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Loading Cargo
Packing camping gear in your travel trailer requires serious consideration. All cargo
should be distributed evenly with the heaviest items stored in the lower cabinets. Heavy
items must be secured to prevent weight shifts while traveling. Additional weight behind
the axle should be kept to a minimum. Heavier items should always be packed over or in
front of the axles.
CAUTION:
DO NOT overload your travel trailer. Please follow the GVWR when
loading your Jayco travel trailer.
When loading is completed, it is strongly suggested that you drive to a large scale and
have your travel trailer weighed. If you are over loaded, it is advisable that you remove
some of your cargo or liquids.
WARNING: The rear bumper on the frame of conventional travel trailers and
fifth-wheel travel trailers is not designed to carry over 100 pounds (45 kilo-
grams). Never add items such as generators, motorcycle racks, heavy tool
boxes, etc. to the back of your travel trailer. Installation of items exceeding
100 pounds (45 kilograms) could cause metal fatigue and weld stress. DO NOT
tow a trailer behind your travel trailer. Your trailer frame and bumper are
NOT designed to tow another trailer.
CAUTION:
Damage from add-on equipment or improper loading is not covered
by your Jayco Limited Warranty.
CAUTION: We recommend that you DO NOT travel with waste in your holding
tanks. Full holding tanks are not calculated into the cargo carrying capacity of the
unit and the extra weight will greatly diminish the cargo weight available to you,
possibly causing you to exceed the gross vehicle weight rating of the unit. This can
damage suspension components, such as springs, tires and axles. If your model has
the holding tanks located behind the axles, the weight of a full tank will reduce the
hitch weight. Sway and other handling difficulties can be the result of the hitch
weight being too light. If you are dry camping and cannot immediately empty the
tanks, use caution when towing and maintain lower speeds for better control of the
trailer until you reach a dumping station.
WEIGHING INSTRUCTIONS
To properly weigh your recreation vehicle, it should first be weighted, including the
tongue weight, while detached from the tow vehicle. This actual overall weight must be
less than or equal to the GVWR for safe operation. If the overall weight is greater than
the GVWR, some contents must be removed until maximum GVWR limitations are
achieved. Once the actual overall weight is determined and the recreation vehicle is
within GVWR limits, the following weights should be determined:
1. The weight of complete recreation vehicle, while attached, but excluding the tow
vehicle. This will result in the actual weight which is exerted on all of the recreation
vehicle tires. This weight may be subtracted from the overall recreation vehicle
weight (above) to determine actual “tongue” weight.
