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Old 03-20-2015, 01:26 PM   #1
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Towing ? From a beginner thanks in advance

Towing ? Help! Did some searches but didn't really find an answer. Hi all & thanks we picked up our travel trailer yesterday & we love it. But in towing it I noticed that my 2014 Dodge Durango citadel hemi v8 awd, 8 speed Trans with group iv towing package. Installed 4pt equalizer sway hitch with electric break too. Trailer weight about 4900lbs 30 ft long. It seemed that the engine was running very high rpm's & that it was always a gear behind what it should have been I was thinking. Just seemed to be revving the engine. Also had a smell couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from but checked all breaks as soon as we got home on both the Durango & tt all seemed well, Luke Warm @ best. It was 15 to 20 min drive & we smelled something ? going 55 to 60 on a highway. I thought there was a faint smell from the engine compartment but didn't see anything wrong. No smells around breaks. Will the transmission act a lot differently towing & make the engine rev.? Should I start using the auto stick where I can change the gears? Never towed anything this large so not knowing what is normal. Thanks for any help or suggestions as we are just starting out & have a big trip planned this summer.
Thanks Rob
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Old 03-20-2015, 01:31 PM   #2
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You'll get many replies from many who know much more than I do, but my first thought.... Be sure you activate the tow/haul mode on your vehicle.
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Old 03-20-2015, 01:46 PM   #3
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As long as you are reasonably sure that your trailer brakes are not dragging, what you experiencing is likely normal. There is a lot of wind resistance to an RV trailer; they pull relatively hard. And the hemi is an engine that likes to rev as that is where it produces its power.

If you are totally new to towing, I'm sure this is a bit of an adjustment.
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Old 03-20-2015, 04:00 PM   #4
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I don't have a tow/haul button. I don't think the 2o14 Durango's have that anymore because of the new 8 speed trans. Thanks
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Old 03-20-2015, 04:06 PM   #5
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It could be I just need to learn & get used to how it tows. Thanks again. I don't think any break is dragging on the trailer but haven't messed with the electronic breaks since installed. All I know is that the red light comes on when I hit the breaks. Didn't feel much different then normal without the trailer.
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Old 03-20-2015, 04:09 PM   #6
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I don't have a tow/haul button. I don't think the 2o14 Durango's have that anymore because of the new 8 speed trans. Thanks
Some trucks don't have that. Look through your owners manual for the truck and find the section on towing. Some trucks will tell you to turn "overdrive" off or to drive only in 4th gear. (My old Tacoma was like that...only allowed to drive it in 4th gear, not "D" because overdrive would kick in...it didn't have a button to turn overdrive off.)

Not sure about the smell...can you describe it?
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Old 03-20-2015, 04:38 PM   #7
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Yes I checked in the owners manual. It doesn't say anything about a button. Mainly just has the weight max. There is no overdrive it has 8 gears & a low speed for under 25 mph. At first instance of smell I thought of breaks but none were hot. I will have to take it out again when I get a chance & see if it happens again.
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Old 03-20-2015, 04:39 PM   #8
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Are you sure you are not underestimating trailer weight a bit? 4900# is incredibly light for a 30-foot TT... Your AWD Durango tow ratings are GCWR = 13,100#; Max Trailer = 7,200#; and, Max Tongue = 720#. The 8-speed in the AWD does not have a tow/haul mode. It has a programmed routine to attempt to minimize hunting. If it cannot do it alone, you definitely need to be on the AutoStick finding the gear that will hold. Totally new to towing, you should 1) expect to feel a 30-footer behind such a short wheelbase tow vehicle; and 2) you will be actually working an engine and drivetrain in RPM ranges where they are meant to do work over fast grocery gettin' like we all know a HEMI Durango does most of the time. It definitely takes getting used to, and you will come to have a very different relationship with your vehicle towing, especially over long distances. As for the smell, could have been fluids heating up or could have been the first time your engine compartment saw the kind of heat towing generates and you cooked off some of the labels Dodge puts on all the harnesses and hoses to track production.
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Old 03-20-2015, 05:01 PM   #9
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Check the trailer weight as mentioned, it seems low. Also You say trailer package. Did that include an aux trans cooler or just hitch and wiring. Over heated trans fluid has a strange smell. Check the fluid on the dip stick if over heated it will retain the small.

Might also look at a Scan Gauge
Amazon.com: ScanGauge II Ultra Compact 3-in-1 Automotive Computer with Customizable Real-Time Fuel Economy Digital Gauges: Automotive

It will provide lots of engine data and for many vehicles trans temp.
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Old 03-20-2015, 07:32 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by geotex1 View Post
Are you sure you are not underestimating trailer weight a bit? 4900# is incredibly light for a 30-foot TT... Your AWD Durango tow ratings are GCWR = 13,100#; Max Trailer = 7,200#; and, Max Tongue = 720#. The 8-speed in the AWD does not have a tow/haul mode. It has a programmed routine to attempt to minimize hunting. If it cannot do it alone, you definitely need to be on the AutoStick finding the gear that will hold. Totally new to towing, you should 1) expect to feel a 30-footer behind such a short wheelbase tow vehicle; and 2) you will be actually working an engine and drivetrain in RPM ranges where they are meant to do work over fast grocery gettin' like we all know a HEMI Durango does most of the time. It definitely takes getting used to, and you will come to have a very different relationship with your vehicle towing, especially over long distances. As for the smell, could have been fluids heating up or could have been the first time your engine compartment saw the kind of heat towing generates and you cooked off some of the labels Dodge puts on all the harnesses and hoses to track production.
2006 FOREST RIVER SURVEYOR SB291 4820lbs is the dry weight according to the description from the dealer. is there a place on the trailer that i can douyble check?


