TV is "tracking"

[willi4nd]

New truck and new trailer...truck is tracking or pulling when I am towing.
Its pretty much constant, pulling left, pulling right, constantly having to countersteer.

TV is a 2015 Nissan Frontier 6 cyl 4x4, tow cap is 6500 lbs. I am towing a 2015 Heartland TrailRunner SLE 22 with a weight of 4350 lbs.

It doesn't matter if it is empty or full of gear it still pulls...any ideas?

[willi4nd]

enblethen wrote:
(“FALR” – Front Axle Load Return
This may be of some help
WD information

Thank you, I bookmarked the page.

[lawrosa]

As I satated you need to get your front axle to original height/weight. I showed you an example of this with my weight tickets from the cat scale..

I said its do able, but you need to set up the WD hitch better.. We gave you all the knowledge here already to do this..

Does your truck have a trans temp gauge built into the dash info center?

When I towed with the factory trans cooler that is part of the radiator my trans ran very very hot.. I immeadiatly changed the fluid, filter, and got a gauge to determine temp,,

I then installed the biggest trans cooler I could fit behind the grill.. My temps never exceed 190F now..

My trans was the weakest link in towing the weight I am... My spring pack on my truck is the weakest link for TW...

My truck came with LT tires rated at 2270 lbs each @ 50 psi.. LOL.. So tires are not the weakest link..

All trucks have a weak link..

Follow the advice given and set up the WD as shown.. Then get to a scale as I show..

If you can restore the front, which you can, you will be fine...

You never told us the spring bar ratings?????? IMO you need 1000 lb ers.. If they gave you anything less return them and tell them you want the 1000 lb rated ones...

[enblethen]

(“FALR” – Front Axle Load Return
This may be of some help
WD information

[willi4nd]

gmw photos wrote:
A few comments to the original poster: I tow with a Frontier ( 2006, 4WD, CC 4.0L V6, six speed manual ) and also with a F350 diesel dually.
The camper I pull with the Frontier is a 19' funfinder, that weighs 4000 pounds ready to go. My comments are these:

1. you "may" be within the limits of your truck with your camper, and you likely "can be", given proper loading and choice of "things to take vs things to leave home". You will need to go to the CAT scale to determine this.

2.You'll want to arrange things in the trailer with some of the heavier items over the trailer axles, and/or in front of the axles. Shoot for a tongue weight of about 12 to 13% of the actual weight of the trailer.
The factory receiver hitch has a stated weight limit of 650 pounds, however, this hitch is actually a Curt hitch, that is rated at 800/8000. A guess would be that Nissan states 650/6500 to make the numbers match the rating of the rest of the truck.

3. Set your WD hitch up to achieve 100 FALR.

4. Your automatic transmission is a good one. It is the same trans that is in the Titan, so it is effectively rated to tow over 9000 pounds. The small cooler you see in front of the A/C condenser is not a transmission cooler. It is a power steering cooler. The transmission cooler is integral to the engine cooling system radiator.

5. If towing a lot, I would change the transmission fluid and differential oil on the "severe service" schedule. It's in your manual. In the diff, use only synthetic oil ( specified in your manual ).

Those who are making comments about the Frontier being inadequate in your case are guessing. Going to the scales takes the guesswork out of it. A properly setup Frontier is a nice tow vehicle for trailers within it's limits. I've towed two different trailers with mine over 30K miles in all conditions.

Have fun camping and enjoy your truck and trailer.

Thank you so much for the encouraging post, have been in the dumps since I started the thread.

When I set out to purchase my truck and trailer, I took the advice from the salesman from both mainly because I dont have much experience in towing.

To me it simple subtraction Truck 6500 tow cap - Trailer 4300 lbs...no brainer. I guess thats not it works.

Being that both are brand spanking new I have no choice but to make due, adjust everything as perfect as I can and try to be smart.

Could you possibly explain WD hitch 100 FALR?

Also, so you dont think it is necessary to add a transmission cooler?

[gmw_photos]

A few comments to the original poster: I tow with a Frontier ( 2006, 4WD, CC 4.0L V6, six speed manual ) and also with a F350 diesel dually.
The camper I pull with the Frontier is a 19' funfinder, that weighs 4000 pounds ready to go. My comments are these:

1. you "may" be within the limits of your truck with your camper, and you likely "can be", given proper loading and choice of "things to take vs things to leave home". You will need to go to the CAT scale to determine this.

2.You'll want to arrange things in the trailer with some of the heavier items over the trailer axles, and/or in front of the axles. Shoot for a tongue weight of about 12 to 13% of the actual weight of the trailer.
The factory receiver hitch has a stated weight limit of 650 pounds, however, this hitch is actually a Curt hitch, that is rated at 800/8000. A guess would be that Nissan states 650/6500 to make the numbers match the rating of the rest of the truck.

3. Set your WD hitch up to achieve 100 FALR.

4. Your automatic transmission is a good one. It is the same trans that is in the Titan, so it is effectively rated to tow over 9000 pounds. The small cooler you see in front of the A/C condenser is not a transmission cooler. It is a power steering cooler. The transmission cooler is integral to the engine cooling system radiator.

5. If towing a lot, I would change the transmission fluid and differential oil on the "severe service" schedule. It's in your manual. In the diff, use only synthetic oil ( specified in your manual ).

Those who are making comments about the Frontier being inadequate in your case are guessing. Going to the scales takes the guesswork out of it. A properly setup Frontier is a nice tow vehicle for trailers within it's limits. I've towed two different trailers with mine over 30K miles in all conditions.

Have fun camping and enjoy your truck and trailer.

[myredracer]

willi4nd wrote:
My dealer showed me how to set up the WD bars, basically to adjust so TV and TT are level and to make sure the distance is the same on front and rear tires of the truck.

