Nissan Armada ability re: Base/Dry weight 7038 lbs

[FJP800]

I have a 2014 Nissan Armada with a towing capacity of 9,000 lbs and I am considering buying a Rockweood Windjammer 3008W which has a Base/Dry weight of 7038 lbs. My concern is the ability of the Armada to pull the camper, when fully loaded with supplies, especially if when we visit the west coast. I believe the rule of thumb is add 1,500 lbs to the dry weight to be on the safe side when considering the weight of a camper which would be 8,538 lbs. Please let me know what you think.. Especially if you have an Armada or a vehicle with the same towing capacity. would the 3008W be too much for my car the handle? Thank you

[Ron_Gratz]

jerem0621 wrote:
Here is what you need to do immediately.

Find out what the following data points are on your Armada

1) GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating)
2) FAWR (front axle weight rating)
3) RAWR (rear axle weight rating)

You missed the one rating which probably will determine what weight of trailer can be towed.
That rating is the receiver's Maximum Tongue weight rating

Now, load up the armada as you would IF you were pulling a camper. Mostly with people, electronics, toys, GPS, snacks...etc. Luggage and tools can go in the trailer so don't load the in the armada

The weight of the weight distributing hitch also must be included. If it's not available for weighing, 100# is a good estimate.

Now. Add the two weights you for from the scale together and subtract this total from the GVWR. This is the amount of payload you have available to carry a travel trailers tongue weight.

The remainder is the amount of payload you have available to carry the vertical load imposed by the TT.
When using a WDH to return the front axle load to its unhitched weight, the vertical load imposed by the TT will be equal to about 80% of the TT's tongue weight

Find a trailer whose LOADED tongue weight is at or under this amount and you will be well on your way to a comfortable towing experience.

Due to load transfer to the TT's axles, the loaded TW can be 1.25 times the difference between TV's GVWR and TV's GVW.

Ron

[jerem0621]

Hello, just take a breath for a second... You are getting tons and tons of answers and most sound like a resounding no.

While the trailer you have chosen is going to push the stated specs of the Armada there are tons of other trailers that are light enough to work well for you and your family.

Here is what you need to do immediately.

Find out what the following data points are on your Armada

1) GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating)
2) FAWR (front axle weight rating)
3) RAWR (rear axle weight rating)

Now, load up the armada as you would IF you were pulling a camper. Mostly with people, electronics, toys, GPS, snacks...etc. Luggage and tools can go in the trailer so don't load the in the armada

Now, go to a cat scale at a local truck stop... Put one axle on the first scale pad and the rear axle on the second pad. Push the button for the attendant and tell them you need a weight.

Go get your weight from the gas station attendant running the scales behind the counter.

Look at your two weights. One is the front axle weight. The other is the rear axle weight. These weights should be under your FAWR and your RAWR... The difference is the most each axle is rated to carry.

Now. Add the two weights you for from the scale together and subtract this total from the GVWR. This is the amount of payload you have available to carry a travel trailers tongue weight.

Find a trailer whose LOADED tongue weight is at or under this amount and you will be well on your way to a comfortable towing experience.

Now, if your heart is set on the trailer you have picked out be prepared to upgrade your tow vehicle to a heavy duty vehicle of some kind eventually.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[sptddog]

I towed a 2010 Keystone 250RS with a 2010 Armada. I loved, loved, loved the armada. It was a great tow vehicle for a 1/2 ton SUV. That said, my trailer topped at 7500lbs and I really had to be careful to travel light, ensure my extra weights (rubbermaid of wood, grills etc) were over the axles of the trailer, and that all the tires had the right level of air in them. I hauled tons with it, from PA to Tennessee and PA to Kentucky. I've also done the central PA mountains with it, and it did great (yes, it yells on the hills, but it doesn't lack power). I wouldn't have done any heavier of a camper with it though. The camper you're looking is almost the weight of mine loaded...I don't know that I'd go that heavy. It's a great truck, but a 1/2 ton is a 1/2 ton. The other issue with it is that it's not very forgiving of any driving mistakes - it won't compensate for a 'slam on the brakes' stop...you better manually engage the brake controller in those cases. It will sway like crazy if the weight distribution isn't 100% dead on (highly recommend the reese dual cam...loved it), you'll know it's back there if it's windy if the WD is even slightly off.

It is a great truck for hauling, I personally just feel you might be just slightly over a comfortable weight to tow with it. A slightly smaller camper, and I'd recommend it 100 times.

[Ron_Gratz]

Rockwood Steve wrote:
---I've been on the scales twice, and just slightly under limits even with a full fresh water tank.---

What are your measured values for loaded TT weight and loaded tongue weight?

What is your receiver's maximum TW rating?

