Tow vehicle question.

[Hanna]

I have an 04 Durango limited, it has the hemi and 3.55 gears, and factory tow hitch. Towing max is 7200 lbs. my wife has her heat set on a coachman apex 288BHS. The trailer weighs 4,842 lbs dry and has a gross weight of 7,000lbs. The trailers is 31.2 ft long. The length is my main concern. I will be using the equalizer hitch with 4 point sway control. The question is does anyone think I shouldn't tow this trailer? Will be mostly flat land and maybe 3 hours max travel time.

Coachman 288BHS

[popupcamping]

I personally would invest in a better hitch for that combo.

A Propride or Hensley would be the only hitch I would consider for that set up.

You are spending 20-25K for the trailer another 2k for a hitch is a no brainer.

[bimbert84]

Personally, I wouldn't even consider it. You'll have plenty of power, but the coil springs, the low GVWR (6600#), and especially the short wheelbase (119") make it a poor towing platform for a trailer that large.

FWIW I had a 2000 Durango, which I traded in for a 2003 Ram 1500 when I got my Kiwi 23B (23' hybrid) because the Durango wasn't up to the task. I realize the 2004 Durango is a slightly different animal, but so is that trailer, by a lot. My current trailer is about the same size as that Coachmen, but even though my Ram was a 4x2 (which has 400# more payload than a 4x4), I was still over my GVWR by about 100#.

I now have the truck in my sig, which has GVWR=7650# and wheelbase=144". It's an excellent combination, but I wouldn't want to go with much more trailer or any less truck. And I especially wouldn't give up 2 feet of wheelbase.

-- Rob

[skipnchar]

I am not aware of any dodge that has a length rating. No reason to avoid the combination.