TOWING (omg)

[Suzanne Camps]

Yes, as they say, we didn't know what we didn't know at the time of purchase. The dealer told us 3,000 and we knew our tow capacity was 5,000 and we considered the problem handled. We have previously owned and towed two pop-ups over the course of 7 years with the XTerra. Of course, we did realize this larger trailer was a whole new kettle of fish. But our dealer was advising us and insisted we needed brake buddy and sway bar and we assumed that was adequate. Had they told us we needed WDH, we would have bought that too. Quite a blunder in hindsight.

[Kaadk]

Just to check, what 'sway bar' did they sell you? It is possible it's a WDH with integrated sway. A picture would be best, as that should alleviate many of the guesses of what you actually have.

Based on that, we can recommend what the possible solutions are. Overall, you're overloaded on the Xterra and will want to eventually go to a stronger tow vehicle eventually, but there may be ways to make you as safe as possible given what you have until you can afford to do so.

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by mopwr4me2003

Unless you plan on getting a 3/4 or 1 Ton truck for that Trailer then you might get away from a WDH.

Nope!

Any bumper pull TT larger than a pop-up should have a WDH, no matter what truck is pulling it!

I passed a Ford F-350 dually on I-25 in New Mexico a couple of days ago pulling a newer Coachman TT (28-30 footer)...no WDH, and that trailer was swaying so bad I was almost afraid to pass him.

When I bought my 2015 Chevy 2500HD I was told by the Chevy dealer that it had built-in sway control so I shouldn't need my WDH setup.

I pulled my trailer to the trailer hitch store in Denver (about a 15 mile drive with half of that on the highway) without my WDH and decided even though the truck handled it, I wanted it installed just for safety reasons!

I now have a 5'ver so I sold that hitch stuff, but just having it on there was a no brainer!

[Suzanne Camps]

I will photograph the sway bar asap. I'm almost positive it is not integrated with a WDH. It's just a thingy that sort of slides that attaches to two balls, one on each end (on the SUV and on the camper thing) and then it's held in place by two pins.

[mopwr4me2003]

Originally Posted by JohnD10

Nope!



Any bumper pull TT larger than a pop-up should have a WDH, no matter what truck is pulling it!



I passed a Ford F-350 dually on I-25 in New Mexico a couple of days ago pulling a newer Coachman TT (28-30 footer)...no WDH, and that trailer was swaying so bad I was almost afraid to pass him.



When I bought my 2015 Chevy 2500HD I was told by the Chevy dealer that it had built-in sway control so I shouldn't need my WDH setup.



I pulled my trailer to the trailer hitch store in Denver (about a 15 mile drive with half of that on the highway) without my WDH and decided even though the truck handled it, I wanted it installed just for safety reasons!



I now have a 5'ver so I sold that hitch stuff, but just having it on there was a no brainer!

Yikes! I wasn’t sure on it that’s why I said you might be able to get away from it but honestly I wasn’t sure. But some would argue that the trailer in question being towed by the F-350 was not loaded properly. But either way knowing what I know now from being on here I personally would still use a WDH regardless of vehicle. I among others have learned a lot from people on here. Either way for the OP’s vehicle it would need one no matter what with that TT.

[mopwr4me2003]

Originally Posted by Suzanne Camps

I will photograph the sway bar asap. I'm almost positive it is not integrated with a WDH. It's just a thingy that sort of slides that attaches to two balls, one on each end (on the SUV and on the camper thing) and then it's held in place by two pins.

Sounds like it’s a friction sway control setup. But just a guess without actually seeing it.

Tim

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by Kaadk

Just to check, what 'sway bar' did they sell you? It is possible it's a WDH with integrated sway. A picture would be best, as that should alleviate many of the guesses of what you actually have.

A sway bar and a WDH setup are two totally different beasts...

Even though they are installed together.

[D W]

Originally Posted by Suzanne Camps

Thanks for this input. I guess we did expect to to have the ability to go faster than 65 MPH. We once towed it with a really big Ford Truck and we could go as fast as we wanted; it's like the thing wasn't back there.

Going "fast" is only one half of the equation. The other half, and probably most important is: Can you stop it once you get going that fast? In your current situation, as described, you are going to "use-up" that X-terra real fast out on the open road.

