Nissan Titan

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by n2916s

The axle ratings on mine are 4900# front and rear.

8800# gvwr

Bigger puppy than my first generation Titan.

Thanks. Sounds like another half-ton that is more capable of load carrying capacity (when trailering with a weight distribution hitch) than the gvwr indicates. And another good Airstream tow vehicle choice.

[n2916s]

Hope so. Will report in when I have some real miles on it.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by n2916s

The axle ratings on mine are 4900# front and rear.

8800# gvwr

Bigger puppy than my first generation Titan.

What tires?

Some ideas for you. An approach.

If you haven't, scale it with full fuel, driver and ordinary gear. Your otherwise "lightest possible" configuration. Valuable to you and to others.

As to fuel economy, run a hundred miles out and back from that same truck stop fuel pump. At the same speed as when towing. Cruise control. Consider these as part of break in.

Once loaded for travel and towing you'll be able to see an accurate percentage change. Will be 40%, could be down to 30%.

That lower number will be down to trailer bearing pre-set, brake adjustment, and axle alignment (.25" off is NOT acceptable), tire design/pressure on the one hand. Best WD is foremost on the other. In other words you can isolate trailer effects on MPG.

A VPP hitch will raise MPG. Safety is improved, stress avoided, but the cherry on top is lower fuel burn. Highly recommended. Surprised you don't have one, actually.

The three pass scale method for setting WD and TV tire pressure according to wheel loads is the ticket.

These numbers are baseline for future changes, as well as part of the decision tree branches when confronted with problems.

"Competition" is on one hand "Top" with his very well sorted rig (1970s AS and RAM Ecodiesel) and guys like me with an early HPCR Cummins.

All of us have 28' + trailers being pulled by diesel pickup trucks.

14-16 mpg is the average for my crowd. Higher for the ED guys (but lighter combined rigs) given level terrain and generally 65-mph or less. I'll be interested to see where yours fits in. (But it isn't worth much as info without control miles).

Whatever you feel about competition, I know I'd find comparisons with my rig about fuel burn useful. As a Coastie or pilot 80% tankage (or similar) as a maximum ought to be familiar. What range for planning, etc.

(In a hurricane evacuation, 3-5/mpg is the number for a Prius or a one ton gasser. And 150-miles from projected landfall is where services again resume normality . . though Florida may be an exception to that. At 5-mpg, what's projected range? Etc). This is "best" thinking behind extended range fuel tanks. At 36-gls tankage and 80%, 150-miles is too far on mine. But not with aftermarket replacement of 60-gls. In the meantime I have spare cans. Can you tell I was on the Gulf Coast, ha!

Easy for you running up Florida to record optimal fuel burn numbers. A baseline "best". And for future tests. Fuel economy, brake life and tire life all factor together.

I don't know what info is available to the driver of yours, but I bought an Ultragauge OBD reader to provide feedback. I read "engine load percentage" among others. My not to exceed number is 80%. A genuinely old rule. Works, too.


1990 35' Silver Streak
2004 555 Cummins

[21Airstream]

Originally Posted by Mrjkq

Thought I'd temp you!

Nice truck. I've only got 41,000 mi. (about 10,000 or so towing) on the Ram so it will (hopefully) be awhile before I'm in the market for a replacement.


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[Silverbuckle]

Looking for the right tow vehicle. Like the reliability of the Toyota's but
is it up to pulling a 10K trailer. Rated at 10,700.
I saw a poster with a 30 and listed a Tundra as the tow vehicle.
Any Tundra owners with experience would be great.

Thanks
Silverbuckle

[RinconVTR]

Originally Posted by slowmover

A VPP hitch will raise MPG.

Uh, whats that you say? Please explain.

Any who, I'm towing a 7200lb TT now with a 2010 Toyota Sequoia with Hensley and while very happy I have been 3/4 ton truck shopping and the XD in in the picture.

I really wanted to stick with Toyota and simply buy a Tundra, as I gain 20" of wheelbase and grow the gas tank to 38 vs 26. The motor and trans are absolutely bullet proof and offer more than enough power. The 5.7 is a beast.

But I also want to lose the Hensley if I buy a truck but keep the same rock solid stability, so 1/2 tons are pretty much out. Thus, I believe I want over 145" wheel base, LT tires stock, and a basically all the mechanicals of a true HD truck.

