Lance 1130 Owner's Manual
Also see for 1130: Owner's manual
                                                                                                                                    | |
Contents
| 
13MAJOR HAZARDSLoss of control of the trailer or trailer/tow vehiclecombination can result in death or serious injury.The most common causes for loss of control of thetrailer are:• Improper sizing the trailer for the tow vehicle, orvice versa.• Excessive Speed: Driving too fast for the condi-tions.• Failure to adjust driving behavior when towing atrailer.• Overloading and/or improper weight distribu-tion.• Improper or miss-coupling of the trailer to thehitch.• Improper braking and steering under sway con-ditions.• Not maintaining proper tire pressure.• Not keeping lug nuts tight.Improper Sizing of the Trailer to the Tow Vehicle.Trailers that weigh too much for the towing vehiclecan cause stability problems, which can lead to deathor serious injury. Furthermore, the additional strainput on the engine and drive-train may lead to seri-ous tow vehicle maintenance problems. For thesereasons the maximum towing capacity of your towingvehicle should not be exceeded. The towing capac-ity of your tow vehicle, in terms of maximum GrossTrailer Weight (GTW) and maximum Gross CombinedWeight Rating (GCWR) can be found in the towvehicles Owner’s Manual.DANGERUse of an under-rated hitch, ball or tow ve-hicle can result in loss of control leading todeath or serious injury.Make certain your hitch and tow vehicle arerated for your trailer.Driving Too FastWith ideal road conditions, the maximum recom-mended speed for safely towing a trailer is 60 mph.If you drive too fast, the trailer is more likely to sway,thus increasing the possibility for loss of control. Alsoyour tires may overheat, thus increasing the possibil-ity of a blowout.WARNINGDriving too fast for conditions can result inloss of control and cause death or seriousinjury.Adjust speed down when towing trailer.Failure to Adjust Driving Behavior WhenTowing a TrailerWhen towing a trailer, you will have decreased accel-eration, increased stopping distance, and increasedturning radius (which means you must make widerturns to keep from hitting curbs, vehicles, and any-thing else that is on the inside corner). Furthermore,the trailer will change the handling characteristicsof your towing vehicle, making it more sensitive tosteering inputs and more likely to be pushed aroundin windy conditions or when being passed by largevehicles. In addition, you will need a longer distanceto pass, due to slower acceleration and increasedlength. With this in mind:• Be alert for slippery conditions. You are morelikely to be affected by slippery road surfaceswhen driving a tow vehicle with a trailer, thandriving a tow vehicle without a trailer.• Anticipate the trailer “swaying.” Swaying canbe caused by excessive steering, wind gusts,roadway edges, or by the trailer reaction to thepressure wave created by passing trucks andbuses.• When encountering trailer sway, take your footoff the accelerator, and steer as little as possiblein order to stay on the road. Use small “trim-like” steering adjustments. Do not attempt tosteer out of the sway; you’ll only make it worse.Also, do not apply the tow vehicle brakes to cor-rect trailer swaying. The application of the trailerbrakes alone will tend to straighten out thecombination, especially when going downhill.• Check rearview mirrors frequently to observethe trailer and traffic.• Use lower gear when driving down steep orlong grades. Use the engine and transmissionas a brake. Do not ride the brakes, as they canoverheat and become ineffective.• Be aware of your trailer height, especially whenapproaching bridges, roofed areas and aroundtrees.Trailer Not Properly Coupled to the HitchIt is critical that the trailer be securely coupled tothe hitch, and that the safety chains and emergencybreakaway brake lanyard are correctly attached.Uncoupling may result in death or serious injury toyou and to others. |
This manual is suitable for:
manualsdatabase
Your AI-powered manual search engine