Posted by Steven on May 23, 2009 under 5th Wheel Towing, General Towing Tips, Toad Towing, Travel Trailer Towing | 
- Breakaway switch
- A safety device that automatically activates the brakes of a towing vehicle if it separates from the trailer hitch.
- Camper
- A structure designed to be mounted to a vehicle, usually a pickup, which provides facilities for human habitation or camping.
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- Camp trailer
- A vehicle under 16 feet in length designed to be used on a highway capable of human habitation for camping or recreational purposes.
- Curb weight
- The weight of the vehicle with full fuel, water, and propane tanks.
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- Dolly
- A two-wheel trailer, used to carry the front or rear axle of another vehicle.
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- Endorsement
- Permission granted by a licensing authority to applicants qualified by examination to drive specified vehicles.
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- Fifth-wheel
- A vehicle designed for recreational purposes to carry persons or property on its own structure and so constructed as to be drawn by a motor vehicle by means of a kingpin connecting device.
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- GAWR
- Gross axle weight rating (for each axle)—the maximum weight that can be safely carried by each axle. Distribute the weight properly so you don’t exceed the GAWR ratings.
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- GCW
- Gross combination weight—the total weight of a powered unit plus trailer(s) plus the cargo.
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- GCWR
- Gross combination weight rating—the maximum GCW specified by the manufacturer for a specific combination of vehicles plus the load.
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- Gross weight
- The weight of the vehicle plus its load.
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- GVWR
- Gross vehicle weight rating—the maximum weight that your
RV can carry, including driver, passengers, and cargo.
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- Housecar
- A motor vehicle originally designed, or permanently altered, and equipped for human habitation, or to which a camper has been permanently attached.
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- Landing gear
- The equipment designed to support the weight of a vehicle and its load on the ground.
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- Motorhome
- A vehicle designed to provide temporary living quarters, built as an integral part of, or permanently attached to, a self-propelled motor vehicle chassis or van.
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- Tracking
- Also called offtracking. The rear wheels of a vehicle or trailer follow a different path than the front wheels.
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- Travel trailer
- Also called Travel coach – A vehicle, other than a motor vehicle, designed for human habitation or human occupancy for industrial, professional, or commercial purposes, for carrying property on its own structure, and for being drawn by a motor vehicle. Includes “park model” trailer.
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- Payload
- The discretionary weight, measured by subtracting the curb weight from the GVWR to determine the amount of cargo and passengers that you can safely carry. (Example: If your RV’s curb weight is 10,500 lbs., and its GVWR is 12,500 lbs., the payload limit is 2,000 lbs.)
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- Unladen weight
- the weight of a vehicle equipped and ready for operation on the road including five gallons of fuel, required equipment and permanent attachments to the vehicle. Does not include any load.
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Posted by Steven on under 5th Wheel Towing, Travel Trailer Towing |
You can find a public scale by looking under “Weighers—Public” in the yellow pages of your local telephone directory.
Trailers must be carefully weighed to make sure that loads are properly distributed, front to rear as well as left to right. There are two additional considerations with trailer weights:
- The tow vehicle pulling the trailer
- The hitching system that connects the two
Both the tow vehicle and the hitching system have weight capacities which affect the safe handling of the vehicle. As a new RV owner or driver you should be aware of this.
Do not exceed the GVWR of the tow vehicle. The GVWR includes the curb weight of the vehicle, payload, and hitch weight. Hitch weight is the percentage of the trailer weight that is placed on the trailer coupler of the tow vehicle. (Refer to the next section on Trailer Vehicle Hitch Weight.) Tow vehicles also have GAWR limits. Payload and hitch weight must be divided evenly between the axles to conform with the maximum weight limits and to avoid over steering problems.
The proper tow vehicle hitch weight is approximately 10-15 percent of a trailer’s gross weight to be loaded in front of the trailer axles and onto the hitching mechanism. This ensures needed stability for road handling. If your trailer does not tow properly, you may have a problem with not enough weight on the hitch. Here are some methods to figure out hitch weight:
- Park your loaded trailer on a scale so that the hitch coupler extends beyond the end of the scale, but the tongue jack post (the post on the front of the trailer which rests on the ground when unhitched) is on the scale.
- Block the trailer vehicle wheels, unhitch the tow vehicle, and obtain a weight rating. This is the curb weight of the trailer vehicle alone.
- Place a jack stand (or 4″ x 4″ blocks) under the coupler (beyond the scale) so that the tongue jack post is supported off the scale and the trailer is fairly level. Note this weight rating.
- Subtract the reading in #2 from the reading in #3 for the hitch weight.
In any RV, vehicle stability and safety can be affected by weight distribution. If, for example, rear axle weight is low, it is best to load the heaviest supplies toward the rear. Keep heaviest supplies low, to keep the center of gravity low and ensure best handling.
