[[email protected]]

In Aug 2005, I bought my Armada with the intention of buying a travel trailer in the near future. In Feb 2005, I bought a brand new Outback toyhauler. The Armada has been advertised as having the highest towing capcaity in its class (9000lbs). The new Outback travel trailer gross weight is 7800lbs. The combination of the Armada and Outback does not work. I went to pick up my new trailer, hooked up, started down the road and had never been so scared in my life. I am no stranger to pulling trailers. I drove tractor-trailers for 15 yrs. The characteristics of this combination is unusal. The truck does not sway, the Armada darts. I have called Nissan coporate and my local Nisssa dealer with absolutly no help. Has anyone run accross this situation pulling a trailer.

Note: I have pulled this travel trailer with another truck and the trailer pulls just fine.

 

[ggeorgie]

In Aug 2005, I bought my Armada with the intention of buying a travel trailer in the near future. In Feb 2005, I bought a brand new Outback toyhauler. The Armada has been advertised as having the highest towing capcaity in its class (9000lbs). The new Outback travel trailer gross weight is 7800lbs. The combination of the Armada and Outback does not work. I went to pick up my new trailer, hooked up, started down the road and had never been so scared in my life. I am no stranger to pulling trailers. I drove tractor-trailers for 15 yrs. The characteristics of this combination is unusal. The truck does not sway, the Armada darts. I have called Nissan coporate and my local Nisssa dealer with absolutly no help. Has anyone run accross this situation pulling a trailer.

Note: I have pulled this travel trailer with another truck and the trailer pulls just fine.

here is a great thread to check out and post, it is very informative, we have few towing vetrans here, they might be able to help
http://www.clubarmada.com/forums/showthread.php?p=27814&highlight=Armada+towing#post27814

 

[Wags]

My Armada tows just fine

In Aug 2005, I bought my Armada with the intention of buying a travel trailer in the near future. In Feb 2005, I bought a brand new Outback toyhauler. The Armada has been advertised as having the highest towing capcaity in its class (9000lbs). The new Outback travel trailer gross weight is 7800lbs. The combination of the Armada and Outback does not work. I went to pick up my new trailer, hooked up, started down the road and had never been so scared in my life. I am no stranger to pulling trailers. I drove tractor-trailers for 15 yrs. The characteristics of this combination is unusal. The truck does not sway, the Armada darts. I have called Nissan coporate and my local Nisssa dealer with absolutly no help. Has anyone run accross this situation pulling a trailer.

Note: I have pulled this travel trailer with another truck and the trailer pulls just fine.

Does your armada have the tow package and auto leveling suspension? Probably does. I have an 04 LE with all options but Nav. I pull a 35 FT travel trailor that also weighs around 7000 lbs. I did put a set of equalizer bars on it just to help at high speed, but when I picked up the trailor the first time just hooked up and pulled away. Only time its a little scary is passing tractor trailors at high speed.

 

[[email protected]]

Does your armada have the tow package and auto leveling suspension? Probably does. I have an 04 LE with all options but Nav. I pull a 35 FT travel trailor that also weighs around 7000 lbs. I did put a set of equalizer bars on it just to help at high speed, but when I picked up the trailor the first time just hooked up and pulled away. Only time its a little scary is passing tractor trailors at high speed.

Mine has all of that. My Armada is 05 LE with NAV, tow pack, etc.

 

[Cillyone]

A couple of suggestions; check you hitch height and maybe try a different level and try to put more preload on your WD bars to transfer more weight to the front wheels. What are your WD bars rated at? Putting one more link worth of WD preload and raising my hitch one hole made a big difference for me. Try some different combinations and contact your RV dealer for advice before you loose patience with the Armada, I think you should be able to improve you situation. Good luck.

 

[[email protected]]

A couple of suggestions; check you hitch height and maybe try a different level and try to put more preload on your WD bars to transfer more weight to the front wheels. What are your WD bars rated at? Putting one more link worth of WD preload and raising my hitch one hole made a big difference for me. Try some different combinations and contact your RV dealer for advice before you loose patience with the Armada, I think you should be able to improve you situation. Good luck.

I have tried all of that. I have lowered the hitch. I have raised the hitch. I have added a link in WD bars and I have dropped a link. I have attached the anti-sway bar, that makes it worst. My Armada does not have a sway. The truck drifts as if the side wall of the tires are to weak. Do you have aftermarket tires on your Armada?