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by Suzanne Camps

I will photograph the sway bar asap. I'm almost positive it is not integrated with a WDH. It's just a thingy that sort of slides that attaches to two balls, one on each end (on the SUV and on the camper thing) and then it's held in place by two pins.

That is just a sway bar...

I find it utterly amazing that the dealership didn't sell you a WDH setup at the same time!

Here is what my old DrawTite setup looked like...used it for almost 20 years on two different TT's:

[Joe_GA]

Here's some good info:

https://www.etrailer.com/faq-weightdistribution.aspx

[Kaadk]

Originally Posted by JohnD10

A sway bar and a WDH setup are two totally different beasts...

Even though they are installed together.

Well, yes and no. If it's really a 'sway bar' then yes, they're two totally different things. But if it's a WDH with integrated sway, like an Equalizer, that the OP was told was a 'sway bar' then no, it's not.

Originally Posted by Suzanne Camps

I will photograph the sway bar asap. I'm almost positive it is not integrated with a WDH. It's just a thingy that sort of slides that attaches to two balls, one on each end (on the SUV and on the camper thing) and then it's held in place by two pins.

However, from this, it sounds like it really is a just a friction based sway bar.

Suzanne, when you're snapping that photo, can you include a picture of how it attaches to the hitch (your "on the SUV" part). I want to see if at least that part is salvageable or if you really do need a complete hitch set.

[Boomerweps]

You didn't mention a brake controller. Do you have one?

There are some great prices on eBay for weight distributing hitches and you can get one sized for the weight you need. A little more capacity doesn't hurt. I was looking at getting a 600/6000# unit because it was cheaper than the 400/4000 or 500/5000 ones. Shipped in for about $200-250. Get the kind with built in sway control. Have a knowledgeable person help you set it up and then go to a scale, like CAT, and get all the axles weighed to see if you need to adjust it more. You can get in the usable range just from the hitch instructions and front and rear wheelwell heights.

Most of my previous towing experience has been cargo & boat trailers. IMHO, a WDH is a must if towing 3K# or more regularly with a small to mid size SUV. With my new TT nearing 4K# loaded, the WDH makes all the difference in handling and no see-sawing towing with a 4 door Explorer with class 3/4 towing package.

[Roberte52]

Originally Posted by Suzanne Camps

Thanks for this input. I guess we did expect to to have the ability to go faster than 65 MPH. We once towed it with a really big Ford Truck and we could go as fast as we wanted; it's like the thing wasn't back there.

Why would you want to go as fast as you wanted? As others have mentioned, most trailer tires are rated at a max speed of 65! Slow down for your own safety and those traveling around you.

[CentralMePistol]

Wow! After reading through all of these comments you are in a tough spot... and I agree with most others this dealer did not serve you well. I would encourage you to file a complaint with BBB and or post reviews about your experience- then go back to them for support getting a WDH, preferably at a discount since they should have told you this ahead of time.

That said I am surprised none of the other posts talk about Gross Weight Ratings (GWR).
I highly recommend looking at your trailer's GWR. This is not the dry weight the dealer tells you, or even the shipping weight on the sticker, this is the MAX weight your trailer can handle/be. So if the trailer has a GWR of 5,500lbs I would consider it above your tow vehicle rating. Using the GWR is always a good way to ensure you never go over the tow rating of your vehicle.

Another number to look up is Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) of the tow vehicle. This number will be the total of EVERYTHING- the tow vehicle, the trailer, gear, water, gas, and YOU. A quick google search of Xterra's shows this to be under 10,000 pounds. This may not be accurate- check your manual.
But, what this means is that your camper, xterra, and all gear can not be more than 9,600lbs (my google result). Check your numbers and be sure you aren't over this.
*My quick example- my truck has a tow rating of 9,000lbs. And a GCWR of 15,000lbs. So sure, I can pull a big trailer. But that means I am driving alone with frequent stops for gas because my truck can never weigh more than 6,000lbs with a trailer that big. (fully loaded with me and family my truck is 6,500lbs) So sure I "could pull 9,000lbs." But its not truly feasible for anything other than a short pull across town. So for comfort and safety I selected a trailer with a GWR of 7,500lbs. I know I will always be under my weight ratings with this.

