Best mods to increase towing capacity?

speediq99 · Feb 7, 2011

Thanks for the tip.
I have that airmod in there. I forgot about it.

Mike

Pops said:
Pull out the air filter, do the "Airbox Mod", and put in a brand new Air Filter... My TT is around 6,000-6,300-lbs and tows up 6% grades at 70-75 mph easily, sometimes like a screaming banshee but still with ease.

speediq99 · Feb 7, 2011

This sounds like a good mod to do so I will order a new tranny pan. It seems like good insurance.

I do have a question. If I remember correctly, the BD programmers (and I don't have one yet), gives you tranny temp. The PML tranny pan has the option of drilling a hole for a temperature sensor. I am a bit confused here so bare w/ me.

Does the BD programmer read the tranny temp from any specific place on the stock pan?

Would I need to order any kind of sensor for the PML pan to be able to get a reading on the tranny temp from the BD programmer?

Are the sensors that go in the pan wireless or do I need special wiring for them?

Sorry for all the questions. I really would like to understand this before changing that pan.

It would be good to also hear any experiences on what causes the tranny temps to go up at 75K or so. The truck did not have 'any' problem whatsoever pulling the trailer when it was new and the tranny fluid is really clean.

Mike

Blevinger said:
I think a PML transmission pan is in your future to keep that fluid cool. Add in a PML Diff pan while you're at it.

I tow a big-one myself (not quite the sail you have, though). 5-8% grades recently through Virginia—had that beast loaded down; Titan handled the hills well between me pulling through 3rd and 4th gear.

The engine can take those high RPMs. I was towing heavy—still found it waay easy to get up to 75mph anytime I wanted even in the hills (and mostly, I didn't).

speediq99 · Feb 7, 2011

The trailer is a Jayco 29BHS, which if I am not mistaken looks very much like the one in the picture w/ the Armada. Equalizer, the company, helped me set it up, so I know it is as good as it can be. I will try to dig some pictures out, however, equalizer told me that this was a normal issue w/ the Titan and the soft springs in the rear.

Mike

Blevinger said:
Woah, that doesn't add up. Airbags will help with leveling (I have them), but a 10K equal-i-zer hitch (I had one) should level out that stated trailer and tongue weight NOOOOOOO problem.

Something sounds waaay wrong with your setup. We can help you out with the equalizer hitch setting if you post up some pix. And definitely getting on the scales to double check that weight would be in order.

In summary, you're not stating any facts about your setup that sound out-of-the-ordinary.

PICS PICS PICS

HudsonValleyTitan · Feb 8, 2011

Everyones giving great advise to help you tow however, I'm more concerned with the bogging down problem you mentioned as well as the tranny overheating while towing. Neither should be happening on an 06 tow package equipped truck with only 76k miles on it. The plugs are good for 105k but maybe a new set wouldn't hurt....but I'm not convinced that's the problem.

If you're towing a boat that weighs what you're saying, I don't see a another thousand pounds or two turning it into an overheated tranny slug that can't climb a hill...somethings not right! Could your trailer brakes be stuck? or adjusted too tight? I'm just trying to find a reason for not being able to climb a lousy 6% hill without reason. I'll haul mine up a 6% hill from a dead stop....and STILL beat an F-150 to 60!! (ok...so maybe that's a LITTLE bit exaggerated...but not by much). And you say it runs fine otherwise? I'm stumped..wish I had more other than to say...no, that's far from normal in my experiences with 2 Titans..

bestatchess · Feb 8, 2011

I plan to tow a 7500lbs travel trailer. My main problem is going uphill. The truck simply bogs down (45mph at 3800 rpm). Stepping on the gas after this point is useless, the rpms go through the roof and truck goes into 2nd gear.

http://www.titantalk.net/uploads/Titan/2004 Tow Vehicle Of The Year.pdf

7840 lb boat, towed up 6% grade at 40 mph in 3rd gear at 2400 rpm. There is a 6% grade on I-70 coming down into Denver and it is a steep A$$ grade in my view, w/ runaway truck ramps and warning signs to truckers.

3% grade at 55 mph in 3rd @ 3100 rpm.

Derwud · Feb 8, 2011

I will try to post something later, but the trans temp thing should be your first priority!! The PML pan and all the other fixes may be just band-aids..

