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Pickups Dodge Dakota Dodge Dakota Performance and Towing Mods
46 messages, Last post on Jul 03, 2009 at 9:36 AM
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My friend is looking to purchase a Dakota with a V6. A couple of times a year he will have to move a 2000lbs pontoon boat. Is this too much for the vehicle? Thanks
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Ok this will be my last meassage on this board. ow own a 2006 GMC 2500HD Duramax CCSB SLE. Now that is a towing machine, and I can tell ya it blows the Dak outa the water. As for the question...I would probably not tow anymore than 3000 lbs with a 4.7 Dak. Yea I know they say with the 4.7 that you can go as high as 7000. sure and I can walk on water. 7000 lbs is a possilibity but only if you don't mind putting your motor and tranny to the absolute limits. Be smart and cut what the "stealer" says in half..then you'll be fine. The 4500 lbs trailer I pulled last year with my Dak gave it all it could handle and it was slow slogging up hills...BIG TIME like 30 mph max. that was with 4 people in the truck at the time: 2 Adults and 2 teens. For a V6 you should be probably OK..again tranny cooler and whatever you can do to add some torque will help. I pulled a tent trailer at 2400 lbs with a 3.4 V6 Montana and it went fine....better than my 4.7 DAk on the hills with 4500 behind it. rgds, Stk |
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Replying to: steak2k1 (Apr 25, 2007 6:33 am) |
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Replying to: dssweeney (Apr 24, 2007 11:51 pm) Another concern is brakes. Does the boat trailer have any? An extra 2000 lbs is probably more than the Dakota's brakes can handle safely. |
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Replying to: steak2k1 (Apr 25, 2007 6:33 am) I'm sorry for the late response. I would hope that a 2500 Duramax Diesel would make the 4.7 Dakota seem over worked. You're not comparing apples to apples. I've never towed 4500 lbs. with my 2003 4.7, but it handles 3100 lbs. with relative ease, and that's with the 3.55 axle ratio and oversize tires. Maybe its me, but when I'm towing I'm not in any race nor impatient with my progress. Regards, Dusty
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Replying to: dustyk (May 06, 2007 1:11 pm) A huge engine in a small truck DOES NOT mean it is now capable of safely towing loads which weigh more than the truck itself. Spend some time towing a bulldozer on a tripple-axle trailer and you will appreceate using a HEAVY tow-vhicle to perform the task. Perhaps even more important with towing is the BRAKES.... and we all know that the brakes on the Dakota are pretty whimpey. Does your trailer have its own brakes?
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Replying to: bpeebles (May 06, 2007 3:57 pm) The trailer I towed did have electric brakes but were not hooked up. I found the brakes on my Dak to be adequate at normal speeds and going down hills for the roughly 3100 lbs. I currently have factory pads and the rotors were replaced about 28,000 ago. The rears are still original. Bests, Dusty |
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Well I would agree that apples to Melons is not a good comparison. However the 2005 Dak 4.7L was rated at 6800 lbs towing capacity. Now my trailer at 22' and loaded for a trip was 4430 lbs (scaled). That truck should have had no issues pulling. The fact of the matter was it did. A higher gearing might have helped significantly but that was not to be in my case. IMOP that truck was not capable for anything greater than the ~3000 lbs you mention. Typical of Manufacturers to grossly overstate their vehicles abilities in mpg as well as towing. I'm told that I can safely pull 12,500 lbs with the D,max...would I though..?? not likely ever. Too much for even that vehicle. Oh it'll do it...just keep pouring the fuel to it and a guy will likely end up with a molten turbo and blown motor. not for me thank ya very much. As for brakes, yea, Dak brakes suck period. the rears might as well not even be there. If you are going to pull, make sure you use your tranny & downshift, pulse your brakes, and ensure your trailer brakes are in excellent order and a guy will do fine. I had no torouble in BC on two long trips over some major hill and dale..!! cheers, Stk
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Replying to: steak2k1 (May 07, 2007 6:08 am) My 4.7L Dak is rated at 18 MPG highway and I get over 20MPG. My Volkswagen Jetta is rated at 49MPG and I get up to 56MPG on the highway. My point is that the MPG ratings are highly depandant on DRIVING HABITS. It is easy to get better than the window-stickers if one drives with econemy in mind. BTW: In reference to my VW Jetta - I do not beleive there is any other vehicle on the US market that can get over 700 miles per tank of fuel on the highway. Those silly hybrids are a gimmick. Test after test has shown that the VW TDI can go a LOT farther on a tank of fuel than any hybred. I predict as the cost of fuel goes up, Americans will start to do what Europe did many years ago... and start driving Diesel cars. Modern diesel engines run cleaner than gasoline engines AND still get the 30% better economy that diesels always have deliverd.
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Replying to: steak2k1 (May 07, 2007 6:08 am) Dusty |
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