joshboy22 Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 The family and I are planning to move across Canada this summer,(5300km) I've never hauled a trailer with my path. Just wondering if anyone knows the max towing weight for a 2000 3.5l Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdj Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 My '03 is listed at 5000lbs. with an automatic and 3500lbs. wth a standard tranny. They also recommend trailer brakes for anything over 1000lbs. and a sway control for over 2000lbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDN_S4 Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 My 99.5 with 3.3 is also rated at 5000lbs. You will be fine. I tow my 18" seadoo boat with it no problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshboy22 Posted January 31, 2016 Author Share Posted January 31, 2016 Thanks guys. I was told that it was a bad idea to tow while in over drive.... something about being to hard for the transmission (mine's an automatic). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDN_S4 Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 I don't know, but I have never not been in overdrive. Maybe if you find yourself on a lot of uphills and downhills you could turn OD off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdj Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 You can turn the overdrive OFF with the lower button on the shift lever. It will reset to ON if the truck is shut off and started again. You might want it off climbing the Rockies or northern Ontario though. I've pulled some heavy stuff up hills and not have to shut it off but then I haven't done the cross country trip with a Pathfinder. I have done the Canada coast to coast trip before though. Hint: Take a camera! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 As kdj hinted at, you may find some areas where it may help to turn OD off, just to get some extra revs for uphill, winds, etc. I recently made a long trip with a trailer with severe headwinds, and it required anything I could get out of the engine and transmission...and it wasn't even a heavy trailer. One thing you may observe is that the throttle is very sensitive and may downshift quite often on you. Not much you'll be able to do except ease off the throttle. In many other cases, you'll notice that the revs stay high...I usually have to use the OD button to get it to downshift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 And good luck, safe travels with the move! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TowndawgR50 Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 I pull a converted 18ft toy hauler. Moved most of my stuff to the Seattle WA area from Northern California this past year. 1800 mile round trip. Best bang for my buck was upgraded rear springs, Airlift load helper air bags, an external trans oil cooler and manual hubs. My stock rear springs couldnt handle much cargo. Small pallet of bathroom tile bottomed out the truck. OD works fine but requires attention to throttle control and cruise control tends to kick it down out of OD. Drafting behind big rigs makes a huge difference. Under hood temps get pretty high when climbing long grades so you might want to consider hood vents. Drive safe and good luck 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 (edited) Lol. It does not get hot enough in Canada to require hood vents. Actually I have climbed long grades in the summer, with 33's and a trailer, and a fully loaded truck. You just need to make sure your cooling system is in good shape. Clean coolant, no debris or a mud filled radiator. You can tow in OD once you're up to speed, but the main thing is not to go long periods of driving with the torque converter unlocked. Making sure the TC stays locked will seriously reduce trans temp. How big is this trailer, uhaul? I've towed the 6x12 covered trailer they have for a couple hundred km with no issues, even with my WD21, which has probably 100 less hp than your 3.5L. You'll be fine. Edited February 1, 2016 by adamzan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TowndawgR50 Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 Im not familiar with Canadian temperatures but in "cold" 45-50F, high elevation night air my underhood temps are considerably high after roughly 130 miles of mountain grades between California and Oregon. I can feel the heat venting at the hood/fender gap when at rest stops. Then again, im pulling the close to max of our trucks rated weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 As long as the engine isn't overheating who cares if you can feel it? Mine is like that all the time. Cutting into the hood is stupid and just allows rust to start somewhere else. Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebelord Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 I towed a 21.5ft camper trailer that weighed over 3500lbs. Hat to pull it loaded with full water tanks and grey/black water. Did have a load level bars. Towed with the 99 3.3l. Iron springs only in rear. Plus 4 people and loaded truck. Towed fine. But couldn't go much over 55mph. 12mpg after 500miles. Just install a transmission cooler. Get the large plate style. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TowndawgR50 Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Repeated and prolonged high than average temps under the hood arent good for plastic/rubber/electronic parts as well as fuel economy. Its not just about avoiding an overheated engine. I tow regularly so i consider the life of my truck instead of making it through one journey at a time. To each their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdj Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Go by your dash temp. gauge. If you need more air for cooling remove your AC condencer. That lets in more air in through your rad and gives you room for a tranny cooler. Remove all the other AC parts there will be lots of extra room under the hood. Second battery or inverter or compresser etc. After all you don't need AC in Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Repeated and prolonged high than average temps under the hood arent good for plastic/rubber/electronic parts as well as fuel economy. Its not just about avoiding an overheated engine. I tow regularly so i consider the life of my truck instead of making it through one journey at a time. To each their own. My truck is 7 years older than yours, with likely double the mileage. And it has towed somewhat regularly for most, if not all of it's life, I have an extra transmission cooler. I'm pretty sure its fine. Please don't make assumptions about how I treat my vehicles. If you want to cut into your hood and start corrosion, and make your truck look like a riced out honda, to each their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TowndawgR50 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Wasnt making an assumption about how you care for your vehicles and its unfortunate it came across that way. Properly planed and executed hood vents dont always lead to rust or look like they belong on import cars. Many vehicles that are designed with heavy duty applications have hood vents from the manufacturer. Our pathfinders didnt come with vents but other nissans have and still do. My previous nissan trucks did and thy were much smaller and limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDN_S4 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 If anyone is looking for airlift airbags for the rear of the R50, PM I have a set at home that I never ended up installing. But these are great for trailer towing or carrying heavy weights in the back. Sent from my Pathfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dml996 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 I need to buy some. Amazon has them for $90 USD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dml996 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 I'm trying to install a brake controller for mine for a similar set up on my RV. Does anyone know which wire to tap into under the day for the brake line? There are several wires in the back of the Brake pedal switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDN_S4 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 I need to buy some. Amazon has them for $90 USD I'll sell you mine for $80 USD shipped. PM me for details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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