Too Much For My Armada?

[zackrvwv]

Ok so it’s clear that RV.net has some really experienced and educated folks. I have searched far and wide and found a ton of info but I still need some help closing in on an exact answer. My family is really itching to purchase our first TT. We are a family of 5 (3 kids under 9) and we drive a 2008 Nissan Armada (4WD with tow package).

The book shows a max trailer weight of 9000# and every RV sales guy I call (and I’ve called a bunch) say stay 1000# under that and you’re fine. I know it’s more complicated than that, but I can’t figure out if we would cross the line if we get a 7800# trailer. My guess is I’m going to get mixed opinions… Total tongue to bumper length of 32-36'

So, if 7800 is too much, where is the cap? We really want to get a TT but I'm not sure upgrading our vehicle is an option...

Family = 500 lbs
Firewood, bikes, etc = 100 lbs

Thanks for the help

[Winnebago_Bob]

kvangil wrote:

AngryBert-63 wrote:
It never ceases to amaze me the things people want to use as a tow vehicle..

An Armada is a half-ton with a 9000-lb tow rating, so it really is not that far-fetched that people would tow with one.... That said, I do agree with other posters who say to keep it to around 6000lbs gross weight, mainly for the fact that with family and gear, you'll be approaching max payload capacity. 7800lbs (assuming dry weight) and 32' is likely too much for the Armada.

I meant in terms of what OP was asking. I know it can tow - but seriously.

I live an hour south of the Canadian border - you would LYAO at the things we see being pulled down the 5 into the US.

Amazing. If you used an Armada as a tow vehicle as OP describes, it would be the "cork in the bottle" on every two lane into the mountains up here.

Could it do it? Sure... LOL.

[kvangil]

AngryBert-63 wrote:
It never ceases to amaze me the things people want to use as a tow vehicle..

An Armada is a half-ton with a 9000-lb tow rating, so it really is not that far-fetched that people would tow with one.... That said, I do agree with other posters who say to keep it to around 6000lbs gross weight, mainly for the fact that with family and gear, you'll be approaching max payload capacity. 7800lbs (assuming dry weight) and 32' is likely too much for the Armada.

[APT]

Besides tow rating, you have a few other ratings to consider. Your receiver is rated at about 950 pounds. That's about a 7500 pound loaded TT, but maybe as low as 6500. Payload for the tow vehicle may also be a limit. It needs to be enough for the TW and everything you plan to put in the SUV. People, games, stuff to occupy their time while traveling. So with your listed estimates and 950 pounds of TW, 1200 pounds is not enough and 1500 pounds of payload is. Look at that Tire and Loading sticker on your driver's door for as equipped payload.

Practically, I agree that you will want to stay near 6000 pounds dry. Length does not matter, focus on weight. When you add clothes, food, chairs, grill, cooking and eating stuff, toys, etc, expect about 1000 pounds over any RV listed dry weight. More if you plan to carry full fresh water tank. Also, the % of half ton owners towing 7000+ pound RVs that are satisfied is fairly low and about 50% upgrade to something more capable. Meanwhile, under 6k people are reasonably pleased.

Get a proportional brake controller and WDH with integrated sway control.

[camp-n-family]

First off the Armada is not a small SUV as most posters seem to think. It is based on the Titan truck platform and is a fairly stout vehicle. Payloads range from 14-1700lbs depending on model. Not to be confused with the smaller Pathfinder which also used to have Armada in its name.

That being said a 32-36', 7800lbs empty trailer is way too much for the Armada.

As mentioned, you will be payload limited. Load the family into the vehicle and go to a scale. Subtract the loaded weight from your GVWR and that's what you have left for tongue and hitch weight. A 6k loaded tt is probably a good estimate.

[Winnebago_Bob]

It never ceases to amaze me the things people want to use as a tow vehicle..

[DutchmenSport]

"It" may tow "it", but can "IT" stop "it" if you looses trailer brakes?

[Desert_Captain]

The OP proposes getting a 7800# TT but does not note if that is GVWR or "dry weight". Moving on beyond the fact that "dry" weights are useless, often dangerous jokes we need to know which he is contemplating. A 7800# dry weight TT will likely weigh in a lot closer to 10,000# in the real world in which case using an Armada would be a disaster waiting to happen.

If the GVWR is 7800# the Armada will be at its absolute limits and towing that long of a trailer with that short of a wheelbase will not be particularly fun, much less safe. With a smallish SUV staying at a GVWR of no more than 6,000# sounds like a good plan to me but...

