Re: Towing (fwd)

From: Frank Ball (frankb@cougar.sr.hp.com)
Date: Fri Feb 23 1996 - 16:34:02 EST


& Do you also have the HD suspension on your truck?? I have an appointment to
& have a Class III frame-mount receiver-style trailer hitch put on my truck
& next week, I'm planning to tow a small boat once in a while (nowhere near
& 3500#) and I'm also planning to possibly tow a friends '70 'Cuda to
& Carlisle. Figured I'd put the Class III on just so I have the capability to
& tow larger loads if necessary. I have the 3.21 SG rearend, 5-speed, and the
& standard payload. The Dakota manual states that the combined weight of the
& truck and the trailer, cargo, people, fluids, etc. with the standard payload
& is not to exceed 7800#... I'm figuring that my trucks somewhere in the
& neighborhood of 3700# (can't recall offhand) and his car on a trailer's
& probably gonna be about 4500# (again just a round number)... Am I OK doing
& this??? Any info is appreciated...

Sounds like the car trailer is really pushing the limit. I hope you don't
have to go up or down any steep hills. I hope the trailer has brakes.
Places that rent car trailers around here require you to have a 3/4 ton
truck.

& > If you had the 3.90 rear and/or the automatic, I don't think you'd have
& >any trouble towing 5K#. Especially if your horse trailer has brakes.
& > Ron
&
& How big of a difference can/does the rearend ratio make??

How steep a hill are you going to have to start on? The hills around
here are STEEP (15% grades are not uncommon). I'm happy with my 3.55,
but I'm not towing cars. I have a friend with a Dakota, v8, auto, 3.90.
He tows a pretty heavy boat and is very happy with his Dakota.

________________________________________________________________________
Frank Ball 1UR-M frankb@sr.hp.com (707) 794-4168 work
Hewlett Packard (707) 794-4848 fax (707) 538-3693 home
1212 Valley House Drive Yamaha IT175 XT350 YZF600 Seca750 Kawi KDX200
Rohnert Park CA 94928-4999 KC6WUG, AMA, DoD #7566, NMLRA, I'm the NRA.
 



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