vanguy

I think that's a pickup with a custom shell on the back.

Made to look like an NV!

You should be fine running the recommended PSI in the fronts.

If you use a weight distributing hitch you may want to bump up the fronts another 10 pSI. But if you use a standard hitch you should not notice any different wear on the tires.

I pull a 7500 lb trailer and have run 60 in fronts and 80 in rears for years with no adverse effects. (hey I'm a poet and didn't know it).

Don't really know. I had mine on my Cargo trailer done at factory where it was built.

The e track is not that expensive. I would check with a few local welding shops or machine shops. I couldn't imagine it being too expensive.. 

There are areas you can attach tie downs, etc. I've done it on mine. You might need to remove some cardboard panels, but the predrilled holes in the interior frame also have access holes so that you can put bolts with nuts.  This isn't everywhere but you can find some places. There is an interior steel frame and a space of about 2" before the exterior body panels. You can drill your own holes in the interior frame for bolts and if need be use a dremel to cut out enough area to get a nut on. That's what I've done.

Also you can buy E track and have it welded in and then you can place loads about anywhere you want. I have it in my cargo trailer and it's the cats pajamas.

If you have the high roof, you will notice more push and sway from drafting behind a semi or if a semi passes you. You are correct that the short WB makes this more of an issue. Even when not towing a strong cross wind can "wake you up"

I used to have a 3500 extended WB Chevy van & towed a 8000 lb  32 ft trailer and never had that issue. Never even had to use a sway control.

But it is more of an issue with the high roof models. You just have to be prepared for it.

 

 

I never inferred that bigger equals better.  My point was that if there are 20,000 Tekonsha's being used vs. 5000 Curt's you're going to see more reviews and postings about the Tekonsha.  Most people also dont post if they're happy, they post when they're pissed off or something is broken to vent frustrations or find a fix.  

 

Just look at this forum vs. another brand with larger market share.  We have a few posts per day.  On the old Tundra forums I was on there were so many posts that hitting the "new posts" button would load several pages per day.  

 

 

You make a good point. I agree, more units sold equal more chances of failure. And most people don't say anything if things are working properly.

However, I do think larger corporations are ruining what used to be good businesses. I've personally experienced it many times. 25-30 years ago I had a Tekonsha voyager controller that lasted a long time. Cequent is trying to gain complete control of this market. When profit is your only motive, everything goes downhill from there.

Didn't think I would get much of a response on this forum, but thought it would be worth a try..

I believe I will give the DirecLink a try & see how it goes. I'll report back after I get it and have a chance to tow with it.

BTW: Several folks have said they put a piggyback connector on the OBDC port and run their tuner and the brake controller at the same time.

There isn't really a pattern to the failures. One I ordered came in DOA. One bit the dust completely. And the other 2 did as described above. Many of the complaints I've read are from folks who say that the braking force from Tekonsha's controllers are not predictable. Too hard sometimes and not hard enough at others. Going over bumpy roads can play games with sensor based controllers.

The best controllers work from info from hydraulic pressure like BrakeSmart and Max Brake. Both unfortunately are no longer made.

The DirecLink I referred to above uses data from the vehicle's computer. It plugs into the OBDCII connection to get the info. How you mount it does not make any difference.

From all the reviews I've read so far, both the above controllers work very well without any drama.

Just because your the biggest doesn't mean your the best. There are a whole lot more Chevy and Ford vans out there compared to Nissan, Sprinter, etc.

I've not been to RV.net in awhile, probably 3-4 years. Used to browse that forum 3-4 times a week for a number of years.

It got too political over there. Got tired of hearing people with small minds spout off about things of which they knew little about.

Do a search on Google. Many camper mfg forums, cummins diesel forum, airstream forum, there are plenty of folks not satisfied with Tekonsha. Especially folks who tow larger rigs.

4 out of the 5 controllers I've had were warranty issues. One i left on the last van I sold, but I'm sure its dead by now.

The controllers start giving no connection errors, then they suddenly start working again for no apparent reason.. The controller will say no connection and I can use the manual slide handle on the controller while coasting and the trailer brakes will work. Each time I've tested the controller and contacted Tekonsha tech support and they say send it back cause its defective.

Just totally unreliable.

I have owned no less than 5 Tekonsha controllers in the last 13 years. (2) P2 and (3) P3

None last more than 2-3 years and promptly die.

Yes I know they have a lifetime warranty. Their return policy is a hassle now.

Tekonsha used to make a decent controller that lasted awhile. I'm just guessing but I've seen this scenario many times before. A company is bought out by a large corporation and then the bottom line profit is its only motivation. I would bet Cequent doesn't pay more than $7.00 to $8.00 for these units from its overseas supplier. They make so much profit they just send you another when it bites the dust. No big deal to them.

Well guess what, it is a big deal to me!  I VALUE MY LIFE a whole lot more than they do. I would never buy another Cequent product. I'm tired of changing out controllers and am looking for something more reliable.

Anybody try the Tuson DirecLink brake controller?

Anybody try the Curt TriFlex controller?

