04 Durango V8 pull a 20' enclosed?

[Speed Raycer]

Originally posted by Scott Malbon:
My Durango (98) has weak brakes and a friend has burned 2 transmissions in his Durango trying to pull an enclosed trailer.

I would bet that your friend is towing with the O/D on. A big no no with the previous generation of Mopar OD trannies. Not so sure about the current trannies.



[This message has been edited by Speed Raycer (edited January 21, 2004).]

[B Schley]

I understand making the wife happy, believe me. But is she going to be happy white knuckling it to the track when towing the enclosed trailer. Open trailers provide way less wind resistance and are cheaper. Why not that and an EZ-Up canopy with side curtains. An open trailer will also be less stressful on the tow vehicle, thus reducing repair costs down the road. Just a thought.

[This message has been edited by B Schley (edited January 21, 2004).]

[whenry]

It is a difficult comparison because price is such factor with these vehicles but the Nissan would seem to be the vehicle if all things are otherwise equal. Wheelbase is probably the most important feature. All the vehicles that you list will tow the trailer that you plan to purchase. If possible, I prefer excessive capacity but all of my tows involve 4-8 hrs on busy interstates running with semi's. You can find stories of folks who tow with old model big Blazer/Bronco and have survived but I dont want to go there. SUV's are good for one thing in racing: towing.
My wife doesnt mind the Excursion but we dont use it much for daily driving; just racing, road trips, the dump and the dog. Otherwise I drive a hi-mile Miata or other sports car; my wife drives a Maxima. I did drive the Exc today to court but just because if all the parking spots are taken I can jump the curb and park in the grass. Tough to do that with a lowered Miata. I can tell you that the Expeditions were ok tow vehicles but seem like a sports car compared to the Exc. You barely know that there is a trailer behind you and that is mainly due to the big white wall that you see in the rearview. I was going to just get a F-250/350 to save some $$ but my wife declared that she would not drive a truck; so I had to spend the extra money for the Exc.

[eh_tony!!!]

The armada is one neat truck... Even though it is bigger than the durango, all the mags say it handles better than any other med/large SUV, almost sporty. Plus they feel the HP is underrated since the damn thing cut a 0-60 in the mid 7's.

Add in the cool looks and I'm for the Nissan. Although I have not drive one yet.

[B Schley]

Follow up to whenry. I tow with an Excursion, and wheelbase is the key (139"). Pulls my open 16ft. trailer and CRX like nothing. My wife has become very comfortable driving it to the point where she has taken it on her own through the loop in chicago. It is not something to be driven everyday, we leave that to a 1990 Honda Civic ($600 purchase) and a 1998 Jeep Cherokee.
Eh tony,
I test drove a Nissan Armada for fun. The thing is a beast. Its got a ton of power and Nissan has done a nice job of copying the finer aesthetic points of the other SUV's and integrating them in this vehicle. I like it, but it doesn't feel as solid as my Excursion, but is damn close. The thing even has an exhaust that gives it a real wicked sounding growl when driving it.

One other thought, and no offense here. There seem to be numerous concessions being made for the wife (trailer, Direct TV) etc. We all have those issues, believe me. Is she 100% behind this? All the hours in the garage, at the track in the rain and cold. Don't go in full tilt if she is not behind you all the way or it will cause future problems. There have been threads on this subject on this board in the past. I apologize if I have over stepped my bounds, but I am speaking from experience.
[This message has been edited by B Schley (edited January 21, 2004).]

[This message has been edited by B Schley (edited January 21, 2004).]

[badal]

You can buy a used motorhome and aon open trailer for less than the Featherlite trailer. All the comforts of home (and all the problems of a car).
An open trailer will not depreciate significantly.
You could safely tow the open trailer with the Durango to events as well

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"Bad" Al Bell
ITC #3 Datsun 510
DC Region MARRS Series

[Tristan Smith]

There are plusses and minuses to all the vehicle and trailer combinations so far listed. From what I have seen in this and other posting by you 0100, you are looking at spending A LOT of money. I have to second some of the other's advice that you have been given. It may be wise to start off a little simpler, and with less money invested in the beginning. I always try to discourage racing on credit. It gets very easy to get way over your head in debt to go racing. Just remember it's a hobby. Like some others have said, if you haven't put a wheel on the track in SCCA racing, you may want to try a few weekends (even renting a trailer and tow vehicle) to make sure you are truly in it for the long haul. Another question you have to ask yourself is if you total the racecar the first weekend out there, do you have enough money to rebuild/build/buy a new one. Especially if you have tied up a lot of your money in all the stuff we have been talking about, or filled up your credit cards.
Most of us have had to slowly build up the quality and quantity of equipment over the years. After towing with a rusty 1978 Ford pick up (460 motor) for ten years I finally saved up enough to buy a F-350 Dually to tow. I still have an open trailer, but that too will eventually be upgraded.
Now I completely understand the "keeping the wife happy" deal. But when my wife ands I look back at our first race weekend, with our pup tent and rented trailer and truck, no tools, and a crappy floor jack, we have a good chuckle. I am sure your wife will survive a few weekends like that too, at least ...er ...for ..a uh....while. No one here is trying to discourage you, just trying to steer you in the right direction from personal experience.

