Tow capacity ( first time owner and very nervous)

Rchel72 · 04-19-2011, 11:59 PM

I got my first travel trailer 4200lbs GW.
My Nissan pathfinder tow capacity 6000lb
But after the first drive with the trailer I think is too big

I need advised
Any advised about towing is welcome
Thanks

grhodes50 · 04-20-2011, 06:04 AM

Without knowing your specific information all advise would just be speculation and probably not much help to you.
What trailer do you have?
If you haven't weighed it, what is it's GVWR? - Length?
What hitch are you using? If it doesn't have built in sway control are you using a friction sway bar?
You gave your vehicle's towing capacity, but do you know it's GVWR? - Wheelbase? - Motor? - Year?
What adverse problems are you experiencing while towing?
The more info you can give, the better advice we can give. Please realize that most advice given is based on personal experiences.

LadyWindrider · 04-20-2011, 06:11 AM

First of all WELCOME to the forums. Now, from the numbers you have given, you have made the most expensive MISTAKE there is to make, to much trailer for the tow vehicle.

Look in the kitchen cabinet doors and see if you can find a sticker with actual weights on your trailer. The do a search on here for towing. Your problem has been addressed many times, and by a wide orange of vehicles and trailers. AS you will learn, weight is only part of the equation, and the Pathfinder being a short wheelbase vehicle, is not going to tow well. Seek and ye shall find.

Wildwood1 · 04-20-2011, 06:14 AM

i pull a 5600 # dry weight trailer with a dodge ram 5.7 liter engine 4x4 (i think the truck is rated for around 7000 #) when im towing i can sure feel the trailer behind me. I use a weight distributing hitch to level the vehicle.my truck has also got a transmission cooler.
your numbers work so just use common sense when driving: make sure your trailer brakes are properly adjusted and working, keep a little extra distance between you and the vehicle ahead. Take your time!!(i sound like my dad

) if you dont have a weight distributing hitch i highly recommend you get one.

Rchel72 · 04-20-2011, 07:37 AM

The pathfinder 2010 v6 GVWR 6000 lb
Trailer 2010 r- vision trail sport 31' and GVW 4200lbs, load capacity of 1700lbs
10% of the weight of the trailer is for hitch- tongue right? So it should be 420 lbs
I got install the sway, weight distribution and brakes
I knew all this before I got the trailer but I never tow anything before and when I drove it I could feel the weight on my back literally!
Thanks for the reply
Should I get a smaller trailer?
How difficult would be to drive fir a long distance?

donn · 04-20-2011, 07:43 AM

Oh WOW! A 31 foot trailer behind a short wheel base vehicle. No wonder you are worried. Dealer saw you coming huh? What you need is a long wheel base vehicle. Suburban would be good, A long bed 1/2 ton pickup would be better. Just don't get the smallest motor or you will be jumping back into the fire. If you are going to keep the SUV then think a trailer about 22-23 feet OAL.

Rchel72 · 04-20-2011, 01:56 PM

Why the Nissan specs would claim 6000lbs of towing capacity if the pathfinder would not be able to pull it off?
I'm not planing in getting a new suv but I'm going to get a weight on the trailer and maybe I will trade it for something smaller, I dont even know if I'm going to be able to trade it since I just bought it


**Herk7769** · 04-20-2011, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rchel72

Why the Nissan specs would claim 6000lbs of towing capacity if the pathfinder would not be able to pull it off?
I'm not planing in getting a new suv but I'm going to get a weight on the trailer and maybe I will trade it for something smaller, I dont even know if I'm going to be able to trade it since I just bought it


this is a common enough error. Tow capacity is how much weight can be towed buy the engine and drive train. What it will FEEL like is a whole nuther issue. You will need some serious sway control to be safe at most highway speeds

Rchel72 · 04-20-2011, 02:33 PM

Yes I got the sway control, extra brake and some bar wt distribution
I got everything to make it safer
This is my first trailer and I read a lot of stuff before buying but after driving the trailer it felt heavy
I'm having second thoughts but I don't even know if I will be able to trade or exchange the trailer.
What a headache!!!!

**bikendan** · 04-20-2011, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rchel72

The pathfinder 2010 v6 GVWR 6000 lb
Trailer 2010 r- vision trail sport 31' and GVW 4200lbs, load capacity of 1700lbs

knowing the actual model number, not the length, would be more helpful.
i'm sorry but i find it hard to believe that a 31' TT weighs only 4200lbs. i have a 23' ultra-lite hybrid TT and it's UVW is 4471lbs.
NADA lists the 27QBSS model as the only 31' model that year. and its fictional "dry" weight is 5993lbs. way more than a v-6 SUV can handle.

obviously, you made the #1 newbie mistake, you believed your dealer!