I'm looking to get away from anything sold by Cequent: Tekonsha, Reese, DrawTite, etc

Please give us some feedback once you've used them for awhile.

I had air bags on my old Chevy 1 ton van. They worked very well when I towed my 32 ft 4 ton trailer. Trailer had a tongue weight of 1800 lbs. Air bags are more maintenance intensive for sure. So I would like to see how these work out.

Nice. I really like it. Like your idea about using it to park your trailer. I've never tried that. Let us know how that works.

Just curious, was the front receiver as expensive as the rear?

Most of the participants on this forum appear to be NVP owners or non-business users of cargo vans. The word commercial is in play because we and business users own the same basic truck sold by Nissan Commercial by a limited number of dealers that sell all types of Nissan vehicles. Here in lies problem #1.

 

Sales should know everything about the product, quality aftermarket products and to sell the best product to meet the customer's needs. It also makes sense to follow up on sales, owner satisfaction etc. As ASD Dad earlier indicated, the purchase process is a blink when compared to the length of ownership. It is not likely that the commercial sales manager has much, if any, influence over the service manager. Here in lies problem #2.

 

Nissan Consumer Affairs is needlessly divided up between non-commercial and commercial when it comes to NVPs and non-business users of cargo vans. We really have more in common with Titans and SUVs. Here in lies problem #3.

I totally agree with your reasoning and have said before that this forum should at least be split into two forums. NVP's are not commercial vehicles. They actually belong on the consumer forum with all the other passenger vehicles.

Currently that unit is probably the nicest, most feature rich model on the market

Not sure how it would work on the NV.

It has Apple car Play, and Android auto. This is the first generation of these apps and functionality will be limited initially. It will take a year or two for it to mature and get the bugs worked out.

Lower pressure should not affect tire life. The 45 PSi in the front is getting a bit low & could possibly cause a little quicker wear on the outside edges. Just keep an eye on it.

Thanks for the review !

I was more interested in the mpg aspect. Doesn't appear that it makes a significant difference. I frequently pull a 16 ft 7000 lb trailer for work. If it would improve mpg by to 2 or 3 it might have been worth a closer look for me.

I only tow on flat ground, no mountains, so increased power isn't an issue for me.

When folks don't do their homework bad things happen & then they blame the company that made the product.

You, however, seem to have done your homework & someone at the factory lied to you. The mfg should refund your money. Hope they treat you right. Let us know how it turns out.

Keep in mind that software has nothing to do with towing capacities. Software nor computer hardware can lift or pull a load.

Critical components are suspension & brakes, and motor hp, and hitch capacities.

I did not say a NV2500 has the same towing capacities as a NV3500. My post in the above referenced thread said you would get the max listed towing capacity FOR YOUR MODEL if you have the appropriate hitch.

If you have a NV3500 with a tow pkg: the engine, suspension, brakes are no different than an NV3500 without the tow pkg.

The tow pkg gives you larger mirrors, an upgraded hitch & the tow switch which creates different shift points in the tranny. The hitch is the only component that has any bearing on load capacity.

 

 

I am curious, how did you get in touch with Nissan Commercial Engineering?

Called them on the phone. Asked a technical question the customer service rep could not answer, they connected me to the engineering dept.

Re-read this thread:  http://nissannvforum.com/topic/560-hoping-husbands-nv-can-tow-my-dream-rv-pls-help/

Pay attention to post 8, 13 & 22

This is not my opinion. This is not the opinion of the little girl who answers the phone a Nissan customer service who has never ridden in a van before. This info comes straight from the Nissan Commercial engineering dept..

Get the proper hitch described above. Don't worry about a tow mode switch. It has nothing to do with the the van's towing capacities..

Buy the right hitch & you will have the max rated tow capacities for your model.

There's really not a big difference in either tire. The 75 series will be 12 MM or 7/16 of an inch taller. It won't make much of a difference.

After several years many tire Mfg.'s will stop making many close optional sizes for a given vehicle unless there is a big demand. They will limit their offerings to a single 75 or 70  (240 or 245) series tire & that's all you will have to choose from. If it fits & doesn't rub no worries!

Just make sure if your towing or hauling that weight capacity is adequate.

Android Auto & Apple Car Play finally being implemented  in a few new vehicles starting in 2016.

http://money.cnn.com/2015/05/27/autos/apple-carplay-android-auto-gm-cars/index.html?iid=ob_homepage_tech_pool&iid=obnetwork

You may want to check that all relays/fuses were installed as well.

Good idea. Sometimes its the simple things that we take for granted that can drive you nuts trying to figure out.

Sounds like you possibly have a short between the brake controller & the 7 pin connector. 

Did you test the Nissan wire harness while it is connected to the controller? I believe the harness also supplies the 12V to the controller so might just need to check continuity on the harness.

I would also probe the brake wire right before it enters the 7 pin conn. It's possible the conn is faulty

I have the gray type cloth? seats. Cleaning seems to spread the dirt a little. What is the best way to clean them?

The dirt needs to be extracted (steam cleaned). If you don't have the equipment, take it to a local detailer.