Preparing the Tow Vehicle
Does our Nissan Frontier have what it takes? We thought we needed to purchase a new tow vehicle to haul our 21′ LG Max travel trailer (ETA end of February!) but here’s what we did instead.
Our first order of business was to get our 2006 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab LE 2WD thoroughly inspected by our mechanic and get some minor repairs done. That ended up costing us a wee bit more than we bargained for but it had to be done and we’re grateful for it. Our mechanic also assured us that the truck is in very good condition for its age and could handle the new trailer – phew! Not having to purchase a new truck was such a load off our minds. All we need to do now is get her ready for her second life as a tow vehicle.
The Tow Vehicle
After much scouring of the internet to find information on the best tow hitch setup I finally stumbled upon this video from “The Fast lane Truck – Dude, I Love my Ride” channel. In this segment they interview a gent that bought his Nissan Frontier new in 2006. He describes how he uses the vehicle for towing his 20′ travel trailer and horse trailer and how well it has worked out for him over the years. This is just what we needed to hear! He provides some really useful information and tips on how to properly equip the truck for safe travels. I have listed the relevant product details for both the truck and trailer below.
The Nissan Frontier falls into the mid-size truck category and its vitals are as follows:
- Tow rating: 6300 lbs
- Torque: 281
- Horsepower: 261
- Payload: 1500 lbs
- Tongue weight: 500 lbs
The Little Guy Max Rough Rider Edition is classed as a light-weight travel trailer and its vitals are as follows:
- GVWR: 3950 lbs
- Dry Weight: 3140 lbs
- Length: 21′
- Width: 7′
- Height: 9′ 1″
The two significant differences between our truck and the one in the video is that ours is a 2WD automatic and his a 4WD manual transmission. Honestly, we would prefer the manual transmission but – we got what we got. Only time and experience will tell if an automatic transmission will put us at a disadvantage.
Modifications
All that being said, we have our work cut out for us. The truck needs some modifications in order to haul the trailer safely and efficiently. The first thing we need to do is replace the side view mirrors with tow mirrors. Thanks to the aforementioned video we found an online vendor, 1A Auto, that sells just what we need.
Next, the tow hitch needs to be upgraded with a “weight distribution hitch”. A weight distribution hitch transfers the weight evenly across the frame of the trailer and the frame of the tow vehicle. *It also increases the tongue weight rating of your tow vehicle. Without it you may be subject to:
- A lack of stopping power, steering control, and traction
- Increased chance of trailer sway
- Poor headlight illumination as the truck will ride high on the front axle
- Increased chance of rolling the rig
Also, adding the hitch will extend the life of your tires so that they may wear more evenly. There are a great many hitch styles to choose from so we have contacted a local shop, Wilson’s RV Repair & Parts, to talk about the best setup for our situation.
A sway bar or anti-roll bar is another recommendation for hauling any type of trailer. The Hellwig brand comes highly recommended and are designed to resist a vehicle’s tendency to pitch from side to side during cornering, improving cornering ability and making for a more controlled and comfortable ride.
Navigation
The next decision is whether or not to buy a portable navigation system. We will have a smartphone, of course, with a navigation app so why be redundant? If we rely on a cell phone the negatives are spotty coverage, data charges, and battery drain issues. Whereas, a portable navigation system is satellite-based, keeps a constant charge, and there are no usage fees. I think the portable navigation is a sensible choice given we will be driving through deserts and mountain ranges where cell signal will surely drop. What brand to buy will be a subject for another post. Any suggestions?
Research is time consuming but well worth the effort. The amount of information is overwhelming but I did find a gem of a website called RV Life which looks to be a good read and resource for our upcoming adventure. Thanks for reading and remember your home is where your heart is.
*Correction:
I have since learned that adding a weight distribution hitch DOES NOT increase the tow rating of the tow vehicle. Found this very colorful character’s YouTube channel AutoExpert TV and I highly recommend his no BS insight and expertise ;).
Great information. Congratulations on your sale.