Rchel72 · 04-20-2011, 03:37 PM

Model # ts27qbss fiber glass frame
GVWR 5993 lbs total dry weight 4201
I did the research before I got it and actually I was looking to a smaller trailer but heavier ( different frame) that is why I got this one
Does anybody had experience with suv and towing a large trailer?

**bikendan** · 04-20-2011, 04:13 PM

well, i didn't believe it but your numbers are right.

i apologize. apparently, R-Vision still has the lightest TT's made for their size.

that said, this is how the numbers work. your Nissan can tow a max of 6000lbs.
but that's with a 150lbs. driver and nothing else in the Nissan. anything else in it or on it, lowers the 6000 number. that includes the weight of the WDH.
most say that you should only tow 80% of the TV's max tow capacity.
and finally, the short wheelbase of the Nissan for such a long trailer, would require a Hensley-type of WDH. that's too much trailer for a traditional style WDH, for a short wheelbase v-6 SUV.

i tow a 23' HTT that weighs about 5000lbs. loaded for camping, with a 5.3 v-8 Chevy Avalanche.
and i wouldn't tow anything longer than 25' with it.

i would be scared ****less trying to tow a 31'+ TT with a v-6 mid-sized SUV, no matter how light it was!

TF-Kevin · 04-20-2011, 04:24 PM

I had an explorer sport trac with a v-6 pulling an 19 foot hybrid, the truck pulled it alright, but the rpm was too high for me going up hills, plus the truck was too narrow, i coundn't really see behind me, I thought thr truck would be good enough but i wasn't happy towing the trailer, now i bought myself a f-150 with a long wheel base, and i love the way it handles now. best move i ever done, i feel alot better pulling my trailer more relaxed. wife feels better too she drove crazy hit he brake on side side of the truck lol
Kevin

fonzie · 04-20-2011, 04:24 PM

I would suggest that you take all your information and contact Sean Woodruffe at ProPride and see if his 3P hitch would solve your issues.
stwoodruff@propridehitch.com

www.ProPrideHitch.com

Rchel72 · 04-20-2011, 04:44 PM

Thanks for the suggestion
That is the hitch I got from the dealer
Beside electric brakes
All this weight specification are confusing
GVWR is the max allow weight combine weight of trailer plus max load?
Axel dry weight ?
So I was planing drive it with a total of 360 weight of passengers about 200 weight of cargo
Plus 4200 weight of trailer and hitch 420
It would be about 5200 or less
What do you think

**bikendan** · 04-20-2011, 04:56 PM

o.k. what you don't realize is that the "dry" weight number of 4200lbs., doesn't account for the weights of what the manufacturers call "options".
these include things like: oven, a/c, awning, battery, spare tire, tv, microwave and so on.
my HTT weighed 400lbs. over its "dry" weight, with the normal "options", as it was delivered from the factory.

there should be an actual factory UVW weight, on a sticker in the trailer. usually it's on the inside of a cabinet door, like under the sink.
it will show its actual weight, including the "options", from the factory.
with this weight, you can now add the weights of the cargo, water, propane and battery to get an actual weight, loaded for camping.

if you have the items described above, your trailer's UVW will probably be closer to 4600lbs., before you load it up.

by the way, did your Nissan have the factory tow package? you have to have that, to have the 6000lbs. tow capacity.

Rchel72 · 04-20-2011, 05:36 PM

Yes I realized that, that is why I'm going to get the actual weight
And yes the Nissan has the tow package

donn · 04-20-2011, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rchel72

Thanks for the suggestion
That is the hitch I got from the dealer
Beside electric brakes I would certainly hope you have a brake controller to stop the load
All this weight specification are confusing
GVWR is the max allow weight combine weight of trailer plus max load? Correct
Axel dry weight ? Totally meaningless
So I was planing drive it with a total of 360 weight of passengers about 200 weight of cargo Guesses are useless
Plus 4200 weight of trailer and hitch 420 Again, you are making guesses based on dry weights
It would be about 5200 or less
What do you think

What is the scaled weight of your Nissan?
The big mistake is you bought way too much trailer for your SUV. There is no real fix except to suck it up and replace one or the other to get yourself into a safer situation.

sherdep · 04-20-2011, 07:19 PM

If you just bought it - bring it back - there is a thing called buyers remourse and you have 3 days to return it before you are on the hook.

BigRed · 04-20-2011, 07:53 PM

The Pro-Pride Hitch will help the sway problem, not the wieght problem.

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