Pops · Feb 8, 2011

speediq99 said:
The trailer is a Jayco 29BHS, which if I am not mistaken looks very much like the one in the picture w/ the Armada. Equalizer, the company, helped me set it up, so I know it is as good as it can be. I will try to dig some pictures out, however, equalizer told me that this was a normal issue w/ the Titan and the soft springs in the rear.

Mike

That is the exact same trailer as in the picture w/ the Armada... I've towed this thing up through Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, etc with no issues at all, not even close to what you've described.

Your actual weight is 6,000-lbs and 820-lbs Hitch Weight with full propane tanks... You do not need any suspension mods or transmission pan mods or anything else for that matter, a Titan w/ Tow Package will pull that TT great...

Seriously, make sure your Air Filter is clean.... Always tow in 4th Gear (NOT 'D') in addition to having Tow Mode on.... Setup your Equalizer aggressive... Go pickup 2 more Grade 8 Washers from the hardware store to add onto the rivet, galvenized is better... Then set your L-Brackets one notch up from this pic, the bolts should be in the 3rd hole up...

speediq99 · Feb 8, 2011

I agree with you on this. I am doing the pan b/c I think that it will help in the Arizona summers when going to the mountains. I have a feel that the tranny heating problem is related to something else. Like I said in another thread, this never happened until the truck hit 65K or so. The temp on the tranny was always at the 1/2 mark point or below, no matter what.

Someone with the same problem mentioned a long time ago that Nissan said this was a fan clutch problem. I just don't know how to test for a fan clutch problem.

I really appreciate all the help in this forum. I have many ideas and things to try. I still would like to see some suggestions on what would be the best bang for my money in terms of adding some pulling power.

I have the air mod and 2% timing advance. I am planning to buy a BD programmer. Would doing the exhaust next be the logical thing to do? Would this make any difference?

Mike

Derwud said:
I will try to post something later, but the trans temp thing should be your first priority!! The PML pan and all the other fixes may be just band-aids..

speediq99 · Feb 8, 2011

Thanks.

The pictures help. That is the exact same setup I have and for me, towing a 6% hill at 70 mph is out of the question. The total weight of my trailer is closer to 7500 when loaded. Empty is around 6000lbs.

I will add one more washer to see if that helps w/ leveling. The Equalizer is setup very aggressive with just 1 extra washer besides the ones supplied by the company. While the truck and trailer in the picture do look leveled, the minute I either put something in the cargo area and add (4) passengers, it starts to sink some more.

In looking at the pictures, it looks like I have a bit more tension on my bars than you do. I assume you have a 10K Equalizer. That is what I have.

Mike

Pops said:
That is the exact same trailer as in the picture w/ the Armada... I've towed this thing up through Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, etc with no issues at all, not even close to what you've described.

Your actual weight is 6,000-lbs and 820-lbs Hitch Weight with full propane tanks... You do not need any suspension mods or transmission pan mods or anything else for that matter, a Titan w/ Tow Package will pull that TT great...

Seriously, make sure your Air Filter is clean.... Always tow in 4th Gear (NOT 'D') in addition to having Tow Mode on.... Setup your Equalizer aggressive... Go pickup 2 more Grade 8 Washers from the hardware store to add onto the rivet, galvenized is better... Then set your L-Brackets one notch up from this pic, the bolts should be in the 3rd hole up...

kylevd23 · Feb 8, 2011

I'm definitely in agreement with pops, I had the same problem last month towing my car trailer with my car on there, approx. 6500# and I was almost feeling like my titan was struggling at inclines, got to a rest stop and was checking my oil and stuff, and decided to check my airfilter and bam! it was black as could be, I had totally forgotten that I had not changed it for months seeing as it had only been 8k since I last changed it, stopped by a local auto part store, put a new one in, and she ran as beautiful as before. After that, the rest of the trip was a breeze, you'd be amazed how much power is robbed just from a clogged air filter.

Pops · Feb 8, 2011

speediq99 said:
Thanks.

The pictures help. That is the exact same setup I have and for me, towing a 6% hill at 70 mph is out of the question. The total weight of my trailer is closer to 7500 when loaded. Empty is around 6000lbs.

