FEATHERLITE TRAILERS COACH TRAILERS, Owner'S Manual

Page 1: ...COACH TRAILERS OWNER S MANUAL...

Page 2: ...ut in it That is why the features of all Featherlite trailers are engineered with the customer and the cargo in mind Please know that Featherlite s dedicated dealers and employees are here for you Let...

Page 3: ...NG This User s Manual contains safety information and instructions for your trailer You must read this manual before loading or towing your trailer You must follow all safety precautions and instructi...

Page 4: ...ck LT Tires 19 2 5 10 d Information on Special Trailer ST Tires 20 2 5 11 Tire Safety Tips 20 3 COUPLING TO THE TOW VEHICLE 21 3 1 USE AN ADEQUATE TOW VEHICLE AND HITCH 21 3 1 1 Trailer Information 21...

Page 5: ...g Leg or Jack 46 8 2 8 Lights and Signals 46 8 2 9 Accessory Battery 46 8 2 10 Tires 46 8 2 11 Wheel Rims 46 8 2 12 Wheel Liners Simulators 46 8 2 13 Wheel Bearings 47 8 2 13 a Standard Bearings 47 8...

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Page 7: ...azards or unsafe practices which COULD result in severe personal injury or death if the warning is ignored CAUTION CAUTION Hazards or unsafe practices which could result in minor or moderate injury if...

Page 8: ...Swaying can be caused by excessive steering wind gusts roadway edges or by the trailer reaction to the pressure wave created by passing trucks and busses When encountering trailer sway take your foot...

Page 9: ...Safety Chains Safety chains are provided so that control of the trailer can still be maintained if the trailer comes loose from the tow vehicle for any reason WARNING Incorrect rigging of the safety...

Page 10: ...ire pressure may cause an unstable trailer Blowout and loss of control may occur Death or serious injury can result Make sure of proper tire pressure before towing trailer Inflate tires to pressure in...

Page 11: ...uctural failure Be sure your trailer is evenly loaded left right Towing stability also depends on keeping the center of gravity as low as possible WARNING An improperly distributed load can result in...

Page 12: ...iler brakes Before towing the trailer on the road you must operate the brake controller while trying to pull the trailer in order to confirm that the electric brakes operate While towing the trailer a...

Page 13: ...trailer in tow is vastly different from driving the same vehicle without a trailer in tow Acceleration maneuverability and braking are all diminished with a trailer in tow It takes longer to get up to...

Page 14: ...cle brakes Your dealer can assist you by making this adjustment Use your mirrors to verify that you have room to change lanes or pull into traffic Use your turn signals well in advance Allow plenty of...

Page 15: ...and others against death or serious injury all of the labels shown above must be on the trailer and must be legible If any of these labels are missing or cannot be read call Featherlite Inc at 800 80...

Page 16: ...tigation and if it finds that a safety defect exists in a group of vehicles it may order a recall and remedy campaign However NHTSA cannot become involved in individual problems between you your deale...

Page 17: ...on handling and stopping on tires 2 1 TRAILER TIRE INFORMATION Trailer tires may be worn out even though they still have plenty of tread left This is because trailer tires have to carry a lot of weigh...

Page 18: ...d will show a statement regarding maximum cargo capacity Cargo can be added to the trailer up to the maximum weight specified on the placard The combined weight of the cargo is provided as a single nu...

Page 19: ...of cargo and luggage capacity For example if the XXX amount equals 1400 lbs and there will be five 150 lb passengers in your vehicle the amount of available cargo and luggage capacity is 650 lbs 1400...

Page 20: ...ing or bears manufacturer brand and or model name molding that is higher or deeper than the same molding on the other sidewall of the tire or the outward facing sidewall of an asymmetrical tire that h...

Page 21: ...ose installed regular production options weighing over 2 3 kilograms 5 lbs in excess of those standard items which they replace not previously considered in curb weight or accessory weight including h...

Page 22: ...the connection between tire and the vehicle Wheel holding fixture The fixture used to hold the wheel and tire assembly securely during testing 2 5 TIRE SAFETY EVERYTHING RIDES ON IT The National Traf...

Page 23: ...ufacturers list the maximum permissible inflation pressure on the tire sidewall This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever be put in the tire under normal driving conditions 2...

Page 24: ...Lincoln s head upside down and facing you If you can see the top of Lincoln s head you are ready for new tires 2 5 8 Tire Balance and Wheel Alignment To avoid vibration or shaking of the vehicle when...

Page 25: ...formation is used to contact consumers if a tire defect requires a recall Tire Ply Composition and Materials Used The number of plies indicates the number of layers of rubber coated fabric in the tire...

Page 26: ...inflation pressure or load is required Recommended speed mayvaryand the owner should check ratings for the specific tire installed on the trailer Max Load Dual kg lbs at kPa psi Cold This information...

Page 27: ...een built using parts from various component manufacturers Where this manual indicates that you should read another manual and you do not have that manual call Featherlite at 1 800 800 1230 for assist...

Page 28: ...vehicle after getting the empty weight and then just weighing the trailer axles Subtracting the axle weight from the empty weight gives you the tongue weight Knowing the empty weight now allows you t...

Page 29: ...both the trailer lights and tow vehicle lights 3 2 COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING THE TRAILER A secure coupling or fastening of the trailer to the tow vehicle is essential A loss of coupling may result in de...

Page 30: ...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 soc...

Page 31: ...trailer 3 2 1 b Prepare the Coupler and Hitch Lubricate the hitch ball and the inside of the coupler with a thin layer of automotive bearing grease Using the jack raise the coupler above the ball hei...

