Towing 4.6k w/ Nissan Titan vs Dodge Durango

[redex113]

Hi RV.NET Forumers! Just joined the forumns to read and learn. I have the following question.

I live in Portland and plan on renting a TT (4.6k Dry 2018 starcraft avalon, 530 TW). My question is between a 18 Nissan Titan (SL 4x4, 9,200TC) or a 18 Dodge Durango (RT AWD, 7,200) what would be the better choice? I would like to tow it w/ the Durango but how much difference will the Titan make?

The trip is planning on going to south oregon, medford area!

Some factors to consider is
- I am new to towing a camper, but have towed before. (Flat Trailers/Uhauls/etc)
- I would like to take 6 people (700lbs), but the titan only fits 5. Would have to bring a second car or 1 person sit in the trailer.
- I calculate my Cargo+People+TW(dry)+misc @ about 1,400LBs.
- trip is about 300-350 miles each way.

Thanks for your advice and please don't hesitate to school me!!

[bikendan]

redex113 wrote:

bikendan wrote:

Bionic Man wrote:
If you are a "by the numbers" guy, you will need to look at the payload capacity of both vehicles.

Personally, I would use the Durango (are RTs still Hemi?). First hand experience, they make a good tow vehicle for the weight class you are discussing.

5 or 6 people in the vehicle, will eat up a lot of the vehicle's payload capacity, leaving very little for the WDH weight and loaded tongue weight.
I would expect the Titan to have a higher payload capacity.
OP, you are making a common newbie mistake by focusing on the towing capacity number, instead of the Payload Capacity number. That's the more important number to work with. You'll find the Payload Capacity number on a driver's door yellow sticker. It'll say something like "Occupants and cargo should not exceed xxxxlbs".

Just checked both vehicles. The durango is 1200 and the titan is 1322. A lot lower than what i thought they might be. However, the titan would likely have less cargo and people at all times so i guess this makes sense... I wonder what is industry standard on 1/2 ton trucks...

Thanks for this advice!

1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton terminology has changed over the years and really don't reflect the reality of the truck lines. 1000lbs payload is now the very low end of 1/2 ton trucks. My F150 has 1828lbs of payload capacity. F150s with the Heavy Duty Payload package have payloads over 2000lbs, which was 1 ton territory back in the day.
Vehicle payload capacity has to account for the weights of all the occupants, vehicle cargo, weight distribution hitch and loaded tongue weight. The total of all that has to be less than the 1200lbs or 1322lbs number.

[Grit_dog]

^See, it already started just in the time I was typing my warning to you! Lol!

[Grit_dog]

These folks will drag a newbie like you down the payload, axle rating, count every can of beer n beans for weight, rabbit hole.
Best bet is forget you read the 1300lbs on the Titan, book up the trailer, go camping, have fun, take 2 cars because there’s more @sses than seats to put them in and enjoy your trip.
Or 5 pages later you’ll be more scared to leave your driveway because of your trucks payload than because of the corona virus!
AND you’ll be somewhere between a 1 ton and a dually to be “safe” and the inane debate will turn to whether your new truck needs to be diesel or not.....seriously.
If you don’t believe me, just watch and wait, or look at any of the 1000 other threads that were started by someone like yourself asking the same question!
Your call....Id pick camping though!

[Yosemite_Sam1]

redex113 wrote:

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:
The math is to add up the weight of the trailer, passengers and the stuff that you plan to load in the trailer and in the truck.

Then check it with the rated payload capabilities of the truck.

The total numbers not he first should be equal or lower than the payload numbers.

I'll let the experts advise you on the hitch and load dynamics. I'm not participating in that never-ending and hard-to-die and sometimes heated discussions, lol.

hitch and load dynamics that sounds mysterious! I did watch a video on how TW is variable w/ how you load weight in relation to the position of the axles. Is that part of the discussions?

Now you started it! This is a zombie that would not die in the discussion board, lol.:R

[redex113]

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:
The math is to add up the weight of the trailer, passengers and the stuff that you plan to load in the trailer and in the truck.

Then check it with the rated payload capabilities of the truck.

The total numbers not he first should be equal or lower than the payload numbers.

I'll let the experts advise you on the hitch and load dynamics. I'm not participating in that never-ending and hard-to-die and sometimes heated discussions, lol.

hitch and load dynamics that sounds mysterious! I did watch a video on how TW is variable w/ how you load weight in relation to the position of the axles. Is that part of the discussions?

[redex113]

bikendan wrote:

Bionic Man wrote:
If you are a "by the numbers" guy, you will need to look at the payload capacity of both vehicles.

