Re: towing

From: Chris Reck (chris92@insightbb.com)
Date: Sun May 13 2007 - 23:43:57 EDT


I can vouch for the towing power of the v6. Mine is a 99 and in March last
year, I towed a 5000 sailboat (trailer and boat together), 200lbs of extra
gear, back from California to central Illinois without too much of a
problem. The only worry I had was a cross-wind once we got past Arkansas
(oh, and the locals in New Mexico singing the Gilligan Island theme...).
Mind you, the boat was 26' and had a top hight of 11'7".

I averaged 11.7 MPG round trip. This counted towing the 1000 lb trailer out
to CA via I-80 through Reno. We took the southern route back.

The only additions I had at the time were new shocks, a custom K&N filter,
Jet stage 1 chip. I did have a 7 pin trailer wiring with electric brakes.
When towing this much through mountains, it's a MUST. I had no extra
cooling for trans at all. We did the round trip in 5 days (with a stay in
Reno and a stay in Sacramento) with all of the driving straight through,
only stopping for gas.

This was all with 105,000 miles on my truck.

Would I do it again? YES. Would I go during early season snow? NOOOO.
Even with 4WD, towing the trailer over a highway with black ice is no fun.
I had the trailer passing me for a bit as it swung out from behind me...

Next DML I can attend, I'll bring video of the trip.

-----------------------------------------------
Chris Reck
Bloomington, IL

'99 Dakota Sport + CC 4x4 V6 (Deep Amethyst)
"It's not the meat, it's how you apply the rub"

"al klabunde" <braindrain4u@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:182646.23405.qm@web82106.mail.mud.yahoo.com...
>
>
> --- Grady Ogburn <jgo@nospamplease.uswest.net> wrote:
>
>>
>> On Thu, 10 May 2007 08:47:12 -0400,
>> braindrain4u@yahoo.com
>> said...
>> >
>> > Question on capacity-I need to tow a 95 plym
>> voyager
>> > with my 98 dak 5.2 4x4 with a 2 wheel dolley. Went
>> > online to uhaul and they show the truck as being
>> too
>> > light. Any thoughts on this or past experiences??
>> > Thanks AL
>> >
>>
>> I know that anecdotal evidence isn't necessarily
>> doctrine, but
>> my truck (without the Jet II chip) towed an 8x14 box
>> trailer
>> loaded to the gills (7k capacity, probably 4500
>> pounds) from
>> Denver to PA, no problem. Bed was loaded, too. It
>> was
>> definitely working HARD, but it performed. I'm not
>> vouching for
>> the gas mileage while I did that (~ 7mpg), but my
>> drivetrain and
>> brakes did just fine. The rear suspension was
>> overloaded, but
>> that won't be a problem for you hauling a dolly.
>>
>> My guess is that your v-ger weighs in at under 4000
>> pounds. How
>> far are you going?
>>
>> --
>> Grady Ogburn (Pittsburgh PA Area, AIM: JGradyO)
>> Black '98 Sport CC 4x4 5.2l, 5 Speed, 3.55 LSD
>> K&N GenII, MP TB, JET II, MSD 6A, Magnecor 8.5 Wires
>> Mesa Headers & Cat, Gibson/MagnaFlow 3" Exhaust
>> Leer Topper
>> I'll be towing about 40 miles in heavy traffic-not
> too much room for error.My first instinct was it
> should be able to do it without a problem then u-haul
> put a question in my mind.Lord knows I have enough
> questions in there.Grady, please be more spesific as
> to your address so I can tell my lawyer Grady said it
> was ok. Thanks,Grady Al
>
>
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