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07-25-2018, 11:54 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: King City, California
Trailer: 1965 Alaskan
Posts: 4
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Is Tounge Weight Really Critical?
After browsing "Search" on this topic I am still unsure of its importance. I would like to get an Escape 21 which has a 360lb. tounge weight and pull it behind my 2010 Nissan Pathfinder which shows a 350lb. capacity. The Pathfinder is rated at 6000lb. tow capacity, however. An inquiry to Escape techs advised there would be no problem towing an Escape 21 with this Nissan Pathfinder. There was no further discussion or qualification of their comments. If, in your experience, it is a safety or structural concern, will an "Equalizer" hitch remedy the discrepancy? I would appreciate any input or insight on this before I make a big mistake. Thanks.
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07-25-2018, 11:59 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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First off, I think you may have some numbers wrong. I would verify the Pathfinder's 350# capacity, perhaps what is on the hitch? In addition the 360 # weight of a E21 is empty from the factory. Loaded, they approach 500#....Ever the 19 is around 450#. Perhaps a E17 will work with the Nissan?
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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07-25-2018, 12:01 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Trailer: 2015 19 foot
Posts: 439
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I believe tongue weight capacity is usually 10% of towing capacity. At least it is on my Chrysler/ Jeep vehicles.
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07-25-2018, 12:27 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Signal Mountain (Chattanooga), Tennessee
Trailer: Escape 21 November 2014; 2022 GMC 1500 3.0L
Posts: 681
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I just did a search using "2010 Nissan Pathfinder towing capacity" and got lots of good information. I recommend you do the same.
It looks like the V-6 has a towing capacity of 6,000 lbs, and a tongue weight capacity of 600 lbs, so you should be in the adequate range.
Most 21s will weigh 4200 to 4400 lbs., ready for travel, depending on build sheet choices. Tongue weight will be 475 to 500.
It would be best to have an experienced person take a look at your particular vehicle and it's receiver (hitch) and your door panel sticker to double check everything, before concluding that your vehicle is a good choice.
Some people tow 21s without a weight distributing hitch. Most use one. It reduces the tow vehicle's rear end sag when the 500 lbs is weighing down on the hitch, but most weight distributing hitches also reduce sway and bounce.
Talk to as many people as you can. Everyone has an opinion on tow vehicles and hitches.
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07-25-2018, 12:34 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Murrieta, California
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21
Posts: 124
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Hi Thruxton,
I'm not an expert but I think Jim's right. It doesn't make sense that a Pathfinder with a 6000 lbs tow capacity would only have a 350 lbs maximum tongue weight. My guess is you have at least a 500 lbs tongue weight. I'm wondering if maybe you have a light weight class 2 hitch installed. A class 2 hitch would have a 350 lbs limit. But if that's the case it is an easy inexpensive fix to replace the class 2 hitch with a class 3 hitch. For what it's worth, we tow our Escape 21 with a Hyundai Santa Fe V6. It has a 5000 lbs tow capacity and a 500 lbs tongue weight limit. We use the Pro Series WDH that ETI installed. We are very happy with how it tows.
__________________
Matt & Mary (and Scrappy the Wonder Dog)
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07-25-2018, 12:38 PM
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#6
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: King City, California
Trailer: 1965 Alaskan
Posts: 4
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Thank you for the feedback. Your advice is well taken. I don't doubt this combination is at the outer limits and would be temporary until I can get another vehicle with more of a margin. Thanks again.
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07-25-2018, 01:17 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: no fixed address, California
Trailer: 2017-21' Escape (sold) Casita 17' (sold)
Posts: 1,348
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towing is also a much much bigger set of variables.
for example - in our experience - we have a 2011 Acura MDX with factory tow kit...
and while our medium loaded 21' with HVAC,
with a mostly empty MDX....
full clean water tank and empty black and empty grey tanks .... is well within limits, and we run about 450 lbs tongue weight.... and we also use the WDH.... it is safe and stable...
it is a little hair raising merging onto a busy Cali freeway, especially up a bit of a hill.
or passing a truck doing 45 MPH going up a very long steep hill...... not easy.
I wish we had more torque. and a few more horsepower.
so just a heads up. Depends how you load, how you travel, where you travel, how you load the tug. Tons of variables.
just a heads up.
maybe check the HP and torque of your tug, compared to our 2011 MDX.
A quick google shows your torque as 288 to 388 lb-ft..... and 266 to 310 hp
what engine (torque & hp) do you have?
we have 270 lbs & 300 HP.
