um .. my 2 cents:
the 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton rating is based on payload in the box if I'm not
mistaken ... Dealer here lists the Dak. as a standard 750lb payload ... =
3/8 ton ... The towing capacity is completely different (though the tongue
weight is still limited by the payload in the box)...
-- Canuck -------------------------------------------- Y2K, 4.7L, 2wd, 5spd, The Ultimate K&N HomeBrew, Flowmaster CatBack http://www.twistedbits.net/WWWProfile/dakota/Vyikam1jjgNN6""Tony Cellana"" <acellan1@tampabay.rr.com> wrote in message news:07d201c23723$39480740$70602241@a.tampabay.rr.com... > > The 10,500 everyone is referring to is the MAX Gross Vehicle weight. Truck > + Cargo + trailer load, NOT the trailer alone. > > Any time you are dragging a heavy trailer, it SHOULD have its own brakes > PERIOD. Whether it is an electric setup, or a set of surge hydraulics. > > I have used my 98 5.2 5spd 3.92 RC to haul dressed BB marine engines 1000 > lbs, the truck did squat a bit. I have also used it to haul several > raceboats to different sites around FL. These boats weigh in arount 4500 + > trailer + mounted tool boxes, about 6000-6500 lbs. Again no problems. Yes, > braking distances are longer. There is more weight, and the same swept > braking surfaces. Makes sense to me. > > If you are carrying a large load in the bed, carry it as far forward as > possible to ease the tail wagging the dog effect. > > TonyC > > -----Original Message----- > From: Mr. Plow <adam_is_mr_plow@hotmail.com> > To: dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net <dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net> > Date: Monday, July 29, 2002 11:59 AM > Subject: DML: Re: Dakota a half ton > > > > > >Hey Paul, > > > >My Dak has the tow package, the beefier rear end etc. as well, but i > haven't > >towed very much with it, other than other trucks stuck in the mud. <cough> > ><andy levy> <cough> > >hehehe > >But the heaviesty thing i've ever towed was an older Mercury Sable wagon on > >a little dolly. Figure probably 3000 lb car, or there abouts, te dolly was > >pretty light, maybe only 200 or so lbs. Anyway, it rode ok, really wasn't > >that much strain on the 4.7, but braking obviously needed a longer > distance. > >And that really is the important thing, braking. You could probably get > the > >Dak to pull 10,000+ lbs, but getting it to stop all that weight is a whole > >'nother story!!!! > >Little story for ya to kind of illustrate what i'm trying to say about the > >Dakota's abilities, and keeping it within "safe" limits: > >I was coming back from a camping trip, and we see this little car, i > "think" > >it was a Kia Sephia, looks a lot like the most recent Ford Escorts. > Anyway, > >this little car was towing this absolutely MASSIVE boat, it must have > >weighed like 15,000 lbs, maybe more, and was probably between 30-35 feet > >long. It looked like it could carry 8-10 people comfortably, and had > >below-deck sleeping for at least 4 people. Like i said, this boat was > >massive!!! > >Anyway, the little Kia's rear bumper was pretty close to scraping the > >ground, and over any bump, mostlikely did... But, it was pulling this boat > >at about 20 km/h (12mph). > >Now obviously this is not a safe thing to do, but it can be done. > >So, can the Daks tow 10,000+ lbs in trailer, crap in the bed? Yes. > >Should it be done? No. > > > > > > > >The Adam Blaster > >Two words, figure it out..... > > > > > > > > > >> > >> > >>Hi Adam > >> I agree, it actually sounds proposterous! Unlike what I assume to > be > >>the majority of members of this List, I use my truck for work daily. Mine > >>has the optional 2,000# factory GVW rating and trailer hitch. My trailer > >>weighs only 550# empty and @ the tongue about 270#. When pulling around > >>2,500# combined trailer cargo and trailer weight and little or nothing in > >>the > >>truck it drives as though there was a giant hand behind pushing strongly > >>forward. If I add about 1,000# truck cargo it tends to handle better > except > >>for stopping power. I never feel safe driving more than 50mph with loads > >>and > >>loaded trailer and then keep several car length distance if possible from > >>the > >>guy ahead of me. > >> I've only had a full 2,000# load in the truck alone several times. > >>The > >>body rubber suspension limit bumpers are about 3" off the rear axle and > the > >>tailpipe may be even closer to the ground than 3". The rear suspension > >>bottoms almost constantly over very minor road surfaces. Front seems to > >>take > >>2,000# very well. Incidentally, when hauling dirt, concrete chunks, > >>bricks, > >>sand, etc., you reach a 2,000# load without filling the 6.5' cargo bed to > >>the > >>side tops. So with products that have a high weight density you do not > >>fill > >>the cubic capacity of the cargo box to reach maximum load capacity even > >>with > >>the optional 2,000# pkg. > >> At around 15k mi I replaced the factory shocks with Bilsteins and at > >>the > >>same time both F&R stabilizer bars with Hotchkis mounted in poly bushings. > >>These larger diameter bars made a tremendous improvement in overall safe > >>handling for a loaded truck and especially with a trailer too. The > factory > >>setup was too tame and the trailer tended to whip the truck like a dog > >>whose > >>tail is too big for his body! This was especially noted when loads are > >>real > >>ly heavy and the suspension is almost fully compressed. > >> > >>Cheers > >> > >>Paul Sahlin > > > >_________________________________________________________________ > >Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com > > >
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Jun 20 2003 - 12:05:07 EDT