Can my 2005 Pathfinder safely tow a TM 2720SD?

I know this question has been asked before, but I’ve been “doing the math” and I’m concerned about my situation.

In April through June of this year I’m going on a little 12,000 mile jaunt to celebrate my 50th birthday. My route, roughly, is Massachusetts to Arizona to Alaska and home again. I’ve got a Fleetwood pop-up trailer, but I’d like to get a TrailManor if I can safely tow it.

My tow vehicle is a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder LE. GVWR is 6000#. GCWR is 11133#. UVW is 4813#. The fuel tank is 21.1 gallons (126.6#). I’ll be carrying two adults and a dog (500#), the dog’s crate (50#), my hitch (25#), and I am very conservatively targeting 50# cargo. Adding these up bring my GVW to 5565#.

My maximim tongue weight (GVWR-GVW) is therefore 435#. A tongue weight percentage of 12% this gives me a max TGVW of 3628#, and at 15% it is 2903#.

A TrailManor 2720SD has a UVW of 2865#. To this I’ll add 350# for the battery(s), A/C, and an awning (is this enough?), 76# for two full 20 gallon tanks of propane, and 300# of cargo, an empty water tank, and I get a TGVW of 3591#. I can tow this at the 12% tongue weight, but not at 15%.

Also note that at 12% I get an actual tongue weight of 431#, which when added to the tow vehicle GVW gives me an actual GVW of 5996#, just 4# under the tow vehicle’s GVWR or 6000#!

1) Is my math accurate?
2) Is this safe?
3) 90 days with only 350# of cargo - am I nuts?
4) I understand that the TM wheel placement puts more weight on the tongue. But it appears from the above that cargo placement will be critical. Comments?

Thank you, Andy

PS: Thank you to whomever posted http://www.rvtowingtips.com/what-can-i-tow.htm

[fcatwo]

It appears your Pathfinder has a 112" wheelbase, weighs close to 4,900lbs and has an 11,000lb GCWR. Both of our esteemed moderators are towing with similar rigs and many others are using shorter/lighter rigs successfully. A good WDH should solve any concerns you have about tongue weight, etc. I didn't try to decifer all of your #s but if it were me, I'd hitch it and go -- recognizing that an 8,000lb, long-wheelbase, crew-cab diesel pickup (or not towing at all) would be safer. A little caution while traveling should keep you safe.

[Denny_A]

Originally Posted by andy_in_ma

I know this question has been asked before, but I’ve been “doing the math” and I’m concerned about my situation.
..............snip..........
My tow vehicle is a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder LE. GVWR is 6000#. GCWR is 11133#. .....snip...Adding these up bring my GVW to 5565#.

My maximim tongue weight (GVWR-GVW) is therefore 435#. A tongue weight percentage of 12% this gives me a max TGVW of 3628#, and at 15% it is 2903#.

First... are you going to use a Weight Distribution hitch? If not, then your numbers are approximately correct. If you employ a WDH, then then tongue weight is "redistributed" such that 1/3 (assumes ideal setup) of the tongue weight will be transfered to the trailer's axle. So, if your limit is 435 lbs, then a tongue weight of up to 652 lbs would still keep your Pathfinder axle load within limits. A 'normal' tongue weight of around 510 lbs would result in 340 lbs on the Pathfinder's axles. Gives you a decent margin.

If the TM's axle is limited to 3500 lbs the axle load has to be lowered to 3330 lbs BEFORE the WDH is connected. Vis 510 lbs tongue weight + 3330 lbs axle load = 3840 lbs total trailer weight. When the WDH is cinched up, 170 lbs is added to the trailer axle; ergo TM Axle Weight = 3330 + 170 = 3500 lbs! OTOH, if the axle happens to have a 5000 lb MGAW rating.... the MGW of the trailer is its limiting factor.

and I get a TGVW of 3591#. I can tow this at the 12% tongue weight, but not at 15%.

Using a WDH, and assuming a 3500 lb MGAW, then the trailer weight can be around 3850 +- lbs. BTW, the TM is designed to tow best with a tongue weight of 13-14%.

1) Is my math accurate?
2) Is this safe?
3) 90 days with only 350# of cargo - am I nuts?
4) I understand that the TM wheel placement puts more weight on the tongue. But it appears from the above that cargo placement will be critical. Comments?

Re 2) Yes, if you use a WDH.
Re 3) 500 lbs, easily! (3850 lbs vs. 3600 lbs)
Re 4) Don't overcompensate by putting really heavy stuff behind the axle. I tended to put the heavy, stuff on the floor ahead of the axle, and the smaller lighter stuff all the way forward. Never had any sway issues, or extreme (either lite or too heavy) tongue weight issues. It's a very stable trailer.

BTW - here's a link to a generic WDH (same one I bought several yrs ago for my '02 2720SL):

http://www.mooretruckaccessories.com...tribution.html

You'll need, at a minimum a 750 lb Standard adjustable WDH. Others here will recommend; my link is for example purposes.

HTH - Denny_A