now that my wife & i own a pathfinder capable of possibly hauling my parents boat, i want to make sure of some things. from what i know, my 06 path se is rated to pull max 6k lbs w/ max 600 tongue weight.
the boat i'm interested in hauling (will only be a few times not weekly towing or anything) is a 20ft larson ski boat. it weighs roughly ~3k lbs. there is not a huge tongue weight on it as most of it will reside on the trailer/back side of the boat (trailer has 4 wheels).
here's my question. do you think i'll have any trouble pulling this? im not so much worried about pulling the boat as i am getting that thing back onto/off the trailer & up/down the boat ramp.
is it necessary that i install that air lift kit thing? also, i should switch to synthetic fluid in my rear differential, right?
any other tips or suggestions on this i should know about? thanks!
few boat towing questions
Moderator: volvite
I can't help with the towing questions but would suggest that in general the airbags are good for any stock Pathfinder.
They cure the typical saggy butt and help a bit with some leaning in turns.
You should consider them as a good inexpensive modification whether you are going to tow or not. I guess there is just an extra bonus potential if you are towing.
They cure the typical saggy butt and help a bit with some leaning in turns.
You should consider them as a good inexpensive modification whether you are going to tow or not. I guess there is just an extra bonus potential if you are towing.
Re: few boat towing questions
is it necessary that i install that air lift kit thing? also, i should switch to synthetic fluid in my rear differential, ** The rear axle should have synthetic gear oil in it from the factory, at least my owners manual says my 08 has it. The rear bags are a must for towing, if you tow get the bags, alot of pathy owners in here say it is a easy install and worth the money.
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webmastir
The PF will pull your boat all over the place no problem. The ramps will not be a problem as well. I tow a 5000# trailer and my '05 pulls the trailer without breaking a sweat. The airbags are not mandatory, they do however support the rear end of the PF's quite nicely since the PF has a tendency to sag when towing heavier trailers/boats.
In conclusion: Hook up your boat to the PF and go have fun.
In conclusion: Hook up your boat to the PF and go have fun.
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webmastir
The towing capacity for 2WD and 4WD are the same. 6000#'s. I have lots of friends with 2WD trucks that tow boats and drop them in the water down the ramp. The only problem with the 2WD is that you don't want to dip your rear end in the water too much because if you back too far down the ramp, you might drive off the concrete ramp and into the sand/rocks which are under water. If that happens, you may have a bit of a difficult time getting back up the ramp if the rear tires can't get enough traction.
You just have to take care while backing down and everything will be all right.
As far as the AirLift 1000 goes, I know the kit is designed for the 4WD but another member AZ_Path has a 2WD with the kit installed. You might want to PM him and ask about it. Guys on this forum are really good about helping each other out.
You just have to take care while backing down and everything will be all right.
As far as the AirLift 1000 goes, I know the kit is designed for the 4WD but another member AZ_Path has a 2WD with the kit installed. You might want to PM him and ask about it. Guys on this forum are really good about helping each other out.
If you want the AirLift for a 2D, you have to kludge some from a set made for a Prius or something. Firestone Coil-Rite specs the same kit for 2WD and 4WD. About $90 from truckspring.com. I have had a set in my 2WD for almost three years, they work great. The only thing I don't like about the Coil-Rites is the two sides are independent. You have to fill each side individually.webmastir wrote:also, is there an air lift kit for us 2wd people?
I tow a 19' Cuddy Cabin boat that's 4200 # wet on the trailer & the Pathfinder doesn't breath hard, even on the hills in Seattle. I do keep the overdrive locked out. I did the air bags & added Rancho shocks on the rear just to firm things up. I also re-routed the breather lines from the charcol canister in the left rear fender & the rear axle vent. Just used longer hose & routed it up to the top of the gas filler neck. Just to prevent water getting into the canister & axle if I have to get in deep to launch / retreive the boat. I also routed power from the battery along the frame rail to the rear bumper for the trailer winch.
Good luck & happy boating.
Good luck & happy boating.
You will? Why is that? I'm using the Air Lift 1000 on mine. I don't see any difference between 2WD and 4WD. You're just stuffing a bag inside the spring.marvmmarv wrote:If you want the AirLift for a 2D, you have to kludge some from a set made for a Prius or something.
Last edited by AZ_Path on Wed Mar 17, 2010 12:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
There is nothing in the manual that specifies 4WD vs. 2WD. http://airlift.iwebcat.com/imgVD/AIL/MN-126_60769.pdfSPICOLI wrote: As far as the AirLift 1000 goes, I know the kit is designed for the 4WD....
I believe the kit is universal. I can't see why it wouldn't be.
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