Mark Rogers

I think everyone tries to over think this trailer towing. I use a simple formula. Example: my NV2500 is a V6 (4.0L) and the towing capacity is 7000lbs. I look at the GVWR of the trailer and make sure it is at least a couple hundred lbs below the 7000. Mine is 3625 GVWR so I am well within the limit. I doubt my van is anywhere close to cap on the load inside, i know my trailer is well under its cap or GVWR with whats in it.

Nissan seems to think that's under thinking it.  Have you seen their towing guide?  https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/common/2017/2017-nissan-towing-guide.pdf

They say you need to consider four weights when towing:

• Gross Vehicle Weight
• Gross Axle Weight (Front and Rear)
• Gross Combined Weight
• Trailer Tongue Load

  All that weight is on the tires.  The tires will take it.

 

The tires definitely will take it, especially if you add a bit more air to them.  But, there must be a reason for the GAWR.  Will the other front suspension components handle the load properly?  Will it adversely affect emergency steering or braking?  Will the springs need upgrading to allow a full range of motion with the extra load?  Those sorts of questions need more information to answer.

It remains a mental exercise.

Sounds great!  I love a good mental exercise now and then, especially if it has the potential to turn into something practical.

Actually with the 150lbx12 passengers in factory stock condition, the front GAWR is well below their rated number. The reason is that the 3rd row adds very little to the front weight, and the 4th row actually REDUCES the load on the front axle since it is behind the rear axle by quite a bit. 

Thanks for correcting me on that.  I must have mistyped a number or something, because I got the same answer as you on the second try (using your %Front values).

Do you have anything really heavy you can mount in the back of the van?  You could get one of those trailer hitch luggage racks and add a couple cubic feet of lead to it.  :thumbsup:

Sorry, I don't have a better technical solution.  Do you think Quigley does something to the front suspension to beef it up?

You could try reaching out to either Quigley or Nissan Consumer Affairs to see if they can help you out.

I'd love to see how this turns out, so please keep me posted.

Here are my numbers that you are free to double-check (attached below). Basically its easy to see that with just 2 x 200lb occupants in the drivers and passengers seat, you are over the front axle GAWR. Is it possible that curb weight includes the driver weight? Potentially, but that still puts it over as soon as you add any 2nd row passengers. Its anybody's guess what happens when you add a winch and steel front bumper. 

Your spreadsheet looks reasonable.  How confident are you in the %Front values?  I didn't see those specific number in the body builder's guide, so I'm guessing you did some math to arrive at them.  They at least look like they're in the right ballpark.

I noticed that you only included six people in your figures.  If you load up all twelve seats using the hypothetical 150 pound people that Nissan describes in their body building guide, you'll be over the front GAWR even without a 4x4 conversion.  This tells me that Nissan's engineers must have a different perspective on how to do the math.  If you still have any contacts at Nissan, you should see what information you can get from them about it.

There are a couple of other 4x4 conversion options for the NV, but I don't know how they compare in weight.

There's Advanced 4x4 Vans in Utah, which I'm guessing you've heard about.

The less well known option is Tim Dahle Nissan Southtowne in Utah, which installs Nissan Titan 4x4 parts into NVs.  The Tim Dahle conversion includes high and low ranges, and uses a dashboard control.  If I had more money to play with, I probably would have taken them up on it.

Another reason to consider the NV is the 5 year / 100,000 mile warranty.

If you don't like the leather, you can always add aftermarket cloth seat covers on top of it.

A more expensive option is to buy OEM cloth seat covers.  I'm told the leather can be unzipped and removed, then you can zip on the cloth covers.  You might be able to find another NV owner to buy the leather from you if it's still in good condition.

The new V8 was available in 2017, but the limited engine options didn't start until 2018.  I'm guessing they're just reducing the options to save cost.

I agree that the V8 is nice for large families.  By most accounts I've heard, it's a lot better at towing.  And some people say the V6 feels underpowered even when not towing.  I've only ever driven the V8, and it serves us just fine.  It's no race car, but it can easily beat our minivan in a drag race.  And passing trucks on the interstate is no problem, even when going up a steep grade.

