I a looking at getting a travel trailer - specifically the No Boundaries 20.3. I am also getting a new 2023 Sierra AT4 with the 3.0L duramax. I am wanting to know what other people are towing for trailers and what the manufacture rating is for hitch weight. The Nobo 20.3 has a manufacture hitch weight of 734lbs. Do you think that is too much weight?
Hitch and Payload Weight
- Thread starter Messiah62
- Start date
downtheroadAR
New member
Bumper pull here with 3.0 and no issues
Dimensions
Length 26.92 ft. (323 in.)
Weight
Dry Weight
5,664 lbs.
Payload Capacity
1,936 lbs.
Hitch Weight
574 lbs.
- Thread Starter
- #3
What trailer? Thew few im looking at have a little more on the hitch weight which is my biggest concern.
Alpha Wolf 23DBH-L has 700lbs
Alpha Wolf 26DBH-L has 600lbs
Nobo 20.3 has 734lbs.
The total weight with the AT4 3.0L at 8900 lbs shouldnt be hard to stay under with the trailers we are looking at. I am estimating 450lbs for people in the car and maybe 75lbs in cargo. Thats 2 adults and 2 small kids.
downtheroadAR
New member
Aspen Trail 2260RBS
I would say that length and weight are about as large/heavy as I would want to take with a half-ton. Keep an eye on the payload. You are already well over 1000 pounds with hitch weight, people, and equipment without a mention of gas for the truck. A WD hitch with sway control would also be a must for me.
downtheroadAR
New member
I have a Recurve3 and works well. Definitely follow instructions to the T. Use a Sharpie and spin the offset gear correctly.
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I would say it’s going to be very close. Your most limiting factor on nearly any 1/2 ton truck when it comes to towing is payload. Not hitch weight or trailer weight. That’s because you’ll hit your max payload number well before you max out your towing capacity. For example:
My travel trailer: ‘22 Forest River Surveyor Legend 240BHLE
26ft long
UVW: 5081 (doesn’t include the weight of propane tanks, battery)
GVWR: 7507
Hitch weight: ~545 (hitch weight is generally about 10% of the total weight of the trailer)
My AT4: ‘22 with the 3.0 duramax
Curb weight: 5795 (includes full fuel and fluids)
GVWR: 7100
Payload: 1305 (GVWR-Curb weight)
GCVWR: 15000
Max Tow weight: 8800
Max tongue weight: 880 (10% of total weight)
If you look at those numbers, you’ll see that I’m well below the max tow numbers for the truck. However, let’s run some math on my payload:
2 adults, 2 big dogs: 470
Cargo: 95 (includes my bed cover)
=565
+545 tongue weight
+100 for my weight distribution hitch
=1210 lbs
Max payload on my truck 1305. So I only have 95 lbs to spare. I’ve taken my trailer trailer with its typical load for traveling, to a Cat scale and know that it weights about 5200 lbs with all our crap in it. So I would probably say my tongue weight is closer 520 (you can buy hitch scales to get the exact number) which would buy me an additional 25 lbs. But my point is, Payload is going to be your most limiting factor.
The Nobo travel trailer you’re looking at has a tongue weight of over 700 lbs. That’s more than half your available payload on these AT4s. 734+450+75=1259. And that doesn’t include the weight of a weight distribution hitch (which I would say is a must). So I would focus on the lower tongue weight models if you can. Otherwise, a lower trim level 1500, gas engine model, or an AT4 HD, or other 3/4 ton truck might be a better option pulling a larger travel trailer.
- Thread Starter
- #8
I ended up going with the the Coachmen Apex 256BHS that has a hitch weight of 694lbs and a dry weight of 5472lbs. It seems to sit pretty level with the e2 weight distribution hitch that the dealer put on. I am going to add air lift bags to stiffen up the backend for certain bumps.
downtheroadAR
New member
Great choice - Nice Rig !
Saw you rig in another thread. looks great. Just remember, that tongue weight will start to climb once you start filling that rig up with camping stuff. Battery and propane sitting right on the hitch will be a big jump from the start that isn't in that 694lbs figure.
