Towing an enclosed Car Trailer with 2002 QX4?

[markbean]

I'm have a 2002 QX4 with 98k miles that I want to start to use for occasional towing of cars to car shows. I will have a class III hitch installed and will be renting the trailer whenever I need it. The trailer is 8.5'x18' and the total towing weight will be between 3000-4000lbs. I don't expect to need to go more than 300 miles round trip.

My questions are:
Is this a sound plan?
Will I need extender mirrors and if so, any suggestions? How about http://www.curtmfg.com/part/20002?
Is there anything that I am missing that I should address?

[Chuck Tribolet]

Check your owners manual for max towing weight. For '01s it was 3500 pounds MT, 5000 pounds AT, IIRC. '02 will be AT (there were rumors that a few MTs were
built but I've seen no proof). A better trans oil cooler would be a good idea. Get the tongue weight right.

Be sure the hitch is rated for 5000 pounds. Some class III for the PF are only 3500.

Weigh the trailer, loaded.

Don't be in a hurry ever with a trailer behind you (I've got about 70,000 miles towing my boat with a couple of different pathfinders).
Towing teaches patience.


Chuck

[04Chinook]

I'm have a 2002 QX4 with 98k miles that I want to start to use for occasional towing of cars to car shows. I will have a class III hitch installed and will be renting the trailer whenever I need it. The trailer is 8.5'x18' and the total towing weight will be between 3000-4000lbs. I don't expect to need to go more than 300 miles round trip.

My questions are:
Is this a sound plan?
Will I need extender mirrors and if so, any suggestions? How about http://www.curtmfg.com/part/20002?
Is there anything that I am missing that I should address?

That trailer alone will weigh around 3000 pounds empty. I used a 7x14' enclosed trailer for moving and had to switch vehicles once it was filled up as my pathfinder was sagging far too much to drive safely. And this is with stiffer than factory springs in the rear. So you might want to consider looking into an air bag kit for the rear springs.

Your definitely going to want trailer brakes, which means you might need a brake controller inside depending on if the trailer has electric or hydraulic brakes.

[Towncivilian]

I highly recommend the following:

• Auxiliary transmission cooler. This B&M 70264 cooler is 24,000 GVW.
• In-line transmission filter (Magnefine). See the Transmission & driveline Q&A section of this thread for more information.
• Replace all driveline fluids if they have not been serviced. Use Nissan Matic D for the transmission, and preferably synthetic lubricants for the differentials. The general information thread has details on a full transmission fluid exchange using the transmission cooler lines.
• Absolutely flush your brake fluid if it's over two years old. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture from the atmosphere. This lowers the boiling point of the fluid, and can lead to brake fade. You need to be able to stop.
• Ensure all other fluids and maintenance are up-to-date. Power steering fluid, transfer case, engine coolant, air/fuel filters, drive belts, driveshaft grease... the general info thread has information about all of this too.

If you live near an Advance Auto Parts, you can purchase the following for only $100.05 before tax:

• B&M 70264 Auxiliary Transmission Cooler
• 5 quarts of Mobil 1 75W-90 gear oil (assuming you have a 4WD QX4)
• Fluid pump to fill the differentials with

Order online using discount code DOTW39 then pick-up in store.

Welcome to NICO!

[Turbogst]

I have a 6x8 enclosed detail trailer with all the equipment in it plus a 200gal water tank. You can definitely feel the weight going up a hill.

[markbean]

Thank you for all of the tips. I have the hitch on it's way. I'll have all of the fluids replaced. Is the transmission cooler really important if I'm only doing very occasional trailering?

I have to admit that I'm a bit nervous trailing an 8.5'x18' enclosed trailer on the QX4. While the weight will be within limits, am I being risky for doing this?

[Towncivilian]

The auxiliary transmission cooler and in-line filter will prolong the life of your transmission, and more cooling is always better when towing anything. I extremely rarely tow anything and I still installed an aux cooler (a slightly smaller 19,000 GVW model) and in-line transmission filter.

I don't have any thoughts about your second question, sorry. I have very little experience with towing.

