Posted 2007-12-27 9:31 PM (#73438) Subject: Durango for towing-how is handling?
Member
Posts: 9
We are thinking about buying an 04 Durango(5.7 hemi-3:55 gear) for hauling a 2600lb(when empty) 12 foot horse trailer.The trailer currently hauls beautifully with no weight distrubution hitch with a 99 Dodge 1500. We wanted to upgrade to the durango for various reasons. However, we got the durango home on evaluation and hitched the EMPTY trailer to it, and drove it around and up and down hills and on the highway-the durango didn't seem to handle the little trailer very well at all. It bumped up and down(very smooth road), shimmied and in general made the durango bouncy and it seemed at times like the trailer was in control of the durango, almost pushing it. Will this improve with heavier springs/weight distribution hitch or something? Or it is it hopeless? The durango is 500 lbs heavier overall by itself than the 99 1500-shouldn't it be able to handle this little trailer without bobbing and weaving and vibrating? AS I siad, the trailer is a dream to haul otherwise with the truck- you don't know it is back there. Any suggestions/experiences? thanks!
Posted 2007-12-27 9:53 PM (#73439 - in reply to #73438) Subject: RE: Durango for towing-how is handling?
Expert
Posts: 1416 Location: sc
You cant have your cake and eat it too.......the 1500 is a truck and rides like such, the Durango is an suv, they typically have a car-like ride. Aftermarket shocks would likely improve the feel, a WDH would also likely help but is probably overkill for such a small trailer. You may want to consider Timbrens or airbags as a compromise if the suv is necessary. I rode plenty a mile in the Trailblazer with bilstein shocks and a WDH, never had a complaint about handling and that was one smooth/soft ride w/o the trailer (which is way bigger than the one your talking about).
Posted 2007-12-27 11:17 PM (#73440 - in reply to #73438) Subject: RE: Durango for towing-how is handling?
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
We tried a similar approach using a Ford Expedition, pulling a three horse bumper pull trailer. The total weights were less than Ford advertised and as far as pulling and braking, it did fine.
However, once we were completely cut off by another car while doing 65 mph, and I had to jerk the wheel and severely swerve to avoid "T" boning the car. The tail immediately started wagging the dog, and I was pushed over the width of one complete lane and the whole shoulder, cycling from side to side with little control, until I got our speed down to a much slower pace. We completed the trip without incident and a great deal of apprehension.
The following day we went back to our truck and never used the suv for trailering again. The Expedition was essentially a short wheelbase F150 which weighed in excess of 5800# and had a rated towing capacity in excess of 7000#. That one had a solid rear axle and the new ones have an IRS. I don't know if there would be any difference in stability under similar circumstances, but most IRS are built for comfort and smaller packaging, not stability.
Posted 2007-12-28 9:18 PM (#73461 - in reply to #73438) Subject: RE: Durango for towing-how is handling?
Location: Central Arkansas
I have a 2004 Durango SLT that I run around in. It has the tow mode switch on the shifter like my Dodge dually had. I routinely carry a ton or more of feed and there is till plenty of room for more with the seats down. I haul that feed at least twice a month but sometimes weekly, 30 miles on a windy 2 lane road without any issues at all. I have not pulled a horse trailer with it as all mine are goosenecks.If you get one, I do suggest buying the custom made tuff liner floor mats & cargo trays.
I just wish it got better MPG.
Durango for towing-how is handling?
