Finally had the chance to use my MAX to pull a trailer this weekend. Total weight was almost 1800lbs and by the end of the trip I had done about 250 miles. The MAX kicked a**, hardly any sag in the rear end and plenty of power. What a car.

 

and with front wheel drive that it does!!!

 

What were you pulling? I am thinking about getting a hitch so I can pull my 4 wheeler. My cousin says I will catch "SO MUCH HELL!" if I pull up in a maxima...that's alright...I will gladly wipe that grin from their face after a race!

 

I was pulling my snowmobile. I didn't have the plate yet for my new sled trailer so I had to rent a 5'x9' from U-haul and that damn thing was over 1250 lbs. empty. When you add the sled at around 550 lbs. it was a decent load. I know what you are saying about pulling up at a drop point pulling your 4 wheeler with a car, I was the only car in sight this weekend. If you are serious about a hitch, get it done at U-haul, it's a hidden hitch and the whole thing with wiring, draw bar, and ball comes to only about $160 installed with a life time warranty. The MAX (with Manuel trany) should be good to go with a load up to 2000lbs; your trailer and 4 wheeler shouldn’t be much over 1000... Enjoy

 

i smoked some rice (civic lx) with my 650lb quad and 150lb trailer he got me off the line but then bye bye he just had rice mods i think nothing performance wise

 

You do know that the Maxima is only rated to pull 1000lbs right?

Stereodude

 

i've never had to pull anything, so you can disregard this if i'm totally off base. but isn't there more to pulling a trailer than engine strength? i always thought it stressed your chassis quite a bit. in a sedan, how likely is it that you'll damage/alter the frame alignment? if it's not too much, then i'll consider getting a couple seadoos now instead of later.

 

Just an FYI, but I just read on MSN's Carpoint that the 02 Maxima's are only rated to 1000 lbs for towing. Most other sites don't showing any number.

 

The Max is only rated to pull 1000lbs. However, because the engine is so strong, it can pull more. Two things to watch for...doing any towing on a regular basis will kill the Max automatic tranny and the 5sp clutch (since they are kind of weak and have problems without the added strain of towing). I don't want to guess how quickly you could fry either setup by pulling 1800lbs around all the time.

 

1000lbs is way under rated it can tow much more just keep it out of 5th gear or you will over heat the trans and fry it over drive + towing = dead tranny just keep it in 4th and your good to go ive pulled my quad over 100 miles up hill and what not and its all good no problems

 

You are correct in saying that towing is more than engine strength; however, in these cases we are talking about, i.e. infrequent trips with 4-wheelers, snowmobiles or seadoos with smart driving, we really don't have much to worry about. The tow rating and tounge weight rating for the MAX have definately been designed around a factor of safety of 2 or greater. None of us are planing on keeping 1500lbs attached to the back of our Maxs all week long. We are just using them to bring our other toys to the playground. As far as droping the hammer in the Max with a trailer on her butt, or using overdrive (5th gear)I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole in my Max for the same reasons that other people are bringing up, chassis strain and tranny wear. But, if all you are going to do is strap two seadoos (1000lbs) onto a seadoo trailer (300lbs) and take them to the water to play around for the weekend, you are definately in the clear.

 

a MAX is a MAX, it can do a MAXimum of things.....