[Turbogst]

With that amount of weight if you get stopped on a incline you are going have a bunch of pissed off people behind you. Give yourself plenty of time to stop!!! I can't tell you how many times people just pull over in front of me. I feel the brakes on the pathfinder are not the greatest thing in the world for towing so be careful, I tend to have to go to the shoulder a bit due to people pulling in front of me coming up on a light.

[markbean]

With that amount of weight if you get stopped on a incline you are going have a bunch of pissed off people behind you.

Fortunately the first use will only be 73 miles each way with 62 being on one highway (95).

I'm still trying to picture what the Qx4 will look like with an 8.5'x18' enclosed trailer. I'll take a photo and post it.

[lzrj]

I would put a trans cooler on. My buddy who had a pathfinder occasionally (2-3 times a year) pulled a 2500 pound deck boat with his. He traveled about 40 miles to the lake up long hills. The engine was really working hard so I know there was a lot of heat in that trans. Well at about 100,000 miles, his trans started to fail. Cant say for sure that the pulling is what caused it but just a high suspicion because other than that, he took really good care of it and was easy on it.

[Turbogst]

I would like to see some pics man

[miamiheat3332]

8x18 enclosed trailer?? That thing alone weighs alot, plus what type of car inside? Thats an easy 2.8k lbs or more since im thinking its probably not a Triumph that weighs 1500.

With the trailer and car your well over the 5k "rated limit" for the r50. The r50 is very capable of doing it, you just need to make sure you have a few things first and some were mentioned before numerous times but,

trans cooler + filter - That much weight over that many miles, depending where you live, hills etc, without this and lets say you do it on a hotter day, your gonna toast that trans quick.

All synthetic and new fluids where applicable like

engine oil
differentials
brake fluid
trans fluid
coolant (may not require anything, just make sure its up to spec, topped off, and been changed at least somewhere in the past 30-40k or so, if not flush all the old out, and put new in)

Another thing is with that kind of weight, any stiffer aftermarket spring or stock ones, in the rear, are going to be shot after the first time you tow with that much weight.

Get the AIrlift 1000 kit and put that in, I have it in mine and even though im lowered 2" inches and all that stuff, i can load up 3 adults in the rear, and tow a trailer and i wont sag at all, mine arent run at high PSI either.

And another reason like i said before the r50 is up to the task, you just need to take the steps of preventative maintenance and precaution... 3 years, maybe 4 now ago, i towed probably around 8000 lbs with my r50. It was a trailer 8x12 if i recall, overloaded with crushed stone and sand, cause the landscaping place loader guy put on alot more then we paid for anyways.

The trailer was all sagging and tires bending, the r50 was sagging in the rear ( i knew this would kill my coils but didnt mind cause i was in the process of ordering parts for my full suspension setup i was going to install anyways ), and i towed it back home fine, probably about 20 miles, some hills, and all that. Then again it seems your doing much longer distances, and 20 miles isnt that much.

Also as of now i've been towing some hardscaping stuff back to the house with a 5x8 trailer, with patio stones and such on it probably amounting to 3000-3500, and I cant stress enough how much I love the Airlift 1000 i put in, i wont ruin my rear coils with the weight, no sag, and everything else, for your setup this is basically a must.

Anyways i dont think i missed anything, but just be warned as you have been by multiple members, if you dont take the precautions, that Q wont last very long at all. If you do, then you wont have issues.

[markbean]

8x18 enclosed trailer?? That thing alone weighs alot, plus what type of car inside? Thats an easy 2.8k lbs or more since im thinking its probably not a Triumph that weighs 1500.

I've been told that the trailer is <3000lbs. The car is a SIATA 300BC weighing as much as 1100lbs. If I am successful I may also eventually trailer other cars (not mine) in the 2000lbs range (SIATA 208S, Maserati A6G Zagato).

trans cooler + filter - That much weight over that many miles, depending where you live, hills etc, without this and lets say you do it on a hotter day, your gonna toast that trans quick.

