I only get 12-15MPG the last ten tanks or so, with my significantly-lighter
'96, and no trailer...
-- -Jon jonsdak@midmaine.com http://jonsdakota.tripod.com 1996 Dodge Dakota Sport 4X4, 3.9L V6, 42RE, 3.92:1 8.25 axle, "BackRack" Headache Rack, Dodge Motorsports decals, steering wheel cover, and front license plate, diamond-plate bedrail covers, Lund VentVisors, Lund BugShield, Jensen MP-3310 CD/MP3 Receiver, Pioneer TS-G1347's in front, TS-A5713's in rear, Bulldog RS-82 Remote Starter <jsm@hardynet.com> wrote in message news:20030302175902.296a1aa8.jsm@hardynet.com... > > > > However... I found that there is a sticker on the hitch that talks > > about the hitch rating. > > Damn those ratings anyway. <g> Looks like you've already received > some good info on weight distributing hitches. If you want a good web > page for lots of RV/Trailer info go to www.irv2.com. I think you'll be > able to keep yourself busy on it for a while. > > >Weight distributing says max weight 6500 lbs, tongue weight 750 lbs. > >Weight carrying says 3500 / 350 lbs. > > You can see that you will be over without the weight distributing > setup. And you will be real close with one. Do you know what your GCWR > is? That would be the maximum gross combined weight of both units > without exceeding the max for either unit. > > Quite a few people believe that you should not tow over 75% of max > rating just to have a safety margin in case something happens. > > > > Sure hope you don't plan on pulling that with the V6. <g> > > > > Why not? My '95 is rated at 5100 lbs trailer weight with the V6, > > That unfortunately would be in a perfect world. While the V6 may be > able to pull it it will really put a strain on it. Hope there are no > hills in your travel plans. I pulled an enclosed motorcycle trailer > behind my 97 V6 auto 3.55. It weighed less than 2000 pounds loaded and > the best I could get on flat land was 12 mpg. In the hills of WV it > was 10 mpg at best. And believe me it strained going up some of the > hills here. > > Another thing you may want to consider is adding some airbags in the > rear. > > > Apparently he's had a lot of people pull this trailer with > > 6-cyl Windstars, S-10 Blazers and the like. > > They may have, but they didn't do it in a safe manner. Short wheelbase > vehicles regardless of their tow rating do not make a good platform > for pulling a trailer. At speed it's like the tail wagging the dog. > > >But I figure that if they can get away with a little piece of junk > >like that (safety margin or not), we should be in good shape with > >our Real Trucks :-). > > That's why I bought a Ram 2500 diesel. <g> > > -- > Steve
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Feb 06 2004 - 11:45:57 EST