i have a 2007 nissan frontier se, long bed, v6 with a jump cab. I called the dealer to ask if i could pull a two horse trailer, gooseneck, and all they said was that it had 6500 lb towing capacity. I need advice on if this would be safe to use to pull a two horse trailer and which gooseneck would be the best to install. I like the hideaways but could only find for other vehicle models and one for a Titan
It depends on whether or not the trailer weighs more than 6,500 lbs. loaded. The dealership was smart not to answer your question without seeing/weighing the trailer.
The style of hitch, bumper pull or gooseneck, isn’t the issue. It is the weight of the trailer loaded with horses, saddles, tack, feed, water, hay, and gear. Generally gooseneck style trailers are bigger and heavier than a 2 horse bumper pull trailer. My horse trailer is about 2500 lbs empty (2 horse bumper pull). Add 2 horses and it is 4500 and my horses aren’t that big (Arabian mare, and Arabian gelding). The other stuff feels pretty heavy when we load up, so it isn’t hard to get up to your 6500 lbs capacity.
The gooseneck style is a safer system and puts more weight in the center of the truck. That doesn’t reduce the load on the motor, transmission, or differential but it does make for safer handling and braking.
Your owners manual should have all this information.
6500lbs seems awfully LOW for trail with two horses in it.
It’s also not the just the weight of the what you’re towing. It’s also the gross vehicle weight. Which is the weight of the vehicle (and all occupants and cargo) AND the weight of the trailer.
According to the horse person in the family (wife) you can figure 3,000 pounds for two horse, unless they are draft horses, that would give you 3,500 pounds for the trailer and gear. So you would be looking at a featherlite (www.fthr.com). But when I asked the father in law, he’s the horse hauler, said as long as you’re not going up hill you might make it. The problem is the V6 it’s not really going to have the power you want or need. FIL uses two different trucks, the one he use to haul two horses with is a full sized dodge 1/2 ton with a V8, and he doesn’t like to go that far with it, his other truck is a 3/4 ton full sized dodge with a cummins diesel. Both truck are set up for a gooseneck, upgraded suspension.
I’m betting you can it, but I’m betting you won’t be happy with the performance.
My opinions are subject with new facts.
I agree. You really need a full size v8 truck with a conservative 7500 lbs plus towing capacity to safely pull live stock with a weight anywhere near 5000 lbs. let alone 6500. The load is too valuable to scrimp on borderline tow weights. You need the greater reserve that only a bigger rig can give you. You need a heavier weight truck to better control the load. Moving livestock and a mid size truck is not worth the risk IMO. A Titan, F150. Tundra or GMC/Chevy half tons with v8s are the least I would consider.