All synthetic and new fluids where applicable like

engine oil
differentials
brake fluid
trans fluid
coolant (may not require anything, just make sure its up to spec, topped off, and been changed at least somewhere in the past 30-40k or so, if not flush all the old out, and put new in)

Great advice. I'll have my mechanic on top of doing all of this.

Another thing is with that kind of weight, any stiffer aftermarket spring or stock ones, in the rear, are going to be shot after the first time you tow with that much weight.

Get the AIrlift 1000 kit and put that in, I have it in mine and even though im lowered 2" inches and all that stuff, i can load up 3 adults in the rear, and tow a trailer and i wont sag at all, mine arent run at high PSI either.

I had a good friend suggest air shocks as well. Considering the shocks on the r50 are original, it makes perfect sense to change them.

Anyways i dont think i missed anything, but just be warned as you have been by multiple members, if you dont take the precautions, that Q wont last very long at all. If you do, then you wont have issues.

Thank you! I'm all about taking precautions. I love my cars and I keep them for a very long time so a little extra forethought typically goes a very long way. Thank you again!

[Chuck Tribolet]

I'd go weigh the trailer. Google Cat Scale.


Chuck

[miamiheat3332]

Also i just wanted to comment on something in your reply, the Airlift 1000 has nothing to do with shocks ( not saying your dumb or anything or maybe you just used wrong terminology, but i'll explain it anyways ).

They are airbags that fit in the inside of both rear coils, what they do is you fill them up lets say 6-10psi, im running mine at about 6, but i also have coils that are half the size of stock ones so you will probably need to run more for that reason alone and for the other reason is you will have a heavier load on the rear. They are rated up to 50 psi, but i dont recommend that lol.

Heres a write-up i did when i put mine in, it should give you an idea of how simple it is:

installed-airlift-1000-walkthrough-guide-t547252.html

Also something i did wrong in that write-up and ill have to add a note to it, TAKE OUT the bump stops, i dont recall the size of the bolt inside of them, but its 1 bolt each, i ended up ruining a brand new set in 2 weeks because of that, but amazon replaced them for me free of charge. After i got the replaced ones, i have been running them from January this year until now and they hold up fine.

[Camelfilter]

Also i just wanted to comment on something in your reply, the Airlift 1000 has nothing to do with shocks ( not saying your dumb or anything or maybe you just used wrong terminology, but i'll explain it anyways )...

...It would be great if there were adjustable air shocks for Pathys, easier install than Airlifts. Such is life...

[miamiheat3332]

Well theres not exactly air shocks, BUT.... what i have found out lately cause i was researching air suspension setups for my Audi, is we can actually do a full air suspension setup on our pathfinders/qx4's no problem.

It is costlier then normal conventional suspension but thats kind of a common sense given, the cheapest you may be able to pull it off is like 1400ish. But thats using the analog controls and you have to mount the gauges and stuff somewhere upfront and its just a pain.

For around 2k, you can have full digital control, air lines, bags etc everything you need. The full digital control management, you mount a small lcd somewhere up front thats a sleek spot for it, you pretune ride settings and it also comes with a remote with 3 buttons where you can adjust the height even when its off and parked.

So for example you would pre program 1 lowest setting, 1 ride height setting, and 1 highest setting for ease of use. It has other cool features also like when you park it will automatically drop it to the lowest height once you turn it off, along with when you get in and start it up, it will automatically go to your ride height pretuned setting.

And lastly another feature is it automatically adjusts the ride height and such of the car, so lets say you load up some heavy people in the rear and some stuff in the trunk, it will automatically ride level it on the fly.

The most expensive part of this setup is basically the control management for the whole system, everything else is basically easy as pie to install if you know what your doing and how to properly run some wiring and air lines, and change out suspension components.

I was actually considering doing it on mine now, i just wish i known about it before i spent money on my lowering coils and all 3 years ago. At least with the airbags you have great ride, good handling ( cause you can make it lower obviously ), and still put them to the heighest setting and youd probably be an inch or so higher then stock and can still go on a bumpy dirt road with it, versus with mine you will kill yourself cause of the hard coils.