Section 3 – Coupling To The Tow Vehicle
R4 3/30/2017
Page 24
drag force the brakes are activated. Be sure to re-
insert the pin in the breakaway switch. Also be sure
to allow enough slack in the breakaway brake
lanyard such that the switch will only activate (pin
pulls out) if the coupler connection comes loose.
Jack:
A device on the trailer that is used to raise
and lower the trailer tongue. The jack is sometimes
called the “landing gear.”
^ WARNING
An improperly coupled trailer can result in
death or serious injury.
Do not move the trailer until:
•
The coupler is secured and locked;
•
The safety chains are secured to the
tow vehicle; and
•
The trailer jacks are fully retracted.
•
Do not tow the trailer on the road until:
•
The trailer brakes are checked;
•
The breakaway switch is connected to
the tow vehicle;
•
The load is secured to the trailer; and
•
The trailer lights are connected and
checked.
3.2.1 Trailer With Ball Hitch Coupler
Trailer With Ball Hitch Coupler – Figure 3-2
A ball hitch coupler connects to a ball that is
located on or under the rear bumper of the tow
vehicle. This system of coupling a trailer to a tow
vehicle is sometimes referred to as “bumper pull.”
A coach trailer will be equipped with an electric-
powered jack to facilitate raising and lowering the
coupler. The jack is mounted to the A-frame (front,
or tongue) part of the trailer. The controls for the
electric jack are provided on a detachable pendant
that is stowed inside the trailer. Plug the pendant
into the “jack control socket”. See the Electric-
Powered Landing Gear description in the
Accessories Section.
Be sure the Ball Hitch coupler is suitable for the
size and weight of the trailer. The load rating of the
coupler and the necessary ball size are listed on the
trailer tongue. You must provide a hitch and ball
for your tow vehicle, where the load rating of the
hitch and ball is equal to or greater than that of your
trailer. Also, the ball size must be the same as the
coupler size. If the hitch ball is too small, too large,
is underrated, is loose or is worn, the trailer can
come loose from the tow vehicle, and may cause
death or serious injury.
THE TOW VEHICLE, HITCH AND BALL
MUST HAVE A RATED TOWING CAPACITY
EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN THE
TRAILER Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE HITCH BALL BE
OF THE SAME SIZE AS THE COUPLER.
IF THE HITCH BALL IS TOO SMALL, IS
UNDERRATED, IS LOOSE OR IS WORN, THE
TRAILER CAN COME LOOSE FROM THE
TOW VEHICLE, RESULTING IN DEATH OR
SERIOUS INJURY.
The ball size and load rating (capacity) are marked
on the ball; hitch capacity is marked on the hitch.
3.2.1.a Before Coupling the Trailer to the Tow
Vehicle
•
Be sure the size and rating of hitch ball match
the size and rating of the coupler. Hitch balls
and couplers are marked with their size and
rating.
Summary of Contents for COACH TRAILERS
Page 1: ...COACH TRAILERS OWNER S MANUAL...
Page 6: ......
