4-1
SECTION 4
TRAVELING WITH YOUR MOTORHOME
(See also SAFETY PRECAUTIONS, Section
1 of this manual.)
LOADING THE
VEHICLE
NOTE: Your motor home’s load capacity is des-
ignated by weight, not by volume, so you
cannot necessarily use all available
space when loading your motor home.
When loading the vehicle, distribute the cargo
load equally so that you do not exceed either the
Front or Rear Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR). The Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) means the weight value specified by
the chassis manufacturer as the load carrying ca-
pacity of a single axle sytem as measured at the
tire-to-ground interfaces. This is the total weight
a given axle is capable of carrying. Each axle has
its own rating.
Also distribute cargo side-to-side so the
weight on each tire or dual set does not exceed
one half of the GAWR for either axle.
For example, if the Front GAWR is 6,000 lbs.,
there should be no more than 3,000 lbs. on each
tire. (If the left side weighs 3,100 lbs. and the
right side weighs 2,700 lbs., at least 100 lbs. of
the load should be shifted from the left side to the
right side.) Have your vehicle weighed to deter-
mine the proper load distribution for your vehi-
cle. The GVWR is listed on the Vehicle
Certification Label. (See Section 0.)
The total combined weight allowed for the ve-
hicle, including trailer towing load weight, is
known as the Gross Combined Weight Rating
(GCWR). If trailer towing is not recommended,
the GCWR will equal the GVWR.
Your cargo capacity will vary according to
the options equipped on your vehicle, and your
additional equipment and components not sup-
plied with the vehicle. Do not exceed any of the
recommended weight ratings.
NOTE: We recommend that you dump all hold-
ing tanks before traveling to avoid car-
rying unnecessary weight.
FRONT AXLE TIRE
ALIGNMENT
We recommend that you have the front sus-
pension and steering alignment checked and
adjusted after you have fully loaded the
vehicle according to your needs. Thereafter,
have alignment inspected periodically to
maintain vehicle steering performance and
prevent uneven tire wear.
WEIGHING YOUR
LOADED VEHICLE
To check the weight of your fully loaded
coach, locate a commercial weighing scale that
is capable of weighing large trucks.
Loading:
Load your vehicle completely as if
you were going on a long trip, with everything
you would carry, including food, clothing, bed-
ding, lawn chairs, etc., a full fuel tank, full LP
tank, and maybe a partial tank of fresh water -
but empty holding tanks.
Finding a Scale:
In urban areas, the most
common places to find a public access scale are
commercial truck stops. In rural areas, most
grain storage elevators have scales available. If
you don’t know of a truck scale in your area,
look in the Yellow Pages for entries such as
Grain Elevators, Scales-Public, Truck Stops,
The weight of the loaded vehicle
(including options, attachments, pas-
sengers, water, fuel, luggage and all
other cargo) must not exceed the
GVWR or GAWR of either axle.
CAUTION
