General Safety Infomation
! WARNING
Inadequate lug nut torque can cause a wheel to separate from the
trailer, leading to death or serious injury.
Be sure lug nuts are tight before each tow.
IMPROPER LOADING
The total weight of the load you put on the trailer, plus the empty weight of the
trailer itself, must not exceed the trailer's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). If
you do not know the empty weight of the trailer plus the cargo weight, you must
weigh the loaded trailer at a commercial scale. In addition, you must distribute the
load in the trailer such that the load on any axle does not exceed the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). If your trailer is equipped with a Tire & Loading Information
Placard, mounted next to the Certification / VIN label, the cargo capacity weight
stated on that placard is only a close estimate. The GVWR and GAWR are listed
on the Certification / VIN label mounted on the front left side of the trailer.
! WARNING
An overloaded trailer can result in failure or in loss of control of
the trailer, leading to death or serious injury.
Never load a trailer so that the weight on any tire exceeds its
rating.
Never exceed the trailer Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).
Never exceed an axle Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
UNSAFE LOAD DISTRIBUTION
Improper front / rear load distribution can lead to an unstable trailer or poor tow
vehicle handling. Poor trailer stability results from tongue weights that are too low,
and poor tow vehicle stability results from tongue weights that are too high. Refer
to the appropriate “Loading the Trailer” section for more information.
In the following table, the second column shows the rule of thumb percentage of
total weight of the trailer plus its cargo (Gross Trailer Weight, or “GTW”) that should
appear on the tongue of the trailer. For example, a trailer with a gooseneck hitch,
with a loaded weight of 12,000 pounds, should have 20-25% of 12,000 pounds
(2400-3000 lbs.) on the gooseneck.
A dump trailer will have the proper weight distribution if the load is evenly
distributed in the dump body. For non-flowable (discrete) loads locate the load
such as to provide the proper tongue weight. After loading, be sure to check that
none of the axles are overloaded.
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