Posted by Steven on under 5th Wheel Towing, General Towing Tips, Toad Towing, Travel Trailer Towing |
This article is meant to give you some basic, but important, information about RV towing and travel trailer safety. A good understanding of RV towing and general towing safety along with lots of driving practice will help you operate your RV with greater confidence and enjoyment.
Be safe and enjoy your RV travels.
Perform a safety inspection before each trip. Make sure that:
- The pin securing the ball mount to the receiver is intact.
- The hitch coupler is secured.
- Spring bar hinges are tight with the safety clips in place (load equalizer or weight distributing hitches).
- Safety chains are properly attached.
- The electrical plug is properly installed.
People who tow RV travel trailers share the same safety concerns as Motorhome owners. However, a tow vehicle and a travel trailer form an articulated (hinged) vehicle which presents an additional set of concerns. The tow vehicle must be a proper match for the trailer. If the trailer is properly equipped, it can perform safely under a variety of driving conditions. The tow vehicle should also have enough performance to climb mountain grades without excessive loss of speed. Here are three basic types of trailers:
- Conventional travel trailers (includes folding camping trailers).
- Fifth-wheel trailers.
- Motorcycle, tent, and cargo trailers.
The major difference between the three types of trailers is the way they are hitched.
Conventional Travel Trailers
The ball and coupler hitch is used on a wide variety of tow vehicle and trailer combinations. This hitch consists simply of a ball attached to the rear of the tow vehicle and a coupler (socket) at the tip of a tongue or A-frame attached to the front of the trailer. This hitch is commonly used on recreational trailers.
A load distributing hitch is used for heavier models such as utility trailers, boat trailers, and travel trailers. (See the Balance and Hitch Adjustment.) These load distributing hitches use special equipment to distribute the tongue load to all axles of the tow vehicle and trailer to help stabilize the tow vehicle. Here are some terms you should know when discussing hitch adjustment and in evaluating hitch performance:
- Receiver: Hitch platform fitted to the tow vehicle.
- Ball Mount: A removable steel component that fits into the receiver. The hitch ball and spring bars (only on load distributing hitches) are attached to it.
- Sway Control: A device designed to lessen the pivoting motion between tow vehicle and trailer when a balltype hitch is used.
- Coupler: The ball socket at the front of the trailer A-frame that receives the hitch ball.
- Spring Bars: Load-leveling bars used to distribute hitch weight among all axles of tow vehicle and trailer in a load distributing ball-type hitch.
Fifth-wheel Trailers
Not as much attention is given to balance, hitching procedures, and weight restrictions for fifth-wheel trailers because they are basically very stable. A disadvantage that the fifth-wheel has over conventional trailers is that much of the truck bed space is not available. The fifth-wheel hitch occupies the center of the truck bed and the hitch pin is in front of the center line of the tow vehicle’s rear axle. Hitch weight of fifth-wheel trailers is usually around 20 percent of the trailer weight. Hitches are rated for up to 15,000 pounds of gross trailer weight. Here are some terms used to describe typical fifth-wheel hitch components:
- Fifth-wheel Plate: Unit that contains hitch plate, plate jaws, and handle (mounted in the truck bed).
- Handle: Device used to release or lock the plate jaws.
- Hitch Plate: “Wheel” that allows the trailer to rotate.
- Pin: The connecting device attached to a fifth-wheel trailer (designed to fit into the plate jaws mounted in the truck bed).
- Pin Box: Structure attached to the bottom front section of the trailer frame (the pin is attached to the bottom).
- Plate Jaws: Holds the pin.
- Side Rails: Support rails, bolted to the tow truck bed (supports the fifth-wheel hitch).
Motorcycle, Tent, and Cargo Trailers
There are several types of couplings between the motorcycle and the trailer. There are the:
- Ball and socket
- Ball type with a swivel
- Universal-joint type with a detachable pin
- Pin and swivel type
The coupling you choose should be:
- Non-slip, non-loosening, and non-binding
- Easy to hook and unhook
- Free moving
Motorcycle riders towing a trailer must remember to ride closer to the center of the road. You have the width of your trailer to worry about. Be careful of the “oil strip” in the center of the road at intersections. Also, watch for uneven road surfaces and road edges which can unbalance the trailer.
Transporting Passengers
Here are the rules for transporting people in RVs or recreation trailers:
- People are not allowed in a conventional travel trailer while it is being towed.
- People are allowed to ride fifth-wheel trailer equipped with an unblocked exit door which can always be opened from both the inside and outside and there is a way to communicate with the driver.
- A pickup camper with people in it must have an unblocked exit door which can always be opened from both the inside and outside and passengers must be able to communicate with the driver.