Overwhelmed Newbies--Help!
My husband and I are buying our first travel trailer and we are frustrated with all the choices and little direction on what will work best for us as well as our tow vehicle, so I am asking you experi...
Forum Discussion
Hi! I'm responding to your post because you sound like you are going through just about the same thing I did...including the fact that you have the exact same truck we "had".
I'm 3 mos. into this. I bought my Conquest 19kd with a slide and running under 4k in tow weight. Should've been great for the trailer, right? I'm not bitter...just wiser as I thought I wouldn't mess up like I've heard so many ppl in the forums have.
Your Frontier is an awesome truck, great for towing....but this is what I've learned in my short term of experience:
1) it's not just or only the power of your engine, but also your wheel base that matters. You might be able to pull loads, but you may not have the stopping power you wish you had. I learned this my first time out in a slow motion wrecking going only 20 mph with what would've seem to have been plenty of braking time...on a level, dry surface and electric brakes. Everyone was fine, gentle bump in the end, but it is awful to be able to breath in and out several times before impact.
2) Just going over local bridges over waterways, I could feel my engine was not ecstatic with the extra load. Reality check...my Frontier was NOT going to enjoy the mountains and I plan on spending a lot of time in them. Felt like it would be more like the Little Engine That Could. Yes, your Frontier can help that load, but it will shorten the life of that cute, zippy truck.
In the end, even though my husband had just purchased his Frontier 6 mos. before, we traded it in for a GMC Yukon. I can't even begin to tell you how much more confident I feel towing. Understand, my son and I are just getting ready to make a 3 week trek out to the Black Hills, SD, then to New York and back down to SC. I can still feel the weight of the tow, I just don't feel like it wags the truck like it could in the Frontier..and that is with a sway bar.
You may feel braver and others may have alternative experiences. The RV salesman are just that...salesman. And I adore ours and keep in touch with him. He sold me the trailer I wanted for a truck that is rated to pull it. But experience is Golden. With our relatively new Yukon, I feel confident to take to the open roads.
I wish you all the best in your adventures!
Samantha
I'm 3 mos. into this. I bought my Conquest 19kd with a slide and running under 4k in tow weight. Should've been great for the trailer, right? I'm not bitter...just wiser as I thought I wouldn't mess up like I've heard so many ppl in the forums have.
Your Frontier is an awesome truck, great for towing....but this is what I've learned in my short term of experience:
1) it's not just or only the power of your engine, but also your wheel base that matters. You might be able to pull loads, but you may not have the stopping power you wish you had. I learned this my first time out in a slow motion wrecking going only 20 mph with what would've seem to have been plenty of braking time...on a level, dry surface and electric brakes. Everyone was fine, gentle bump in the end, but it is awful to be able to breath in and out several times before impact.
2) Just going over local bridges over waterways, I could feel my engine was not ecstatic with the extra load. Reality check...my Frontier was NOT going to enjoy the mountains and I plan on spending a lot of time in them. Felt like it would be more like the Little Engine That Could. Yes, your Frontier can help that load, but it will shorten the life of that cute, zippy truck.
In the end, even though my husband had just purchased his Frontier 6 mos. before, we traded it in for a GMC Yukon. I can't even begin to tell you how much more confident I feel towing. Understand, my son and I are just getting ready to make a 3 week trek out to the Black Hills, SD, then to New York and back down to SC. I can still feel the weight of the tow, I just don't feel like it wags the truck like it could in the Frontier..and that is with a sway bar.
You may feel braver and others may have alternative experiences. The RV salesman are just that...salesman. And I adore ours and keep in touch with him. He sold me the trailer I wanted for a truck that is rated to pull it. But experience is Golden. With our relatively new Yukon, I feel confident to take to the open roads.
I wish you all the best in your adventures!
Samantha
