Towing travel trailer with an Xterra

dhatcher wrote:
Yeh I saw that too in the fine print about "properly equipped." Thing is, the Xterra doesn't come with different gear box options and mine is the Pro-4X model so it has the most upgraded suspension setup that Xterra's come with (little bit beefier shocks from bilstein is really all it is). If you price out an Xterra with options on a website like edmunds you'll see there is no opportunity to check off something like an upgraded trans cooler. That's why I wondered what they meant when they said "properly equipped." Maybe I will call the dealer and see what the service department says.

As far as tow weight goes, my wife and the dog and I make up about 500lbs of weight and the stuff we bring is probably another 150lbs +/- of weight. So even if we subtracted 700lbs from 5000, I should still have approximately 4300lbs available. The trailers I'm looking at seem to be under that but, I wonder if it's wise to get close to that or whether I should be looking at like, half that weight as a more realistic goal.

You're on the right track with figuring your max tow capacity. What will bite you first, is payload. That 700 lbs, also takes a 700 lb bite out of your payload. What you have left is 350 lbs payload and 4300 tow capacity. The 350 lbs payload needs to carry the tongue weight. Running out of payload, before reaching max tow weight, is very common.


Average tongue weight is 12 - 13 percent of loaded trailer weight. If you divide 350 lbs by .125, it comes out to about 2800 lbs loaded (not UVW) trailer weight. That's the area where your Exterra will be maxed out on weight.

Put the "stuff" in the trailer. That will help a little with both, tow capacity and payload. It might give you some cushion with a 2800 lb trailer. Try to arange the "stuff", above or slightly in front of the trailer axle. It'll increase the tongue weight, but, only a few pounds.