Fifthwheel attachement on Nissan Frontier

[Fern39]

Hi everyone,

I am desperately looking to get a set of rails installed in my Nissan Frontier 2009 truck bed to tow my new to me Scamp 19 Fifthwheel.

I went to every single local welding shop and nobody wants to install it. Therefore, I'll install it by myself with a friend and a Universal rails kit (Reese 30035 kit).

Has anybody here have already installed a set of rails in a 2005-2016 Nissan Frontier ? If yes, I would like to see a few pictures of the installation.

Will it be good with universal brackets or I'll need to buid custom ones ?

Many thanks

[Radar1]

You might want to PM "Alf S", he had a 2010 Nissan Frontier that he pulled an Escape 5th wheel with and had a post somewhere showing how the hitch was installed.

[apfixer]

Just don't cut any corners when selecting the hardware (i.e. nuts and bolts).
Use class 8 hardware to secure it in place

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Fern39

Hi everyone,

I am desperately looking to get a set of rails installed in my Nissan Frontier 2009 truck bed to tow my new to me Scamp 19 Fifthwheel.

I went to every single local welding shop and nobody wants to install it. Therefore, I'll install it by myself with a friend and a Universal rails kit (Reese 30035 kit).

Has anybody here have already installed a set of rails in a 2005-2016 Nissan Frontier ? If yes, I would like to see a few pictures of the installation.

Will it be good with universal brackets or I'll need to buid custom ones ?

Many thanks

Maybe the welding / hitch shops are trying to tell you something .

[Al and Cindy K]

I had the same problem several years ago with a Tacoma and was told the composite bed used by Toyota precluded installation of a bed mounted hitch.

I'm not familiar with Nissan but Toyota uses six bolts through the bed (three on each side) and into substantial brackets welded to the Tacoma's frame. I mounted each hitch tower to a piece of 3/8" x 6" x 60" flat stock steel plate, drilled holes in the plates to line up with the bed bolts, removed the bed bolts and then reinstalled them through the plates and bed into the frame mounts. (Much easier to do than to explain).

No additional holes were drilled into the bed and nothing extra was welded or bolted to the frame. I transferred the hitch system from an 05 Tacoma to the 12 and its still working well. Good luck.

[Fern39]

Thanks everyone ! I finally installed it with a friend and it looks good so far.

[trainman]

Originally Posted by Fern39

Thanks everyone ! I finally installed it with a friend and it looks good so far.

The wording "Looks Good" is not the same as done correctly and can handle the loads you want it to handle. I hope all the bracket to the frame are in the correct spot for load caring and designed for both the 5th wheel assemble and the Nissan Frontier. When I see "No Application Available", that sends up a Red Flag right quick for me.

trainman

[Al and Cindy K]

Originally Posted by trainman

The wording "Looks Good" is not the same as done correctly and can handle the loads you want it to handle. I hope all the bracket to the frame are in the correct spot for load caring and designed for both the 5th wheel assemble and the Nissan Frontier. When I see "No Application Available", that sends up a Red Flag right quick for me.

trainman

I think the unique hitch setup on Scamp’s 19’er combined with the generally accepted position that mid size trucks are incapable of safely towing a traditional fifth wheel, “No Application Available” is more likely an indicator the perceived demand is insufficient to justify the cost of producing of an over the counter solution rather than a safety concern.

There isn’t a ‘Vehicle specific’ 19’er hitch listed for late model Tacoma’s either but the solution I came up with for my 05 (and subsequently transferred to my 12) has worked well and safely for nearly fifteen years and over 100K towing miles.

I too hope Marc’s installation is reliable and safe. Implying it may not be simply because it’s not ‘Off the shelf’ is unwarranted in my opinion.

[Jon in AZ]

Scamp’s drivers have logged millions of miles delivering new S19’s using mid-sized, “not recommended for fifth wheel towing” Rangers equipped with both the old- and new-style hitches and not a single failure. Owners have logged millions more in similar mid-sized trucks.

The Scamp 19 is a unique animal, designed especially for mid-sized pickups. It is not really a true fifth wheel at all, and it’s certainly not the kind the manufacturers were warning against.

Years of experience show that it works and is safe. If someone is still not comfortable with that body of evidence, there are plenty of full-size pick-ups to choose from. Better performance (and in some cases better fuel economy, too) than a mid-sized truck.

Frontal area is one factor that does need to be considered along with weight when deciding if a particular mid-sized truck is up to the job.

