2019 Dodge Durango with tow package? am I making a mistake?

^ my wife hated trucks until i bought mine. she got an explorer 9 moths after i got my truck. in that time she had flipped completely to wanting a truck instead. only reason she didnt get it was because the lot where she works is tiny. in hindsight should have bought another truck. cheaper to buy, insure, fuel, and really better at almost everything. only downside is 1 less seatbelt (that we have used onces in the 3 years we have had it.

rival178 wrote:

garyp4951 wrote:
You are going to out grow your first trailer in a year or two, so why not get a crew cab pickup with added storage room in the bed.

This will be my wife's daily driver. A truck is not an option.

Matt

Then I would make the Durango, or Tahoe work out for you.

FWIW, from a quick Google search:

Tahoe has a wheelbase of 116". Durango is 119.8". QX80 is 121.1".

Tahoe payload is 1698 - 1745 pounds. Durango payload is 1412 - 1924. QX80 is 1459 - 1621.

Tahoe towing capacity is 6400 - 6600 pounds. Durango is 6200 - 8700. QX80 is 8500.

By the numbers, the Durango will be a better tow vehicle than a Tahoe. And about equal with the QX80.

And all of them are capable of towing a 5500 pound TT. You don't need a 2500 truck.

We use a 2011 Tahoe, it’s only 116 inches in the wheelbase. Our TT is 31 ft long and 7,200 lbs loaded. It is absolutely fantastic as a Tow Vehicle and as a Family Vehicle.

You are right about finding one with the HD towing package. It’s nearly impossible and the factory Trans cooler is small anyway. I just looked for one that was in good condition and added the trans cooler myself. I was ready to change the rear axle ratio but the 3:08’s have worked out great.

I tow all the time with it. I tow my TT and I tow my Father in Laws 24 ft Pontoon trailer. We just completed 820 plus mile round trip with it towing our TT and had a wonderful time.

The 5.3l has more than enough power and the 6 speed is just about perfect for towing. My truck has 3:08 gears and it works great IN TOW HAUL mode. I have no problem getting up to or maintaining speed.

I’m a tinkerer and will change things to accomplish my goal. I had to spend some $$ to make the Tahoe rock solid as a tow vehicle.

1) tires- I changed the squishy P tires to General Grabber ATS LT load range E. I air them to 44 PSI While towing.
2) Transmission Cooler- I added a Hayden 33,000 GVWR cooler. My trans temps stay well below 190° - typically at 176°
3) Well dialed in round bar WD hitch and dual friction sway control
4) self imposed speed limit of 55 MPH
5) Close attention to weights. My tongue weight is 850 lbs with the hitch... I weigh it.
6) pack the trailer and not the truck. All the truck carries is the tongue weight and the people weight.
7) highly detailed attention to maintenance on the TV and the TT

Getting this rig into and out of gas stations and other tight situations is so much easier than our last rig. (CC, LB, dually)

Works great for us. YMMV, etc etc etc.



Thanks and good luck with your search.

Jeremiah

The Durango will do fine with the family and a 25ft TT. No need to be scared off by everyone telling you to buy a 3/4 ton truck or only buying a PuP. The Durango has a long enough wheel
Base for a 25ft TT. And with the Hemi it will tow it without issue.

rival178 wrote:

agesilaus wrote:
Much depends on how much use the TT will see. These ultra light TT get that way by giving up sturdy construction. They are flimsy. But if you will be using the TT a couple of weeks a year only on good roads then they may work until you outgrow the RV. On the other hand taking one of those down a rough backcountry road is contraindicated. Or on a 9000 mile cross country expedition.

The OP has fixated on the Durango before he ever posted this and was just looking for affirmation of his fabulous decision. He is not receptive to criticism and will not change his mind, period. This is common behavior.

Actually, we believe we have moved on from the Durango thanks to the this thread. Still has to be an SUV, but looking at Tahoe and QX80 now.

The longer the wheel base the more stable the towing. I would be looking at a Expedition or Suburban for what your wanting to do. To short of wheel base and it can be the tail wagging the dog.

^ You've moved on to vehicles with only slightly larger "ratings" and only slightly longer wheelbases. Yes they will theoretically tow slightly better from a stability point of view, but not significantly.
Best of luck car shopping. Anything you pick in your considerations will tug a 6klb trailer smartly.

agesilaus wrote:
Much depends on how much use the TT will see. These ultra light TT get that way by giving up sturdy construction. They are flimsy. But if you will be using the TT a couple of weeks a year only on good roads then they may work until you outgrow the RV. On the other hand taking one of those down a rough backcountry road is contraindicated. Or on a 9000 mile cross country expedition.

The OP has fixated on the Durango before he ever posted this and was just looking for affirmation of his fabulous decision. He is not receptive to criticism and will not change his mind, period. This is common behavior.

Actually, we believe we have moved on from the Durango thanks to the this thread. Still has to be an SUV, but looking at Tahoe and QX80 now.

Much depends on how much use the TT will see. These ultra light TT get that way by giving up sturdy construction. They are flimsy. But if you will be using the TT a couple of weeks a year only on good roads then they may work until you outgrow the RV. On the other hand taking one of those down a rough backcountry road is contraindicated. Or on a 9000 mile cross country expedition.

The OP has fixated on the Durango before he ever posted this and was just looking for affirmation of his fabulous decision. He is not receptive to criticism and will not change his mind, period. This is common behavior.

agesilaus wrote:

I would think popup for towing with that vehicle.

Sorry, that's just a crazy statement. Just is.

I towed a 3877# GVWR TT Wolf Pup 16BHS (normally maxed out) with a 5225# rated 4.0L V6 Explorer. A bit weak on power but towed it fine.

I concur with most that stickered Payload is THE major consideration on using a Durango with a given TT.
BUT, choosing a TT that is listed at 3/4 your towing rating is a reasonable choice to maximize the size of TT while maintaining a comfortable towing experience.
There are many single axle bunkhouses that are in that range.
However, I recommend using the TT GVWR and never the dry weight for estimating towing values. It's really easy to load up a TT, especially if you don't want it in the TV because of payload limits.