I will add one more washer to see if that helps w/ leveling. The Equalizer is setup very aggressive with just 1 extra washer besides the ones supplied by the company. While the truck and trailer in the picture do look leveled, the minute I either put something in the cargo area and add (4) passengers, it starts to sink some more.

In looking at the pictures, it looks like I have a bit more tension on my bars than you do. I assume you have a 10K Equalizer. That is what I have.

Mike

Mike, think about it, 1500-lbs of gear when loaded??? Drinks are usually the heaviest and when I'm fully loaded ready to go for a week with a load under the kitchen seats full of sodas, Gatorade, etc, I'm barely tipping 6300-lbs... Add water into the Freshwater Tank, then I can be at 7,000-lbs pretty easily but that's useless since there's always a water spichot closer to where we're going..

If you're traveling with Freshwater in the holding tank, dump it.. :coolsmile .... 80 gallons @ 8.35-lbs/gal = 668-lbs and can put you tipping 7,000-lbs, but 7500-lbs would be like having both holding tanks full too.

Yes, mine is the 10k Equalizer... My rear suspension is pretty much still OEM (no Load Cap improvements anyway), the Armada comes from the factory with some crappy Tokico Air Shocks..... The Equalizer does creak and squal while turning tight corners, it's from friction by design and normal...

A Dirty Air Filter and/or a Fowl Spark Plug or two can rob your power... So can a dirty MAF Sensor, Auto Stores sell MAF Cleaner cheap and it's easy to use...

If you drive down a narrow alley with your window down and hear a tick, tick, tick, while accelerating you could have a cracked exhaust manifold or two... There's a TSB out on them where they are covered for free replacement under the 80k mile Powertrain Warranty.

If you haven't changed the fluids in your radiator, transmission, transfer case, and both differentials, do it... There's a How-To somewhere on here and it's pretty easy to follow... Keep track of how much transmission fluid comes out and check your Transmission Cooler lines at the radiator bottom for leaks... I replace the silly Nissan POS clamps with Screw Clamps when I changed my fluids... Also check the bottom of the radiator for coolant leaks, some have been proned to crack...

That's repeating alot of previous posts and everything I can think of that I would check first...

Derwud · Feb 8, 2011

speediq99 said:
I agree with you on this. I am doing the pan b/c I think that it will help in the Arizona summers when going to the mountains. I have a feel that the tranny heating problem is related to something else. Like I said in another thread, this never happened until the truck hit 65K or so. The temp on the tranny was always at the 1/2 mark point or below, no matter what.

Someone with the same problem mentioned a long time ago that Nissan said this was a fan clutch problem. I just don't know how to test for a fan clutch problem.

I really appreciate all the help in this forum. I have many ideas and things to try. I still would like to see some suggestions on what would be the best bang for my money in terms of adding some pulling power.

I have the air mod and 2% timing advance. I am planning to buy a BD programmer. Would doing the exhaust next be the logical thing to do? Would this make any difference?

Mike

To check the fan clutch, go get the car HOT and shut it off. Open the hood and go to the fan and try to turn it.. You should have a really hard time turning it! If it moves easily, it's no good!!

Have you replaced the radiator yet? you might have a bad trans cooler in the radiator! Have you checked the trans fluid for coolant or the radiator for trans fluid?

I run Air bags, but I removed the overload spring for a better ride and I have to tell you, I love my set-up!!

Derwud · Feb 8, 2011

Mods...
PRG Shackles!!
PML Trans Pan and Diff cover!
For towing, Gibson exhaust
For Sound, Banks exhaust.
Air bags, but that is just me..

speediq99 · Feb 8, 2011

Thanks for the post.

You are most likely onto something here. Nissan replaced both manifolds a couple of months ago. They were cracked. I have not driven the truck/trailer since. If a cracked manifold can cause a power loss, this could be it. BTW, it was replaced under warranty.

Lots of great advice and several things to try.

Thanks again.

Mike

Pops said:
Mike, think about it, 1500-lbs of gear when loaded??? Drinks are usually the heaviest and when I'm fully loaded ready to go for a week with a load under the kitchen seats full of sodas, Gatorade, etc, I'm barely tipping 6300-lbs... Add water into the Freshwater Tank, then I can be at 7,000-lbs pretty easily but that's useless since there's always a water spichot closer to where we're going..