[Keith2000]

Originally Posted by Fern39

Thanks everyone ! I finally installed it with a friend and it looks good so far.

Care to post a description of what you used and how it went?

[Justus C]

Originally Posted by Radar1

You might want to PM "Alf S", he had a 2010 Nissan Frontier that he pulled an Escape 5th wheel with and had a post somewhere showing how the hitch was installed.

Worth noting that Alf S. towed with a long bed Frontier. The long bed gains over a foot over the short bed. Not to say that it can't be done in a short bed, but the solution may be more complicated.

[steve dunham]

Alf also upgraded tow vehicles to a 2016 Ram 1500 Eco Diesel

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Justus C

Worth noting that Alf S. towed with a long bed Frontier. The long bed gains over a foot over the short bed. Not to say that it can't be done in a short bed, but the solution may be more complicated.

And Alf is now towing with a Ram 1500 EcoDiesel and is much happier with the towing experience with it. The S19 as Jon points out is not a true 5th Wheel (the terminology comes from the actual hitching mechanism), but a lot of Escape 5.0TA owners are using the Andersen hitch, which essentially is the same coupler and ball set up that Scamp uses. I do not believe that anyone makes a bracket to attach 5th wheel hitch rails to the frame of the Frontier. It might have to be done by a custom welder. However, I do not believe that Scamp attaches their hitch to the truck’s frame if you have them install a hitch for a 19.

[Justus C]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Alf also upgraded tow vehicles to a 2016 Ram 1500 Eco Diesel

At 8 years and 110,000 miles, I'd be looking to upgrade too! Guess it couldn't have been that bad of a TV!

[Jon in AZ]

8 years and 110K miles is barely broken in!

I think Alf upgraded after swapping his Escape 5.0 for an Escape 5.0TA. The latter is pretty marginal for a Frontier, especially in frontal area.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

8 years and 110K miles is barely broken in!

I think Alf upgraded after swapping his Escape 5.0 for an Escape 5.0TA. The latter is pretty marginal for a Frontier, especially in frontal area.

Alf’s 5.0TA is a 2014 model. He got the Ram in 2018. He actually towed the 5.0TA with the Frontier for the better part of 4 years.

[Jon in AZ]

Yes, I didn’t realize it was that long, but I remember he posted about it, saying it gave acceptable performance with the 5.0TA. However I also recall a later post that the larger trailer was a factor in the decision to replace the Frontier with the Ram.

I always thought Alf’s Frontier crew cab long bed and 5.0 Classic made one of the best-looking rigs in fiberglassdom and suspect if Escape hadn’t made the 5.0TA, he might still have the Frontier. Pure speculation of course...

Getting back on track, I agree that he would be able to give the OP good advice about installing rails in a Frontier. His set-up handled the much larger 5.0TA. Perhaps a private message?

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Justus C

At 8 years and 110,000 miles, I'd be looking to upgrade too! Guess it couldn't have been that bad of a TV!

I don’t know , you will have to ask Alf

[Alf S.]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I don’t know , you will have to ask Alf

Hi: steve dunham... It was just time to trade. The Ram is larger with more creature comforts, but can still tow the 5.0TA with ease. The well equiped tug has less cargo cap. but is just enough for the two of us.
We have kept the same Husky EZRoller 16K hitch but left the universal rails in the Fronty. All the rails and brackets from the GMC Sierra short box fit in the Nissan with no welding required. My RVTech put new rails in the Ram otherwise it's thge 3rd. truck for the hitch. It usually runs around $300. to R&R the hitch.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Alf S.

Hi: steve dunham... It was just time to trade. The Ram is larger with more creature comforts, but can still tow the 5.0TA with ease. The well equiped tug has less cargo cap. but is just enough for the two of us.
We have kept the same Husky EZRoller 16K hitch but left the universal rails in the Fronty. All the rails and brackets from the GMC Sierra short box fit in the Nissan with no welding required. My RVTech put new rails in the Ram otherwise it's thge 3rd. truck for the hitch. It usually runs around $300. to R&R the hitch.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

I know the feeling “ It was just time “
When my truck gets around the 5 year mark or 60,000 + mile range I start thinking “ Do I want to stick a bunch of money in my old truck ( tires , brakes , spark plugs , transmission fluid , rear end lube ,etc , etc ) or should I just get a new truck with more bells and whistles ?
Since I retired in 2010 , the bells & whistles have won out three times in a row .