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Old 08-13-2014, 05:23 PM   #1
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Towing a 30' AS with Armada

Question for y'all.

I have a 2012 Nissan Armada 4x4 with the tow package. I think this affords me 9100 lbs towing capacity. It has all the nifty coolers for oil, trans, blinker fluid, etc.

It tows my non-AS trailer just fine. That trailer is about 24' tip to tail and as aerodynamic as a 7-11.

In the future (soon, PLEASE), I'd like to upgrade to an AS, preferably a roughly 30 footer. Used, 15-25 years old maybe. I'd outfit it with WD/SC, 'cause I'm already sold on those technologies.

How do you think I will do with the Armada? Is anyone out there towing this length AS trailer with an Armada?
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Old 08-13-2014, 10:57 PM   #2
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I tow my 1986 31' Sovereign with a 2004 Titan (same power train). Some 55000 miles now and the truck just passed 174000 miles. The 5.6 V-8 is a beast -- it has never faltered once but you need to keep the RPM's above 3000 on steep grades for both torque and effective cooling.
The Titan has a 5 speed automatic with tow/haul and I tow with overdrive locked out.
Do check your door sticker, though, and check your payload. Mine is pretty low so I travel light as my tongue weight takes up a big chunk of it.

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Old 08-14-2014, 07:20 AM   #3
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Mike
No steep grades out here in CO, so that's not a concern. Ha!

Seriously - I put the tranny in 4 and tow mode. Leaving it in D just doesn't work, the 5th gear is to tall.

Thanks for the data point. The Titan is effectively the same as an Armada, just longer wheelbase. Do you have WD/SC?
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Old 08-14-2014, 08:08 AM   #4
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In this blog they started with a Armada and towed a 30ft Bunkhouse..maybe you can email and ask for imput..
http://airstreamlife.com/maze/2008/12/
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Old 08-14-2014, 08:42 AM   #5
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The older lighter trailers IMO will not pose a problem for your proposed tow vehicle.

My chevy 5.3 has been able to maintain 70 mph on EVERY road I have driven on except for an 8% grade south of Globe, AZ.

Someone will for sure tell you that you will need to trade your TV in on a new diesel, but it ain't so.
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Old 08-15-2014, 06:13 AM   #6
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I have a '95 30' trailer. Curb weight on the side of the trailer is something like 8500 lbs (I don't remember the exact numbers). Add in the "wet" stuff (propane, water in the tank, etc.), plus your stuff, and I think you're going to be pushing the limits of your tow vehicle. How much you want to bend the rules set by the manufacturer is up to you and a matter of great debate on these forums. I don't recommend getting into that argument - just decide for yourself and move on.

I've been watching the newer half ton trucks like the F-150 with a tow capacity of 11,000 or 12,000 pounds, and I think that would be the minimum vehicle I'd want for our trailer (and in fact there are plenty of people using them to do just that). If they offered them in the cab/bed/trim level configuration we want, we'd probably replace our F-250 with one.
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Old 08-15-2014, 10:40 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skater View Post
I have a '95 30' trailer. Curb weight on the side of the trailer is something like 8500 lbs (I don't remember the exact numbers). .
Curb weight on yours is 8500??? See here:

Classic Floor Plans & Specifications - Airstream

A new 31' AS is about 7400 lbs dry. I wonder why yours is 1000lbs more?
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Old 08-15-2014, 02:18 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skater View Post
I have a '95 30' trailer. Curb weight on the side of the trailer is something like 8500 lbs (I don't remember the exact numbers).
Spec sheet shows 8300 GVWR, 6350 curb weight. Should be lots of room to a 9100 rated tow capacity, if that is what it is (subject to truck payload limits).
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Old 08-16-2014, 01:56 PM   #9
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Oops, sorry. Thanks for the correction.
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Old 08-16-2014, 06:04 PM   #10
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Eric,
I have a Reese Straight Line with friction anti-sway. Works fine. The 31' tracks beautifully behind the old Titan. I want an Anderson but can't justify replacing something that works just because it is more complex and messier...

Next trailer, perhaps.

Mike
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