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Topic ClosedLoad equalizer - Sway control

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Mountaingnome View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Load equalizer - Sway control
    Posted: 09 Apr 2016 at 5:28pm
Towed my 177 with a Frontier v6 rated at 6100# towing capacity or two years.  Really slow on inclines and mileage at 60mph was about 9mpg.  Used supersprings to keep it level with a 350# tongue weight.  After the last trip of around 1800 miles the tranny started hunting for gears and just generally had a hard time maintaining speed.

Talked to a Nissan mechanic and he told me that he had had the same problem with his Frontier and felt that Nissan had greatly over rated the towing capacity.  Traded the Nissan in for a Ram 1500 Hemi a couple of months ago and just waiting for the snow to finish melting to give it a try.

2014 R-pod 177
2015 Ram 1500 Hemi


Mountaingnome
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Greg View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2016 at 5:54pm
Thanks, that about wraps it up... a new truck or no trailer... Darn.
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Mountainrev View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Apr 2016 at 7:57pm
Originally posted by Greg

Thanks, that about wraps it up... a new truck or no trailer... Darn.


Look at it this way:  Better to make the decision now that the Murano isn't the tow vehicle you want rather than finding that out by the side of the road with a blown transmission. 

We towed our R-pod last summer from Colorado to California and Oregon with an '04 Dodge Durango with a 4.7 liter V-8 and realized that it really wasn't up to snuff (with a 5,000+ lb. tow capacity).  Struggled mightily on uphill grades and threatened to overheat frequently.  Upgraded to a diesel Grand Cherokee recently, and can't wait to try it out with the Pod for the first time in a couple of weeks.

Moral to the story:  You'll never regret having too much tow capacity.  The opposite, however, is frequently true.
2014 177
2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee Turbodiesel

"I lift my eyes to the hills."
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2016 at 8:55pm
With a diesel you might not know it is back there.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Gavin View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2016 at 9:14pm
Hi Greg,
 I pulled my pod with a f-150 5.4...it did well in the Tennessee Mountains to the SC coast. anything heavier I would have put a transmission oil temp gage on it...lets say if the total towing went 3000lbs with the rpod loaded...its the heat which burns up the bands in the automatic transmission.
Info: It was a factory tow package rated for 8300 lbs, but the moment I hooked up 4300 lbs it did a lot of dropping down a gear when climbing a hill...I knew it was a matter of time before that transmission would have cooked and needed a rebuild.... that was with about half the rated towing capacity....I have gone to a f-350 diesel and dont worry anymore
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Greg View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2016 at 9:31pm
Yep, gave it up Sunday. Called off the loan and let the trailer go back on the lot. I appreciate the help. I believe that you all saved me from investing in a dream that would have ultimately resulted in nothing but heartache and a huge transmission bill. I've enjoyed our short time together. You're a great group. I wish it could have been different. maybe another day.

Greg and Margaret
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2016 at 8:22am

I think you summed it up very well, Greg. Please feel free to stay and hang around here with us.
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