D40 towbar

[ozzkev]

hi there everyone iam new in here i have just bought a 2008 Navara and it has a 3000kg (Nissan Bar) i know the pathfinder had an issue with bolts breaking off due to using weight distribution bars, my question is , is the navara ok to use, mainly due to chasis on the navara is totally different to the pathfinder, ill be towing a Caravan 2500 loaded weight and approx 180kg ball weight .... be very greatfull for anybodies thoughts

Regards Kev
ozzkev

 

[KraftyPg]

Welcome kev, I know there was some talk about the bolts on earlier model towbars but I can't remember what the exact issue was. Someone else will come along with an answer soon.

 

[crack]

i think the issue was only 2 or 3 bolts either side and they ran along the same plain. so or horizontal or all vertical i cant remeber which one and this i think resulted in movement. my tow bar has 5 bolts either side 3 horizontal and 2 vertical. havnt had a problem yet.

if you do a search you should find a couple of detailed towing threads where the same /similar questons were asked.

 

[joe2006]

As Crack said. If your bar is bolted both vertically & horizontally, it will be fine.

 

[Bosshog]

(Yet again) I think Old.Tony knows lots about this topic. From memory he recommends a Hayman Reece? Correct Tony??

 

[Old.Tony]

I've got a reasonable grasp on it, but I'm no expert.

Hayman Reese is certainly the one to look for, with 180Kg of ball weight you'll want the "600" (or 275Kg) kit.

They changed the kit since I bought mine a few years ago but essentially it's the same thing. I think I like the look of the new kit and will probably even fork for one in the not-too-distant future, mine's seen better days!

Make sure you have the appropriate tow hitch. Nissan DID "make" (read "branded a cheaper Hayman Reese") hitch that could PULL 3,000kg but couldn't handle the weight distribution hitch and it would rip the hitch straight out of the chassis. They've changed now, I hear - the new "Nissan" hitch is the same as the better Hayman Reese hitch with multiple mounts in both horizontal and vertical planes.

I also recommend the Tekonsha series of brake controllers. I have the Voyager in mine at the moment, I should have gotten the bloody Prodigy P3 and when I get a spare few minutes I'll cough for one. It's self-levelling (unlike the Voyager) and handles up to 4 axles. I STRONGLY recommend 8mm wire for this one, anything smaller won't carry the amps well enough.

 

[ozzkev]

yeah i was thinking hayman reece for towing a caravan etc, i had a look mine has 5 bolts 3 along the bottom and two through the side all blots being 8.8 high tensile . i know the pathfinders had a problem a while back , but the wierd thing is that it looks like they have turned the tounge upside down along with the ball ..... dead givaway with the nissan label upside down and on the underside ... strange thing to do to gain height ???

kev

 

[Old.Tony]

Either that, or they just fitted it wrong. Turning the tongue over just raises and lowers the ball height.

Ideally you want the chassis of the trailer to be level on level ground.

 

[ozzkev]

G'day Guys i rang pedders they are the agents here for Hayman Reece - he assures me the nissan 3000kg towbar i have fitted will be no problems at all he was saying he has fitted quite a few to D40's with no hassels at all, interesting thing he told me that Hayman reece actually make the towbar assembilies (aftermarket) for Nissan ... i will be putting the ball etc in the correct position though
Kev

 

[Old.Tony]

Hayman Reece have made Nissan bars for some time, but until 2010 they provided an inferior model for Nissan to put their logo on. This model didn't have the bolts in both axes - I think they changed to a single production model to cut costs.

 

[FatBoy89]

D40's didn't have an issue. It will be fine.
Pathfinders were a different tow bar. They didn't have bracing on the top. Pre'07.
Nissan sent out a bulletin stating that using certain tow hitches can cause the issue. You should be fie as long as it's all tightened an installed correctly.
Never had a D40 with that issue in my time so far.