Towing questions for Nissan Frontier owners

lkc001

@Normfun & @GreatWhiteNorth & any others with a 2015-2017 Nissan frontier automatic SV V6 w/tow pkg-- I traded up to this vehicle last year & have yet to tow up a steep long mountain pass.  I towed over Monument pass in Colorado bringing my Tab home last weekend.  I was in 4th gear O/D off & stayed in 4th all the way up only having to really get in it once for a very short time@ 4,000 rpm.  At what rpm in 4th gear do you have to downshift to 3rd & do you keep your foot in it while downshifting or do you let up off the gas?  I towed a popup last year & never had to downshift so I don't know what to expect with this vehicle.  Thanks for any info!

GreatWhiteNorth

Mine is actually an oldie, a 2008 NISMO edition V-6 king cab, with 6 ft box.  I've towed the T@B exactly once... home last fall from purchasing it.  There was a strong headwind, 30 to 40 mph, that I had to push into, and the truck handled it well, didn't even downshift, although it was working hard.  As I was on the highway, pushing into that headwind, I was thinking to myself, any lesser vehicle with a smaller engine, like a 4 cylinder SUV, would really have been struggling to maintain highway speed.  Although streamlined, the T@Bs are still punching a 6 X 7 foot hole in the air.

lkc001

@GreatWhiteNorth i agree with your statement re an SUV only rated to tow 3500 lbs.  Nice looking TV& you probably have a little less wind resistance with the bed cover

pthomas745

Wouldn't you be looking for your max torque?  This page (if I have the correct engine, I don't know) says the max torque would be 281@4000 rpm.  Whatever gear you need to keep the RPM at/near 4000 would be what you would need.

https://nissannews.com/media_storage/downloads/2016_Nissan_Frontier_Crew_Cab_Specs_10-15.pdf

GreatWhiteNorth

lkc001 said:

@GreatWhiteNorth i agree with your statement re an SUV only rated to tow 3500 lbs.  Nice looking TV& you probably have a little less wind resistance with the bed cover

I bought a proper 2" Square drop hitch set-up, to replace that reducer adaptor, so the trailer will be closer to the truck.  I suspect if a person really wants to gain efficiency, and aid in streamlining, closer to the TV is better, and everything you can do to reduce the vacuum bubble behind the TV would help.  You can see in this speed test, they use a roof mounted spoiler to help with that:

<iframe width="545" height="409" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BLfrEq5-mnc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

A person could even have similar side boards!  Dunno how much long distance towing I'll do.  We have outstanding lake country 1 1/2 to 2 hours away.

Regarding gearing, I don't know enough about that to be honest, just figured the automatic transmission would shift down if it needed to when the load got too high?

Daryl

Normfun

If it’s a long hill I’ll turn off the OD then let the tranny figure things out.  20,000 towed miles in 31 states no worries. Very competent truck.  

lkc001

@Normfun. Yes I always turn O/D off when towing— tranny doesn’t search for gears that way— just wondered if anyone ever had to downshift with this vehicle— sounds like you never had any worries there! Thanks! 

GatorEgg

A little out of the field but still in the ballpark.  I have a 2003 Tacoma V6 doublecab.  Experimenting I've towed in overdrive but constantly searches/ changes gears.  Very bad for the trans.  My manual says no overdrive when towing.  Check yours.  A lot of engineering goes into these vehicles, along with manufactures recommendations/manuals. 

lkc001

@GatorEgg --I did state that I never tow in O/D--I turn my O/D off

ScottG

I haven't weighed in here as my Frontier has a 6-speed manual transmission. Like the automatic, the top gear is an overdrive. In general, I only use it at highway speeds on the flat--under other conditions I find I'm shifting so much that I generally just leave it in the next gear down (which--also like the automatic--is a direct drive).

So FWIW, assuming similar performance from the automatic transmission, I'd be inclined to lock it out of overdrive under most conditions.

lkc001

Yes, my automatic transmission acts the same, I turn O/D off anytime I am towing so it does not search for gears constantly.  When my O/D "off" button is selected it shows up as a "gear number" in the idiot panel and when the O/D is "on" in normal non-towing driving, it shows "D" for drive.  

GreatWhiteNorth

This has been a very useful discussion!  I haven't had my truck that long, and don't drive it all that much to be honest, as it's a bit of a gas hog with the big tires.  I bought a set of 16" steel rims that came off a Pathfinder, and installed fairly new 65 series car tires that I'd taken off an older Caddy that I retired.  What a big difference in ride and fuel economy, and much sportier handling (not like that's important to me in a truck).  We live in the city, why we use our little car much more than the truck.  I've NEVER de-selected overdrive!  And I've towed our little 12 foot boat quite a bit too... very lightweight set-up, so not a heavy load.

So, thinking about it, it does make sense not to tow in overdrive, to reduce load on the engine and transmission... and checking my owners manual for the '08, it does recommend not towing in overdrive, but not for the reasons you'd think!  There's quite a big section in the manual devoted to trailer towing actually.  On Pg 9-32, in the section on trailer towing, it says "To maintain engine braking efficiency  and electrical charging performance, do not use overdrive."