tow vehicle

My wife and I are getting a new 3023TM in about eight weeks. I wanted to get input from owners about our tow vehicle. We have a Nissan Frontier with V-6 and auto transmission with a 5000lb tow rating. It has a class three hitch and we are going to get a WD hitch I'm also installing a heavy duty transmission coolant system. Does anybody think this would be a problem. The dealer said it wouldn't be but I like to get as many opinions as possible. Thank You for any input and I think this is a wonderfully informative message board.

[RockyMtnRay]

[quote author=TKB link=board=20;threadid=1712;start=msg12047#msg1204 7 date=1077799710]
My wife and I are getting a new 3023TM in about eight weeks. I wanted to get input from owners about our tow vehicle. We have a Nissan Frontier with V-6 and auto transmission with a 5000lb tow rating. It has a class three hitch and we are going to get a WD hitch I'm also installing a heavy duty transmission coolant system. Does anybody think this would be a problem. The dealer said it wouldn't be but I like to get as many opinions as possible. Thank You for any input and I think this is a wonderfully informative message board.
[/quote]

With a WD hitch and a tranny cooler (kudos on going with both!), you'll probably be fine anywhere east of the Rockies...I believe a fully equipped and loaded up 3023 typically weighs between 4000 and 4500. IIRC, the Nissan V6 is a 3-something liter engine which should do pretty well even in the Appalachian mountains. As it doesn't sound as if you have the Nissan towing package on the truck, the only other item you might want to look into is the radiator. If you find the truck running a bit warm on climbs this summer, upgrading to a heavier duty radiator might be needed...but that's normally not a huge task to undertake.

Since you're going to be utilizing around 80 to 90 percent of your rated towing capacity though, you should get the best trailer brake controller...either a Prodigy or a Jordan.

Almost any 3 liter engine is likely to be really huffing and puffing if you try to tow a largeish trailer like the 3023 up steep grades at the higher altitudes you would encounter in either the Rockies or the Sierra Nevada/Cascades mountains. But I see that you're from NH so that's not likely to be an immediate issue and the truck would do the job even here in the west...you'd just be going pretty slow in 1st or 2nd gear on some grades.

Hello TKB:

The Nissan Frontier is a great truck! Just not for pulling heavy things. While the Tow Capacity is 5000lbs. You'll find it hard going up hills and in general just cruising down the highway!

When I had my 2000 Frontier, we were pulling a 2003 22ft. Jayco Kiwi II trailer. I had the tranny cooler installed also, with the weight distribution hitch and all the usual goodies for towing. The Frontier had to really work hard to get up hills, you have to lock out the Transmission Override or it will constantly shift up and down on you. The Kiwi II weighed in at about 3800 lbs. and and around 4500 loaded.

We eventually bought a 2002 Dodge Durango V8 to pull the Kiwi and things got a little better.

We just bought our new 2004 Nissan Titan 4x4 for pulling our TM 3326. Now I have to look back to see if the trailer is actually there!!

I'm not saying the Frontier won't work with the 3023, only a good road trip will tell. The Transmission cooler and WD hitch is a must. You will have to lock out the OD.

It will be interesting to hear your comments once you get hooked up to your new unit and make that first trip. Please keep us posted.

Happy TrailManoring!

Jeff & Brenda

TKB, Go for it! It will work. We pull a 3124KB with a Jeep Grand Cherokee, 5000lbs capacity. Works great contrary to popular belief.

[Bill]

As has been said - it will work. Or not. Depending on where you want to go. I have no experience with this specific vehicle, but the "where" really matters, and you weren't clear about that. I would invite you to read
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/yabb...10692#msg10692
where the same question was asked re a Jeep Cherokee. Then come back with some more questions. Given more info, we can be of more help.

Bill

Hi thanks to everyone for the quick responses. We will be doing most of our camping in the white mountain region of NH. Most of the time we only hit moderatly steep hills but nothing to bad.

The wife and I picked up our new 3023 on April 10th. The Frontier pulled it with no problems. We hit a few good size hills and I could go up them at 65 with no problems.

I have a 2004 3023 and tow with a 2000 Nissan Pathfinder which has the same engine (3.3 liter, 170 hp, 200 ft-lbs of torque). The dry weight of 3023 is listed as 2915 lbs with a tongue weight of 409 lbs. With the options, 23 gallons of water, and the other stuff I have in my 3023, I still don't think my 3023 ever approach 4000lbs.

I don't have a WD hit (as matter of fact, my dealer told me the WD would be unnecessary), but my Pathfinder seems to do a very nice job on level roads. At first, I've gone over 75 miles per hour and then thought to myself that I am towing so I go a little slower now. I don't know if I should leave the Pathfinder off the Overdrive option. I have left it on and off and I get more uncomfortable seeing it constantly over 3.0 on the tachometer with the OD off.

I see one gentleman on this site that uses the Pathfinder to tow a 3326 (Chris Bauer of Mexico).

I haven't tried the mountains yet, but on level roads even without the WD, I think my Pathfinder does fine. I suspect that the mountain will put a tremendous amount of strain on the Pathfinder. I am concerned long term and sometimes wish that I would have traded in my Pathfinder for a Nissan Titan and gotten a less expensive RV (like the Jayco Lightweights) with all the quality problems I've experienced with my 2004 3023. However, I must say that towing is one of the positives of the TM so far. I've taken several 100 mile trips thus far.

The overdrive is meant to be left on except in situations where the tranny needs a little help from you to stay in a lower gear because it is shifting to and from overdrive too much. We encounter times when we must manually shift down due to a head wind (even when not towing) that is not constant or on long grades that are not constant. In mountains we tend to leave ours off to take advantage of the engine brakeing on the down side.

We tow with a Ford Ranger with similar specs. The rig has proven to be satisfactory even in the mountains of Colorado. The Ranger has pulled our TM nearly 10,000 miles so far. Take the advice to get a good brake controller. Also, make an periodical inspection of the wiring harness and the wires going to each brake. I had one break going down a pass in CO, lost the brakes on the drivers side of the TM. The Ranger is a 4.0L rated at 160hp and 225 ft/lb torque with a 5 speed automatic OD. Even in those high mountains climbing steep grades we were content. We weren't holding up traffic.

You might want to consider getting a trans temp gauge in addition to your cooler. I blame heat for some trans problems that are developing. If you see it getting warm you can back off a bit. If/when I replace the trans I will be installing one in my truck. My opinion on OD. Ford says not to tow in OD. I agree and don't. I tried it, and the trans hunts too easy and the motor lugs. The effect on fuel economy with OD off is minimal and the motor, while running at higher RPM, is closer to where it produces the most usuable power. I believe this applies not matter the manufacturer.

Camperboy