Hello all, I am currently considering purchasing a travel trailer and will be towing with my 06 Nissan Pathfinder LE 4x4. The Pathfinder has a max towing capacity of 6000lbs and a max tongue of 600lbs. Obviously I want to stay as far below that as possible but with what I want on my next TT I might be getting close to the max . I am considering either the Passport 238ml or the Sonic 220BH with the Sonic being my first choice. The car has Airlift bags, and trailer brake controller. I might have to purchase a WDH but only if needed depending on how much it squats with the airlift bags. My concern is that 5400lbs is max on the Sonic. Dry on the Sonic is 4200. Is it realistic to think I will be maxing out the payload capacity of the TT to 5400lbs? It's my wife, my small dog and myself, only bringing what we need nothing extra. The car is 270hp and 291 ftlbs of torque at 4000 rpms I'm plan to travel across the country with it.

I think you'd find the pathfinder to be wholly inadequate to tow 5200 lbs. That weight is dry...no clothes, food, water, etc. For rough estimates, add 1,000 lbs to 5200. Either think pop-up camper or a different tow vehicle.Bottom line: It may pull it down the road, but SAFELY is the key. I don't think it would do it safely for you, your passengers, or others on the road.

should you decide to go with the Pathfinder as your TV (and I have no basis for an opinion on that issue), do be sure to find out if a WDH is even ok with the mfg. I know that many European vehicles such as my BMW X5 the mfg says in no uncertain terms "do NOT use any WDH equipment." I'm not sure about the Japanese in general or Nissan in particular. Just trying to make sure you find out before you try to go that route.

Thanks for the input. I made an edit on my first post to clarify that the dry wight on the Sonic Trailer is 4200lbs. If I add an extra 1000 lbs I will still be 800lbs below max of my Pathfinder. I have been reading on the forums and a rule of thumb is to take the max towing of the vehicle and only tow 80% of that. if I were to purchase the Sonic and load it to the max I would be at 86.5%. (that is IFI load it to max)

AJ143camping wrote:I might have to purchase a WDH but only if needed depending on how much it squats with the airlift bags. You do not use a W/D hitch to reduce rear end squat. Even with weight distribution you will still have some rear end squat. You use W/D to put weight back on the front wheels, the steering control, for your safety. Trust me, it's no fun towing a trailer down the road at 60mph with reduced steering control. Check your owners manual, you might have a specification for this. For example with GM trucks and full size SUVs, the front fender height must be brought back to stock level when using a W/D hitch. Air bags help level your vehicle and provide for a nicer ride when hauling a load or towing a trailer. Air bags DO NOT put weight back on the front wheels. SUVs have soft suspensions to make them ride more like cars. That generation of Pathfinder probably has bit tougher suspension than most SUVs do though. That said a trailer of that weight will require a W/D hitch. I use a W/D with my 1/2 ton PU (much stiffer suspension than your Pathfinder) and my trailer is about 500# lighter than yours is.The 80% is an OK general rule, but you really need to understand all the numbers. What's your payload? It's on a sticker in the driver door. If your payload is 1100#, you have to subtract the weight of the tongue, potentially 676# at 13% of 5200. That leaves you with only 424# left for your passengers, your dog, and anything else in your vehicle. You also have to subtract the weight of of the W/D hitch. This total also gets subtracted from your towing capacity. So if your passengers and stuff weigh 500#, then your towing capacity is now 5500#. So now you are over 90% of your capacity. Personally I think you'd be safer and more comfortable with a smaller trailer than you are looking at. Especially since you are considering cross country trips. For local stuff, within a few hundred miles and flat terrain, you'd be fine.

That's not a combo I would want to take across the country. I think you'll find it pretty underpowered.

Towing 5200lbs with a 06 Nissan Pathfinder | Good Sam Community

Coolerman
Explorer
Aug 17, 2015
Cool! I just bought the same Venture Sonic 170VBH and will be towing it with a 2012 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X with 6 speed manual. Factory Bilstein shocks, and have the Firestone Airbags installed. This combo allowed level towing of my 3200 lb Starcraft Gemini, three adults, and all our gear with ease across the Rockies on the way to Utah two years ago.

