Hoping to keep it to an SUV... will it work?
I have posted elsewhere about my trailer needs but for the TV... Really would like to keep the TV to a Dodge Durango (V8) which has towing capacity of 7200 pounds. GVW is 7100 pounds and loaded wit...
Forum Discussion
Thanks for all the thoughts.
Just FYI, the Prius is hers. :) I drive a slightly more manly vehicle - just slightly (a RAV4).
The mileage isn't a deal at all. We drive around town and have long commutes so for daily use we want to be frugal but for our camping trips we want comfort and functionality first.
Grit dog, I agree with you that the Durango is reported to be highly capable for a 'mid-size' SUV. I believe the Durango is fully capable of towing 7200 pounds. The issue is the tow/hitch situation, and payload. I don't have the vehicle yet so I can't look up the sticker.
However, someone online has weighed their Durango with a family of 4 and fuel and it was 5700 pounds. The vehicle is apparently rated to max out at 7100 pounds, leaving 1400 for towing and cargo. Our family is small so even if we carried 2 additional people that would be 300 more pounds, leaving us at least 1100 pounds.
Now the question is how much of that 1100 will be attributed to the TT, and how much will that leave me for cargo?
For instance, I understand that I could put the cargo in the TT, in such a way as to keep the tongue weight close to only 10% of the TT weight. Wouldn't that imply that I could easily pull a 7000 pound trailer, with 700 pounds on the hitch? On the other hand if it's loaded so that it's closer to 15% on the hitch, I'd be close to maxing out the Durango's payload capacity.
And the Durango... is a want. It's not a need. I know we could get a ten year old minivan for tooling around town, and a 10 year old truck, and call it good. That may be what we do... but I want the Durango!!!
Just FYI, the Prius is hers. :) I drive a slightly more manly vehicle - just slightly (a RAV4).
The mileage isn't a deal at all. We drive around town and have long commutes so for daily use we want to be frugal but for our camping trips we want comfort and functionality first.
Grit dog, I agree with you that the Durango is reported to be highly capable for a 'mid-size' SUV. I believe the Durango is fully capable of towing 7200 pounds. The issue is the tow/hitch situation, and payload. I don't have the vehicle yet so I can't look up the sticker.
However, someone online has weighed their Durango with a family of 4 and fuel and it was 5700 pounds. The vehicle is apparently rated to max out at 7100 pounds, leaving 1400 for towing and cargo. Our family is small so even if we carried 2 additional people that would be 300 more pounds, leaving us at least 1100 pounds.
Now the question is how much of that 1100 will be attributed to the TT, and how much will that leave me for cargo?
For instance, I understand that I could put the cargo in the TT, in such a way as to keep the tongue weight close to only 10% of the TT weight. Wouldn't that imply that I could easily pull a 7000 pound trailer, with 700 pounds on the hitch? On the other hand if it's loaded so that it's closer to 15% on the hitch, I'd be close to maxing out the Durango's payload capacity.
And the Durango... is a want. It's not a need. I know we could get a ten year old minivan for tooling around town, and a 10 year old truck, and call it good. That may be what we do... but I want the Durango!!!