Now, actual pulling power. Any 6 cylinder vehicle is somewhat limited in what it can pull. But, more than likely you can pull the camper.... However- Can you stop it?? That is the bigger question. A quality brake control is vital for safety.

So, after you check the numbers and get a WDH is there anything else you can do? One additional piece that I just added to my rig and love are Sumo-Springs. The replace your factory bump stops and basically act like airbags- at a fraction of the cost. This will dramatically help your vehicle "squat" with the trailer attached and make it hold the trailer more firmly when traveling (read less sway). The one draw back is that your shocks will feel much more firm when you don't have any weight on them. But, at least for me, it was a good trade off. (Others were right about things like gear ratios, transmission coolers, and other towing features your xterra may not have- but lets not get too complicated yet)

All in all, you are most likely ok with that tow vehicle and trailer, but you will need an appropriate WDH and a brake controller. Learn from your experience, then go enjoy your new camper!

I was once told by someone with far more experience than myself... Find your perfect camper first, then buy the tow vehicle. Going in the other direction is never easy.

[kamper00]

This is an excellent video that describes weight calculations, and there is also a link to a weight calculator spreadsheet you can use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwFLOBrADBs

[XenoRev]

Originally Posted by kamper00

This is an excellent video that describes weight calculations, and there is also a link to a weight calculator spreadsheet you can use.

KYDD, great YouTube channel!

[omahagirl]

Hitch weight too is an important factor. Generally trailers hitches are 10% of the overall weight of the trailer. We did have a gorgeous King Ranch towing our 5 th wheel. We traded them in for our MH an 11 Berkshire. I know my hubby also added in airbags to the underside of the truck. We bought the 5 th wheel then went looking for the truck to haul it

[Turco14]

Try this approach. Whoever you purchase the trailer from, go back and ask them why they did t sell you the WD hitch package with it? When they mutter something silly under their breath tell them you are not only going to report them to the BBB but also the NHSD for selling trailers without the proper safety equipment for you to enjoy the trailer.

Unless of course, you got it from a private seller??

[TheGerman]

Well if the trailer came from a dealer they will likely point to some fine print where it states it's the buyers responsibility to ensure the tow vehicle/trailer combo is legal.

OTOH, the guy I bought my puny Wolfpup from was sold a 10K WDH (way too stiff for a 3k trailer) and a $400 Tekonsha Prodigy. Talk about upsell !!!

[Craigmkd]

Suzanne, Boy does this sound familiar. I know your getting a lot of info here and maybe I can help. We owned almost an exact same setup.
19’ Roo towed with a 2014 4 Runner V6 with Fastway E-2 WDH. 3600 dry weight 5000 lb towing capacity.
Did minimal homework before purchasing trailer
We live in Florida however and did fine. This was still not a good setup. Same issue as you - vehicle struggled to pass slow moving trucks at 60. This was more a function of engine size than towing capacity and as earlier posters noted you don’t want to go faster than 65 anyway for safety reasons. Wind direction also plays a huge factor. During this time I told my wife I would never take this setup we had out of Florida because I knew how it would perform in even moderate hills.
After lots of research, forum input and you tube videos this is what I have learned.
WDH with sway control is a must
Brake buddy is for trailer separation from tow vehicle. If you don’t have integrated brake control on your xterra you need a brake controller otherwise your brakes on your trailer are nonfunctional right now. I can’t believe your dealer would send you away without brake control.
Keep your tongue weight between 10% and 15% of loaded trailer weight
Xterra only has a 500 lb tongue capacity
You have to include batteries, propane, hitch weight and everything loaded in TV behind the rear axle added to the listed tongue weight of the trailer
Be careful not to over compensate and distribute too much weight to the rear of the Trailer to lighten tongue weight this will contribute to sway remember 10 to 15% on tongue.
Bottom line is you are maxed out like we we’re. We have since upgraded to a 2017 Armada with 8500 lb capacity and a big V-8 towing a 23’ Dutchmen at 6500 loaded. A truck is the preferred way to go because that is what they are designed for. In our situation I can’t use company truck for pleasure and wife needs everyday vehicle.
If you are keeping the trailer I would definitely upgrade TV and keep researching.