Towing an Escape 21 with a Nissan Pathfinder

[Chris & Patricia]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

All true, but not the problem. Payload is limited by GVWR (yes, it depends on factors such as frame, suspension, wheels, tires, etc); towing plus payload is limited by GCWR (which is limited mostly by the powertrain). The problematic value with the 2017 Pathfinder is the 10,000 pound GCWR, which certainly does make the 6,000 pound trailer impossible, and is quite different from the 2012 Pathfinder GCWR.


No, they typically don't account for other loads. It is routine to calculate towing rating allowing for only a driver and no other load in the vehicle.


I'm sure they say that. It is just a very poor substitute for actual information.

According to the Nissan Pathfinder owners guide, the GCVR for the 2017 Pathfinder is 11,000 lbs, thus allowing for a 6,000 tow rating.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I'm sure they say that. It is just a very poor substitute for actual information.

Thank you for expressing your point of view, which I am sure YOU believe is 100% absolutely spot on correct, and it may be. I personally am still going to adhere to the advice of automotive technicians who earn their living by repairing automotive components and who’s credentials are that they get their hands dirty on a daily basis doing so, rather than persons who, for all I know, get the tips of their fingers soiled on a daily basis by typing on a keyboard. Until I see credentials, I perceive stated “fact” as merely opinion. When a number of automotive professionals suggest that staying 20% under the towing capacity regardless of other factors (how the vehicle is loaded), I tend to believe they have a valid reason for saying so. Granted, that may not make it correct either, but I view it as being based in long term experience.

[cpaharley2008]

We all have different opinions and points of views, that is what makes this an interesting place to be......

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

While I do not have any experience towing the combination you mention, I can say that over many years several automatic transmission technicians have told me it is wise, for reasons of longevity, not to exceed 80% of a vehicle’s tow rating. Given the Pathfinder’s 6,000 pound rating, and following the advice I have always been given, I would think that your Pathfinder is adequate for towing any trailer ETI currently produces, other than the 5.0TA of course.

I agree, Jim. Please note that in my original post I only addressed the towing capacity of the Nissan Pathfinder (6,000 lbs) relative to the published weights of currently available Escape trailers. Because of different camping styles and family sizes, people load their vehicles differently, some to the point of overloading them. I did not address “other considerations” based on this point, I was merely comparing the probable weights of Escape trailers to the towing capacity of the Nissan Pathfinder. I will therefore reiterate my original statement that the Pathfinder seemingly has the capacity to TOW any Escape other than the 5.0TA (for obvious reasons) It is highly probable that the same model of every Escape trailer on the road has a different weight, some being loaded minimally while others are loaded to the hilt. Still, there is a limited amount of storage space in any Escape and I sincerely doubt any one of them would be loaded to exceed 6,000 pounds.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Chris & Patricia

I guess I won’t be taking our new vehicle to get the groceries at Save-On, or to Capilano Mall, anytime soon.!

Don’t worry we take our truck shopping all the time without issue but then again we don’t look for a parking spot 5 ft from the door
The way I figure it , the F150 is Ford’s largest selling vehicle so you must be able to park them or everyone would be continually driving around in circles and the parking lots would be empty .

[Chris & Patricia]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

The woman trying to park the truck could not make a turn into the space, nor could she back up far enough to get the front end around. It really was a lost cause. Mall parking spaces are getting more and more narrow.

Originally Posted by Chris & Patricia

I guess I won’t be taking our new vehicle to get the groceries at Save-On, or to Capilano Mall, anytime soon.!

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Don’t worry we take our truck shopping all the time without issue but then again we don’t look for a parking spot 5 ft from the door
The way I figure it , the F150 is Ford’s largest selling vehicle so you must be able to park them or everyone would be continually driving around in circles and the parking lots would be empty .

My comment was made for the benefit of Glenn Baglo who lives just a couple of miles from us and referenced two shopping areas where the parking slots are notoriously skimpy. Fortunately, where we live there isn't a preponderance of full sized trucks, although its fair to say there are plenty of F-150s driving around. If everywhere took an F-150 to these particularly malls, the parking lines in the lots would be impossible to police as they just aren't wide enough for a full size truck.

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by Chris & Patricia

Brian, thanks for your useful series of posts, which serve as a good reminder. I will go away, do some internet research, then do some arithmetic. I am allowing about 5,000lbs for the trailer, which is probably slightly on the high side, but, nothing wrong with being slightly conservative where safety is concerned. Obviously I will have to factor the tongue weight into they payload number. Anyway thanks again.

Or you could wait until the towing specs come out on the 2019 Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV and tow in style! Yes, Rolls-Royce is about to enter the SUV market.

[Chris & Patricia]

Originally Posted by Chris & Patricia

I guess I won’t be taking our new vehicle to get the groceries at Save-On, or to Capilano Mall, anytime soon.!

Originally Posted by War Eagle

Or you could wait until the towing specs come out on the 2019 Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV and tow in style! Yes, Rolls-Royce is about to enter the SUV market.

