Thor Motor Coach CLASS B, Руководство пользователя

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W E I G H I N G , L O A D I N G , A N D T O W I N G
T H O R M O T O R C O A C H | M A D E T O F I T
Safe Towing Tips
• Never exceed the hitch tow rating, the hitch tongue weight
rating and the towing capacity of your motorhome.
Exceeding the maximum towing capacity can result in
dangerous handling, insufficient braking performance,
or serious damage to the vehicle’s suspension, engine and
drive train.
• Make sure your trailer hitch is capable of handling your
trailer’s loaded weight.
• When loading and towing with your vehicle, do not
exceed the GVWR and GCWR of your motorhome.
• There are several sizes of trailer balls available. BE SURE
THE TRAILER BALL MATCHES THE SIZE OF THE
TRAILER COUPLER!
• Always ensure the trailer coupler is properly seated and
locked onto the trailer ball (see illustration).
• Always ensure the hitch pin is properly installed, secur-
ing the ball mount to the receiver tube (see illustration).
• Always use safety chains between your motorhome and
the towed trailer or vehicle. Cross the chains under the
trailer tongue and allow slack for turning corners. Connect
the safety chains to the trailer or vehicle frame or hook
retainers. Never attach safety chains to the bumper of a
vehicle (see illustration).
• Always check brake lights, running lights, emergency flash-
ers, and turn signals of the motorhome and trailer (or towed
vehicle) at the start of the trip and often during the trip.
Accidents can occur if the tail lights are not working or
are improperly connected. Have a partner stand behind
the vehicle, while it is in PARK, to check that the turn sig-
nals, tail lights and brake lights are functioning properly.
• Always pack your trailer so that most of the weight is over
the axles, yet allowing sufficient tongue weight for safe
control of the trailer.
Not only do you want roughly 60% of the trailer’s load
placed over the front half of the trailer, you also should
load it in a way that results in a tongue weight that is
between 10-15% of the total weight of the loaded trailer.
Ensure weight is evenly distributed on the left and right
sides of the trailer. Once the load is properly distributed
and an ideal tongue weight is achieved, all cargo should
be secured to prevent the load from shifting.
• Check both
TRAILER AND MOTORHOME
tires daily
for proper inflation and for any unusual wear (check tire
pressure with cold tires). Don’t forget the inner tires of the
dual tire/wheel set-up and spare tires for both the motor-
home and trailer.
Tires that are not properly inflated can negatively affect
handling. Further, under-inflated tires can create more
rolling resistance, which not only forces the engine to
work harder and consume more fuel, but also increases
tire temperatures and may contribute to a blow-out.
Additionally, check the speed and load rating on the tires
for both your motorhome and trailer, and ensure you
never exceed that these limits.
• Check your trailer’s hub bearings before starting your
trip, and often during your travels. Ensure bearings are in
good order and properly greased.
• Check trailer brakes at the start of each trip and daily.
Smaller, lighter trailers may not need trailer brakes of
any kind, but heavier trailers, or those designed to carry
heavier loads, will usually incorporate a trailer brake sys-
tem. If your trailer is equipped with hydraulic or electric
surge brakes, make sure the emergency “breakaway”
cable is properly attached to your tow vehicle. In case
your trailer somehow disconnects from the hitch, this
cable is designed to trigger the brakes on the trailer and
quickly bring it to a halt.
• Adjust your mirrors. Before taking off, make sure your
side view mirrors are adjusted to create a clear view that
extends to the end of the trailer.
• Ensure your back-up cameras are in proper working order.
Some cameras may be able to be placed in monitor mode,
so that the towed vehicle can be observed while traveling.
• Tow bars or car dollies generally are made to travel in a
forward direction only. Most towing equipment of this
type is not designed for backing. Never attempt back-up
maneuvers with a tow bar or tow dolly; doing so could
result in damage to the motorhome, towed vehicle or
towing device.
• Be mindful of the extra length a trailer or towed vehicle
adds to your motorhome. Your motorhome is a long
vehicle, and with the added length of a trailer, it can be
very long. Be extra careful when merging into traffic or
making lane changes. Allow extra time to make these
maneuvers. ALWAYS SIGNAL YOUR INTENTIONS
WITH PROPER USE OF TURN SIGNALS.
• Allow for extra braking distance caused by the added
weight of a trailer or towed vehicle.
• Be extra cautious when making turns. Allow for the extra
length and large turning radius caused by the added
length of the trailer or towed vehicle.
• Use the aid of a spotter when backing the trailer. Be sure
the spotter is always in view of your rear view mirrors.
STOP THE VEHICLE IF YOU CANNOT SEE YOUR
SPOTTER.
• Always chock trailer or towed vehicle wheels when
disconnected from the towing vehicle (motorhome) or
when parking on an incline.
Reference:
https://www.gmc.com/gmc-life/trucks/tips-for-safe-trailering-and-
towing