You used to be able to pick your engine for a lot of the NV's, but that changed in 2018.  Now, only the 2500 S and 2500 SV vans have a choice of engines.

Here's what you'll find in the 2018 vans:

Cargo 1500 S: V6

Cargo 1500 SV: V6

Cargo 2500 S: V6 or V8

Cargo 2500 SV: V6 or V8

Cargo 2500 SL: V6

Cargo 3500 S: V8

Cargo 3500 SV: V8

Cargo 3500 SL: V8

Passenger 3500 S: V6

Passenger 3500 SV: V6

Passenger 3500 SL: V8

If you want a V8 SV, you might be able to find one from 2017 (passenger version only), but they weren't all that common.

Sources:

2017 cargo van brochure: https://www.nissanusa.com/content/dam/Nissan/us/vehicle-brochures/2017/2017-nv-cargo-brochure-en.pdf

2018 cargo van brochure: https://www.nissanusa.com/content/dam/Nissan/us/vehicle-brochures/2018/2018-nv-cargo-brochure-en.pdf

2017 passenger van brochure: https://www.nissanusa.com/content/dam/Nissan/us/vehicle-brochures/2017/2017-nv-passenger-brochure-en.pdf

2018 passenger van brochure: https://www.nissanusa.com/content/dam/Nissan/us/vehicle-brochures/2018/2018-nv-passenger-brochure-en.pdf

I just leave the ones in back uncovered and it hasn't been a problem.  But they do look nicer when they're covered.

For long stretches, I pull over into brake check area to engage tow mode. Am I mistaken that you can only engage tow mode when not moving?

The owner's manual doesn't say anything about stopping to engage tow mode.  I've turned it on and off many times while moving and never noticed any issues with it.  However, it can be hard to find the button without taking your eyes off the road, so maybe stopping is worthwhile until you memorize its location well enough to find it by touch.

If you're in Idaho, you try any of the Bruneel shops for repairs.  I haven't taken my NV there yet because it's still under warranty, but they've been good about fixing other cars for us.  They've always seemed competent and honest when I've dealt with them.

If you need tire work done in Idaho, drop by any Les Schwab tire store for a flat repair, tire rotation, lug nut check, or tire pressure check.  They offer these services for free, no matter where you bought your tires.  I've heard that Discount Tire does the same, but I haven't verified that myself.  However, these shops aren't the cheapest places to buy new tires.  For new tires you want Costco or tirerack.com.  (Costco also has the best deals on batteries and wiper blades.)

For glass work, I recommend Summit Auto Glass in Eagle, ID.  It may be a smaller shop, but their prices are good.  You can get a really good deal if you find one of their coupons.  Their service is top notch, they offer free mobile service, and they can work directly with your insurance company.

The air intake is next to the second row.  There are two vents there, the one closer to the back is the one you want.

For those who haven't heard the news yet, there's now an aftermarket filter designed for the NV's rear air intake.  It should help to keep things from getting clogged by dust and debris.  https://www.makerbin.com/collections/car-hacking-supplies/products/nissan-nv-rear-a-c-filter-diy-add-on-kit

I got one for my van, and I'm happy with it.  It's very well designed.  The kit includes two filters, a filter holder, and mounting hardware.  You can buy additional replacement filters from the same website, or you can source your own filter material and cut your own filters.  The kit includes a template in case you want to go with the latter option.  There's no drilling or adhesive needed, so you can take it off without leaving a trace if you ever want to do so.

There's more information in this video.  It also clearly shows where the intake is.

I get what you both say, but is a fully loaded NV or NVP realistically a good tow vehicle? How much can you safely tow?

 

We are about 1000# under the max payload and I wouldn’t consider towing. I do like tow mode and use it on steep hills with manual mode. This past trip we spent a lot of time in 1st and 2nd on dirt roads. We had to stop on an uphill section where a tourist was digging fwd holes until he finally backed up to get a running start.

I don't tow, so all I can suggest is that you stick to the rated limits and follow the instructions in Nissan's towing guide.

But I have to agree that tow mode is super useful, even when not towing.  That's one of my favorite features!

