Towing travel trailer with an Xterra

[dhatcher]

Hi (new member here),

I got here by searching around on google about towing a travel trailer with my xterra. Got here, read the one post I found about someone towing with an xterra but, it seemed they were interested in towing a 25' trailer.

I'm interested in towing a 15' or less trailer with my xterra for camping (and some adventure 🙂 ).

What kind of advice can you give a newbie to towing? Should I get additional cooling setup for my transmission? What about sway control, is that a necessity or just really really nice to have?

2012 Xterra Pro-4x model (4x4)

Thank you all for any advice you can send my way 🙂

[retiredtravele1]

I'm late to the topic --- I don't frequent the forum much any longer. I've been towing a heavy pup with my X for 10 years. As far as power and torque, don't even know the pup is behind me and I can hill climb with ease. Pup is pushing 2800 pounds loaded.
Now, having said that, yes, it squats. Keep in mind that tongue weight does not include propane and battery. I was pushing 500 pound tongue with two tanks and battery. I took to putting the tanks and battery at back, inside pup while traveling.
At 300 pounds, still get squat. You'll need a WD hitch. I did not get one but I will be soon.
I've never had problem with sway. I've taken 8 trips across country towing 500 miles a day in heavy rain and 100 degree temps. No issues at all with X or the pup.

[kvangil]

I tow with a '05 Pathfinder. We have pretty much the same drivetrain. Off the lot, your Xterra will tow a 15' 3500lbs camper adequately. It is already setup to tow; no need to add a trans cooler; the factory trans cooler is plenty sufficient. What you will need to add is:

1. A 7-pin connector in place of the factory 4-pin connector; if it's like our Pathfinder, the wiring may already exist underneath the car, so you just buy the OEM plug-n-play 7-pin connector, and it takes about 15-20 minutes to install.

2. A brake controller. There may already be a brake controller connector under the steering wheel; you just buy the controller and buy the adapter for the connector.

3. I'd suggest a weight-distributing hitch with sway control. We use an Equal-I-Zer hitch, but you can go with whatever fits your needs.

Always tow with OD off. We found that our drivetrain likes towing in 3rd gear more, as it has plenty of power in that gear, and does not lumber up the hills and maintains speed more consistently. Prepare for the RPM's to spin at about 3500rpms at 65mph though, and you know how loud the Nissan 4.0 engine is... 🙂

Gas mileage...About 7-10 mpg's towing depending on so many factors like wind, speed, temperature, terrain, etc...Like someone else said, be prepared to stop every 100-150 miles to fill up.

Good luck!

[TOOBOLD]

Sent you a PM

[rexlion]

I test drove an Xterra last year. Reminded me a lot of my 2000 Mountaineer.

For a 15' (overall length) trailer, you don't necessarily need sway control, but it's still nice to have it just in case. However, if by 15' you mean the box length, that would mean about a 19' trailer overall, and that's getting into the area where sway control is a good idea anyway. Always be sure to have 10-15% of your trailer's weight on the hitch for safety.

As for ease of towing with your drive train, trailer weight is not as important as trailer frontal area. Wind resistance is the big factor. A 2500 lb (loaded) TT is likely to result in 10-12 mpg, but a 2500 lb popup will be more like 16-17 mpg. So you know the TT is pulling a lot harder! And the places where a TT will give you the most difficulty is when towing up long grades at higher altitudes. If you're in CA, mountains are sort of hard to avoid when going camping, unless you want to stay on the coast all the time, right? If you don't mind going 35 mph up the big hills in 2nd gear, you'll be fine with the TT; if you want to go a little faster (maybe 45!), get the tent trailer.

[handye9]

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.

[dhatcher]

Just for fun I went to nissan's website to "build" a new Xterra with a tow package and to get the description of the tow package. This is what "more details" show:


"Includes: Tow Hitch Receiver, Trailer Hitch Relay and Trailer Tow Brake Jumper Sub-harness

Factory-installed"

[dhatcher]

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.

[TInmania]

I think your Xterra can handle something in the size range you are looking at, in a single-axle travel trailer.

For example an R-Pod RP-171 is a nice little TT what has a hitch weight of just 225lbs and a GVWR of under 3,300lbs. That is a trailer that is a little over 18' in total length.

Surely you can find something in the range, assuming you setup your TV properly. There are a decent number of options out there under 3,500lbs with correspondingly low hitch weights. You often pay a premium for that low weight but there are deals to be had if you are motivated.



Michael

[handye9]

dhatcher wrote:
max payload is 1,053lbs
max tow is 5,000lbs

Yeh, I'm on one of the xterra forums but, it is not as well suited for towing info as here 🙂

The fine print in the Exterra's specs, say that 5000 lb max tow and 1053 lb payload is "When properly equipped". That means factory tow package. Your Exterra does not have that.

In some cases, a factory tow package is more than a hitch, wiring, and tranny cooler. It could also include a gear change in the rear end, upgraded suspension parts, and possibly changes to the transmission.

Also, max tow ratings are caculated with only a 150 lb driver. No passengers, no aftermarket accessories, little tongue weight, and no cargo. As you add weight from these items, your max tow rating and payload are going down, pound for pound.

[dhatcher]

max payload is 1,053lbs
max tow is 5,000lbs

Yeh, I'm on one of the xterra forums but, it is not as well suited for towing info as here 🙂

[TOOBOLD]

Look inside the frame of the drivers door and it will tell you all the specs for the X especially the CCC. Let me know if you want to know the part number for the trailer lights. Our hitch was placed aftermarket so I don't remember the capacity of the hitch.

There is a website for X owners called Xterra Owners Club. Lots of good info there, but not sure how many tow trailers.

[dhatcher]

hmmm, well a quick look around a local RV place's website tells me a tent trailer is going to be around 1,200lbs with 200lbs hitch weight and a 19' box trailer is around 2,620lbs with a 335lb hitch weight. Both seem well within the spec of the xterra.

5,000lb max tow capacity

hitch weights seem to be varying from 400lbs - 600lbs depending on hitch type and weight distribution towing? I'm not quite what that means but, I'm guessing that means a little fancier trailer setup (such as the sway control et all).

[dhatcher]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I realize it's not the greatest tow vehicle but, it's better than no tow vehicle 🙂

It did not come with the towing package and lights installed. I need to get those installed as well.

I thought about a tent trailer versus a box trailer but, the stuff I was looking at seemed to end up weighing about the same (maybe 300-500lb difference, if that between tent trailer and box trailer). I thought in the grand scheme of things it didn't seem to be much of a difference.

[TOOBOLD]

I owned a 2006 Xterra and the rear suspension is horrible and you'll squat with very little hitch weight. Check your cargo carrying capacity as that will limit you on trailer size. I towed jet ski's and a small 20' boat with the X and did well. You might need timbren's on the rear.

Did your X come with the towing package and lights? Also, if your towing a trailer be ready to stop numerous times on your trip due to a small gas tank. This would not be my vehicle of choice for towing a travel trailer. Good Luck!