ESSENTIAL TOWING CHECKS
Follow these guidelines for safetowing:
•Do not tow a trailer until youdrive your vehicle at least1000 mi (1,600 km).
•Consult your local motorvehicle laws for towing a trailer.
•See the instructions includedwith towing accessories for theproper installation andadjustment specifications.
•Service your vehicle morefrequently if you tow a trailer.See your scheduledmaintenance information.
•If you use a rental trailer, followthe instructions the rentalagency gives you.
Another chapter of this manualcontains load specification termsfound on the tire label and SafetyCompliance label and instructionson calculating your vehicle's load.See Load Limit (page 36).
Remember to account for thetrailer tongue weight as part ofyour vehicle load when calculatingthe total vehicle weight.
Hitches
Do not use a hitch that eitherclamps onto the bumper orattaches to the axle.
Distribute the trailer load so10-15% of the total trailer weight
is on the tongue.
Weight-Distributing Hitches
WARNING
Do not adjust aweight-distributing hitch toany position where the rearbumper of the vehicle is higherthan it was before attaching thetrailer. Doing so will defeat thefunction of the weight-distributinghitch, which may causeunpredictable handling, and couldresult in serious personal injury.
When hooking-up a trailer using aweight-distributing hitch, alwaysuse the following procedure:
1.Park the loaded vehicle,without the trailer, on a levelsurface.
2.Measure the height to the topof your vehicle’s front wheelopening on the fender. This isH1.
3.Securely attach the loadedtrailer to your vehicle withoutthe weight-distributing barsconnected.
4.Measure the height to the topof your vehicle’s front wheelopening on the fender a secondtime. This is H2.
5.Install and adjust the tensionin the weight-distributing barsso that the height of yourvehicle’s front wheel openingon the fender is approximately
halfway between H1 and H2.
44Motorhome (), enUSATowing
