Brooks-
I have been towing full size cars with my 2000 Dodge Dakota and love it.
The rated tow capacity of my Dak was 6700lbs from the factory. It is a 4.7L
V8 (the OHC new magnum) in a club cab SLT+. It has the HD trailer towing
option with class IV hitch, tranny cooler, and electrical upgrades. It also
has 3.92 gears with a limited slip.
I added the following:
Air Intake
Gibson Catback
Hotchkis Front Coils and Rear leafs
Hotchkis front and rear sway bars
Hotchkis valved Bilstein shocks all around
Shorter front bumpstops
Kumho Ecsta STX tires in 275/60-15 on stock 15x8 rims
(the 2002-2003 OEM rims are 16x8)
I remove the extra lowering block in the rear for towing. This gives the
truck a slight rake to it when not towing, but is about level with 700lbs of
tongue weight. I use a reese weight distributing hitch. My open trailer is
about as heavy as they come I figure 1900-2000lbs with the box and rack
empty. I have towed cars on it from 2750 to 3500lbs. I figure the last
haul was with a combined weight of 10,600lbs and we sailed over the
Grapevine in both directions just fine.
I did add electric brakes to the second axle of my dual axle trailer. And I
have a top of the line brake controller on the truck. I figure, my truck is
a stable as any out there, lowered with heavy springs and bars, I've tuned
the suspension for towing level with the weight, and I have the torque, what
I lack is brakes.
So, far with a tow to Topeka and back and to Buttonwillow, its been
fantastic. And its a cool daily driver. When the car broke at the test n
tune prior to Nationals, I ran the truck. Same at Buttonwillow, when the
car broke. It also runs mid 15's in the 1/4, so its not a Lightning, but
its not a slug either.
If you go to www.solo2.com there is a link on the top right side to some
pictures we took at Conefest. There is one my wife snapped of our Dakota
going into a box on the I-5 stright at Buttonwillow a couple of weeks ago.
I think thats about the coolest any tow vehicle can look!
Steve Ekstrand
www.conemangler.com
/// unsubscribe/change address requests to majordomo@autox.team.net or try
/// http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo
/// Partial archives at http://www.team.net/archive
|