The XD is what brought me into this thread to begin with. It covers all the bases for towing a large TT EXCEPT for the little 26 gallon tank that will not accept a truck pump nozzle. Those two things alone just about have me ready to cross the XD off the list, but I just cannot do it yet.

[n2916s]

An 11 dollar adapter will allow you to pump all the diesel you want from the larger diameter truck pumps.

However, a basic Titan XD SV, with very little in the way of options will only have about 1750# of payload. That was okay by me as it was a 400# improvement on my first generation Titan.

[Zymurbrian]

I know that I am the exception here but I waited for 6 months so that I could order my XD Pro4X with the gas engine. This is my third consecutive Titan and I love it! I admit that my truck gets no better gas mileage than my first two Titans when towing but I loved the $5,000 that I saved in buying the gas. As far as power, my first gas Titans pulled my 6,700 lb 25FB with aplomb; this truck is fabulous in gas power. As a guy who still works for a living, I only pull my trailer 10-15% of the time and, thus, don't have the need for diesel. And, on a totally gratuitous note, I am amazed at the number of people who stop me to say that they love my truck. And in tow-tone Billiant Silver, it does look nice in front of the trailer.


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[TG2500]

I have a 2016 Titan XD I traded for my Ram 3500 which was more truck than I need for my 26U. Took us back & firth from upstate NY to the international and camping all summer with no problems. Quite comfortable ride, love the cummings, and no problems to date. Very happy with my decision

[21Airstream]

Originally Posted by RinconVTR

...
The XD is what brought me into this thread to begin with. It covers all the bases for towing a large TT EXCEPT for the little 26 gallon tank that will not accept a truck pump nozzle. Those two things alone just about have me ready to cross the XD off the list, but I just cannot do it yet.

A 26 gal. fuel tank on a light truck is ridiculous. Hopefully the aftermarket will come up with a larger replacement tank (I replaced the 34 gal. tank that came in my Ram with a Titan 56 gal. replacement tank).


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[slowmover]

Originally Posted by RinconVTR

Uh, whats that you say? Please explain.

Any who, I'm towing a 7200lb TT now with a 2010 Toyota Sequoia with Hensley and while very happy I have been 3/4 ton truck shopping and the XD.

MPG is about tenths.

With a VPP not allowing the trailer to ever swing on its axis, HP demand is reduced. It's measurable.

Same improvement as with truck IFS + rack & pinion steering versus Straight axle plus worm sector steering. Same penalty as an off-road tire tread versus on-road. 4WD sitting higher than 2WD. Etc.

And keep the HA. The truck needs it. Even more if you go up past 1/2T.


1990 35' Silver Streak
2004 555 Cummins

[RinconVTR]

Originally Posted by slowmover

MPG is about tenths.

With a VPP not allowing the trailer to ever swing on its axis, HP demand is reduced. It's measurable.

Same improvement as with truck IFS + rack & pinion steering versus Straight axle plus worm sector steering. Same penalty as an off-road tire tread versus on-road. 4WD sitting higher than 2WD. Etc.

I'm sorry, but I am not buying what you're selling!

[Mrjkq]

Originally Posted by 21Airstream

A 26 gal. fuel tank on a light truck is ridiculous. Hopefully the aftermarket will come up with a larger replacement tank (I replaced the 34 gal. tank that came in my Ram with a Titan 56 gal. replacement tank).


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Transfer Flow now offers a 50 gallon aftermarket tank for the Titan XD. Google Transfer Flow Tank.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by RinconVTR

I'm sorry, but I am not buying what you're selling!

Since I've tested for it, so be it for you. The "why" as to how it works is backed by Class 8 truck data where reduction of steering inputs per 100-miles is measurable in terms fuel economy.

Do you believe worn front end and steering components can have an effect on fuel economy?

Have a friend follow you down the highway to video trailer wag with your current set up. It's there whether you acknowledge it or not. And then bolt on a VPP hitch and do it again.

[rmkrum]

Yup. Stability with a VPP hitch is night and day better. By actual experiment over the exact same course.


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[2012FB]

I am not sure about mileage as there are too many variable but it makes sense. Straighter the wheels over an extended period would be less rolling resistance just not sure how measurable. I can say emphatically that there is significantly less steering input with my ProPride. A much more relaxed drive in the worst of conditions.


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