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
capacity of a single axle system 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.
Have your vehicle weighed to determine the
proper load distribution for your vehicle. 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.) The GVWR is listed on the Vehicle
Certification Label. (See Introduction Section).
The GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rat-
ing) means the maximum allowable loaded
weight of this motor home and any towed trailer
or towed vehicle. If trailer towing is not recom-
mended, the GCWR will equal the GVWR.
NOTE: We recommend that you dump all hold-
ing tanks before traveling to avoid carrying
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 vehi-
cle according to your needs. Thereafter, have
alignment inspected periodically to maintain
vehicle steering performance and prevent un-
even 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,
Weigh Stations, etc. If you cannot locate a scale
in your area, call your state DOT and ask for rec-
ommendations. Most scales charge a nominal
fee for weighing a vehicle.
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
