Quote:
Originally Posted by jabeg
... Seems the Nissan Titan XD might fit the bill. GVWR at 8,750. GVCWR at 17,700. Towing capacity 11,000 Payload at 1,984 or more depending on the trim level. ...
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Auto manufacturers and Trailer manufacturers use some "advanced math" to hide the reality of what their products are capable of..... In other words, "they use a marketing department to write data that is skewed more toward the "magic kingdom" than they are "based on reality"....
Take your numbers above for example, and let's "analyze them"....
Nissan says the "GCWR is 17700" and the "Max trailer capacity is 11000". Do the math, that makes
the max tow vehicle weight 6700.
OK, let's move to the Keystone specs for a bit: Keystone says the trailer "shipping weight" is 7577. Now, Keystone defines "shipping weight" (in their brochure) as the trailer, as it leaves the factory, with no battery, no propane in the tanks, no spare tire/wheel and NO OPTIONS... Think for a moment about how it would (could) be possible to have an accurate weight on a 23MLE with no options and list the shipping weight as the same as one with two air conditioner units and the SolarFlex 600i with a 270 AH DragonFly battery, a freestanding table/chairs, dual pane windows and a slide topper package have the same "shipping weight" as a "23MLE with no optional equipment"...
So, "brochure shipping weight, is a "best advantage statement" (for the manufacturer)...
Now, lets look at the Keystone pin weight".. It is calculated at "shipping weight" with that same "no optional equipment and empty" data. It is stated at 1200 pounds.
OK, let's do some "reality math": shipping weight 7577/pin 1200. That means the pin weight is 15.8% (the lowest recommended pin weight is 15%)... But the recommended pin weight for best towing is 20-25%. Let's use 20%, but also use a "reality weight" because you'll be putting your camping gear, food and necessities like towels and sheets/blankets in the trailer, not to mention tools, so let's use the trailer GVWR as a start for pin weight calculations: 9900 GVWR and 20% of that is 1980 pounds.....
Now, back to your "NISSAN MAGIC NUMBERS"... GCWR 17700 with a max tow vehicle weight of 6700 pounds and a payload of 1984. Put that trailer pin weight of 1980 and a 150 pound fifth wheel hitch in the truck bed and you'll be 146 pounds over the truck GVWR (before any passengers or cargo) and now, let's "analyze those magic numbers again"...
GCWR 17700 - 9900 trailer = max truck weight of 7800 BUT, the (see above) max truck weight (to get an 11000 trailer) is 6700, but we put 2130 pounds of trailer pin and hitch in the bed, so the truck has to now weigh 8830 (again, before any passengers)...
OK, lets run those numbers again using "real world weights"... GCWR 17700, truck 8830 means the MAX TRAILER can only weigh 8870, BUT OUR TRAILER WEIGHS 9900 ??? What happened to that "magical 11000 pound max trailer weight ?????
So, what happens with the truck GVWR being 8750 and us having a truck/trailer/hitch weight already OVER the GVWR at 8830 ?????
Yep, "magic advertising numbers" to think that truck will tow a 11000 pound trailer "in the real world"... Now, if you didn't need a hitch, could get the trailer pin weight down to 11% and only had a driver with no passengers and only filled the truck gas tank "half full", MAYBE you could "magically tow an 11000 pound trailer, but it would only work "in the brochure or in a television ad, not in the real world.....
In final analysis, that Nissan would (might) work under ideal circumstances and only then, if you always tow the trailer empty and never have any passengers or cargo in the truck. That said, people "do it every day" and "THINK" they are OK because the brochure said .......
Take the "Nissan magic" out of the calculations and it isn't a good choice for "real world towing" of a Cougar 23MLE....
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