Hitch weight on 303RSL

BoulderKJ

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RV LIFE Pro
Joined
Jul 29, 2024
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7
Location
Erie, CO
We are in process of buying a 303RSL and will need a truck. I'm having difficulty understanding what the hitch weight will be once we hit the road. The Grand Design literature calls for a hitch weight of 1,865 but I don't know if that is the true hitch weight or the dry hitch weight with nothing in the trailer. I tried to estimate the actual hitch weight by using 15% of GVWR of 11,999 = 1,799. Does anyone know what hitch weight I should use to determine impact on a vehicle payload limit?

Thank you so much.
 
Welcome to the forum. Lots of folks will chime in here - they always do on weight discussions.

In the meantime check this thread to see if your truck and trailer have been reported.

I think you will find that the numbers listed by GD are "as built" and not with the trailer loaded.

Since your GVWR is 11,99 (odd how GD stayed under 12,000 lbs) then that is the max your trailer should weigh (tongue and wheel weights) so you truck should be able to handle that payload limit. You may as well go ahead and list the truck you have - everyone is going to want to know.

Again, welcome aboard.
 
We are in process of buying a 303RSL and will need a truck. I'm having difficulty understanding what the hitch weight will be once we hit the road. The Grand Design literature calls for a hitch weight of 1,865 but I don't know if that is the true hitch weight or the dry hitch weight with nothing in the trailer. I tried to estimate the actual hitch weight by using 15% of GVWR of 11,999 = 1,799. Does anyone know what hitch weight I should use to determine impact on a vehicle payload limit?

Thank you so much.
Normal hitch weight for a 5th wheel will range between 21nand 23 % of your gvwr of your trailer. Depends on how you load it up. At 21% would be like a weekend warrior and not loaded up too much. 23% would be someone that does extended trips that take a lot with them.
 
We are in process of buying a 303RSL and will need a truck. I'm having difficulty understanding what the hitch weight will be once we hit the road. The Grand Design literature calls for a hitch weight of 1,865 but I don't know if that is the true hitch weight or the dry hitch weight with nothing in the trailer. I tried to estimate the actual hitch weight by using 15% of GVWR of 11,999 = 1,799. Does anyone know what hitch weight I should use to determine impact on a vehicle payload limit?

Thank you so much.

5th wheel pin weights are more like 20%- 22% of dry/loaded weights.

So, for a 11,999 GVWR, your "average" pin weight would be 2400-2640lbs.

Their weight estimate is dry/empty.
 
Yup. What Gary said. Our fifth wheel was 14,000lbs GVWR and the pin weight was about 3,000lbs give or take. We towed it for 7 years with the truck in my signature, no issues and truck and trailer sat level hooked up.
Rich
 
I have a 2022 Reflection 303RLS and pull it with a 2022 GMC 3500 AT4 SRW LB Duramax and couldn't be more pleased. My cargo capacity is 3865 lbs which gives me plenty of room for the pin weight and the extras I have in the truck bed and front storage compartment.
 
I have a 2021 303RLS and pulled it with a 2017 Ford F250, 6.2L gas. It was well within my payload and towing parameters. You can search this site on how to calculate the numbers. I found it very helpful. The Ford gas pulled it fine but my 2023 Chevrolet 3500 Duramax pulls it much better with additional capacity if I upgrade to a larger trailer in the future. You need at least a 3/4 ton truck. I wrestled with the gas vs diesel debate and I’m very glad I brought a diesel this time.
 
Have the same 5th wheel. Tow it with a 2016 Nissan Titan HD Cummins diesel.Over 100,00 miles no problems.
 
303 RLS Hitch Weight

We are in process of buying a 303RSL and will need a truck. I'm having difficulty understanding what the hitch weight will be once we hit the road. The Grand Design literature calls for a hitch weight of 1,865 but I don't know if that is the true hitch weight or the dry hitch weight with nothing in the trailer. I tried to estimate the actual hitch weight by using 15% of GVWR of 11,999 = 1,799. Does anyone know what hitch weight I should use to determine impact on a vehicle payload limit?

Thank you so much.

I took my 303 loaded for a couple week trip to the scales to find out exactly where I stood. My hitch weight was 2280 lbs. Your situation will be somewhat different based on how many pairs of shoes your DW brings along!
 
I have pulled a 303 with a 3/4 ton GMC Denali for several years. The GMC 2500HD is lots of truck for that trailer. I have had no issues and the truck only drops 2 inches when trailer is attached.
 
We are in process of buying a 303RSL and will need a truck. I'm having difficulty understanding what the hitch weight will be once we hit the road. The Grand Design literature calls for a hitch weight of 1,865 but I don't know if that is the true hitch weight or the dry hitch weight with nothing in the trailer. I tried to estimate the actual hitch weight by using 15% of GVWR of 11,999 = 1,799. Does anyone know what hitch weight I should use to determine impact on a vehicle payload limit?

Thank you so much.

For a "real time" answer, we have a 2021 303rls pulled with a 2024 GMC Denali 3500HD (recent purchase).
I weigh it regularly because we tend to load it up pretty good. We carry 2 electric mountain bikes on the back and we have solar, 400AH of batteries, 3000w inverter.
We also have a well stocked kitchen (both food and utensils) and we carry about 1/3 of a tank of water. Coincidentally, our most recent weighing showed a trailer GVW of just 303 lbs. under the rating of 11,995.
The trailer axles were 800 lbs. under.
Our hitch weight is 2200 lbs. Our highest hitch weight, looking at 5 different weigh-ins, was 2376 (without bikes). Keep in mind that those bikes at the back (about 160 lbs.) cut the hitch weight somewhat. But all said, I think 2200 lbs. is a safe number for determining hitch weight for this trailer.
Some might think that our truck is overkill but when we load generator, kayaks, golf clubs, etc. we have only 700 lbs. margin on the truck's GVW of 12,100. If we take a few more passengers and gear, we can get a lot closer to that limit as well.
 
We have a 21 303rls. After pulling it w a duramax 2500HD we were amazed at how much better it pulled w a 3500hd Gmc Denali. So much less driver fatigue!
 

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