North Trail 31 QBS Towing

ssgutt

Member
I am considering a North Trail 31 QBS. I have a 2005 Nissan Frontier to tow it with. The truck info says it will tow it. Does anyone have any concerns about this plan?
 

RVCamper

Well-known member
Sorry, I really don't see how this would work. If I found the right spec, your truck is rated for a max of 6500 towing. The 31QBS is max at 6900. You'll be real close to the max 6900 once you put your stuff in the trailer. Also you have to look at the CGVWR, the Axles ratings, and max tonque weight. It will likely be over or near over without any margin of safety. The next question is once you get going how do you get it woooahed. The chasis, although build from the bigger Titan, is probabbly spec'd with smaller brakes.

I'd look at something smaller (shorter) and lighter
 

dbwell00

Member
I wouldn't--just me

Hi there--this is from a new 31QBS owner; I just picked mine up Saturday and towed it home. Towed it to winter storage today also. I must say that I would not tow this long and large of a trailer with any less TV than my half-ton Chevy. Just me.

Please look at my post regarding my initial towing impressions in the North Trail General forum complete with weights and other info... //heartlandowners.org/showthread.php?t=7658

My 31QBS weighed 5800 lb as prepped. It'll be pretty easy in a trailer that big to get close to the 6900 lb rating. I looked up some info and it appears that your TV is rated to pull 6500 or so? But PLEASE consider that the length is an extremely important consideration and with the 126" wheelbase the recommended maximum is 24 feet (from http://www.rvtowingtips.com/how-long.htm). I believe this is pretty conservative information but use it as a data point.

My 5.3L V8 (285 hp) with 3.73 gears performed adequately, but the truck did downshift a lot (generally flat/rolling interstate and 2-lane) and I got ~9.5 mpg on the first trip. The Frontier's DOHC V6 (265 hp) and 3.1 gears would be taxed pretty hard I'd think.

I'm not telling you not to do it...I know these "little" trucks are getting bigger. But I am saying DO NOT do it without taking a test tow. Don't let anybody sell you this trailer without letting you do this. So you avoid getting on the "truck/trailer/truck/trailer" ladder...
 

RVCamper

Well-known member
Look at the 22FDS. It has a forward bed, a rear queen, and a overhead bunk. Really nice layout & lots of room.
 

flamingknitter

Well-known member
You could always help out an American Auto maker and buy a nice Chevy, Ford or Dodge pickup!!! and then help out Heartland and buy your trailer. Just a thought. Your vehicle is a couple of years old - time for a new one!!!!

Marybeth
 

redwing2

Member
Flamingknitter : From a greatful American Auto worker. thank you for the wonderful advice!
 
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ssgutt

Member
I have been told to look at the UVWR of the camper and not the GVWR when comparing to what the truck will tow? Everything I have seen says I should be able to tow it, but everyone but the dealer seems to not think so. Maybe I should look at the 28BHS instead.
 

dbwell00

Member
UVW= Unloaded weight

You need to check lots of things...

UVW= Unloaded vehicle weight. The 31QBS is listed at ~5400 lb; mine weighed 5800 with propane and battery. The GVWR is the rated capacity of the axles; on the 31QBS it would be very easy to load it up to that 6900# limit so it's best to plan for it. It may be the case on some trailers that the GVWR is way above what the trailer will actually weigh; the 31QBS is not one of those.

You also need GVWR of the vehicle. Truck, fuel, passengers, cargo, and trailer tongue weight all should add up to less than GVWR.

Add the weights of the trailer and truck and it should be less than the GCWR...(Gross Combined Weight Rating)--this is the max for both the truck and trailer.

Then, consider the length guideline posted above; the wheelbase of the truck needs to be sufficient for the length of the trailer. There are many sway control products and hitches on the market that may lengthen that maximum depending on the setup.

You're doing the right thing by asking! Like I said above--DO NOT believe the salesman; they will tell you it will pull it. Do lots of homework... on these message boards and others. There is lots of info out there. Find out what others are towing theirs with, make them let you take it for a test tow, etc.
 

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
I agree

Please do a test tow. We did not.

We upgraded from a Toyota Tacoma V6 3.4L to a Toyota 4Runner V8 4.7L before buying our NT 21FBS. The 4Runner was plenty capable by the weight numbers. It towed very uncomfortably... and possibly unsafely! Semis would pass us and blow us around. Overpasses required white knuckles (wind shear off the downhill side). We couldn't go over 50MPH without swaying. Yes, we had a weight distribution hitch and sway control bar. And this is the smallest of the NTs. After two trips we opted to trade the 4Runner in on a 2008 Tundra, and now towing is a dream!! Same hitch, same sway control. NO SWAY. NO STRESS. NO PROBLEMS.

Please take this decision seriously!

TT
 

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
Not to hijack the post, but yeah, it was not the "fun" we had envisioned when we bought a Travel Trailer. Loved the 4Runner, I was really disappointed when we had to get rid of it. But it just didn't feel safe. I think it was a wheelbase/length issue. With crosswinds and semis passing, it caused the tail to wag the dog, so to speak.

TT
 
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