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Tristan Smith
Buffalo's Southwest Cafe
ITA Nissan 240sx #56

[Fleetcare]

dodge has a history of very very bad gas milage when towing! keeo that in mind!

[Knestis]

I was waiting for Bad Al's point - and it's a good one. The only downside is that your tow vehicle doesn't double as a daily driver to move the kids around town.

That said, I have had three trailering accidents and I have always been as careful and paranoid on the subject as anyone I've ever met. Even doing everything RIGHT it is still a risky business: Skimping AT ALL is begging for trouble and you don't know the definition of "not fun" until you have what amounts to three vehicles all hooked together and trying to screw up your life at 60mph.

For the record, here are the combinations that have tried to take me out:

1. Chevy Astro van + Mazda RX7 II + dual axle trailer w/inertia brakes

2. 1/2t Suburban + same Mazda + dual axle trailer w/electric brakes and all the band-aids (load leveler, friction sway control)

3. 4-door dually Dodge P/U + empty dual axle implement trailer w/electic brakes

See a pattern here? No - because there isn't one. Trailers are evil and will take any opportunity you give them to mess you up. There were arguably causes in each case that we should have anticipated since any "accident" is just the culmination of a series of human errors but we can make our chances better or worse, accepting that we screw up once in a while.

Now THERE'S a rant.

K

PS - some of you have heard my stories before and know that the reason we got that particular car from Mazda NA is that it fell off of a transporter. Hmmm...

[jc836]

Having an 03 Dakota/Durango I can safely say it does very well with our R&R 20' open aluminum trailer. The trailer weighs 1250 bare and 100 more with winch batteries and spare tire mounted. Towing over the mountains in PA and New York was quite comfy for a 4x2 4.7 auto.
The Durango version of the truck has an rated capacity that is higher-but keep in mind that it weighs considerably more than my truck. I was forced to install Timbren bumpstop/spring devices to compensate for the HD towing springs not being up to the job. Chrysler refused to put the correct springs on the truck as they are not directly listed-so use the warranty if you want. A word of warning about parking garages with trucks and SUVs these days-check where your wife will be going before buying a vehicle. Clearances are being reduced to as low as 6'2". This creates a real hassle for me. My son's wife has a Durango 4x4 and swears by it. Great for the grandkids and trips so they tell me. Otherwise-I will not give this truck up for the forseeable future.

Based on the threads on this board and what my fabricator told me-you might want to look for a dedicated tow vehicle. He has a Chevy dually that pulls his 28' Haulmark just fine.
Can you reasonably purchase an enclosed aluminum trailer? Sure-contact R&R or even Trailerworld for their recommendations. There is also Leonard T&T in Ohio-they sell most brands. If you want a Featherlite they are not cheap at all.

Good luck putting the right package together.

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Grandpa's toys-modded suspensions and a few other tweaks
'89 CRX Si-SCCA ITA #99
'99 Prelude=a sweet song
'03 Dodge Dakota Club Cab V8-Patriot Blue gonna tow

[OTLimit]

See God once, and you'll all decide to buy a bigger tow vehicle, add good brakes, better hitches, more lights, etc.

Been there, done that.



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Lesley Albin
Over The Limit Racing
Blazen Golden Retrievers

[LOBSTA1]

Hi all have not posted in a long while my 2 cents... I have worked in the automotive buss. for 23 years and have towed for 16 years. Fourmula fords on single axle open trailers to World Challange C5 in a 40' 5th wheel behind a c3500 454 cu in. #1 rule make sure u are comfortable with what you have to tow with!!! #2 rule make sure you have plenty of leeway for all the tools spares gas coolers etc. #3 rule BRAKES GM and Dodge 1/2 trucks used a GM Delco rear brake shoe that was Garbage (up until they stwiched to 4 wheel disc) the shoes glaze over and then u are using up to 90%^ of your frt brakes!!! If you have one check them and change them out. Also use the best quailty pads/ shoes u can. Bendix fleet mettalic or the like stay away from the ceramic pads they do not have all the bugs worked out quite yet. #4 drive slowly and stay the heck out of the fast lanes except to pass those guys with the seadoos are alwasys in the fast lanes! tahnks Lobsta

[miketrier]

For an inexpensive tow vehicle try a used full size conversion van. I started racing in 98 with a 93 Chev van, 350 engine, pulling a 20ft Pace enclosed trailer. Sold it at 140,000 miles and got a 96 with 350 Vortech. The Vortech pulls noticeably better. I use friction sway control and equalizer hitch. Follows really well. The van is a good place to camp at the track without spending lots of money. It's also my daily driver. Still pulling the same race trailer and sometimes a 32 ft travel trailer. Nothing is better per dollar invested.