Due to the higher weight of the Sonic, I will be ordering a WDH with sway control tomorrow from etrailer.com. I pick up the new camper next Saturday from the dealer who will help me set the WDH up correctly. I will then be ready for the October trip to Colorado!
kvangil
Explorer
Jul 28, 2015
jerem0621 wrote:
Looks good...I had to copy the link to see it though.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

X2. :)
jerem0621
Explorer II
Jul 28, 2015
Looks good...I had to copy the link to see it though.

Thanks!

Jeremiah
AJ143camping
Explorer
Jul 28, 2015
kvangil
Explorer
Jul 28, 2015
Sounds good! Interesting that you were able to tow in 5th. Nissan recommends to shut OD off (so you'd be in 4th gear) when towing, as I don't believe 5th really locks out the torque converter?
AJ143camping
Explorer
Jul 28, 2015
I want to say thank you to all for the great tips ideas and information that was given.

I purchased a brand new Venture Sonic 170. We just got back from a six week trip from south Florida to New York and back.

My Pathfinder averaged 12.5 mpg when flat and 11.6 whith elevation changes. My speeds where consintently between 55 and 65mph. At 60mph im turnings 1800rpms with a locked tq converter in 5th gear on flat road. When not in locked 55mph is about 2500 rpms. According to the bullydog programmer my transmission temperature at 60mph was about 175. When climbing the temperature would climb to the 220s but once you level out it quickly cools back down. The ware no hints of sway and felt secure at the speeds speeds I kept. With the rear air bags at 25psi it rode level and never bottomed out.

Im reporting this to help anyone else that has a car similar to mine and is considering buys a travel trailer. Ill try to post a photo soon
otrfun
Explorer II
Apr 07, 2015
gmw photos wrote:
. . . Be careful trying to compare one to any of the others.
gmw photos wrote:
. . . the Frontier has stiffer springs than either of the others, since it is designed to carry a greater load in the bed.
Points taken.

However, Nissan specs out almost the same hitch/tow numbers for the Pathfinder and Frontier (600/6000 lbs.). Stiffer springs aside, that more or less says Nissan feels they have the same overall tow capability (and performance). They share the same engine, so power delivery should be similar, if not the same, too.

My deduction: towing the same TT, if one vehicle tows well, odds are very high the other will also tow well, too. Or, badly, as the case may be.

Just another piece of anecdotal evidence for the OP to use--nothing more, nothing less.
gmw_photos
Explorer
Apr 07, 2015
AJ143camping wrote:
Agreed, they all share platforms but have their differences

Just the clarify for other readers.

Pathfinder: 4 wheel independent suspension and longer wheel base than the Xterra

Xterra: Solid rear axle,

Frontier: Solid rear axle longer wheel base (depending on cab and bed configurations)

All share the same 4.0L V6 . Xtera and Frontier can be had with a 6 speed manual but the Auto is the only transmission on the Pathfinder

and I suspect ( although I have not compared part numbers ) the Frontier has stiffer springs than either of the others, since it is designed to carry a greater load in the bed.
AJ143camping
Explorer
Apr 07, 2015
Agreed, they all share platforms but have their differences

Just the clarify for other readers.

Pathfinder: 4 wheel independent suspension and longer wheel base than the Xterra

Xterra: Solid rear axle,

Frontier: Solid rear axle longer wheel base (depending on cab and bed configurations)

All share the same 4.0L V6 . Xtera and Frontier can be had with a 6 speed manual but the Auto is the only transmission on the Pathfinder
gmw_photos
Explorer
Apr 07, 2015
I think things are getting a little bit confusing here in this thread. We are now talking about three different vehicles. The Pathfinder, Frontier and Xterra all are slightly different in regards to wheelbase and rear suspension configuration and spring rates. Be careful trying to compare one to any of the others.

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Towing 5200lbs with a 06 Nissan Pathfinder

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