As always.... Opinion s and YMMV

:C

[agesilaus]

rexlion wrote:

bgum wrote:
Stay below 6000 and 600 tw and 26 ft

+1. This is about right. And use a sway-control hitch like Equal-i-zer or Reese Dual Cam. If you need more sleeping room than a 26' can give, consider a hybrid trailer (tent ends) or a Trailmanor (hardside expanding trailer). A 6000 lb trailer, once loaded for camping, can weigh 7000 or even 7500 lbs. 600 lb dry hitch weight can turn into 800-900 lbs very easily when you add LP, battery, water, and gear. And yes, watch your tug's payload, too.

A 6000 loaded weight TT has a 900 tongue weight plus 100 pounds for the hitch. I doubt that Armada can safely pull that. Face the truth, small SUV's are not good for pulling TT of any reasonable weight.

[rexlion]

bgum wrote:
Stay below 6000 and 600 tw and 26 ft

+1. This is about right. And use a sway-control hitch like Equal-i-zer or Reese Dual Cam. If you need more sleeping room than a 26' can give, consider a hybrid trailer (tent ends) or a Trailmanor (hardside expanding trailer). A 6000 lb trailer, once loaded for camping, can weigh 7000 or even 7500 lbs. 600 lb dry hitch weight can turn into 800-900 lbs very easily when you add LP, battery, water, and gear. And yes, watch your tug's payload, too.

[Need-A-Vacation]

First thing to do is open the drivers door and look for a yellow stick that states Passengers and Cargo not to exceed xxxx lbs". That is the max payload for your vehicle, but if you added anything after it was built you need to subtract that weight also. Subtract your family weight from the yeloow sticker payload amount, and that is what you have left for additional weight, including the tt tw (travel trailer tongue weight). Also figure roughly about 100lbs for a wd (weight distribution) hitch into the available payload.

How many bikes? If you have 5, I would believe if they alone are close to 100lbs. Firewood adds up quickly as well. We have 2 rubbermaid totes that are ~42"x 20"x20". Filled those weigh about 150lbs/each.

The main issue you will have with a growing family if the payload of your Armada, and the rear axle rating. On average, a tt needs about 12-15% tw of the total tt weight for a stable tow. Take the gvwr for the tt, multiply by .15 for the estimated tw. Is it lower than the amount you had left in your available payload? If not, choose a lighter trailer. This is a good starting point. The average person adds about 1000lbs to the "dry weight" of a trailer, which when it rolls off the assembly line usually weighs more than the "brochure dry weight". Our new Jayco we just got, brochure weight- 7600lbs, yellow sticker weight w/ propane and battery- just under 8000lbs (7937lbs or so), loaded, ready to travel (minus our twin 12yo boys stuff and no bikes, and all tanks, fresh and waste empty!) was 8860lbs, so after adding the boys stuff and the rear frame mounted cargo hitch w/ bike rack/bikes- about 9100lbs. At 8860lbs, we have a 1400lb tw (~15.8%).

I can not remember her name, but there was a member who started with an Armada ( I think it was!), and now has a hd truck. They upgraded to a hd, then upgraded again after wanting a bigger trailer!

If the 7800lb trailer you mentioned is "dry weight", there is no way you will be able to tow that safely with your Armada. At 7800lbs LOADED, your tw could be ~900lbs- 1170lbs or so.

I believe the Armada's wheelbase is a little shorter, correct? That is another challenge of a 32'-36' trailer. Large billboard for crosswinds with a short wheelbase tv (tow vehicle) is not a good combination.

[JaredWPhillips]

No way would I tow a 30' + camper with an Armada. At that point, you're a dog being wagged by the tail. When you're figuring in towing weight, that's one thing. The sheer size of the wind-catching parachute behind you is another thing entirely.

[agesilaus]

Generally it's not the towing capacity that is the problem. It is the payload aka carrying capacity. Look on the driver's door post and see what that number is. The number includes the weight of everything you carry except a tank of gas. All passengers, dogs and stuff. Plus you have to add the weight of a weight distributing hitch and the tongue weight of the trailer.

A rule of thumb is that the tongue weight will be about 15% of a travel trailer which would be 1200 pounds for that 8000 pound TT.

Also on a small SUV you need to worry about what your trailer receiver is rated for. I'm not sure where you will find that but it might be stamped on the receiver or in the vehicle manual. 750 pounds is a number I have heard for these small SUV's in which case you will be severely limited.

You might want to look at popups, which are fine IMO for short trips, or specialty TT like the Trail Manor or HiLo

[bgum]

Stay below 6000 and 600 tw and 26 ft