Personally, I would use the Durango (are RTs still Hemi?). First hand experience, they make a good tow vehicle for the weight class you are discussing.

5 or 6 people in the vehicle, will eat up a lot of the vehicle's payload capacity, leaving very little for the WDH weight and loaded tongue weight.
I would expect the Titan to have a higher payload capacity.
OP, you are making a common newbie mistake by focusing on the towing capacity number, instead of the Payload Capacity number. That's the more important number to work with. You'll find the Payload Capacity number on a driver's door yellow sticker. It'll say something like "Occupants and cargo should not exceed xxxxlbs".

Just checked both vehicles. The durango is 1200 and the titan is 1322. A lot lower than what i thought they might be. However, the titan would likely have less cargo and people at all times so i guess this makes sense... I wonder what is industry standard on 1/2 ton trucks...

Thanks for this advice!

[Yosemite_Sam1]

And yeah, it's illegal to have someone ride in the trailer.

But you may get away with it.

You just have to have him/her practice by riding inside a washing machine. lol.

[redex113]

camp-n-family wrote:
First off, you are not towing 4.6k. If that is the dry brochure weight you will be closer to 6k lightly loaded with a tongue weight north of 700lbs. I doubt the Durango has the payload for 6 passengers and the tongue weight. The tongue weight will probably exceed the receiver rating too.

The Titan will do a better job but either way you’ll need to take 2 vehicles with 6 people.

I think you hit it on the nail, either way to do this safely would require 2 vehicles! Maybe i should draw straws on one of the kids...

[redex113]

Bionic Man wrote:
If you are a "by the numbers" guy, you will need to look at the payload capacity of both vehicles.

Personally, I would use the Durango (are RTs still Hemi?). First hand experience, they make a good tow vehicle for the weight class you are discussing.

Boomerweps wrote:
At that weight, you'll likely need a weight distributing hitch.
Of course the truck would likely pull better, but the Durango would be fine. Do you own one or the other now? Is the six person camping only immediate family or includes guests? If buying a new tow vehicle, many 1/2 ton trucks have a front seat semi-bench option.

Yes the durango is a 5.7 Hemi. Just found out my TW will be completely exceeded by the trailer+fam. It's only 1200 lbs.

[redex113]

ACZL wrote:
First off, Welcome to the forum!!!! Lots of good info from a lot of regulars on here. Sure there is the usual badgering, but it's what makes it fun. Plenty of popcorn issues/comments and such.

While I cannot answer many of your questions, what you really need to know is the max GVW of the RV...NOT the dry weight. That alone will tell you which vehicle would be better5 suited.

Thanks! The speed of response is amazing, lots of knowledgeable people here! I am not sure how i can figure this out just yet. I think i can dry haul since most of the points i'll be at have hook ups. I would venture we could easily get another 500-750lbs in gear/food/etc...

[Yosemite_Sam1]

The math is to add up the weight of the trailer, passengers and the stuff that you plan to load in the trailer and in the truck.

Then check it with the rated payload capabilities of the truck.

The total numbers not he first should be equal or lower than the payload numbers.

I'll let the experts advise you on the hitch and load dynamics. I'm not participating in that never-ending and hard-to-die and sometimes heated discussions, lol.

[redex113]

Nobody can ride in the TT. It is illegal most places, and unsafe everywhere.

Reading the forums and checking some websites, it's easy to see how dangerous this would be. Totally would never allow my family to be in harms way, definitely no one will be riding the trailer in motion!

[bikendan]

Bionic Man wrote:
If you are a "by the numbers" guy, you will need to look at the payload capacity of both vehicles.

Personally, I would use the Durango (are RTs still Hemi?). First hand experience, they make a good tow vehicle for the weight class you are discussing.

5 or 6 people in the vehicle, will eat up a lot of the vehicle's payload capacity, leaving very little for the WDH weight and loaded tongue weight.
I would expect the Titan to have a higher payload capacity.
OP, you are making a common newbie mistake by focusing on the towing capacity number, instead of the Payload Capacity number. That's the more important number to work with. You'll find the Payload Capacity number on a driver's door yellow sticker. It'll say something like "Occupants and cargo should not exceed xxxxlbs".

[camp-n-family]

First off, you are not towing 4.6k. If that is the dry brochure weight you will be closer to 6k lightly loaded with a tongue weight north of 700lbs. I doubt the Durango has the payload for 6 passengers and the tongue weight. The tongue weight will probably exceed the receiver rating too.

The Titan will do a better job but either way you’ll need to take 2 vehicles with 6 people.