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John S.
Dodge Dakota
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3/13/2002
17:01:43
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 Subject: Towing capacity?
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Hey all,
Whats the towing capacity for a '97 Dakota 4 cylinder 4x2 with 3.5 rear gearing? Its a 5 speed.
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R/Truck
Dodge Dakota
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3/13/2002
17:24:36
| RE: Towing capacity?
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Message:
Probably around 2000lb
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John S.
Dodge Dakota
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3/13/2002
20:34:19
| RE: Towing capacity?
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Im hoping more then 2000lbs- my volvo 240 with a 2.1L is rated for 3000lbs.
-John
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2WD
Dodge Dakota
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3/13/2002
21:26:12
|  RE: Towing capacity?
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Message:
Be real careful about pushing it, especially if you don't have LOTS of tow experience. Most of these vehicle tow numbers are for advertising, and are WAY too high for either safety or your truck.
There is a reason U-HAUL won't rent you a big 4 wheel trailer if you want to tow it with a half-ton pickup. (The pickup is too light.) A good rule for your Dakota (and mine) is whatever you can put in a 2-wheel trailer. Above that and it gets dangerous.
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CW
GenIII
3/13/2002
22:05:52
| RE: Towing capacity?
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Message:
Nonsense you just have to use your head and not push it. I pull a 5000lb tandam axle holiday trailer. I have towed in cross winds at or over 30 MPH you just have to keep your speed down. There is no way I would tow anything but a tandam axle trailer they are way more steady.
2001 RC 4.7 5sp 9.25" 3.92 LSD
Ported 68mm TB, IAT adjuster, 3" flowmaster cat back, TPS @ .76V, 4" cold air, Roadmaster active suspention, Removed Third cat, Electric fan Convertion, HO cams.
Working on adjustable fuel pressure with return.
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2WD
Dodge Dakota
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3/14/2002
00:17:30
| RE: Towing capacity?
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Message:
>Nonsense ... ?
No it's not nonesense. Read what I said. Don't try to tow something too big for your truck.
I towed a 31' Airstream for 30 years and have a pretty good feel for how these things work. The roadsides are littered with clowns who think they are bigtime truckers with their little trucks and cars. If they do get lucky, the damage they do to their little tow vehicles makes their $$$/mile cost way too high.
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2WD
Dodge Dakota
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3/14/2002
00:24:12
| RE: Towing capacity?
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Oh, and to tow the 7,000+ Airstream I used a 3/4 Ton Ford with a max V8 engine, high ratio rear end, plus a gear splitter. It handled the load with aplomb, and climbed the mountains on the California/Oregon border at 55+. No way my 2.5L Dakota could do that, let alone do it safely.
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CW
GenIII
3/14/2002
09:00:39
| RE: Towing capacity?
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Message:
Yes but you also say that you shouldn't tow a tandam axle while the tow rating is to high for some vehicles. While 6700 is to high for mine I tow 5000+ with it and it isn't hard nor dangerous. I sure don't know of anyone that would try to tow more than a couple of thousand pounds with a 2.5. Not I have 4.7 3.92 5sp.
2001 RC 4.7 5sp 9.25" 3.92 LSD
Ported 68mm TB, IAT adjuster, 3" flowmaster cat back, TPS @ .76V, 4" cold air, Roadmaster active suspention, Removed Third cat, Electric fan Convertion, HO cams.
Working on adjustable fuel pressure with return.
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2WD
Dodge Dakota
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3/14/2002
10:38:42
| RE: Towing capacity?
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Message:
> but you also say that you shouldn't tow a tandam axle
No, you're misreading it. I LOVE tandem axles. Safety here is about WEIGHT relative to tow vehicle weight. My U-HAUL reference was to their attempt at limiting towed weight by limiting trailer size to their 2-wheel models.
> I sure don't know of anyone that would try to
tow more than a couple of thousand pounds with a 2.5.
I think that was the original posters question. (However go out on the interstate in June and watch the Honda Civics trying to pull an oversize 4 wheel trailer using a bumper hitch.)
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CW
GenIII
3/14/2002
14:22:41
| RE: Towing capacity?
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Message:
Ahh I see. Carry on.:)
2001 RC 4.7 5sp 9.25" 3.92 LSD
Ported 68mm TB, IAT adjuster, 3" flowmaster cat back, TPS @ .76V, 4" cold air, Roadmaster active suspention, Removed Third cat, Electric fan Convertion, HO cams.
Working on adjustable fuel pressure with return.
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jerobiemon
Dodge Dakota
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3/15/2002
09:39:16
|  RE: Towing capacity?
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I agree w/ both points here.
CW, I also have a 4.7L, and have towed 4,000+ pounds on a dual axel 16' trailer. I also have the heavy towing package w/ all the good heavy trimmings for my Dak. This load barely bogged my truck down, you have done more to your truck than I have (performance wise) so you probably have more horsepower/torque than me so that 5,500+ you have pulled is realistic, however, you and I have 4.7L engines. John S. was asking about a 2.5L.
2WD, I realize your concern here, and you are centering your responces around John S's question. He is referring to a 2.5L. I agree here. A 4-Banger always seems to have a big problem pulling stuff (because of the lack of torque). I used to have a GMC Sonoma w/ a 4-cyl. and when I put my monster Polaris 4x4 4 wheeler that weighs close to 700 pounds even in the bed, it just about killed that poor truck. I could barely do 65mph.