The max tow capacity for the 2018 3500 NV's varies between 6200 and 9400 pounds, depending on which features you have.  I'm not sure what it is for the 1500 and 2500, but I'm guessing it's lower.  And, of course, cargo in the van also reduces the towing capacity.  I see a lot of Facebook posts from NV owners who somehow think it's okay to buy a trailer with a dry weight over 9000 pounds, then they load both the van and trailer with cargo.  Not good!

I looks like a vent, but it doesn't seem to be part of the rear climate control system.  (The return vent for the rear climate control is under the second row.)  I wonder if it provides an exhaust to the outside for air that blows in from the front.  Just a guess.

The NV's center console was designed to hold hanging file folders.  Not sure if that helps much, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

How many workspaces do you want in the van?  Will you have additional workspaces in the camper?  You're really going to have to plan for power with this conversion.  A laptop with a second monitor could use around 300 watts under intensive use.  Some printers (especially laser printers) tend to be fairly power hungry.  And you'll probably want good lighting.  Any power consumed by computers, lights, printers, etc. gets turned in to heat, which means you'll need a decent air conditioner.  Battery power is great, but you may need to supplement it with solar power, a generator, shore power, etc.  If your camper has a generator, you could run a suitably-rated extension cord to the van when you need it.

WiFi has a hard time penetrating metal.  So, you may want an ethernet connection between the camper and van to provide network access in both places.  Although, you might be able to get away with placing a WiFi access point inside the van's rear window.  If that lines up well enough with a window on the camper, you might be good.

I'd like to know how the conversion goes.  Please keep us posted.

Also beginning in 2017, some of the optional features were dropped from the S and SV versions, and are now only available in the SL.

Anyone know of any other changes?

It's a gas hog to be sure.  At least your wife gets the new car she wanted, which is good.

There's a lot to like about the Sienna, but only if you're average height or shorter.   :)

I'm guessing the van has the hardware to receive the signals from the TPMS sensors, and the only thing you're missing is the sensors themselves, right?

315 MHz is the correct frequency.  Here's the one recommended by Tire Rack: https://www.tirerack.com/tpms/results.jsp?autoMake=Nissan&autoModel=NV2500+HD&autoYear=2013&autoModClar=

Now it's time for me to get on my soapbox for a bit.

Be very careful about buying car parts on eBay, especially if they're related to safety (air bags, seat belts, brake pads, etc.) and/or if they have a limited shelf life (like TPMS sensors).  There are a ton of counterfeit/defective/expired parts out there, and they often sell for the lowest prices on sites like eBay.  The TPMS sensors you buy might be perfect, or they might not work right, or their built-in batteries might not have much life left in them.  It's worth paying a little extra to buy from a reputable source when replacing the part is a real pain, like it is with TPMS sensors.  It's especially worth it if your life might depend on it, like with air bags.

I work for a company that specializes in identifying counterfeit products, so please believe me when I tell you that there are a ton of counterfeit car parts on the market.  The fake airbags are the scariest because they kill people.  But it's worth being careful with things like TPMS sensors, too.

Here's a mild example of what can happen with counterfeit safety products:

I wouldn't mind a few more inches in the back, but I don't want to surrender any of the leg room in the front.

It can be done, but it's not comfortable or easy.  It's also not safe for a passenger to go that way while the vehicle is in motion because it's too easy to slip and bump the driver.  It's much safer and easier to exit and re-enter the vehicle.

As long as you're comfortable with basic automotive electrical work, it shouldn't be too bad.  You may want to search YouTube for some NV200 radio removal videos to help you get started.

Please let us know how it goes.

Finding the exact same knob for sale may be impossible.  Here are some other options:

• Fix the broken knobs using super glue (try not to glue them to the radio)
• Search a junkyard for similar knobs that are the right sizes
• If you don't care about appearance, you can make a replacement knob yourself.  You could use a slice of dowel with a hole in drilled in the center for a rustic look.  Or heat up some Instamorph and stick in directly on the shaft for more of a Gumby look.
• If you have access to a 3D printer, you can try one of the parametric knob designs on Thingiverse.
• Replace the radio

Good luck!

Radin2son, I didn't think to check the manual for the cargo version until you mentioned it.  You're right, it says in three places that you should never let an infant ride in the vehicle.

Crfaley1 clearly has the owner's manual for the cargo van, not the passenger van.