Nissan Titan Forum banner

What's the heaviest TT you've pulled?

19K views 31 replies 16 participants last post by  wcfpusher 
#1 ·
I've been towing around my dads 30 foot bumper pull camper that weights a little over 7K. Now I'm in the process of buying a 34 foot fifth wheel that weights 8K with 1400 pounds of tongue weight. I'll get some bags for the payload but will I be ok pulling the 8K? It's 8K dry so it will probably be closer to 9 once loaded. I know the max is 9400 but I don't like being that close to the max.
James
 
#2 ·
Only if your Titan is a big tow edition with the 3.36 gears and has a transmission cooler.

If not I would not go over 6500lbs as the non big tow places more strain on the drive train.

Towing tips: stay in 4th or lower with tow mode engaged (our fifth gear or drive is just an over drive and not a pulling gear)


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app
 
#3 ·
Yes my titan has the big tow package and I do know how to tow with it as far as fourth gear, I have been pulling my dads camper with it. I'm just curious as to how much weight others have been pulling and how the transmission is holding up.
James
 
#4 ·
With towing 9400 lbs you most likely would be over the 14000 gvwr. With 1400 lbs tongue you would be over the 1000 lbs the hitch is rated for with weight distribution.

With that said you could tow it though I believe you would get premature failure of components. If that component is the suspension, drive train, tires, or hitch it will be dangerous when it fails.

I would not drive with, or around anyone I deeply care about as overloading at some point will cause a major issue which could have major family consequences.
 
#5 ·
Its a fifth wheel..so the tongue weight would not be 1000lbs. It would be a pin weight of 1400lbs which technically is with in spec as the payload capacity is around 2000lbs +/-. To the OP, according to Nissan that is safe for you to tow with a little wiggle room for extra people, fuel, and everything else that comes with camping and you would not exceed 14k lbs GVRW. You need to figure out what your GCWR (gross combo weight rating) is. It is obvious that you will encounter premature wear and tear, but that comes with towing. It really comes down to how often its towed. Bags will be a necessity as well as LT tires and a sliding hitch (because your a CC SWB)...that will be an easy $1200 extra just for the hitch.

As a personal opinion, I would stick with a bumper pull TT. Also, you would need to get it weighed to ensure it weighs what you believe it does.
 
#9 ·
#12 ·
If your an 06 like your name implies you will have the Trans temp gauge and the big towing mirrors if you have the big tow. The trans temp is the easiest identifier on the early years in having the big tow. 08 and up trucks(I believe) all have the trans temp gauges.
 
#11 ·
All LE titans are. Also if you have tow mirrors and transmission temp gauge


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app
 
#13 ·
I wouldn't attempt this tow without Air Bags installed in the rear.
 
#15 ·
The Big Tow Package truck all have the big mirroirs,, 3.36 gears,, factory class V hitch and a trans temp gauge on dash..

Electric or electric over hydrolic brakes on all wheels of trailer.. Suspension air bags may be a good call towing that load..

Have you upgraded the trans cooler system?? Cooling system fans?? Rear Sway Bar are other upgrade to think of..

I like the idea of a 5-th wheel trailer however is the bed and frame of the 06 strong enough??

My 06 has towed like a champ since new.. Our first summer vacation road trip we hauled the boat 7000 pounds and a completely overstuffed bed and 5 people.. We were overloaded and packed in.. Since then every summer same trip to the same lake but we take 2 vehicles at least.. I drive alone or with 1 passenger..
 
#16 ·
IMO you are looking at trailers way too big for your truck. The one in the link was 10k# which is over the tow rating. I would not go more than eighty percent of the max tow rating. This would be about 7500#.
Also the trailer in th original post is probably over 9400 too. If it is 8k dry weight then the GVWR is probably around ten thousand.
 
#19 ·
Also the trailer in th original post is probably over 9400 too. If it is 8k dry weight then the GVWR is probably around ten thousand.
The manufacturer spec this trailer for half ton trucks.
This is a picture on the side right next to the hitch.

They show a half ton ford pulling it and we all know if a ford can pull it a titan sure could!
Ive been dragging it around with no problems yet. It cruises on the interstate at 70 mph with no problems. The fifth wheel setup makes it handle like there is nothing back there, no swaying at all. Major difference from the white knuckle grip I had to use pulling my parents 30 foot bumper pull rig.
My wife took this crappy picture with her phone when I was bringing it home. We don't have any other shots of it rolling be cause were usually all in the truck.

We love this thing so far and have had no problems with it or the titan.
James
 
#17 ·
I pull a 33' Keystone Springdale,...it ways 7k. I have air bags ,sway bar, equalizer hitch etc.. I have been pulling this setup for 2 years. For the most part it tows easily.When you pull up Flagstaff Arizona at 7000 +' above sea level...well it can be a challenge, it still handles the task.
I usually use 3rd gear while taking on the mountain and then theirs times when I get a good head start and use 4th gear turning 4k rpm and walk on up...passing diesels along the way! The truck rocks!! Wish the fuel mileage was better, but hey it gets the job done.
 
