Towing in the Frontier

[Brian B-P]

Fran & Dave,

It sounds like you're home now... have you had a chance to get to a scale and see what load there is on each axle with the 5.0 hitched to the short-box Frontier?

[Scuba55]

Alf,

I qualify as a wanna bee, I have the Frontier, still missing the Escape. I retire at the end of the year and will be moving to another home that has a secured area were I can store the 5.0-. Plan to order sometime next year, either before or after we move...

Mike

[escape artist]

Hi: FMLNM... I believe our 5.0 is a little older than yours. Our pin box is an Atwood 10,000#er. The drop is 1&1/2" per bolt hole and that moves the pin ahead by the same amt. Yours is in the farthest, ours is mid point and a friend of ours with an S10 sport truck has his out the farthest. He also had Reace lower the axle so his trailer sits lower to the truck...very sleek!!!
Did you have the bathroom window added and the solar panels too!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Scuba55

Alf,

I qualify as a wanna bee, I have the Frontier, still missing the Escape. I retire at the end of the year and will be moving to another home that has a secured area were I can store the 5.0-. Plan to order sometime next year, either before or after we move...

Mike

Hi: Scuba55... My plan was to by the trailer when I retired. We've had the trailer 5 yrs. now...and I'm still working...but not for long. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[FMLNM]

Sorry Brian...we haven't gotten to that yet. Today we finally got it registered and backed into its spot near our house. We need to test the fridge on electric and propane.
Perhaps in the next few weeks we'll get it out to weigh...have to take it about 40 miles away to do that.
Fran & Dave

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Fran & Dave,

It sounds like you're home now... have you had a chance to get to a scale and see what load there is on each axle with the 5.0 hitched to the short-box Frontier?

[FMLNM]

I just checked and our pin box is also Atwood 10,000# rated.
Yes, we had the bathroom window added...and also an emergency hatch over the queen bed. We like them both a lot.
We did have the solar added but haven't had an opportunity to really use it yet. We are in the process of swapping out the standard light bulbs with LEDs.
Fran

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: FMLNM... I believe our 5.0 is a little older than yours. Our pin box is an Atwood 10,000#er. The drop is 1&1/2" per bolt hole and that moves the pin ahead by the same amt. Yours is in the farthest, ours is mid point and a friend of ours with an S10 sport truck has his out the farthest. He also had Reace lower the axle so his trailer sits lower to the truck...very sleek!!!
Did you have the bathroom window added and the solar panels too!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[captmath]

This is our third summer with the fiver and Frontier long bed. We are in Yellowstone now on the way to Chilliwack for some upgrades. The best mileage I have got this trip was17 crossing Iowa and Nebraska with a tailwind. The worst was 13 between Cheyenne and Cody and west to the park.
I drive 60 - 62. I can hold that speed on any hill so far, but the rpms go way up so I usually let it drop to 50. Since the speed limit in the park is 45 that works out well.

Dick

[Scuba55]

Hi Alf,

I think about retirement every day. I know it is time for me to leave, New Years Day is my planned exit, then I will Escape!! I have a feeling you feel the same as I-.

One question if you don't mind. When towing your 5.0 with the Frontier, do you feel the mirrors are adequate without adding the after market extensions?

Thanks,
Mike

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Our pin box is an Atwood 10,000#er. The drop is 1&1/2" per bolt hole and that moves the pin ahead by the same amt. Yours is in the farthest, ours is mid point and a friend of ours with an S10 sport truck has his out the farthest.

Thanks Alf!

Originally Posted by FMLNM

I just checked and our pin box is also Atwood 10,000# rated.

Thanks Fran!

Originally Posted by FMLNM

Perhaps in the next few weeks we'll get it out to weigh...have to take it about 40 miles away to do that.

No rush - when it happens, it happens. I'm just curious.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Scuba55

Hi Alf,

I think about retirement every day. I know it is time for me to leave, New Years Day is my planned exit, then I will Escape!! I have a feeling you feel the same as I-.

One question if you don't mind. When towing your 5.0 with the Frontier, do you feel the mirrors are adequate without adding the after market extensions?

Thanks,
Mike

Hi: Scuba55... The mirrors on the Frontier are fine IMHO. I do tilt them in more so I can see a bit past the trailer. On a wider 5th. wheel trailer I'd think extensions are in order.
My work day consists of driving a transit bus with no back window so I only see what's beside me
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Hokie Escape]

Looks like the load is behind the axle .... front end stay down on the road OK?

