS & PROCEDURES
Tire Tread
Tire Balance & Wheel Alignment