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Old 07-30-2010, 12:01 PM   #1
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Towing the 23k with a 2008 V6 pathfinder?

I am wondering if anyone has experience with this towing combination? The Pathfinder has a 6k towing capacity with a 600lb tongue. The 23k has a factory tongue of 630lbs and weighs 4,620lbs. The trailer frontal area is above the 60 sq.ft. that Nissan published in their towing guide. The dealer believes that it is 72.8, but has never heard of using that number, and wasn't even sure what I was referring to.

Thanks
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Old 07-30-2010, 12:12 PM   #2
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Welcome to the Jayco Owners Forum Myslagg! Are you using a WDH?
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Old 07-30-2010, 12:42 PM   #3
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Currently I am towing a 2003 Coleman with the Reese single arm WDH (Not sure of the correct name). We are in the market for the 23k, so recommendations for sway and WDH would also be helpful.
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Old 07-30-2010, 04:26 PM   #4
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I've been using a WD Drawtite and a sway bar for about 10 years-- works nice.

That weight that you posted... is that the trailer's dry weight or wet?

As for towing your rig I don't know precisely how it will do, I can only speak from my similar experiences (I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee) towing my rig , which was right at 5K lbs (wet). I was towing almost at the limit my Jeep, but it did OK (for someone that didn't know any better). It was a dog going up hills (and we went over the Rockies once a year) but it never over heated and my trans was fine when I got rid of it.

I didn't know that most people towed with their AC on. I never did unless the road was flat. I didn't know that you could tow without coming away with white knuckles (I thought everyone stresses when towing). I never traveled with water (I'd fill up once at the site, only I'd forget to fill up at the station and have to fill it up via 5 gal tanks). We didn't pack lots of food cause food weighed alot, we'd go to the grocery store when we got close to our destination. Little stuff like that.

Now that I have a full sized truck that can tow almost twice as much as what my TT can carry... I notice the difference. When we get to our camp I'm relaxed-- ready for the vacation. I'm not stressed.

Bottom line-- can you tow it? Yes
Will it be a white knuckle experience? Possibly

But you got what you got for now, I'm no weight police (and I hate reading those guys)and you know the limits on your SUV. Just don't fool yourself about the weights-- take it down and check it. Load it up as if you were going camping-- or go camping and on the way out stop and have everything weighted. You might be surprised by the results.

Good luck and let us know how it works out for you.
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Old 07-31-2010, 05:33 AM   #5
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Myslag, I think you might be pushing it, but I haven't any experience with the Pathfinders. I'm pulling the same trailer with a 5.3 V8/6700lb towing capacity and can really feel the trailer on hills. Our big test begins today as we begin our voyage west.
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Old 07-31-2010, 09:51 AM   #6
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I forgot to mention that you'll want to get a transmission cooler, they are cheap and will save your transmission which is not cheap.
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Old 08-04-2010, 08:30 PM   #7
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hi myslagg.

I just got a 23K, and my tv is a avalanche with 7800lbs towing rating, I love the nissan trucks, my work truck is a titan, so I know how good of a truck they are, that being said, the gross is 5900lbs on the 23K, I think you will burn up the pathfinder, don't think it's the right match, what do you need in a floor plan? could a lighter lite weight fit your needs? or if you already got the trailer, maybe a little bigger truck would be best. Hope I helped you a little.
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Old 08-22-2010, 09:11 AM   #8
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Here's my experience...

We bought the 23k knowing that it was a bit big for the Envoy, but within its ratings. We also didn't know at the time that we'd be moving across the country; hills & mountains weren't much of a concern for us when we bought. Now, after pulling the TT through Prairie winds & storms, over the Rockies and across to the island I have to admit I'd have preferred a better truck. Now, don't get me wrong - it did fine and I never really pushed things hard (I wasn't too concerned with keeping up with traffic) and it's certainly a comfortable ride, but we certainly knew the trailer was there!

We kept things under 100kmh - over the major hills I took things easy and tried to maintain at least 70kmh, which the truck did pretty easily. There were a couple times when the tranny kicked down a gear but that was more due to my miscalculation with the gas-pedal!

Took a full 8 days of pretty solid driving to get here...I haven't calculated the fuel economy yet, but total gas-bill was just under $2,000 I think.

Personally, I'd never try jerking the 23k with anything less than an 8cyl, especially here where we've got hills. If you live in the flats, you'd probably do okay but I doubt it'd be a comfortable tow.... If you do decide to go with the 23k, spend the money and make sure your TV is properly set-up. That includes a dist-hitch, sway & tranny-cooler.

Good luck - I'm curious what you decide & how the pathfinder pulls it!
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Old 08-29-2010, 10:06 PM   #9
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Weight, Height, Width and Length Headaches

Quote:
Originally Posted by myslagg View Post
I am wondering if anyone has experience with this towing combination? The Pathfinder has a 6k towing capacity with a 600lb tongue. The 23k has a factory tongue of 630lbs and weighs 4,620lbs. The trailer frontal area is above the 60 sq.ft. that Nissan published in their towing guide. The dealer believes that it is 72.8, but has never heard of using that number, and wasn't even sure what I was referring to.

Thanks
What does your manual say about the length of a trailer you can pull?

I was confused about the 60 square feet maximum frontage that my Nissan Xterra manual said I should adhere to. I could not find any trailers that had such a small amount of frontal square footage when I used the formula the manual said --- height times width. I finally found out (by reading a book I got at the library about choosing a trailer) that you measure from the ground to the floor of your trailer and minus that from the height of the trailer and than you do the h x w formula. I have the Nissan Xterra and even though it has a 5,000 lb. towing rate I am learning that I need to leave a large margin for safety. I did not know this when I bought the Nissan. It turns out I did not know a lot important things having to do with weight and also wheelbase vs. trailer length. If I didn't spend all that money for it new and for the tow package already on the Nissan, and if I knew what I know now, I would have bought a truck.
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Old 09-07-2010, 05:56 PM   #10
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just adding, as my first post- that I also think the Pathfinder might struggle. I have a GMC Denali with the 6.0 and in reverse (wght limit 8800 lbs on mine and the StarCraft wgt of 5200) my trans and temp get hot. It is not the trans cooler that is needed but a new fan unit with an estimate of $400 or so ballpark. So I could only guess the problems you might have in going through the same. The Nissan is a very nice truck though, just out of it's element in this TT.
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