Owner's Manual

A B
If you’re using a weight-carrying or a weight-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue weight
(A) should be 10 percent
to 15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight (9).
Do not exceed the maximum allowable tongue weight
for your vehicle.
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately,
to see if the weights
are proper. If they aren’t, you may be able to get them
right simply by moving some items around in the
trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the upper limit
for cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the
Certification label
at the rear edge of the driver’s door or
see Loading
Your Vehicle on page 4-48. Then be
sure you don’t go over the
GVW and rear axle limits for
your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue.
If you use a weight distributing hitch, make sure
you don’t go over the rear axle limit before you apply
the weight distributing sping bars.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are
a few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here
are some rules
to follow:
e If you’ll be pulling a trailer that, when loaded, will
weigh more than
5,000 Ibs. (2 270 kg), be sure to
use a properly mounted, weight-distributing
hitch and sway control of the proper size. This
equipment is very important for proper vehicle
loading and good handling when you’re driving.
4-55