Towing 5200lbs with a 06 Nissan Pathfinder
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...
Forum Discussion
I personally think the idea of just working from gross weight ratings of a trailer is too simplistic.
What really matters is what the trailer actually weighs.
Example is my trailer. It has a GVWR of 6000 pounds, but in reality, it weighs right at 4000 pounds on the CAT scale. The reason it is "rated" so high, is because it has two, 2800 pound capacity axles, so it "can" be rated for 6000 pounds.
I looked up the trailer you are now looking at. A good guess might be that it will weigh about 4200 to 4300 ready to camp. That will result in a tongue weight of about 620 pounds in the real world. You should verify all the weights on the scales.
I tow my 4000 pound funfinder with a '06 Frontier, 4.0L V6. However, my Frontier has a 6 speed manual transmission, and 3.69 final gears, which in my opinion is a better working drivetrain for towing than the automatic trans equipped Nissans of similar size. That's just my opinion though, so others may disagree and feel an automatic is better for them.
Mostly what you are going to experience is the need to be reasonable in your expectations. Be willing to travel at sane speeds, at times maybe in the slow lane, and at times at 3000 to 3500 engine rpm. You will not hurt your engine at those rpm. It is designed to easily run that speed, all day long.
That's my take on it.
What really matters is what the trailer actually weighs.
Example is my trailer. It has a GVWR of 6000 pounds, but in reality, it weighs right at 4000 pounds on the CAT scale. The reason it is "rated" so high, is because it has two, 2800 pound capacity axles, so it "can" be rated for 6000 pounds.
I looked up the trailer you are now looking at. A good guess might be that it will weigh about 4200 to 4300 ready to camp. That will result in a tongue weight of about 620 pounds in the real world. You should verify all the weights on the scales.
I tow my 4000 pound funfinder with a '06 Frontier, 4.0L V6. However, my Frontier has a 6 speed manual transmission, and 3.69 final gears, which in my opinion is a better working drivetrain for towing than the automatic trans equipped Nissans of similar size. That's just my opinion though, so others may disagree and feel an automatic is better for them.
Mostly what you are going to experience is the need to be reasonable in your expectations. Be willing to travel at sane speeds, at times maybe in the slow lane, and at times at 3000 to 3500 engine rpm. You will not hurt your engine at those rpm. It is designed to easily run that speed, all day long.
That's my take on it.
