Going to buy a Travel Trailer but have a few quesitons

downtheroad wrote:

How may people are in your family...kids, dog, gear, etc.
Good luck with you search

I second that question...if not too many people, you may not be limited to a popup.

Also, if it's any help to you, there's a link to a download of the factory service manual for your 2000 Dakota at this link

And towing specs are listed w-a-a-a-y down at the bottom of the page at this link.

one thing this forum provides for you is a tow rating guide. if you log into trailer life web site and look around you will find the tow rating guide for trucks for many years and just find your vehicle and it will tell you what you need to know. welcome to the forum, hurry back if you need any thing else.

according to the 2002 Dodge Towing Guide specs,
the 2002 Dakota SLT QC 2WD, with the 3.9 engine and aut trans, the towing amounts are 4400lbs. with the 3.55 rear end and 4800lbs. with the 3.92 rear end.
this is of course IF it has the factory tow package.

Dodge towing specs for 2002 Dakota

and we do not have the manual.

Nice place to start would be getting the manual and the towing guides for your vehicle. Then you can take it from there on what you can tow.

first, need more info on your Dakota.
like which model, SLT, Sport Plus or SLT Plus? what rear end ratio does it have? does it have the factory tow package?

second, what year/brand/model of hybrid are you looking at? and is the dry weight number from the actual sticker on the trailer or is it from a brochure? for a hybrid, you should be using the hybrid's GVWR since hybrids don't typically have huge CCC amounts.

Welcome to the Forum...you have gotten good and experienced advice from newman fulltimer and donn0128 above.

Your best bet is a tent trailer. The short wheel base, low payload Dakota is really not suited or designed for towing much more than a pop up or a small utility/garden trailer.

Also DON'T use the dry weight of any trailer you are considering...no one camps in a dry, empty trailer.

How may people are in your family...kids, dog, gear, etc.
Good luck with you search

Welcome, Yes you did post in a good place. With that truck your ratings are not as high as you think. You will be far better off getting a tent trailer, and not the largest ones at that. Had as a company truck one of those with the V8. Not only was it a gas hog and a hot rod, but as for towing or carrying much it was not a good choice. Your biggest problem with towing is wind resistance. This can kill foreword momentum really fast. Keep small and light and low to the ground are your best choices.

Probably cannot even pull that one by the time you add people fueland goods overweight.about the only thing you can pull is a pup