A half ton can pull just fine, if you have the engine for it, and distribute the trailer weight good so you dont bottom out your rear springs. It does, however, take "towing knowledge". 2WD, you are right, a lot of people do make the mistakes of towing stuff that is over the towing cap., but that is mainly dangerous w/ they are inexperienced towers. Personally, I feel that the listed towing capacities are under rated to avoid lawsuits and liabilities.
Here is something funny semi-related to this post...
on my way to work this morning, they had the road blocked off because of an 18 wheeler that was parked infront of someones house had literally broken it's spine. The middle of the 53' trailer was touching the ground. {:-0 !!! It was a box trailer, and it was all crumpled up at the top cause of the fold. That was a hell of a sight. So what ever he was towing, was lets say, not distributed well.?!
If your still reading this thread, sorry about the length.
Jerobiemon
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scat pack
GenIII
3/15/2002
16:13:07
| RE: Towing capacity?
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Distributing the trailer weight as not to bottom out truck springs is only half the story, more than half the weight on your trailer should be towards the front or it could cause excessive and dangerous sway. I tow about 4000 lbs with single axle trailer with no problems. ( Not with the 4 banger )!
2K RC 4.7 4x4
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2WD
Dodge Dakota
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3/15/2002
22:01:37
| RE: Towing capacity?
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Message:
>2WD, you are right, a lot of people do make the mistakes of towing stuff that is over the towing cap., but that is mainly dangerous w/ they are inexperienced towers.
That's the part thats too often ignored. Heavy towing is not for beginners. And NEVER is Fast towing.
I've towed all sort of crap over the years, too heavy, set up wrong, etc., and it can get REAL scarey. Once towed a huge steel upright bank safe in an all steel tandem trailer, professionaly loaded and secured. It was SO heavy it whipped that 3/4 ton long frame towing-equipped truck around like a leaf. Almost lost it on the freeway to a cross wind going through downtown Los Angeles!
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dottie
Dodge Dakota
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1/12/2003
18:22:07
| RE: Towing capacity?
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whats the smallest engine i could pull a 22 ft cutty cabin boat,not sure of weight.looking at a ford or chevy truck. thanks.
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dottie
Dodge Dakota
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1/12/2003
18:26:09
| RE: Towing capacity?
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whats the smallest engine i could pull a 22 ft cutty cabin boat,not sure of weight.looking at a ford or chevy truck. thanks.
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dottie
Dodge Dakota
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1/12/2003
18:27:16
| RE: Towing capacity?
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whats the smallest engine i could pull a 22 ft cutty cabin boat,not sure of weight.looking at a ford or chevy truck. thanks.
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dottie
Dodge Dakota
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1/12/2003
18:28:48
| RE: Towing capacity?
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whats the smallest engine i could pull a 22 ft cutty cabin boat,not sure of weight. thanks.
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daveZ
Dodge Dakota
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4/01/2003
13:45:53
| droopy rearend towing
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I have a 98 Dakota 4x4 5.2 w/a dealer tow pkg. Last year I towed a uhaul (heavy MF) 4 wheel car hauler with a 3600 lb car on it. The car was parked engine-foreward and the tongue weight caused the rearend of my truck to mash down pretty hard.
I would like opinions on spring-booster kits or whatever to increase my tongue carrying weight so this does not happen. I plan on purchasing a much lighter trailer but I'd guess that the tongue weight with my camaro on it would be similar.
Thanks for any advice.
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Arron
Dodge Dakota
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4/15/2003
23:09:41
|  RE: Towing capacity?
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Message:
I have a 2003 QC SLT+ 4x2 4.7 5 speed auto with 3.55 gears and LSD, I am wondering, what length of boats are you all pulling. I am looking to get a boat somewhere between 18-20 foot. Now I know that boat weight varys from length to lenght, however it will be no more than about 4000 to 4500 lbs. Just wonder what you all think. Thanks for the info.
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mjhipp
Dodge Dakota
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4/16/2003
18:15:10
| RE: Towing capacity?
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Message:
Not to get off the subject, but (and I know this is bad) but I had a 4 banger 5 spd Nissan that I could pull my 17" Bassboat with a Mariner Mag 150 as fast as it could go. That sucker would do 100+ with that boat tagging along. Those are the baddest 4 cyl. trucks ever.
As far as UHAUL, they'll let you pull a tandem axle trailer with a Dak only if you have a draw-tite or equiv. As far as a 4 cyl goes, why get one? Why get a 4 cyl Dak at all? The MPG sucks, and the the Nissan's & Toy's will outrun, out-MPG, and outpower the 4 cyl Dak. with ease!!
Just askin.
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.Doc.
Dodge Dakota
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4/16/2003
18:30:03
| RE: Towing capacity?
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Message:
Johs S,
Check your owner's manual. If you don't have one, you can go to a DC dealer and their parts people can look up the specs for you. At the same time, check the 'towing accessories' already on your rig: bigger radiator, oil coolers, better brakes, heavier suspension, &tc., ... ?
Remember, that is MAX, and will make your rig, &tc. work as hard as design limits will allow.
Consider electric brake controller (if your towed load has 'em) and use everything available to pull safely. This can include a 'load leveling' hitch and anti-sway bar.
I've gotten in about 100,000 miles of 'recreational towing' over the last 25 years and found you can get into serious trouble real fast from anything from cross winds to an 18-wheeler passing you at speed.
Have fun, and remember there's a big 'thingie' behind you waiting for the chance to go first!!
Doc
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