Or even a nice red Bentley SUV. We could get matching red graphics on our trailer. https://youtu.be/ggCX17QEXP0

[thoer]

The new SAE J2807 towing standards are quite enlightening: SAE J2807 Tow Tests - The Standard

Much of the "rule of thumb" and "common wisdom" was good self preservation based on, that in the past, manufacturers were essentially able to post whatever they wanted as tow ratings - probably with input from their advertising folks.

Now :"The rules require that a tow vehicle “shall be equipped with the propulsion system or powertrain and driveline (engine, transmission, axle ratio, tire size, etc.) and cooling package to produce the GCWR under test.”"

Those tests are far from easy as the article linked at the top shows.

[Loren & Cathy]

When the. j2807 standards came out, GMC dropped my towing capasity by 400 # to 10,800. pounds. Loren

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Chris & Patricia

My comment was made for the benefit of Glenn Baglo who lives just a couple of miles from us and referenced two shopping areas where the parking slots are notoriously skimpy.

Then there's Rona. I was at the meeting that they talked Council into letting them include the width of the white line in the parking spot width calculation. Doesn't sound like much but it does make a difference.

Throw in half the spots marked for "small cars" and those taken up by garden sheds and plants and parking spots for full size vehicles are at a premium. Even my Ranger is a tight fit sometimes and I'm not looking forward to parking a new F150 there or at many other places.

Ron

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Chris & Patricia

According to the Nissan Pathfinder owners guide, the GCVR for the 2017 Pathfinder is 11,000 lbs, thus allowing for a 6,000 tow rating.

Excellent! Perhaps the value in the owner's manual (downloaded from Nissan Canada on Aug 4) was only a typo. Of course, given two sources of information from the same manufacturer which disagree, both are suspect.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Loren & Cathy

When the. j2807 standards came out, GMC dropped my towing capasity by 400 # to 10,800. pounds. Loren

I do wonder what those standards would do for my 2002 F250 longbed 7.3 turbodiesel 4x4... Original specs were 8800 lb GVWR, 6800 lb curb weight, 12500 lb hitch tow, and 20000 lb GCWR. total overkill for my E'21 of course, but I don't have to worry about how much gear I've got in the back of the truck, its about double the payload AND tow capacity of my Tacoma, and gets the same gas mileage.

[Chris & Patricia]

There was an increase in the Patnfinders tow rating for the 2017 year, it depends which year’s owners manual you downloaded. However it doesn’t matter for us as we have already decided to look at something else.

[rbryan4]

Just a reminder to all: try a little nice when posting. Portions of some posts have been removed. Thanks!

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Just a reminder to all: try a little nice when posting. Portions of some posts have been removed. Thanks!

Robert,
Just now noticed that you're a moderator. Congrats! (I think).
Anyways, thanks.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by dfandrews

Robert,
Just now noticed that you're a moderator. Congrats! (I think).
Anyways, thanks.

Thanks Don. I'll do my best.

[Vancouvergibsons]

We tow our 21 with a 2015 Toyota Highlander rated at 5000 with the 2 of us and our gear. We did a 4000km trip to Yellowknife, NWT last summer and are still on the road on a trip that has included the ‘Hill’ on hwy 20 which has 15 % grades. It was slow going but the Highlander towed as well as our daughters Ford F-150 Towing another trailer. My concern was braking as much as towing and the brakes on both the car and trailer were a comfortable combination for the steep descent in combination with the transmission in first gear. We had a 19 Ft Escape before the 21 and get similar mileage.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Vancouvergibsons

We tow our 21 with a 2015 Toyota Highlander rated at 5000 with the 2 of us and our gear. We did a 4000km trip to Yellowknife, NWT last summer and are still on the road on a trip that has included the ‘Hill’ on hwy 20 which has 15 % grades. It was slow going but the Highlander towed as well as our daughters Ford F-150 Towing another trailer. My concern was braking as much as towing and the brakes on both the car and trailer were a comfortable combination for the steep descent in combination with the transmission in first gear. We had a 19 Ft Escape before the 21 and get similar mileage.

Good report, mirrors my experience although I have not gone down that steep a hill with the trailer on and have only needed second gear to hold with the 19 or 21 back. Original brakes on trailer still had several years wear left when I checked and adjusted them this spring. “She’s all in the gears Davey” my dad used to say when I was coming up over 50 years ago.
Iowa Dave

[stratos175]

Hello All,
I posted I was doing this about a week ago but in the wrong section.

I just towed a 2014 21' Escape about 360 miles from Mississippi to Georgia with a 2012 Nissan Pathfinder 4WD, matter of fact just got home about 2 hours ago.

OK first the trailer was pretty empty so probably as close to its true factory dry weight as its going to get. I'm used to towing a Casita and to be honest I could not tell any difference the Pathfinder did GREAT!. Did not reset my gas mileage to really check mileage but before I picked it up was at 16.9 and just checked and WOW only down to 16.8. Really think the dual axle on the trailer helps.

I'm no expert like it seems some people in this thread are but I can only go from my own experience when I give anyone this advice but I would say a 2012 Pathfinder 4WD does a perfect job of pulling a 21' Escape and this is my 3rd Pathfinder, put about 260,000 miles each on the 1st two and the one I just pulled our new Escape with has 192,000 already.

Really excited about our new home on wheels.

Safe travels to all,

Steve and Patty