cheapo

I haven't been back here in awhile. It's possibly been 2 years so forgive me if I'm reposting something that's already been talked about. Search has been disabled for whatever reason so I can't find topics on this.

Anyways, I'm thinking about towing a motorcycle from the Bay Area down to LA this Christmas. My question is....how do I begin to do this? I've got a 97 manual SE basically bone stock except for RSB and FSTB. How do I find the right hitch and install it? What precautions should I take to make sure my car doesn't get damaged in the long run? Stuff like that...any info would really be helpful.

SleepyMaxxx68

Buy the New Titan.......











J/K Why not borrow a truck or something form a friend.......

Frank Fontaine

I think we often take this stuff forgranted because many trucks/suvs have the hitch already. On the Maxima I think an aftermarket hitch is gonna bolt on undeneath the trunk area, so there's no weight distribution etc. So the towing capacity will be severely limited, they'll probably say 2000 lbs. To put that into perspective a Pilot is something like 5000 and the Pathfinder Armada 9000+. Probably a harmless installation but imho when you go to sell your car used (if you ever do it) it will adversely impact the resale. Not just the hitch itself, but the implication that the car was used for towing.

Anyhow, I think U-Haul Centers do this kinda stuff. You'll need the hitch, a
drawbar, the ball, and wiring. Names I can think of off the top of my head are Reese and Draw Tite. I went to the U-Haul website and they have nothing online for Maxima, so you have to contact them in person. Good luck! This will give you an idea of all the components--enter 97 Nissan Maxima

cheapo

Are all hitches permanent installations or are there quick bolt-ons that can be removed afterwards? I'm only hitching a motorcycle and the trailer itself which in total runs is under 700 pounds.

drewm

The hitches take about 20 minutes to bolt on, and probably slightly less to take off. But once you have it on there, it's not bad at all. The hidden hitches brand http://www.hidden-hitches.com/ you can't even see unless you bend down and look. When I remove my ball and arm you can't even see the hitch at all, only this when you bend down below the bumper:

http://www.bol.ucla.edu/~drewm/temp/hitch.jpg

And yes you will also need a wire harness.

cheapo

Did the hitch do any damage to your car? I've heard people sayng that towing will do that but I don't know much those guys know their stuff.

How was towing on the Maxima too? Was it hard to drive, get traction, etc?

Frank Fontaine

That's interesting, because yours says no drilling required. That would make it a very neat install and no problem if traded-in. I've toyed with the idea of buying a trailer (open) to totally eliminate the need for an SUV, but yet still be able to pick up TV's, snowthrowers, furniture, etc. NO SUV leaves $$$ for a sports car or 2-seater!

drewm

Only the hidden hitches one is no drilling, that's why I got it.

Cheapo: No damage at all. I've towed a 1700lb trailer a total of 1300 miles. Easiest thing in the world to drive, even up the grapevine.

Just make sure your clutch isn't worn and slipping, and definately run 91 or you might get some engine knock on hot days going up hills.

Just think of it this way, towing 700lbs is just like hauling 4 big people in your car. It's really no issue at all.

cheapo

Yeah, I did that 700lbs = 4 people comparison thing too but it's hard to make a good judgement that way since that entire weight is behind the rear axle. It's not as balanced as having 4 people sitting in the middle of the car.

But it's good to hear you made it through the grapevine okay. I was worried about that and thought about taking the 101 down.

Matt_NZ

I've towed all sorts with my Max, lol. From an ATV to a double horse float with 2 horses on board . The horse float it's self is quite heavy and then 2 medium sized horses on top of that makes it quite a heavy load, tells you something about the cars power

The car tows very well, you often can't feel the trailer on the back. Once had a blow out on a trailer I was towing and the car handled it fine