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CSzalai
Dodge Dakota
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8/23/2005
08:24:43
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 Subject: Towing Capacity
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WOW!!!! What a weekend i towed a 25 foot travel trailer with my 2004 Quad cab v6 3:55 rear end Auto tranny w/ overdrive. Me and my family went to michigan speedway which is about 50 miles from home the trailer i rented was a flagstaff and weighed 4200lbs empty i filled the water tank (8lbs x 31gal) and loaded it with all our gear and had no problem pulling through the irish hills or on the highway at 70mph. We are wanting to buy one now (a 27 foot w/ slideout) but the one we like is another 1000lbs i know i can beef the suspension (add a leaf) and drive train to support the additional weight but will the engine handle it (3.7 liter v6)or do i need to upgrade to a full size truck?
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dakkid
Dodge Dakota
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8/23/2005
21:04:34
|  RE: Towing Capacity
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the 3.7 should be able to handle it. i personally would just try and find a 4.7 dakota or one with the 5.2. or get a fullsize if you just want to. so yeah, it will take it, but i would get an intercooler, and do the beefing up of the tranny and suspension like you said. it's gonna take more pedal probably too. you could probably upgrade your gearing too, but it'll take more gas than what you're getting now, not that much more though. just my $.02.
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93dak4x4
Dodge Dakota
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8/23/2005
21:11:30
| RE: Towing Capacity
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Add a supercharger, Shift kit, Tranny cooler, and trailer brake controller. After all that you should be all set.
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Brandon
Dodge Dakota
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8/24/2005
00:09:48
| RE: Towing Capacity
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not to hijack the thread, but from the info in the thread, my 2003 V6 should be able to pull my VW Jetta 3000lbs (2500 car weight + additional stereo weight/wheels...etc) without any problems?
I was going to post a new thread but saw this one and figured I could find some answers. Thanks
Brandon
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cszalai
Dodge Dakota
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8/24/2005
00:11:30
| RE: Towing Capacity
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Thanks 93dak4x4 i allready have the trailer brake controller and the tranny cooler is on its way....any idea where i can find a supercharger for a 3.7 v-6? As for more peddal ...the gas mileage went down to 8mpg with the trailer hooked up
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jayb
Dodge Dakota
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8/24/2005
10:18:07
| RE: Towing Capacity
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dont put a stupid supercharger on it. thats dumb. if it pulls it now, you will pull that one too. drop 3.92:1 gears in it, or 4.11:1's. then ad a leaf, put in the external tranny cooler, and call it a day.
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CSzalai
Dodge Dakota
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8/24/2005
10:46:03
| RE: Towing Capacity
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The transmission should be good like it is just add the cooler to it? What will the 3.92:1 or the 4.11:1 rear end gear do for gas milage? (I work 25 miles from home)
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CSzalai
Dodge Dakota
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8/24/2005
10:54:01
| RE: Towing Capacity
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also it is a 4x4
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CSzalai
Dodge Dakota
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8/24/2005
11:11:28
| RE: Towing Capacity
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you guys recommond any place special for new gears and do i have to change both front & back gears my truck is a 4x4
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Dex
Dodge Dakota
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8/24/2005
12:13:39
| RE: Towing Capacity
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I think changing out the 4x4 gears can be expensive.
I'd like to know what it would cost.
My guess would be:
450 Parts/fluids
550 Labor
1,000 total
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2marlinman
Dodge Dakota
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8/25/2005
14:25:36
| RE: Towing Capacity
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DO NOT SUPERCHARGE YOUR 3.7L
CHANGING YOUR GEARING TO 3.92 OR 4.10 IS BEST
I have a 2003 dakota 4x4 CC with a 3.9L V6 and 3.92 gearing. I have towed my boat for a 1000 mile trip with no problems. I went from metro Detroit to Marquette in the UP of Michigan and back. The boat weighs 5300 lbs. I averaged 10.5 mpg, but each fill up produced different numbers.
