I know I can tow with the R/T, but plan on installing the Eibach
suspension and maybe even getting some better tires and going F-body
hunting at the local autocross course. The R/T frequently places
mid-pack in ESP, with no other mod than headers. I figure with some
suspension work, better tires (we are still running the original tires)
and maybe a better Y-pipe, that truck should be a killer against more
modded Canaries and Rustangs.
Also, we will be looking for something to replace our aging 89 Cherokee,
our 'pup-mobile', as we call it, because we haul our three large dogs
around in it. The Jeep is suffering from too many years of being used as
a dive truck in Florida (my wife's truck before we met) and the back
floorpan is quite rusted. I can see carpet in places when under the
truck. I would like to replace it with another Jeep, but since they no
longer make them, we are not expecting to find any new ones when we start
looking. So, we will need a work truck. Besides, the R/T keeps our
other garage queen, our 95 Impala SS, company. Can't break up that pair!
:-)
Thank you all for your input. I think the longer wheelbase of the
quad-cab Dak will help make it a stable platform to tow with, while
allowing the dogs the window they need to bark at stuff from. It is one
of a couple we are going to look at, but I am already impressed with the
construction and performance of our R/T. The competitors will have to be
pretty good, or the Dakota's price pretty bad to loose.
Gene Beaird
98 Flame Red CC R/T
Pearland, Texas
>
> A buddy of mine has a '00 quad cab (its the August truck in the DML
>calendar, actually). Its got the 4.7 with a 5 speed, and he tows a
>30-35' travel trailer. It weighs about 4500lbs empty, I think, when its
>got the water tanks full its another 1,000lbs on top of that.
>The truck pulls it, no problems. He uses a weight distributing hitch,
>and the rear end doesn't really even sink down very much (have seen quite a
>few full size trucks pulling similar trailers without a weight distributing
>hitch and their rear ends sit pretty low) The only "mod" he had to make was
>to get an add-on towing mirror so he could see around the trailer. If
>a semi goes by the trailer can start to wobble a bit, but letting off the gas
>corrects it. If you are using an open trailer, it probably wouldn't even do
>that.
>
> However.... If I were you, I'd seriously consider towing with the R/T.
>If I just came off one car loan, the last thing I'd want to do is pile
>into another one! :-) The drivetrain of the R/T is no different than
>any other Dak, its certainly stout enough to take it. The 5.9 will
>be more capable than the 4.7 would be as far as towing goes (more
>low end torque; though I guess you could get the 5.9 in the QC too.)
>The "problem" with towing and the R/T appears to be the lowered suspension;
>a couple of air bags should be able to correct the deficiencies in the R/T
>suspension. (There are a lot of R/T owners out there who have done exactly
>that.)
>
> Your call of course, but looking at $25,000 for a new truck or $500-1000
>for an airbag setup seems like a pretty easy decision to me. :-) Unless
>of course you are just trying to rationalize a new toy, in which case ignore
>the above and proceed as planned. ;-)
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