Additional Parts Needed to Equip a 2005 Nissan Altima to Tow a Boat Trailer

Expert Reply:

I did some research on the 2005 Nissan Altima models, and it looks like your vehicle should have a 1000lb towing capacity. As long as the weight of the boat and trailer does not exceed 1000lbs, you should be able to tow it with a setup comprised of the # 60944 hitch, wiring, and a hitch ball. The hitch itself is rated for up to 2000lbs, but you must always adhere to the lowest capacity in the towing system, which in this case would be the rating of the vehicle itself.

To wire your vehicle for towing, you would use a hard wiring kit with a powered converter, like our part # 119176KIT. You would use the included light tester to find out the functions of your vehicle wiring, behind the tail lights, while a helper sits in the cab and flips the turn signals, turns on the headlights, or presses the brake pedal. Once you know which wires on the vehicle perform each function, you would hook up the wires from the converter accordingly. You will also need to run the thick, red power wire to the front of the vehicle and connect it to the positive battery terminal, with the included in-line fuse and fuse holder. You can view a typical installation video at the link provided.

I would recommend double checking the connector style on your boat trailer, as this trailer style will often use a 5-Way flat plug to engage hydraulic brakes. In this case, you would additionally need a 4 to 5-Way adapter, part # 20036. This adapter plugs into the 4-Way connector, and the additional wire is tapped into the vehicle reverse light wire, again using a light tester like the one included in the # 119176KIT.

The # 60944 hitch includes a draw bar and a standard pin and clip, but if you prefer you could also use a hitch lock like part # 7682 to secure the draw bar. If your trailer uses a 1-7/8 inch diameter ball, you would use part # 19256, or part # 19258 if the trailer uses a 2 inch hitch ball.

I am including links to some additional information on wiring and towing in general, as well as the installation instructions for the trailer hitch, if needed.

expert reply by: Sarah L