 

[Campfamily]

Wonder if having a low tongue weight could cause this? For a trailer of that weight, you need 750 to 800#'s minimum.

You mention in an earlier post that you towed the same trailer with a truck with no problems. What kind of truck, 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton?

When you hook up your trailer with your WD bars, does the whole truck squat down, or just the back? Check this before you start the engine, before the auto-leveling suspension lifts the rear back up to level.

Can't think of anything else off the top of my head.

 

[[email protected]]

Wonder if having a low tongue weight could cause this? For a trailer of that weight, you need 750 to 800#'s minimum.

You mention in an earlier post that you towed the same trailer with a truck with no problems. What kind of truck, 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton?

When you hook up your trailer with your WD bars, does the whole truck squat down, or just the back? Check this before you start the engine, before the auto-leveling suspension lifts the rear back up to level.

Can't think of anything else off the top of my head.

I pulled it with a Dodge Dooley 1 ton. I did that beacuse the Nissan dealer claimed that the trailer axles were out of alignment. When I pulled it with the Dodge, the trailer pull straight as an arrow.

I have hooked my trailer up without the engine running. As soon as I Cranked the engine, the air bags started to fill up. Then I took it down the road and the rear end felt like it was going to pass me.

 

[Campfamily]

I pulled it with a Dodge Dooley 1 ton. I did that beacuse the Nissan dealer claimed that the trailer axles were out of alignment. When I pulled it with the Dodge, the trailer pull straight as an arrow.

I have hooked my trailer up without the engine running. As soon as I Cranked the engine, the air bags started to fill up. Then I took it down the road and the rear end felt like it was going to pass me.

When you hooked it up without the engine running, did the Armada squat the same front and rear? Or did you see more squat in the back or the front? If you saw the back squat more than the front, your bars are too loose. If the front squatted more, your bars are too tight, and you are transferring more weight to the front of the Armada, lifting the back in the air. You would not see this effect with the Dodge, since it is far better for towing than the Armada. It seems to me that if you were transferring too much weight to the front axle, you might get the feeling of the trailer trying to drive the truck. Just a idea, may not be the case.

A lot of others are towing way more weight than you are, and are raving about how good they tow. Therefore, my guess is that there is something screwy in your setup, and that the Dodge is masking it because of the stiffer suspension, higher tow rating, longer wheelbase, etc.

Keith

 

[[email protected]]

When you hooked it up without the engine running, did the Armada squat the same front and rear? Or did you see more squat in the back or the front? If you saw the back squat more than the front, your bars are too loose. If the front squatted more, your bars are too tight, and you are transferring more weight to the front of the Armada, lifting the back in the air. You would not see this effect with the Dodge, since it is far better for towing than the Armada. It seems to me that if you were transferring too much weight to the front axle, you might get the feeling of the trailer trying to drive the truck. Just a idea, may not be the case.

A lot of others are towing way more weight than you are, and are raving about how good they tow. Therefore, my guess is that there is something screwy in your setup, and that the Dodge is masking it because of the stiffer suspension, higher tow rating, longer wheelbase, etc.

Keith

could you send me an email so we can discuss this. My email is [email protected]. When sending the email, I will return with my toll free number. Maybe you could call me to discuss.

Thanks so much for the suggestions you have been giving. I have had nothing but problems since i bought my trailer.

Brandon

 

[Cillyone]

I have tried all of that. I have lowered the hitch. I have raised the hitch. I have added a link in WD bars and I have dropped a link. I have attached the anti-sway bar, that makes it worst. My Armada does not have a sway. The truck drifts as if the side wall of the tires are to weak. Do you have aftermarket tires on your Armada?

I have the stock Conti's, they are OK but would like to replace with LTs when worn out. I am also running a friction type anti-sway. I think Camp is onto something with the WD set-up and/or tongue weight. Maybe rear wheel alignment too, how are the rear tires wearing? My 1st set of rears wore out fast (7k!) as the camber was off, Nissan replaced them and set the alignment and all is well, tows better now too. There are guys towing trailers on this forum as big as yours and not reporting any problems. My trailer is just as heavy if not more so loaded.
BTW I should mention I bump the tire pressure up to 42 PSI when I tow the toybox.

 

[sptddog]

BBAYLESS, did you get this solved? Let us know what it was...I'm eyeing an Outback TT too - around 7000 gross. Good luck and I hope you got it worked out.