hey there. i have a 04 xterra but it dose not have trailer hitch, I got it about probably around a year ago and now im looking to add a hitch to it this year. my question is whether or not the xterra is pre-wired for the wiring harness and if there is a difference in the 04 xterra's that had a factory tow package and the xterra's that didn't as in suspension or braking etc...
tow package'd xterras came with a factory hitch w/ nissan-logo hitch cover, wiring harness/4 pin plug, and an extra leaf spring per side (regular was 2 springs + flat spring, tow package was 3 + flat spring)
no difference in brakes
wiring the harness is not hard, most places like advance auto or autozone sell kits with add-a-circuits to tap into the power
if that's the case will i have to buy a frame stiffener and if so where can i get this? thanks for your all's help. when it comes to the leaf springs where would you all recommend buying them from to help up the load weight also just to pump the suspension itself?
The frame stiffeners are definitely worth it, someone had installed a hitch on my X before i got it but without the frame stiffeners, some minivan smacked into the hitch and seriously kinked the frame rails. Not cheap to fix.
you want to do the stiffners before you do the hitch. If not you will need to take off the hitch to put the stiffners in-they use six of the same holes for connection.
The leaf springs you can do at any time, it has no impact on the order that you do the mods.
yeah i see the AAL for 60$ and was wounding if that makes it the same as the 3 leaf pack or if its a quick fix? thanks for the info. guys but for sure im going to get the frame stiffeners not just for towing it also sounds like its a good way to strengthen the frame itself.
kbell2433- hey so you just have the 2 leaf springs on your xterra and it dose fine? and if so what do you tow. the thing is that i will be seeing if i can tow my 20' sea ray with my xterra
hey sorry for all the questions but im new to working on nissan's had a ford all my life and thats what i learned how to work on dont know a lot about the xterra yet only had it for a year and love it.
now i just went out side and got under my xterra and it looks like it already has a set of 3 leaf spring if thats the case whats the frame stiffener look like on the factory xterra of just in general?
xklage, if you have 3 leaf springs NOT including the flat spring, you will really want that flat spring...it helps to keep the suspension from bottoming out on you....i have a set of the flat springs that you can have for free, just pay shipping
Ok cool yeah thought the flat spring counted guess not so is the AAL not a flat spring or dose that go no top of the flat spring. Ok when I get the frame stiffeners how do the go in?
Hmm... I wished I knew about the extra leaf and frame stiffener. xklage I think you'd be best off with a stiffer rear end. I have the soft rear end and its not hard for me to really make it sag. I regularly tow a honda foreman 450 on a 5x10 trailer and the rear end rides lower then I would like. I sometimes tow a 20ft trailer full of kids and band equpiment and it almost bottoms the suspension out. Then again that combo is probably putting atleast 500 lbs on my tongue.
We used to have that size sea-ray... the X can tow it. For sure stiffen up the springs though and i'd think about trailer brakes too. The brakes arent necessary but its insurance.
What are the cons of not having frame stiffeners? Other than what has been said about the rear end accident. I have standard (not SE) 2002 with no hitch or frame stiffeners, but I plan to buy a hitch soon.
Thanks
Do you need frame stiffener for newer models like on a 2010? I read in another forum that the newer models don't require frame stiffeners. Is this true?
tow package'd xterras came with a factory hitch w/ nissan-logo hitch cover, wiring harness/4 pin plug, and an extra leaf spring per side (regular was 2 springs + flat spring, tow package was 3 + flat spring)
no difference in brakes
wiring the harness is not hard, most places like advance auto or autozone sell kits with add-a-circuits to tap into the power
I have an 04 Xterra with the tow package from the Factory and I have a 2 leaf spring pack + the flat spring.
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