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TOWING YOUR AIRSTREAM
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TOW VEHICLE EQUIPMENT
If you plan to buy a new vehicle to tow your trailer we suggest that you include in
your purchase the towing options offered by most tow vehicle manufacturers. These
include such things as a heavy-duty alternator and radiator, heavy-duty springs (See
Note:) and shock absorbers, transmission cooler, heavy-duty fan and flasher unit and
others, depending upon the make of the vehicle.
Transmissions may be manual or automatic, but an automatic transmission may pro-
long your tow vehicle’s life and generally does a better job of controlling engine loads
than the average driver using a manual shift.
Having adequate power is very important when considering the purchase of a new
vehicle or the trailer towing capability of your present one. American manufacturers
realize more than 30% of the vehicles they sell will be used for towing some type of
trailer. The dealers are provided with guidelines to use when helping a customer decide
on a tow vehicle. The guidelines are not just determined by the power output of the
engine. The gear ratio of the differential is also a very important part of the guideline.
Inspect the tow vehicle’s hitch regularly for loose bolts or nuts, cracked welds, loose
ball mounts, worn parts, etc.
New trailerists often carry more food and other supplies than really needed. Remember
that every item you take along is one more thing to stow and adds weight to the total
load you must pull. Consolidate items in shelves, lockers, and in the refrigerator. It is
better to have one full and one empty locker, than two half empty ones. Special care
must be taken not to overload the front and rear ends of the trailer.
NOTICE: Be realistic when ordering heavy duty springs. Only springs heavy enough
to support your loaded vehicle (not including trailer) are necessary. Too harsh of spring
rate will only shorten the life of the tow vehicle and trailer, and will make your journeys
less enjoyable.
WARNING: Too stiff of springs can hinder the action of the weight
equalizing hitch and prevent the transfer of weight to the front of the vehicle.
7-way Plug Diagram
Black, 12V
-
Blank
Brown, Right
Turn
Blue, Brake
12V, White
Left
Turn, Red
Clearance Lights
,
Green