Why can a manual tow 1500 lbs less?

[laxman0324]

I tried to search but didnt find anything.

 

For the VQ35 equipped Pathfinder, the manual is rated to tow 3500lbs and the automatic is rated to tow 5000 lbs. What gives?

[FUELER]

maybe the clutch is the weakest link?

 

just a guess.

 

either way i would never tow 5000 lb in any R50 automatic or not.

Edited September 21, 2010 by FUELER

[JamesRich]

I tried to search but didnt find anything.

 

For the VQ35 equipped Pathfinder, the manual is rated to tow 3500lbs and the automatic is rated to tow 5000 lbs. What gives?

 

The manual come with a higher final drive gear and the auto trans torque converter helps it get the load going easier.

Don't believe them though,I once towed 8000 pounds on a goose neck trailer on a 4 hour trip with my 90 model half ton Chevrolet with a 5 speed. The dealer said the max tow rating was 4500. Just don't use 5 gear.

James

[01silvapathy]

Cause Auto's are awesome

[Kingman]

Because some idiot people don't know how to tow with a clutch, so they are told that they can't tow as much in order to somewhat protect them from frying everything.

 

I don't believe that a manual cannot tow any less than an automatic. My step-sister's dad owns a '96 Dodge Ram 1-ton, V10, dually, 5-speed that he bought off the showroom floor. He tows large cattle trailers, full, across the country and has tipped the scales at 12,000LBS multiple times. I've been there when we were weighed once. 190K, completely stock. Never had an issue with it and the drive train felt fine the couple of times I've driven the truck. I'm fairly certain that those trucks were not rated for that much capacity.

[nunya]

Because some idiot people don't know how to tow with a clutch

 

 

basicly protecting people from themselves. I'd rather tow with a stick than an auto personally (not just my stick/auto preferences too, just the whole 'more control' thing)

[Precise1]

I'd rather tow with a stick than an auto personally (not just my stick/auto preferences too, just the whole 'more control' thing

x2

 

That's why the vast majority of semi's are stick shifts, because they tow less or are less reliable...

Ever see how a fully loaded semi gets rolling?? They pop the clutch...

 

B

[MY1PATH]

Rumor has it mr jim pulled a semi...

with is wd21 5spd vg30.3

[JamesRich]

Because some idiot people don't know how to tow with a clutch, so they are told that they can't tow as much in order to somewhat protect them from frying everything.

 

I don't believe that a manual cannot tow any less than an automatic. My step-sister's dad owns a '96 Dodge Ram 1-ton, V10, dually, 5-speed that he bought off the showroom floor. He tows large cattle trailers, full, across the country and has tipped the scales at 12,000LBS multiple times. I've been there when we were weighed once. 190K, completely stock. Never had an issue with it and the drive train felt fine the couple of times I've driven the truck. I'm fairly certain that those trucks were not rated for that much capacity.

 

I used to drive a friends ford one ton pulling a 40 foot mini float on the weekends to make extra money. I'm not sure what the trailer weight was but I took it down to Brownsville Texas once and put a 15,000# tool house on it and brought it back to Lafayette Louisiana. It had to be around 25,000# with the trailer. The truck had its ass full, by the time I reached the top of the Lake Charles La bridge I was down to 30 mph but it made it and many trips after that. It is amazing what those one tons can take. The only problem with pulling a trailer that big is it's too big for the truck and beats the hell out of the truck and driver.

James

[TheCrow]

 

either way i would never tow 5000 lb in any R50 automatic or not.

 

 

Because some idiot people don't know how to tow with a clutch, so they are told that they can't tow as much in order to somewhat protect them from frying everything.

 

I don't believe that a manual cannot tow any less than an automatic. My step-sister's dad owns a '96 Dodge Ram 1-ton, V10, dually, 5-speed that he bought off the showroom floor. He tows large cattle trailers, full, across the country and has tipped the scales at 12,000LBS multiple times.

 

 

Rumor has it mr jim pulled a semi...

with is wd21 5spd vg30.3

 

I am not an expert in towing but i can tell you my experience with towing :

 

one time I had to tow one of the fleet's Tractor heads into the garage for panel beating and repair , the truck was not starting it was a Mercedes Actros 2040s it weighs at least 14000lbs and I towed it with my R50 all the way to the garage some 50 meters . No damage except my plastic bumper bcs my hooking point was much lower than the one on the Tractor .

 

Another time one of tractor heads with the flat bed attached to it weighing around 34,000 lb had its diesel tank punctured and was stranded in the middle of the roundabout and I towed it to the parking lane with my Toyota FJ cruiser .

 

There is a factor to be considered that here in Qatar it is all flat no hills to be tackled and the distances are not long but I think the weights I towed are way over what the manual tells .

 

That doesn’t mean that you can tow on the road or for a long trip these weights but surely you can exceed the 5000 or 3500 lbs noted on the manuals .

 

My 2 cents contribution

[TheCrow]

Given the above facts I think it is mainly to protect the cluth from people who cant use it and keep the vehicle in very safe towing capacity .

[87pathy]

 

 

basicly protecting people from themselves. I'd rather tow with a stick than an auto personally (not just my stick/auto preferences too, just the whole 'more control' thing)

 

a few years ago when i was at the nissan dealer, i asked this very same question.

 

the reason is.. "nissan" cannot gurantee that some idiot knows how to drive a clutch.

that being said, he said its fine, they just can't guarantee it therefore, the lower tow rating.