The problem here is not the ability of the truck to tow that much weight, but the weight of the Dakota and the weight of the vehicle being towed. You normally don't want to be towing a vehicle that is heavier than the towing vehicle. Otherwise, the one being towed will want to push the towing vehicle as well as try to jacknife on you. I believe here in VA, it's illegal to tow a vehicle that is as heavy as the towing vehicle. I've actually heard that the towing vehicle has to weigh twice as much. This is the same reason that by law (at least in VA) that a trailer having Gross weight of 3000lbs or more MUST have electrical brakes and tandem axle. Think that's funny because the gross weight on my 10' open trailer is 2,995 lbs, and doesn't have brakes or tandem axle. The biggest concern on towing a load heavier than the towing vehicle is going down hill, etc. That load will want to whip right around ya. I can tell ya, I had a heavy load backloaded one time, and going downhill at 45mph or so, and I've ne
ver been so paranoid in my life... That trailer just kept going left and right, and you cannot brake more than just a hair cause it will jackife (not to mention the wind from passing tractor-trailers doing 70mph+).
Anyway, to sum it up, take the weight of the chevelle into consideration. If you have a 97 or later Dakota, it's going to weight 4200-4500 if it's a CC with you in it. If it's a RC, closer to 4000lbs. If the chevelle is lighter than that, you'll probably be fine. Also, I doubt uhaul knows how heavy a Dakota is, they probably think it's like the other "compacts" which are 3000-3500 usually, and they would be absolutely correct that those compacts are too light to tow another car.
Ken Allgood
97 CC SLT 5.2L
>
> From: "BARRY OLIVER" <DHSPA58@dhs.state.il.us>
> Date: 2003/06/05 Thu AM 09:54:10 EDT
> To: <dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net>
> Subject: Re: DML: Tow bar rental?
>
>
> U-haul wants to rent you a truck... Unless you have a 4 cyl, you have enough truck for the job, v6 or v8. You could prolly pull it off with a 4 cyl too, but getting up to speed might be more of an adventure. As long as you have a class III hitch, you are fine. Tow dolly's or trailers work better than tow bars (that bolt onto the front bumper) but your Dak should be up to the task reguardless (as long as you are prudent about towing and aren't trying for a speed record...)
>
> >>> ttroidl@bluefrognet.net 06/04/03 10:47PM >>>
>
> hello,
>
> I've been looking into renting a towbar to bring the old '66 chevelle back
> from SC on June14th, Uhaul says the Dak is too light get a heavier truck!
>
> any ideas???
>
>
>
>
> Tony.
>
>
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Feb 06 2004 - 11:46:26 EST