How do I Determine My Hitch Weight Capacity on My 2013 Nissan Rogue?
Question:
I have 2013 Nissan rouge. Looking for trailer hitch. Hitch on your website says 3500 lbs capacity 350 to 525 lbs tongue weight. my towing capacity as per owner manual is about 1500 lbs. What does 3500 lb rating mean?
asked by: Alex O
Expert Reply:
It looks like you are looking at our available hitches for your 2013 Nissan Rogue like the Draw-Tite - 2" # 75902 and the Curt - 2" # C13204. With these hitches, you are absolutely correct that the Draw-Tite provides 350 pounds of maximum tongue weight and the Curt provides 525 pounds of maximum tongue weight.
When considering hitches, there are a few things to keep in mind. First off, you need to differentiate between tongue weight and gross towing weight. The tongue weight is the weight that is vertically exerted on a hitch. The gross towing weight, on the other hand, is the horizontal weight pulled by the hitch.
That being said, it is entirely possible for the hitch's ratings to exceed the ratings of your Rogue. This is most likely the case here. This is because, with a vehicle like the Rogue, the 1500 pounds of max weight capacity outlined in your owner's manual is most likely the maximum gross towing capacity. Typically, the maximum tongue weight is about 10% of the gross towing weight. This leaves your estimated max tongue weight capacity of 150 pounds on your Rogue.
Even with our hitches, you will still be limited to the weight capacity ratings of your vehicle. Therefore, you cannot exceed 1500 pounds of gross towing weight and 150 pounds of tongue weight. For a hitch, I still recommend going with a 2" size option because it is compatible with more hitch-mounted accessories. The Curt # C13204 is a better option because it has a higher-quality gloss outer coat over the base powder coat that provides more protection against rust and corrosion than our other brands. If you plan on mounting hitch-mounted accessories, Curt recommends using stabilizer straps # 18050 for those applications.
If you need a wiring harness to activate lights on a light trailer, that is the Hopkins Plug-In Harness - 4-Way # HM11143645.
I attached some helpful videos for you to check out.
Products Referenced in This Question
Curt Cam Buckle Stabilizing Strap for Hitch-Mounted Accessories - 61" x 1" - Qty 1
- Accessories and Parts
- Hitch Bike Racks
- Hitch Cargo Carrier
- Tie Down Straps
- CURT
more information >
Draw-Tite Max-Frame Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Class III - 2"
- Trailer Hitch
- Custom Fit Hitch
- Class III
- 350 lbs TW
- 3500 lbs GTW
- 2 Inch Hitch
- Concealed Cross Tube
- Draw-Tite
more information >
Hopkins Plug-In Simple Vehicle Wiring Harness with 4-Pole Flat Trailer Connector
- Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring
- Trailer Hitch Wiring
- Powered Converter
- Custom Fit
- 4 Flat
- Hopkins
more information >
Product Page this Question was Asked From
Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Class III - 2"
- Trailer Hitch
- Custom Fit Hitch
- Class III
- 525 lbs TW
- 3500 lbs GTW
- 2 Inch Hitch
- Concealed Cross Tube
- CURT
more information >
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