RV Terms Glossary: Letter "T"

TAIL SWING

Motorhomes built on chassis with short wheelbases and long overhangs behind the rear axle are susceptible to tail swing when turning sharply. As the motorhome moves in reverse or turns a corner, the extreme rear of the coach can move horizontally and strike objects nearby (typically road signs and walls). Drivers need to be aware of the amount of tail swing in order to prevent accidents.

TENT TRAILER

A lightweight RV unit with sides, usually made of canvas, that collapse for towing and storage. They are also known as pop-up trailers. These are the smallest of the RVs that do not have an engine, and are easy to tow. The tent trailer combines the experience of tent camping with the comforts found in other RVs. When set up, they provide kitchen, dining and sleeping facilities for up to eight people.

French: Tente-caravane

THERMOCOUPLE

The heat-activated shutoff valve that prevents LP gas from flowing to a pilot that has gone out.

French: Thermoélément

THREE-WAY REFRIGERATOR

A model which runs on 12 volt, 115 volt, and LP gas sources.

French: Réfrigérateur trifonctionnel

TIME DELAY RELAY

Same function as Fan switch.

TIP-OUT

Term for the room (generally in older RVs) that "tipped-out" for additional living space once the RV was parked. Newer RVs mainly use slide-out rooms.

French: Rallonge escamotable

TOE

Wheel alignment - The measure of whether the front of the wheels (looking down from the top) are closer (toe-in) or farther (toe-out) than the back of the wheels.

French: Parallélisme de roues

TOAD

The term for a vehicle that you are towing with your motorhome. It is also know as a Dinghy.

TONGUE JACK

The lifting device which raises the trailer tongue hitch off of the hitchball.

TONGUE WEIGHT

Downward force exerted on the hitch ball by the trailer coupler. In most cases, about 10 to 15 percent of GTW.

French: Poids au timon

TORSION BARS

The steel bars in equalizing hitch systems used to lever a portion of the weight of a trailer’s hitch weight onto the forward axle of a tow vehicle.

French: Barres de torsion

TOW BAR

A bar used for connecting a towed vehicle to the motorhome for towing all four wheels on the ground.

French: Barre de remorquage

TOW RATING

The manufacturer’s rating of the maximum weight limit that can safely be towed by a particular vehicle.

TOW VEHICLE

The vehicle that pulls a trailer.

TOY HAULER

Term for fifth wheels, travel trailers or motorhomes with built-in interior cargo space for motorcycles, bikes, etc.

TRAILER BRAKES

Brakes that are built into the trailer and are activated either by electric impulse or by a surge mechanism.

French: Freins de remorque

TRANSMISSION COOLER

A heat exchanger similar to a small radiator through which automatic transmission fluid passes and is cooled.

French: Refroidisseur de transmission

TRAVEL TRAILER

A unit designed to be towed by a car, van, or pickup, by means of a bumper or frame hitch. They range in size from a small bedroom on wheels, to large and luxurious. Due to the weight of all but the smallest units, the tow vehicle must have a special load-distributing hitch. Like all towable units, they can be unhitched from the tow vehicle, which is then available for local travel use to and from the campsite. Travel trailers sleep four to eight people.

French: Caravane classique

TRIPLE TOWING

The term used for three vehicles attached together, usually a tow vehicle pulling two separate trailers. A typical configuration might be a tow vehicle pulling a travel trailer with a boat behind that.

French: Remorquage triple

TRUCK TRAILER

An RV unit loaded onto, or affixed to, the bed or chassis of a pickup truck. Usually the tailgate is removed and the camper unit is attached to the truck with frame mounted tie-downs. Truck campers sleep two to six people.

French: Caravane portée