Airstream Touring Coach Interstate 19 2023 Loading User Manual
Loading
One of the most critical aspects of safely operating a touring coach is knowing the weight involved and where it is placed. The first thing to determine is how much cargo is being loaded and confirming that it is within the capacity of the equipment being used. Determining WHERE that load is placed is critical to the way your rig will handle on the road. Do not try to guess what your touring coach weighs loaded. Load your touring coach including water, propane, etc and take it to a public scale. Weigh each axle of your vehicle. Refer to your axle weight and tire limits to see if you are within a safe range. Total all axle weights and make sure you are below the GVWR. If you are not overloaded, make sure your load is balanced. Do not load too much on one side. A balanced load is much easier to tow or drive. Front to back balance is also important. Step back and look at your touring coach. Make sure there is not too much weight in the front or on the rear of the touring coach. Be sure to secure all items. Loose items can cause damage and can be a safety issue. The Cargo Carrying capacity tag shown below is installed on every touring coach and can be found on the inside of the door on your vehicle.
MOTOR HOME OCCUPANT AND CARGO CARRYING CAPACITY VIN THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX kg or XXX lbs Safety belt seating capacity: XXX
CAUTION
A full load of water equals XXX kg or XXX l bs of cargo @ 1 kg/L (8.3 lb/gal) and the tongue weight of a towed trailer counts as cargo To arrive at “THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO SHOULD NEVER EXCEED” number, Airstream weighs the vehicle as finished and adds the weight of full tanks of LP and chassis fuel.
That number is subtracted from the GVWR of the touring coach and listed on the tag, The total weight of any and all cargo, including but not limited to dealer or customer modifications or additions, fluids (fresh water and holding tanks), food, clothes, tools, tongue weight of a towed trailer or vehicle, and passengers should never exceed the number listed while the touring coach is in transit. The “SAFETY BELT SEATING CAPACITY” is the number of passengers that seat belts are provided for. The “A FULL LOAD OF WATER EQUALS” number is arrived at by multiplying the fresh water tank and water heater capacities by 1Kg/L or 8.34 lb/gal.
When loading the vehicle it is important to keep
the GVWR, GAWR, Tire Weight Ratings (listed on the vehicle tire Information placard), and the cargo and occupant capacity in mind and not to exceed these specifications. Your safety depends on not overloading the touring coach, axles, and tires. See the specification section for the weight rating list of these items.
Weighing
To determine the actual weight of your vehicle with personal cargo and water, it must be weighed on scales as you plan to travel. The most common scales are those used by states to weigh trucks along the highway. In rural areas, grain elevators, cement outlets and gravel pits are a good source.
NOTE
Weighing instructions for this touring coach are explained on the next page. If you have trouble locating scales, a call to your State Highway Patrol will usually find them cooperative in assisting you. Vehicle and Trailer Weights and Rating Definitions Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) is the maximum permissible weight of the touring coach. Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) comprises weight of vehicle including tools, installed accessories, passengers, cargo, and trailer tongue weight. It must never exceed the GVWR. Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) is the maximum permissible axle weight. Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) is the maximum permissible trailer weight to be towed. Trailer Tongue Weight Rating (TWR) is the maximum permissible weight of the trailer tongue. This counts as cargo when loading a touring coach.
NOTE
Check the Sprinter manual for all weights and the tire information placard location.
|
Front Axle GAWR |
GVWR |
Rear Axle GAWR |
GCWR – GVW |
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| SCALE WEIGHT | Optional Tow Weight | |||||
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|
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STEP 1 Front Axle GAW |
STEP 2 GVW |
STEP 3 Rear Axle GAW |
STEP 3a Tow Weight minus Weight of Trailer or Vehicle Towed |
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| INDIVIDUAL WHEEL POSITION WEIGHT | ||||||
STEP 4 Left Front Wheel Position |
STEP 5 Left Side (Total LF + LR) |
STEP 6 Left Rear Wheel Position |
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| Calculated | Calculated | Calculated | ||||
|
Right Front Wheel Position Step 1 minus Step 4 |
Right Front (Total RF + RR) Step 2 minus Step 5 |
Right Rear Wheel Position Step 3 minus Step 6 |
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GAWR = Gross Axle Weight Rating
GVWR=Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
GCWR = Gross Combination Weight Rating
Procedure for Weighing a Touring Coach
Vehicle should be weighed and loaded, as you normally travel.
- Fill in first row from Specification Section of this manual.
- Weigh vehicle as shown in row 2 (Scale Weight) and fill in blanks.
- Weigh one side of vehicle as shown in Individual Wheel Position Weight.
- Calculate other side as shown in last row.
NOTE
Check the Sprinter manual for all weights and tire information placard location.
Weight Distribution
Touring coach has fresh water and gray water tanks, a water heater, and storage areas. It gives you great flexibility in loading. With flexibility comes responsibility. If you want to load down all the storage compartments, the number of fluids may have to be reduced. It’s a trade off so plan wisely. Distribute your additional cargo as evenly as possible with the heaviest objects located as low as possible. Do you really want to carry a full fresh water tank to a RV park 1,000 miles away and then hook up to a city water supply? Even if you’re going to a remote area, you can usually fill your water tank shortly before entering the area. Just reducing your load by 10 gallons of water lets you carry an additional 83.4 lb of cargo.
Safety
Seat belts
Federally approved seat belts are provided for the use of the driver, passenger, and the rear sofa. Most states require, by law, that all passengers in a motor vehicle use seat belts while in transit. It is strongly recommended that all occupants remain seated with their safety belts firmly attached while the touring coach is in transit. The driver should adjust his or her seat so that he or she is able to reach all controls easily with the belt on, and be able to use all the travel on the foot brake. Seat belts should be placed as low as possible around the hips to prevent sliding out from under them in case of an accident. This places the load of the body on the strong hipbone structure instead of around the soft abdominal area. Remember, there should only be one occupant per seat belt when traveling. The driver and front passenger seat belt buckle operation is explained in the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter manual. The rear sofa buckles are secured by inserting the male end into the female buckle until the buckles are secured. To release the buckle press the release button on the female end.
Release Button
WARNING
Become familiar with and follow all directions, advice, and warnings pertaining to seats, seat belt operation, and restraint systems, provided in the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Operator’s Manual. Do not allow passengers to ride anywhere in the touring coach except in seats that are equipped with approved seat belts.
WARNING
Children must be secured in a federally-approved child restraint device. Failure to use proper restraints while in transit can result in severe or fatal injuries. Never place an infant seat that faces to the rear on the front passenger seat. Never place an unbelted infant seat on any seat while in transit Child restraint devices are designed to be secured with lap or lap/shoulder belts. All instructions supplied by the restraint manufacturer must be followed. Statistics have shown children are safer when properly restrained in a rear seating position than in a front seating position. Don’t hesitate when it comes to passenger safety. Make sure all passengers are properly restrained.
Reference Links
View Full User Guide: Airstream Touring Coach Interstate 19 2023 User Manual
Download Manuals: https://www.airstream.com/owners/manuals/