Mistake right there. Never rely on a dealer knowing how to set up a WDH correctly. Read the sticky on this sub-forum and learn to do it yourself. What is the rating of the spring bars?

Running correct tire pressure on TT and TV? What tire type does a Frontier have, P or LT?

Go to a scale and determine actual tongue weight, TT GVW and actual TV payload capacity. Take scale weight of truck and subtract from GVWR on poor pillar sticker. Payload capacity is very important. I would expect the actual tongue weight to be up around 800+ lbs based on the GVWR of 6900 lbs. Dry tongue means nothing. If the Frontier tongue weight limit is 630 lbs using a WDH, you are likely be over the limit. What do the asteriks say? There's usually a max. weight with WDH and max. weight without a WDH.

It's okay for rear of a TV to squat a little and is normal. Hard to tell, but it looks the nose of the TT could be dropped a little. You may find it works better if slightly nose down.

As mentioned, I would also say the TT is too much for the truck.

[willi4nd]

06Fargo wrote:
If the tracking or pulling is not a "wander" or "sway" condition but is consistent when there is no cross wind i.e. always to the left, or always to the right, check to make sure the trailer brakes are cool and not set to drag on one side, and then check the trailer wheel alignment. If the trailer is new ask for it to be corrected under warranty.

You bring up a good point, the truck tracked a bit on its own so I called the dealer and the service advisor said the salesman will over inflate the tire to keep them from getting flat spots. He suggested I adjust air pressure to 3-4 lbs under max. I assumed it may have needed an alignment.

I haven't noticed it tracking much after I adjusted.

[willi4nd]

goducks10 wrote:
Are you raising the trailer tongue and rear of the truck before you snap up the chains. If not then you're not putting much tension on the spring bars and not transferring enough weight back to the front wheels.
IMO way too much TT for that truck. You're over the trucks receiver rating and probably close on the trucks GVW if not over.

Yes, almost all the way up.

I don't think it's "way" too much but it's close. It is what it is at this point, I'll do what I can to improve the situation by getting the WD and sway as perfect as I can and upgrading my Truck

[mkirsch]

A couple quick pointers:

You do not want "even squat" when adjusting the WD hitch.

The ultimate goal for adjusting the WD hitch is to return the front wheel wells of your truck to the same height as they are when the truck is unhitched.

There are two ways to get more pressure on the WD hitch: 1. Add washers to tilt the head back. 2. Take up links in the chains.

Why would you do one over the other? On most WD hitches you want the bars parallel to the trailer tongue with good clearance so they can pass underneath in a turn. If the current chain length does that, you need to tilt the head back to put more pressure on the bars.

In your case you will probably need a cheater pipe to latch up the chains even with the trailer jacked up.

[campigloo]

Set up hitch like advised above. You might also look into upgrading your truck tires. I bought a used truck that wouldn't drive right with no load. It drove just like what you describe. I put LT tires instead of the P's someone put on it and it immediately solved the problem.

[noteven]

If the tracking or pulling is not a "wander" or "sway" condition but is consistent when there is no cross wind i.e. always to the left, or always to the right, check to make sure the trailer brakes are cool and not set to drag on one side, and then check the trailer wheel alignment. If the trailer is new ask for it to be corrected under warranty.

[goducks10]

Are you raising the trailer tongue and rear of the truck before you snap up the chains. If not then you're not putting much tension on the spring bars and not transferring enough weight back to the front wheels.
IMO way too much TT for that truck. You're over the trucks receiver rating and probably close on the trucks GVW if not over.

[lawrosa]

Then get to a cat scale and find out for sure what your dealing with... After I did my driveway wheel well mesuring and adjusting I went to a cat scale and got my weights...

Here I got weighed my truck alone.. ( I have 2700 lbs axles per my door tag.. and GVW of 4900 lbs)

front 2560 ( 140 left before over axles)
rear 1860 ( 840 lb payload remaining)



This is without wd hooked up..

2360 front.. ( Wow 200 lbs off front wheels..
2480 rear.. ( You dont get your TW this way by subtracting the empty truck weight FYI but 620 lbs.. Sheesh)

And to let you know my TW is advertised at 420 on the trailer sticker....

Trailer was dry here
3980



Now you see with my wd activated...

front axle restored to empty truck weight.

2560 Front (same as empty truck)
2200 rear ( 340 lbs on rear)

4060 trailer.. ( 80 lbs added to trailer from TW)





This is as good as it gets with my set up.. I drive 65 mph, have tires inflated to max when towing. Drives straight and true and never sway..

But its a lot of weight for the 190 hp s 10 v6 to pull.. But the s10 makes all its torgue at 2800 rpms and has 3:73 rear. Thats why I get away with it...

[lawrosa]

All trucks are different and need to be set up right... The measuring of well wells works well..

My head is tilted with 7 washers. I use the 9th link up.. That takes 80 lbs off my rear.. But again my tounge is light,

See bars are parallel with trailer frame. when I first set up the bars were pointing way up just to get tension.. This is why you tilt the head. You can get another link or two..

Keep ajusting it if you need to to get the front wheel well measurement as clost to the mesurment taken with the truck alone on level ground..



See how from afar my truck is level.. ( The trailer was a bit high. I gave since lowered the shank one knotch...



Minimal sag .. actually front restored exact and rear drop is 1/2 inch.

[willi4nd]

wrgrs50s wrote:
To be honest though, you really need more truck.

The truck I traded in was less than a year old to get this. I just cant swing a $35,000 + truck right now, putting a boy through college and have 3 car payments.

Going to do what I can for the next 3-4 years and by then I will be ready for a larger trailer...the boy will be on his own too.