2014 Dodge Durango Towing abilities

I have a 2011 Durango with the 5.7 and tow a 2007 Jayfeather 254 4500lbs dry with no problems. Again I'm close to my max gvwr but have a WD hitch with anti sway cams and it helps a lot. I'll post a picture when I can.

Dottie5 -- glad to hear you are enjoying your Durango and are able to pull a bigger (heavier) Trailer than the one we are looking at. That encourages me. Still researching it - so I appreciate all the information. I'm glad to know you haven't exceeded the payload limit. Do you pack most of your 'stuff' in the trailer because of that? We looked at the Tahoe too - it's interesting because the wheelbase on the Tahoe is shorter than the wheelbase on the Durango. The tow rating is about 1000 lbs higher though. How fast were you able to drive up I70? Was it closer the the 25 MPH Or the 75? ;-) Also --- what is the model # of your Passport Elite? I'd love to look it up. You got me thinking about the Durango again! :-)

We have a 2014 Dodge Durango V8 Hemi and tow a Keystone Passport Elite. My husband researched it on his own very extensively even though we were told the Durango could handle it. The passport is dry weight of about 5400lbs but it was the hitch weight that the husband really began to focus on. We do have a weight distribution hitch and we are right on the bubble of the hitch weight. We carry 5 of us and 2 dogs totaling about 650lbs. We've been out on 3 trips so far. We live in Colorado too and took it to Moab so up I70 through the Eisenhower Tunnel and Vail Pass. As far as power, the Durango seems fine to handle it. Of course we aren't blasting up the mountainside going 75mph but we aren't putzing along at 25mph either. Our last trip was to Iowa to visit family and it was windy! The anti-sway bar helped but the Durango did suck gas towing with the wind. But we don't expect great gas mileage towing anyway. So far so good. No major problems. We've been really pleased with how the whole set up is working out so far!

When we were shopping for travel trailers, we also loved the quality of the Lance models. But we ended up with a Forest River product because the Lance products were too heavy for our preferred tow vehicle. We were interested in the Lance 1985 with a GVWR = 5700 lbs., but bought a Rockwood Mini Lite 2109S with a GVWR = 4800 lbs. Maybe not quite the quality, but it survived a 10,000 mile, 2.5 month trip to Alaska on the Alaska, Cassiar, and Top-of-the-World highways last year.

Thanks for all the information! I think I'm cutting it close with payload. Although more often than not - it will only be two of us in the TV - I wanted to figure worse-case (or best case - because it's when I've loaded the TV up with family) scenario. I think I may have to bite the bullet and go with a full size SUV (Possibly the 2015 Tahoe?) Rather than the smaller trailer - I've started to like the idea of more room in the trailer to sleep 6, but keeping it at 27' and 6000 lbs GVWR. I'm open to more thoughts and suggestions as all this is new to me!!

No occupants or driver in the Tire and Loading sticker! It is a federally mandated sticker in the afermath of the Ford/Firestone debacle.

Maximum payload is listed as 1420 lb, if the info I looked up is correct. I believe it's normal for a vehicle's payload to be calculated with a full tank of gas and a 150 lb driver already figured in. So that would put you closer to 600 lb. As long as you can keep your hitch weight under 750 lb, I think you'd be fine. But with a 27' TT you certainly should have a weight distribution, sway control hitch... and you have to add the weight of that unit in with the hitch weight.

I wouldn't worry about the wheelbase: 119.8" is good.

I'm by no means an expert but relatively short wheelbase vehicles and long-sh trailers cause me to worry.

I know there are a lot of variables in trailer towing, but even with long wheelbase fullsize pickups you can have problems when the length gets long.

Payload is the magic number:

1) Read this:
http://www.learntorv.com/p/what-can-i-tow.html

2) Use the calculator to best guess the size of camper that you can tow:
http://www.towingplanner.com/Calculators/TowingPayloadEstimate

Then, if the Lance reasonable loaded weight; don't use dry weights- add 1,000-1,500 pounds to that number.

As said, payload is the issue. The best way to know what you have is to load up the TV with all the people and gear you’ll carry on a trip and weigh it. Subtract that from the TV GVWR for the payload you have left for the TT hitch weight. Keep in mind if you’re pulling near your max in the Rockies you probably won’t like the tow, the more excess payload you have the better.