Titan Dude
Snohomish, WA
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Joined: 10/19/2006
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My advice after towing with my Titan for 2 1/2 years: keep the truck and get a travel trailer that weighs 6000lbs or less or sell the truck and buy a fifth wheel and then a truck that can tow it.
2005 Nissan Titan 4x4, Tow Package
2007 Keystone Cougar 243RKS
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Bduece
Massachusetts
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Joined: 10/18/2007
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I posted the thread not to bash the Titan but to show an excellant example on what can happen when you don't pay attetion to the vehicle specifications. A 5th wheel at 11k+ lbs is going to wreck a 1/2 truck designed and engineered for 9k lbs. I'm sure I could find simular examples with other manufacturers. Nore am I one of those people that believe you need a 3/4 or 1 ton to pull a trailer. I have a 1/2 ton with a trailer that is within it's weight limits. I do believe in leaving 20% of your towing capacity for the extra's your going to be carrying. When I first looked at TT the dealers told me I would be fine pulling a 32 ft 8000 lb (claimed dry weight) trailer. What they didn't tell me was once I sat in the truck with my family I would have been overweight.
Bill
2006 Dodge Ram QCSB 4x4 hemi
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LoudRam
New Jersey
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Joined: 04/20/2008
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This is not directed at anyone, just a general statement that I think we can all agree on.
As always the bottom line is know what your truck is rated for and stay within those limits and you'll be fine. If your towing more than than your truck is rated for, air bags and WD/anti-sway hitches will just mask your problems. You ,not the dealer or the posters in here, have a duty to make sure your rig is safe. For the sake of all of our families please do us that favor.
Todd
Desert Storm Vet (US Navy)
2002 Fleetwood Prowler Lynx 30'
2001 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab 4X4 w/360 (not stock)
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Keith99RS
Suffield, CT
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Joined: 11/14/2005
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Bduece wrote:I posted the thread not to bash the Titan but to show an excellant example on what can happen when you don't pay attetion to the vehicle specifications. A 5th wheel at 11k+ lbs is going to wreck a 1/2 truck designed and engineered for 9k lbs. I'm sure I could find simular examples with other manufacturers. Nore am I one of those people that believe you need a 3/4 or 1 ton to pull a trailer. I have a 1/2 ton with a trailer that is within it's weight limits. I do believe in leaving 20% of your towing capacity for the extra's your going to be carrying. When I first looked at TT the dealers told me I would be fine pulling a 32 ft 8000 lb (claimed dry weight) trailer. What they didn't tell me was once I sat in the truck with my family I would have been overweight.
That is a horribly poor example of not paying attention to specifications. However it is a very good example of how modifying a truck can do more harm than good and that adding airbags doesn't change it's payload. If you read the whole thread, he bottomed out the frame on the axle or the airbags..HARD!! It bent right over the axle. That just doesn't happen without impact. That area should be protected by the springs distributing the weight across the frame. IMHO he added air bags thinking he was making his 1/2 ton a 1 ton and is leaving out the 1,500lbs he had in the truck bed or whatever else that caused his truck to slam down. As with much on the internet we never do get weight figures on the trailer or tongue or a picture of his WD set up. By the numbers he should have been fine. The hitch on the Titan is a class IV and many are towing just fine with them.
That being said, IMHO with a few exceptions, 5ers aren't for 1/2 tons.
Smoke 05 Titan SE CC 4X4
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colochoclab
Arvada, Colorado
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Joined: 05/24/2006
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LoudRam wrote:TXiceman wrote:
I would not even try a 30' TT with a 1/2 ton truck.
Ken
I wouldn't go that far.
I agree. See my sig.
As for your "blanket statement"...
2008 Nissan Titan LE Crew 4x4, DOHC 5.6 V8 w/VVT, Big Tow Pkg.
2006 Jayco JayFlight 29FBS
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Frozen001
Rome, NY
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Joined: 03/28/2007
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LoudRam wrote:This is not directed at anyone, just a general statement that I think we can all agree on.
As always the bottom line is know what your truck is rated for and stay within those limits and you'll be fine. If your towing more than than your truck is rated for, air bags and WD/anti-sway hitches will just mask your problems. You ,not the dealer or the posters in here, have a duty to make sure your rig is safe. For the sake of all of our families please do us that favor.
You are totally correct... everyone should be aware of the limits of the TV they have. However, I do feel that the manufactures are definitely pushing/inflating maximum towing capacities... why I do not know hoping to boost lack-luster sales. I find it really hard to believe 1/2-ton towing capacities nearing 10k... IMHO it is just too much weight for that size truck.
While typing this I decided to do some research... I found a towing guide on a web sight that listed the towing capacities of different vehicles across different years...
I took a GM (Chevy/GMC) extend cab truck, short bed 5.3l v-8 4x4 an looked at the towing capacities they had listed for 1999 to 2008 ...
1999 8,000
2000 9,500
2001 9,000
2002 8,300
2003 8,800
2004 8,800
2005 7,500
2006 8,700
2007(Classic) 8,700
2007 8,500
2008 8,500
As far as I know all of these are pretty much the same truck, except the 2007+ new style which has coil over shock front suspensions...yet the rating vary greatly...
* This post was
edited 06/24/08 01:26pm by Frozen001 *
2004 GMC Sierra 2500HD Reg. Cab Long bed
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LoudRam
New Jersey
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Joined: 04/20/2008
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Frozen001 wrote:
While typing this I decided to do some research... I sound a towing guide on a web sight that listed the towing capacities of different vehicles across different years...
What the address? I'd love to see it, and it would be a great link to have in here.
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Frozen001
Rome, NY
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LoudRam wrote:Frozen001 wrote:
While typing this I decided to do some research... I sound a towing guide on a web sight that listed the towing capacities of different vehicles across different years...
What the address? I'd love to see it, and it would be a great link to have in here.
here is the link... Tow Ratings
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Dennis Bham
Alabama
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Joined: 03/13/2008
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Diane,
The Titan is a beautiful truck, but it's not up to towing the trailer you mentioned ...
See this thread: http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/21087500.cfm
... for a discussion about 5th wheel trailers small enough for 1/2 ton trucks.
Dennis
'08 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 4x4, Crew Cab, Std Bed e/w 18K Superglide
'08 Cougar 292RKS, e/w 16" Sendel wheels & BFG Commercial TA tires
PressurePro TPMS
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Skip N Barb Team
Dickinson, Texas
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Joined: 09/11/2007
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I see that KZ is now offering their Spree models in a fifth wheeler. The one I saw shows a weight of 6353 lbs, and appeared to be about 28' long. We have their 35' Durango, and believe they (KZ) builds a pretty solid unit IMO.
Good Luck.....Happy Camping!!!
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