If you're traveling with Freshwater in the holding tank, dump it.. :coolsmile .... 80 gallons @ 8.35-lbs/gal = 668-lbs and can put you tipping 7,000-lbs, but 7500-lbs would be like having both holding tanks full too.

Yes, mine is the 10k Equalizer... My rear suspension is pretty much still OEM (no Load Cap improvements anyway), the Armada comes from the factory with some crappy Tokico Air Shocks..... The Equalizer does creak and squal while turning tight corners, it's from friction by design and normal...

A Dirty Air Filter and/or a Fowl Spark Plug or two can rob your power... So can a dirty MAF Sensor, Auto Stores sell MAF Cleaner cheap and it's easy to use...

If you drive down a narrow alley with your window down and hear a tick, tick, tick, while accelerating you could have a cracked exhaust manifold or two... There's a TSB out on them where they are covered for free replacement under the 80k mile Powertrain Warranty.

If you haven't changed the fluids in your radiator, transmission, transfer case, and both differentials, do it... There's a How-To somewhere on here and it's pretty easy to follow... Keep track of how much transmission fluid comes out and check your Transmission Cooler lines at the radiator bottom for leaks... I replace the silly Nissan POS clamps with Screw Clamps when I changed my fluids... Also check the bottom of the radiator for coolant leaks, some have been proned to crack...

That's repeating alot of previous posts and everything I can think of that I would check first...

speediq99 · Feb 13, 2011

Hello again,

I need to follow-up on this one. I checked the fan and it does turn about 1/4 turn when hot when I push on the blades. It turns easily, however it does not spin all the way around freely. It is not locked up.

Does this mean that the fan clutch is bad? I thought you should be able to turn it w/ your hand.

What is the thinking behind it being hard to turn when hot?

Mike

Derwud said:
To check the fan clutch, go get the car HOT and shut it off. Open the hood and go to the fan and try to turn it.. You should have a really hard time turning it! If it moves easily, it's no good!!

Derwud · Feb 13, 2011

speediq99 said:
Hello again,

I need to follow-up on this one. I checked the fan and it does turn about 1/4 turn when hot when I push on the blades. It turns easily, however it does not spin all the way around freely. It is not locked up.

Does this mean that the fan clutch is bad? I thought you should be able to turn it w/ your hand.

What is the thinking behind it being hard to turn when hot?

Mike

Derwud said:

To check the fan clutch, go get the car HOT and shut it off. Open the hood and go to the fan and try to turn it.. You should have a really hard time turning it! If it moves easily, it's no good!!

Click to expand...

I will go check my fan. It turns about a 1/4 turn and it has been parked for a couple of hours. I have feeling you have 1 or 2 things bad, radiator and fan clutch.

speediq99 · Feb 13, 2011

Mine turns 1/4 turn hot or cold. It doesn't make much difference.

This article claims that as long as it doesn't do a full turn, it is okay.
Troubleshoot Cooling Fan Clutch

Is there a good test for the radiator?
I hate to replace these two things only to end up on the same spot.

Mike

amadorj · Mar 3, 2011

Anyone know if the PML Trans Pan will fit under the Pro4X skid plate?
-Thanks in advance!

curtisunwest · Mar 6, 2011

mike,
Bring the truck over hitched up. I can take a look at it..
Curt

12glocks · Mar 6, 2011

Two minor points I would like to make:

The Titan power plant will handle the 2nd gear runs up a mountain, don't sweat it. Hell, that is what the big 3 trucks have to do anyway as they do not have the torque down low that we do.

I've towed a 5th wheel heavier than your trailer through the mountains. When you see that you are going to go up a grade, increase your speed to ~ 65. At the slightest hint of bogging when ascending, downshift into 3rd. In short, try driving up hill a little faster.

Best mods to increase towing capacity?

speediq99

speediq99

speediq99

HudsonValleyTitan

bestatchess

Derwud

Pops

speediq99

speediq99

kylevd23

Pops

Derwud

Derwud

speediq99

speediq99

Derwud

speediq99

amadorj

curtisunwest

12glocks

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