Parts Needed to Tow Travel Trailer With 2020 Nissan Pathfinder

Question

Question:

Morning. I’m looking to prep my 2020 Nissan Pathfinder to tow a 3700 lb travel trailer. I know I will NEED a tow bar/kit, wiring kit with a 7-pin connector, and a brake controller. I’ve been advised to invest in tow mirrors, something for weight distribution, anti-sway something, and something to beef up the suspension on my vehicle. I’m completely overwhelmed by the options available and was hoping you would be able to advise me on what items best suit my needs. If this is not a service you provide, could you point me in the right direction? I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

asked by: Adelaina A

0

Expert Reply:

Hey Adelaina! It can definitely be overwhelming but don't worry, I'm here to help. We can start with the hitch, wiring, and brake controller since they are the most important part. I recommend the following:

-etrailer Trailer Hitch Receiver # e98908

-Curt T-Connector Vehicle Wiring Harness for Factory Tow Package # C56357

-Redarc Tow-Pro Liberty Brake Controller # RED53CR

The etrailer hitch is a Class III hitch with a 2" receiver and a bolt-on installation. It has a maximum gross trailer weight of 6,000 lbs to match the capabilities of your Pathfinder so it can definitely handle the trailer. The Curt wiring comes with everything you need, including relays, to add a 7-way.

The Liberty is a simple, reliable brake controller that will look OEM once installed. It also includes a custom wiring harness for installation. You will also need a ball mount like the # e67DR. This won't be necessary if you decide to use a weight distribution hitch but I recommend having one in general for towing.

Moving on from the essentials we can talk about towing mirrors. If you want to use towing mirrors the best option is the K-Source Universal Towing Mirrors # KS3891-2. However, what I would do is hook up the trailer and see what you can see with the factory mirrors. Trailer size and length plays a big role in mirrors so it is hard to say if you need them or not without hooking up the trailer. If you have a pretty limited rear view I recommend grabbing a pair so you aren't struggling to see out on the road.

Is 3,700 lbs the dry (empty) weight of your trailer or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR, max weight of trailer)? Weight distribution hitches (WDH) are typically recommended if the weight of the trailer is more than 50% of the vehicle GVWR. At 3,700 lbs you meet that requirement. I also looked at the owner's manual and the manufacturer recommends a WDH if the GVWR of the trailer is 5,000 lbs or more.

If you can let me know more about your trailer in the comments below I can help you pick out the right WDH. Specifically, the dry/empty weight, dry tongue weight, GVWR, along with the year, make, and model of the trailer. This is typically enough to find a system that will cover your needs which is based on tongue weight. These hitches also include sway control so it would cover that aspect as well.

Regarding suspension enhancement, I don't think you will need it. A properly set up WDH solves most problems and eliminates the need for suspension enhancement on the vehicle side. The best thing to do would be to get everything else set up, including a WDH, and see if you think you still need it after. More than likely you won't so you might as well save some money.

expert reply by: Robin H

0

etrailer Hitch on 2020 Nissan Pathfinder
(click to enlarge)

Adelaina A.

3/6/2025

That is such a plethora of information and I've already started filling up my cart with goodies.... Thank you! I reached out to the trailer owner to confirm the details for the info you requested however I did take a picture of some stickers on the trailer when I went to look at it. 1) Year / Make / Model = 2022 / Wildwood FSX Platinum / WDT178BHSKX-72 2) Dry/ Empty Weight = 1879 KG / 4142 LBS 3) Dry Tongue Weight = Is this the same as the Hitch Weight? If not, I'm still waiting for an answer from the owner. 4) GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) = 2195 KG / 4840 LBS 5) GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) = 1996 kg / 4400 LBS 6) Hitch Weight = 405 LBS (according to the owner's listing on Outdoorsy) I believe the owner provides a weight distribution hitch as part of the rental but I would love the recommendation anyway, better safe than sorry. Because we are renting the trailer we won't have many opportunities for trial and error so I'd rather have more equipment than I need rather than not enough. Thanks in advance for all of your help!

Reply

Robin H.

3/6/2025

@AdelainaA you're welcome! Thanks for that information on the trailer it was exactly what I needed. Yes, dry weight will be the same as hitch weight in this case. If you owned this trailer I would say to get the Equal-i-zer # EQ37060ET which has a tongue weight range of 200 lbs - 600 lbs. However, that is a lot to invest for something that isn't long term. Also, the owner probably wouldn't want you installing the brackets for this or any other system on their trailer. I think your best bet here is to trust that they know how to set it up for your vehicle and will be able to help you out with that. If nothing else, I would find out what system is on there and get ahold of the manual (99% of them are available online) so you are familiar with it and how it works. You also won't be fumbling around if they tell you it is something you have to set up yourself. Knowing that it is going to be a rental, the towing mirrors aren't a bad idea. As you said, better to be prepared. I still don't think you will need any suspension enhancement but if it will make you feel better and you have a 4WD model you can add the Coil SumoSprings # CSS-1195R for extra support.

Reply

Adelaina A.

3/15/2025

@RobinH Ok doke. I took your advice and received my items this week. I’ve installed the trailer hit hitch receiver (e98908). But I’ve encountered an issue when installing the wiring kit (C56357). I ordered a mounting bracket (PK12711U). for the plug because I didn’t see one as part of the wiring harness. However, I can’t find a place on the hitch that I could mount the bracket to that leaves the plug accessible. All locations seem to place the plug halfway behind the bumper. I’d rather not cut the bumper any more than I already have. Is there some additional bracket that I need or am I missing some obvious solution?

Reply

Robin H.

3/18/2025

@AdelainaA we used # C57202 and bent the bracket around the bottom of the fascia to attach the # PK12711U. Take a look at the video below starting at the 5:30 mark.

Helpful Links

tv-install-trailer-wiring-2014-nissan-pathfinder-c56357.aspx

Reply