[FMLNM]

Originally Posted by Hokie Escape

Looks like the load is behind the axle .... front end stay down on the road OK?

If that question was directed to us, then yes to both...the load is a little behind the axle - pretty much in the center of the bed - and yes, the front end stays down. The Frontier is well balanced with more weight in the front and bilstein shocks so we don't experience any lift in the front when the trailer is connected. You can see in the pictures that it is not lower in the back than the front. It seems to handle fine on the road.

[Hokie Escape]

Originally Posted by FMLNM

If that question was directed to us, then yes to both...the load is a little behind the axle - pretty much in the center of the bed - and yes, the front end stays down. The Frontier is well balanced with more weight in the front and bilstein shocks so we don't experience any lift in the front when the trailer is connected. You can see in the pictures that it is not lower in the back than the front. It seems to handle fine on the road.

That's what I wanted to know ... Thank you. We had a crew cab long bed until last Tuesday, when a "text-er" slammed into my truck and rearranged my rear axle and transmission. Looking hard for used Nissan Frontier Crew Cab long bed, and have found nothing but "short bed". I ordered my first truck from the factory, so I had it built for the 5.0. Reece isn't overly excited about the short bed, says it can be done, but he's afraid it may compromise the ride. I'm hearing you say that you haven't experienced that, correct!
Well, we'll set the middle of the pin at 29" from the cab, and if necessary beef up the suspension to compensate! Unless I find a long bed Frontier before my insurance funded rental car plays out : - )

[Sandra L]

Sorry to learn of the accident. I hope no one was hurt.

[FMLNM]

Originally Posted by Hokie Escape

That's what I wanted to know ... Thank you. We had a crew cab long bed until last Tuesday, when a "text-er" slammed into my truck and rearranged my rear axle and transmission. Looking hard for used Nissan Frontier Crew Cab long bed, and have found nothing but "short bed". I ordered my first truck from the factory, so I had it built for the 5.0. Reece isn't overly excited about the short bed, says it can be done, but he's afraid it may compromise the ride. I'm hearing you say that you haven't experienced that, correct!
Well, we'll set the middle of the pin at 29" from the cab, and if necessary beef up the suspension to compensate! Unless I find a long bed Frontier before my insurance funded rental car plays out : - )

Ours is the Pro-4x 4x4 model so it comes with the bilstein shocks and is a little beefier. If you can find a long bed then that would be a better arrangement though. We couldn't fit a long bed in our garage....and, at the time, were towing a Scamp 5er. Our B&W Patriot hitch allows us to shift the pin head back 2 inches and that helps too.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Hokie Escape

That's what I wanted to know ... Thank you. We had a crew cab long bed until last Tuesday, when a "text-er" slammed into my truck and rearranged my rear axle and transmission.

Yikes, that sucks. Is everyone okay?

[Hokie Escape]

Heh Jim ... Yes, I had just parked my truck in front of the office and walked in. Five minutes later, BAM. Just glad I wasn't in the truck when he hit me! Just a truck! Just happens to be what pulls my camper, JUST when camping season gets going : -- (. Problem now is finding a long bed Frontier with a time constraint.

[Jim Bennett]

Good to hear nobody was in it, Dan. And yes, a truck is just a truck, but I know full well what it is like finding one to replace it..... and the $14k worth of tools inside....

[Hokie Escape]

I've ordered a 10" King pin extender (that will probably have to be welded to my present 5.0) from Tweety's. That will allow me to move the hitch 10" forward (toward the cab - 19" from the window). That will then place the hitch over the axle on the short bed Frontier : - ). I think I will also add the Temken Suspension helpers just to be on the overkill side : - ).
Yes, I could not find a long bed ... Like the proportions on the short bed ... Little tighter turning radius! Problem is, we wanted a Crew Cab, not a King Cab

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Hokie Escape

I've ordered a 10" King pin extender (that will probably have to be welded to my present 5.0) from Tweety's. That will allow me to move the hitch 10" forward (toward the cab - 19" from the window). That will then place the hitch over the axle on the short bed Frontier : - ).

Moving the load to over (or moderately ahead of) the truck's axle is generally good for stability.

Unfortunately, that will also mean a slightly more limited turning angle (by a few degrees) before the trailer hits the cab... maybe not enough to be a problem.

The extension will also change the loads on the trailer structure - is Reace okay with that?