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07-25-2018, 02:29 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,146
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The 2010 Pathfinder is very capable just be sure that all installed equipment and accessories are up to the task. Nissan produced a very informative towing guide for the 2010 model year. Would be informative for more than just Nissan owners.
http://fifthwheelst.com/documents/ni...owingGuide.pdf
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07-25-2018, 02:40 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,373
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The measured tongue weight of my 2017 Escape 21 is 500 pounds. The average tongue weight from the Trailer Weights in the real World spreadsheet is 453 pounds. If the Pathfinder is limited to 350 pounds, I think you would be pushing the weight on the axle & vehicle. You also need to check the payload of the Pathfinder. With 500 pounds of tongue weight, it is easy for you & your stuff to go over the tow vehicle payload limit.
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07-25-2018, 08:16 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: King City, California
Trailer: 1965 Alaskan
Posts: 4
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I don't know where I came up with that 350 lb. tongue weight figure in my original post, but on further inspection I found it shown on a barely readable sticker located on the hitch as 500 lbs. or 600 lbs. with WDH. So load and tow capacity would be O.K. However, I also found that I have the smaller 270 hp. V6 / 291 lb.-ft. motor which would not measure up to the sometimes marginal Acura MDX performance noted above. It appears my best option would be to upgrade to a capable TV as going to an Escape 19 would only net about 260 lbs. less dry weight and nothing in GVWR. You guys have been great about indulging my concern and caused me to examine the specs on this Pathfinder more thoroughly. Thanks again.
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07-25-2018, 08:21 PM
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#11
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Site Team
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Mid Left Coast, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21
Posts: 5,156
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thruxton
I don't know where I came up with that 350 lb. tongue weight figure in my original post, but on further inspection I found it shown on a barely readable sticker located on the hitch as 500 lbs. or 600 lbs. with WDH. So load and tow capacity would be O.K. However, I also found that I have the smaller 270 hp. V6 / 291 lb.-ft. motor which would not measure up to the sometimes marginal Acura MDX performance noted above. It appears my best option would be to upgrade to a capable TV as going to an Escape 19 would only net about 260 lbs. less dry weight and nothing in GVWR. You guys have been great about indulging my concern and caused me to examine the specs on this Pathfinder more thoroughly. Thanks again.
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do NOT trust hitch stickers, thats the rating for the HITCH, not the vehicle.
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07-25-2018, 10:48 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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Weights indicated on aftermarket hitches arn't necessarily accurate for your vehicle. I'm guessing you are talking about the hitch receiver and that it is OEM. That would be good.
But, for instance, the weight distribution hitch I have indicates 14,000 lbs. max. The hitch receiver is rated 400 lbs. tongue. My vehicle is rated 350 lbs. tongue and that is the only number that matters.
The number that matters is the lowest number of all the parts involved.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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07-25-2018, 11:08 PM
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#13
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 - "Felicity"
Posts: 2,945
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Most folks will change their tow more often than their trailer, particularly if they've bought their final trailer.
__________________
Charlie Y
Need custom storage to your design? Don't drill holes!
www.RVWidgetWorks.com
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07-26-2018, 02:00 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: London, Ontario
Trailer: 2020 Escape 19
Posts: 1,120
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My Experience and another consideration
My experience I have used for many years is I would try to keep my capacity around 50%. I tow my 2007 Escape 17B which had a dry weight of 1900 lbs, with my 2017 4Runner, 4.0 V6.
I feel that I am near the limit of the vehicle for where I go, and plan to go in the future. Long distance towing is really hard on a vehicle.
The most important consideration nobody talks about is where are you going elevation wise. I was really surprised how much HP the truck lost at higher elevations. Under 3000' the 4Runner would tow a 21' no problem, but over 6000', through the Rockies, I would say I am maxed out.
2 things I have and do, I use a weight distribution hitch, SUV's have soft suspensions, 2nd I use an OBD programmer named ScanGuage2 to monitor my transmission temps. My friend fried 2 transmissions not towing properly.
In the future, I plan on a Toyota Tundra, I hear rumors of a Cummins.
Watch this video
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...AB6F&FORM=VIRE
__________________
Had 2 Escapes, 17b, 19, went back to a pop up that fit in the garage. 2018 Coachman Clipper RBST HW AFrame
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07-26-2018, 06:41 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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Something else no one seems to consider is brakes. With an integrated brake controller, your engine does perform some downhill braking. In addition, with a "tow" package, you will more than likely have bigger wheels with larger brakes. Stopping is just as important going. Also be sure to inspect your spare, make sure it is a full sized, not just a temporary spare, my Ram was without a full spare!!!
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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