Hello all. I have a 2007 Pathfinder SE V6. I live in Denver at 5280ft above sea level. I am contiplating buying a travel trailer and I am curious how big is too big, both in weight (tounge and trailer weight) and length. I will be this trailer up the mountains, so going over Loveland, Vail or Berthoud pass (for those of you who know these passes) will happen.
So, what I have found, our PF is supposedly rated to 600lbs tounge and 6000lbs trailer. Assuming I have a Prodigy trailer brake controller, rear air-bags, and a weight distributing hitch, how much weight would be too much? Does elevation change the towing capabilities?
I had the local trailer dealership tell me that the PF can handle only 350lbs tounge weight without a weight-distributing hitch and maximum 4000lbs trailer weight. Is this guy smoking something?
Thanks for any help!
Towing at higher elevations
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bellwilliam
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2010 9:07 pm
600/6000 is with a weight distributing hitch. 500/5000 dead weight capacity. Remember that the Gross Combined Weight Rating is 11,113lbs. and the PF GVWR is 6,113(at least on my '08 V6). This means that to tow 6,000lbs, the vehicle has to be fairly empty. If you load up the PF to the gills, the tow capacity would be closer to 5,000lbs.
We tow a 3,000lb. tent trailer with a dead weight tongue load of typically between 350-380lbs. A whole lot of our towing is in the Sierras. The PF is well matched to this load. These are slower roads that are typically 35-45 mph, twisty two lanes. Typical elevations are 6-7,000 ft and top out at 10,000 ft(Tioga Pass in Yosemite). If those passes you are talking about are more of freeway grades, it would probably have an easier time. We have some really steep freeway grades, but they are at low elevation and the PF just chugs up at the speed limit in 3rd, the foot way off the floor. While level towing is effortless with this trailer, at elevation and on these twistly, steep roads, the PF is not overworked, but definitely has to put some muscle into it. I would give yourself a good margin and not butt up to the high capacities given your conditions.
If you haven't already bought a controller, you might try the P3, the next step up from the Prodigy. It has a little screen and is very easy to adjust on the fly.
We tow a 3,000lb. tent trailer with a dead weight tongue load of typically between 350-380lbs. A whole lot of our towing is in the Sierras. The PF is well matched to this load. These are slower roads that are typically 35-45 mph, twisty two lanes. Typical elevations are 6-7,000 ft and top out at 10,000 ft(Tioga Pass in Yosemite). If those passes you are talking about are more of freeway grades, it would probably have an easier time. We have some really steep freeway grades, but they are at low elevation and the PF just chugs up at the speed limit in 3rd, the foot way off the floor. While level towing is effortless with this trailer, at elevation and on these twistly, steep roads, the PF is not overworked, but definitely has to put some muscle into it. I would give yourself a good margin and not butt up to the high capacities given your conditions.
If you haven't already bought a controller, you might try the P3, the next step up from the Prodigy. It has a little screen and is very easy to adjust on the fly.
Thanks guys for the help! I guess I need to keep the total weight of the trailer no higher than 5000lbs on the flats and even less in the hills.
I haven't bought the controller yet, but I am planning on the Prodigy P3. From what I have heard, it is the best.
Thanks again guys, I just want to make sure I don't buy too big of a trailer.
I haven't bought the controller yet, but I am planning on the Prodigy P3. From what I have heard, it is the best.
Thanks again guys, I just want to make sure I don't buy too big of a trailer.
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