Ron

[Ron_Gratz]

FJP800 wrote:
I have a 2014 Nissan Armada with a towing capacity of 9,000 lbs and I am considering buying a Rockweood Windjammer 3008W which has a Base/Dry weight of 7038 lbs. My concern is the ability of the Armada to pull the camper, when fully loaded with supplies, especially if when we visit the west coast. I believe the rule of thumb is add 1,500 lbs to the dry weight to be on the safe side when considering the weight of a camper which would be 8,538 lbs. Please let me know what you think.. Especially if you have an Armada or a vehicle with the same towing capacity. would the 3008W be too much for my car the handle? Thank you

I believe your Armada has a receiver TW rating of 900#.
If so, a maximum allowable TW of 900# and a typical TW% of 13% means the maximum loaded trailer weight would be limited to 900/0.13 = about 6900#.

If you wish to assume the TT's dry weight should be 1500# less than the maximum allowable loaded weight,
you should be looking for a TV with a dry weight of 5400# or less.

If you use a WDH to return the TV's front axle load to its unhitched value, the vertical load imposed on the TV by the TT will be about 80% of the tongue weight.
That means a TW of 900# would cause about 720# to be added to the TV.

You need to find your TV's TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION sticker and note the "should not exceed" value.
Then calculate your best estimate of weight of occupants, any options added after delivery, cargo to be carried in/on the TV, and about 100# for a WDH.
Subtract this combined weight from the "should not exceed" value.
The reminder is the amount of payload capacity left for trailer-induced vertical load.
With a 900# TW, the remainder should not be less than 720#.

Ron

[Rockwood_Steve]

I know that those that haven't done it will disagree but we have 3008 and tow it with a 2010 Armada with zero issues. I use the Reese dual-cam weight distributing/anti-sway and that combined with the auto leveling rear suspension really balance the load. Granted, we don't load up the SUV with cargo, just the two of us and pretty much nothing else. I've been on the scales twice, and just slightly under limits even with a full fresh water tank. I'm of the opinion, like a few others, that the max ratings are always set a little lower than actual limits. I've trailered the Windjammer over 10,000 miles the past 2 1/2 years with NO "moments" and have always felt in complete control. Only complaint is MPG, usually get around 8.3 at 65 mph but the 317 hp motor never struggles.

[fla-gypsy]

Insufficient payload on the Armada for that much trailer

[goducks10]

Should've bought a 3/4 ton truck. Too much TW and IMO too long.

@34'5" long and with a brochure dry TW of 882lbs it's way too much for the Armada. And if you put 1500lbs of gear in the TT you'll be maxed out according to FS it only has 1512lbs for CC.

You need to look at TT's in the 5000lb dry range with higher CC ratings. You don't want the TT near max when loaded.

A 5000lb dry weight TT will be6000-65000lbs when loaded. That gives you a TW of 750-800lbs. Another thing to check is the Armadas CC rating that should be listed on the door. Take that number and subtract passenger weight and anything else you will have in the Armada when towing. The left over CC will be what's available for the TT's tongue weight.

Most important when looking is to not listen to the RV sales person. Chances are they will sell you something to big for the Armada. There are helpful sales people but though.

[Major_Dad]

Had an Armada with my current trailer for two years. The trailer was way under the tow rating, but the hitch weight made the setup unusable. My trailer tops out at about 7000 lbs, but the hitch weight combined with one or two people in the back seat, dogs, and cargo (things you buy an SUV for) taught me to pay attention to payload and hitchweight in the future.

BTW, we LOVED our Armada in every other respect and kept it for 8 years, long after we quit towing with it.

[APT]

Towing an RV at your tow rating will put the vehicle over a couple other ratings by maybe 500 pounds. Payload and receiver will limit you first. Payload as equipped can be found on your drivers door locating this sticker:



The receiver will have a sticker like this with two sets of ratings, with and without weight distribution.




Payload should cover the weight of family on-board, activities to keep them occupied while traveling, cargo inside, and trailer tongue weight. If payload is 1300 pounds, family and stuff inside weighs 600 pounds, then you only have 700 left for trailer TW. That's about 5500 pounds loaded TT.

I believe your receiver has a limit of 900-950 pounds. That's about 6500-7000 pounds loaded TT.

So you are doing well to estimate 1500 pounds of stuff over dry weight. It will probably be higher for longer than 1-week trips. I think it wise to estimate 200 pounds of additional tongue weight over published dry weights too.

[xteacher]

Too heavy for the Armada, by the time the family and all your stuff is loaded, IMO. The Armada is already a beast with poor gas mileage, which you already know, so it would be REALLY awful pulling this camper. I think it would also be too long for the the Armada to pull comfortably.

I wouldn't pull over 7200 lb. FULLY LOADED with your Armada, which is 80% of your capacity. This has worked well for me over the years.

[camp-n-family]

Too much trailer. Keep in mind that the tow rating is reduced by any weight that you put in the Armada. The other problem is tongue weight, available payload and hitch receiver rating. The Windjammer is a V-nose which tend to be very heavy on the tongue. The dry hitch weight is nearly 900lbs which will be pushing 1200+lbs once loaded. You only have around 1400lbs of available payload leaving little left for passenger weights, and a receiver that is limited to 975lbs max.