#18 ·
I don't think any truck gets good mileage towing a large load.
I thought the advantage of diesel is that at elevation they don't lose hp where gas engine does. I could have this confused...
My TT is just under 5000 lbs loaded and the Titan pulls that great. The wife wants to upgrade to something bigger like Wyatt's but I like pulling the smaller one, I find it less stressful and tiring.
 
#20 ·
James......thats frickin awesome! Ive seen Ford F150 Ecoboosts pulling that setup, but no Titans in Arizona! Do you have a flat pull or are their mountains involved?
I mean 7000' elevation can reek havick! I do it with a 7000# TT. Love the pic though....
 
#21 ·
Thanks Wyatt!
South Louisiana is all flat, No mountains down here! Our elevation is from 30 to 50 feet above sea level. One of our favorite camp grounds, chicot state park, has some hills but nothing that even makes the titan work hard. The only problem I have with the titan pulling this camper is the tow mirrors don't slide out enough, I can't see behind it without doing a slight swerve. It's not too big a deal on the road but backing it up is tough!
I'm planning to order a set of these http://tweetys.com/grand-aero-towing-mirror-set.aspx?gclid=CKT_y_Cq7bECFUyjtgodgzoAbw
Should help so I stop looking like a rooky backing up.
James
 
#23 ·
thats freaking sweet i heard the titans could pull with the best of them but wouldnt have dreamed it would do that . but do they make a gooseneck for the titan as well ? i have a 24ft stock trailer that i use for my horses i normally use my old f250 farm truck but it would be great to have the comforts of my titan .
 
#24 ·
http://www.openrangerv.com/Unit-Spec-Sheets/Light/LF305BHS.pdf
The GVWR is right at 10k but I doubt I'll ever load it to it's max. The pin weight is 1400 and the titan max payload is 1900 so it should be good. I have the PRG lowering shackles so I added some air bags to keep it off the stops. I brought it home without the bags though so if I moved the shackles to the factory height it would be ok.
I had to put a reece hitch with the two plates in the bed. Reece does make a goose neck plate that fits the two rails for pulling a goose neck.
This trailer has the option to switch out the fifth wheel hitch for a goose neck but I'm sure the goose neck would jerk on the truck more than the fifth wheel. But if you already had a goose neck ball in the bed you wouldn't need the fifth wheel hitch.

James
 
#25 ·
I returned from our family boating/lake vacation this past week. Our boat is 7K on the trailer. Truck bed pack with 3 - 45 Qt. coolers, tool bag, food/beer/wine/drinks for 14 vacationers. I keep truck load light as possible.

This truck has made this trip every year towing the same boat each time. We have always enjoyed the trip and truck has never failed. With each year there has been issues.

This past year we traveled 875 miles on 90 gallons of truck fuel. This was the first trip after having headers, dauls, drilled/slotted rotors with matched pads on all for brakes. I am replacing shock and struts soon.

I can't say 9 mpg is something to brag about but it is what it is. At 41,000 miles the truck pulled the largest hills at better then 70 in 4th gear just below 3100 rpm.

Since new in 07 I was climbing most hills right lane, flashers on. 65-67 mph 3900+ in 3-rd or slower.

I have always thought these truck had a great drive line. With the few mods I have made it seems to perform even as it ages.
 
#26 ·
We bought our new Titan last month and our travel trailer in December. The truck does not have the big tow but it has the factory hitch and tow mode switch. The Keystone camper weighs 4900 pounds dry, so i am expecting about 6000 pounds when on a trip.

I had been a bit concerned the the truck would not do very well with the camper, but after reading this thread, I think it will do ok....

I assume i will need to put it in tow mode and use 4th gear.

I had been looking at the Titan as a new truck for a couple of years, and finally bought a new left over 2012 and love it. No dealer had one with the lower towing gears except for one pro-x, but I just could not afford it. Cannot wait to try it out in April....
 
#29 ·
I get 8 mpg towing the open range. I've been dragging it around for over a year now with no problems until this past weekend.
I left the campground and got on the interstate behind a travel trailer being pulled by a chevy doing 60mph. Of course I zoomed passed him and set the cruse on 70mph. About 10 miles down the road I got into an open area and caught a head wind with 20 to 30 mph gust. The titan started slowing down to 65 and then downshifted to try to keep up. I panicked and thought the brakes were dragging on the trailer so I pulled over. I didn't find anything wrong so that's when I realized it must have been the wind. I kept it under 65mph the rest of the way home and all was good. I'm sure the chevy got a good laugh seeing me have to pull over! It's time for the windy season to end!
James
 
#32 ·
I have towed a 50,000 pound sled over 250 times at WOT 300 ft for 20 seconds a clip. :)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top