I could hold overdrive on flat ground but on the hills the truck required 3rd gear.
CSzalai
I may be wrong but a 27 foot trailer with a slideout may weigh more than 5300 lbs. My truck with the 3.9L is rated at 5000 lbs. max capacity.
The 3.7L is probably around the same max towing capacity properly equiped.
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CSzalai
Dodge Dakota
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8/25/2005
14:36:30
| RE: Towing Capacity
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yes you are correct the 27 footer is 5000 lbs on the truck.
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dak
Dodge Dakota
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8/28/2005
17:21:16
| RE: Towing Capacity
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dude it can pull it easily! I have pulled 8800LB with my V6 cc 98 2x4! it was a litte hard but hey thats a lot of wight!
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CSzalai
Dodge Dakota
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8/29/2005
09:10:55
| RE: Towing Capacity
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Cool thanks guys,
also i finally found some performance stuff for the 3.7 i'm picking up a stage one jet chip for my truck today, i figure if anything at least it will help with gas milage
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Kowalski
GenIII
8/29/2005
09:51:27
| RE: Towing Capacity
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In case you haven't ordered yet, the Jet chip doesn't usually get good reviews on this site. Does superchips have your application listed ?
Lead, follow, or get out of the way
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CSzalai
Dodge Dakota
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8/29/2005
10:28:51
| RE: Towing Capacity
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No they don't i've been to the superchips website and they have all the dakota engine sizes except the 3.7
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Craig
Dodge Dakota
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8/30/2005
23:55:08
| RE: Towing Capacity
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I don't think I would tow somthing that large with a Dakota, at least not too long of a distance, but I'm glad to hear that my truck could pull something of that size nonetheless.
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Kowalski
GenIII
8/31/2005
15:53:48
| RE: Towing Capacity
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Its really no problem for the Dak, especially if you have the v8. I have a trailer about that size and I'll be out in the passing lane going up large hills - no trouble at all.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way
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Craig
Dodge Dakota
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9/03/2005
21:27:56
| RE: Towing Capacity
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I agree that the v8 would have enough power- the 3.7 I don't think would do as well, even with the 3.92s.
Of course I'm spoiled by using my brother's '04 F-350 with diesel in it. That is a real tow rig there- I can pull a car from PA to AZ in 48 hours with that baby. (If I'm driving with my brother of course)
One more thing, please, please PLEASE invest in a decent hitch with sway control and stabilizer bars. I've seen too many RVs in my trime driving across the country with crappy hitches come loose on the highway. I know that's not related to the post question, but nothing gets under my skin more than someone with a cheap hitch setup- it's dangerous to you and it's dangerous to the people around you when you don't hitch up properly.
That was for the record only, and if you already hitch up safetly please don't take offense.
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cszalai
Dodge Dakota
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9/04/2005
22:16:59
| RE: Towing Capacity
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No offense taken and i feel the same way about anything .....If i'm going to do something i like doing it right (in this case i didn't get a big enough engine but with gas prices it pays off)but the 3.7 appeared to do the job. The trailer i did pull had all those goodies the equalizer hitch, sway bars, emergency brake cable for the rv and im thinking about setting up my utility trailer with the stuff for a equalizer hitch & sway bars for when i have heavier loads
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93dak4x4
Dodge Dakota
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9/05/2005
11:16:19
| RE: Towing Capacity
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sorry for the slow reply.. supercharger can be found on krc. http://www.krcperformance.com/newcontent/v6super.html
But changing your gears isn't as cheap as they said. the gears are expensive and then you need the master install kit if you do it yourself its around 900 to 1000.(and yes you need to do the front gears too) if you have it done could be easily 1500 or more. the supercharger is around $3700 so its not cheap but its definetely a good investment if you plan to pull this thing alot. I would add springs to the rear that can handle the weight. If you can afford the 27 ft travel trailer you can afford to do this right. Just remember that.
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