Page 32: ...ble 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 pintle coupler is s...

Page 33: ...Using the jack raise the coupler above the ball height Open the coupler locking mechanism Ball couplers have a locking mechanism with an internal moving piece ball clamp and an outside handle wheel o...

Page 34: ...of tow vehicle not to hitch or ball Cross underneath hitch and coupler with minimum slack to permit turning and to hold tongue up if the trailer comes loose 3 2 4 Attach and Test the Breakaway Brake...

Page 35: ...eplace the pullpin can result in ineffective brakes leading to loss of control serious injury or death If you do not use your trailer for three or more months or during winter months Store the battery...

Page 36: ...brake switch lanyard Disconnect the safety chains from the tow vehicle Unlock the coupler and open it Before extending jack make certain the ground surface below the jack pad will support the tongue l...

Page 37: ...n to sway when towed at highway speed A rule of thumb for the coach trailer is Tongue weight should be 10 of the total weight of the trailer plus cargo Gross Vehicle Weight or GVW Towing stability als...

Page 38: ...cles ATVs Motorcycles Do not transport people containers of hazardous substances cans or containers of flammable substances However fuel in the tank of an off road vehicle or a car or motorcycle etc m...

Page 39: ...a dangerously high center of gravity by having heavier cargo on a raised platform Plan your load so that heavier cargo will be secured beneath the raised lift WARNING A higher center of gravity can r...

Page 40: ...ng pins Lower the lift platform until it is resting on the four locking pins This relieves the tension on the cable and minimizes cable stretching Unplug and stow the control pendant WARNING An unlock...

Page 41: ...oupling to the Tow Vehicle section of this manual Test Tail Stop and Turn Lights Test trailer brakes Safety breakaway switch lanyard fastened to tow vehicle not to safety chains see the Coupling to th...

Page 42: ...drums experience a rapid initial wear The brakes must be adjusted after the first 200 miles of use and each 3 000 miles thereafter Most axles are fitted with brake shoes that must be manually adjuste...

Page 43: ...in areas where people or animals are likely to be present Conditions that can redirect exhaust fumes are for example Being drawn in by fans or ventilators operated in a trailer Prevailing wind Being t...

Page 44: ...d into a socket located near the landing gear The motion of the landing gear is accomplished either with a hydraulic system or a mechanical system 7 4 1 Electric Powered Hydraulic Jack An electric pow...

Page 45: ...pulley system to platform The cable type of lift platform must be secured against lowering with blocking pins Refer to Section 4 for instructions WARNING A cable operated lift can cause death or seri...

Page 46: ...d below Only 8 2 5 c First 200 mi ea 3 000 miles Shoes and Drums Air Pressure Actuated Adjust 8 2 5 c First 200 mi ea 3 000 miles Check for scoring and wear Brakes Electric Magnets Inspect for wear an...

Page 47: ...y Replace tire when treads are worn or a sidewall has a bulge 8 2 9 Wheel Bearings Hubs Standard Bearings Check for free running and lubricate 8 2 11 a Every 12 000 mi or 1 yr E Z Lube Bearings Standa...

Page 48: ...questions about the condition or method of repair of fasteners or frame members get the recommendation of or have the repair done by your dealer The various fastener types used on your trailer are Bol...

Page 49: ...comes loose from the hitch and the breakaway pin is pulled The other brake is an electric braking system that acts whenever the brakes of the tow vehicle are applied Tow Vehicle Operated Electric Brak...

Page 50: ...electrical signal from the tow vehicle 8 2 5 Trailer Brakes Axles Rated 8000 lbs and Below with Hydraulic Brakes and ALL Axles with Air Brakes 8 2 5 a Initial Inspection WARNING Brakes that are out o...

Page 51: ...ectrically driven pump to generate hydraulic pressure which operates the brake cylinders Like electrical brakes an electric hydraulic braking system is operated by an electrical signal from the tow ve...

Page 52: ...rage The battery could freeze and break if it becomes discharged 8 2 10 Tires Before each tow be sure the tire pressure is at the value indicated on the Certification VIN label Tire pressure must be c...

Page 53: ...wheel bearings every 12 months or 12 000 miles whichever occurs first If a trailer wheel bearing is immersed in water it must be repacked after each immersion If your trailers has not been used for an...

Page 54: ...to the axle manufactures manual for information on checking wheel end play and clearance See figure 8 5 Nev R Lube Bearing Shown Figure 8 5 8 2 14 Lug Nuts Bolts Lug nuts are prone to loosen right aft...

Page 55: ...eep between the wheel rim and lug nuts bolts will cause rim to loosen Death or injury can occur if wheel comes off Tighten lug nuts bolts before each tow Tighten the lug nuts to the proper tightness t...

Page 56: ...7 Lug nuts are prone to loosen right after a wheel is mounted to a hub When driving on a remounted wheel check to see if the lug nuts are tight after the first 10 25 and 50 miles of driving and befor...

Page 57: ...ion Figure 9 1 9 2 HITCH SYSTEMS The various components of trailer fastening systems may be referred to in terms of Class depending on their load rating The rating of hitch systems on tow vehicles als...

Page 58: ...0 pounds Class 1 Weight Dist Hitch up to 2 000 pounds up to 300 pounds Class 2 Weight Carrying Hitch up to 3 500 pounds up to 300 pounds Class 2 Weight Dist Hitch up to 3 500 pounds up to 500 pounds C...

Page 59: ...ct to change REPAIR PARTS ACCESSORIES LOCAL DEALERS LOCAL SALES LOCAL SERVICE Repair Parts can be obtained from the Featherlite dealer serving your area Call your local dealer for parts accessories fo...

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