Yes I never pulled anything this big or heavy and as you say groceries dont count. so it sounds like im going to learn that the engine and drivetrain will act differently with the trailer. Thanks it has a digital readout of all the oil & trans temp I will start looking at that closer and compare. Thank you for your help and suggestions.
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Old 03-20-2015, 07:43 PM   #11
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Check the trailer weight as mentioned, it seems low. Also You say trailer package. Did that include an aux trans cooler or just hitch and wiring. Over heated trans fluid has a strange smell. Check the fluid on the dip stick if over heated it will retain the small.

Might also look at a Scan Gauge
Amazon.com: ScanGauge II Ultra Compact 3-in-1 Automotive Computer with Customizable Real-Time Fuel Economy Digital Gauges: Automotive

It will provide lots of engine data and for many vehicles trans temp.
Actual weight according to dealer is 4820lbs Dry. Im going by the description from dealer. Is there a place on trailer I can double check? Thanks for the gadget info. The Durango trailer tow group comes with
heavy duty engine cooling not sure if that means a trans cooler I will have to look next time I open the hood. It does list the temp of oil and trans, but I didnt check it to compare regular and trailer driving. This was my first time ever pulling something like this. Thanks
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Old 03-20-2015, 07:48 PM   #12
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Yellow sticker, road side will have the weight as it left the factory.
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Old 03-20-2015, 07:50 PM   #13
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Make sure it has a transmission cooler with electric fan. Try to keep the rpms up a little. Most of the time you will find a gear that works well at 60 . Set the cruise and roll. Have fun and take it slow. Take a few short trips enjoy!!
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Old 03-20-2015, 09:20 PM   #14
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Yellow sticker should also list the GVWR (max loaded weight) of your trailer, which is what you should use as your baseline for towing capability. Obviously you're not towing your trailer empty... you likely have a battery, tanks, housewares, possibly fresh water in your tanks, gear, etc... You might not be at GVWR for your trailer, but as I said I personally think it's a good baseline for determining if you have the right vehicle for towing because you build in a little margin for error/safety by using that number.

Your hemi Durango can tow up to 7,200. I have a feeling your GVWR is going to be very close to that if not over for the size of that trailer, so you ought to check.

As for your smells and issues, you need to take it to a mechanic before you do any more towing. What was the smell? Was it sweet? Like burning? Does it have a transmission cooler (I believe the Durango does from the factory with the towing package but maybe you'll know). In any case, I would at least have it inspected by a trusted mechanic.
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Old 03-20-2015, 09:45 PM   #15
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Congrats on your new camper.

Best way to find out your actual trailer weight is a take it to a CAT scale. Dry weight means almost nothing as mentioned go by the gross weight. It will be a closer number. Dry weight is what it weighed when it left the factory, no propane, no options added later & no gear at all.


Just a guess I bet a 30 foot trailer will weigh close to 7000 lbs with gas, gear, etc.

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Old 03-20-2015, 10:36 PM   #16
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The smells were probably just the engine bay heating up and working harder than it ever has. Just research and get your rig weighed so you know the actual numbers. A 30ft TT is on the large side for a SWB vehicle so be careful and cautious until you are used to it. Make sure your brake controller is set up correctly so the trailer brakes, brake the trailer to keep that weight off your vehicle brakes. Watch and carefully load both your TV and TT due to payload considerations. Check the yellow sticker on both the TV and TT to know your numbers.
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Old 03-20-2015, 11:04 PM   #17
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Actual weight according to dealer is 4820lbs Dry. Im going by the description from dealer. Is there a place on trailer I can double check?
First newbie mistake is believing the dealer.
and in 2006, they didn't have an outside yellow sticker. They have a white factory weight sticker on the inside of a cabinet door.
did the dealer not show it to you?
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Old 03-21-2015, 05:05 PM   #18
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Towing ? Help! Did some searches but didn't really find an answer. Hi all & thanks we picked up our travel trailer yesterday & we love it. But in towing it I noticed that my 2014 Dodge Durango citadel hemi v8 awd, 8 speed Trans with group iv towing package. Installed 4pt equalizer sway hitch with electric break too. Trailer weight about 4900lbs 30 ft long. It seemed that the engine was running very high rpm's & that it was always a gear behind what it should have been I was thinking. Just seemed to be revving the engine. Also had a smell couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from but checked all breaks as soon as we got home on both the Durango & tt all seemed well, Luke Warm @ best. It was 15 to 20 min drive & we smelled something ? going 55 to 60 on a highway. I thought there was a faint smell from the engine compartment but didn't see anything wrong. No smells around breaks. Will the transmission act a lot differently towing & make the engine rev.? Should I start using the auto stick where I can change the gears? Never towed anything this large so not knowing what is normal. Thanks for any help or suggestions as we are just starting out & have a big trip planned this summer.
Thanks Rob
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I just cringe when I see this kind of post. But what I think only really seems to matter to me, and that's ok. I'm the one who will pay the repair bill. Because you are new the first places you show go is to a reliable transmissions shop that you trust and ask the three opinions. And then how long he thinks it will be till you come back to him. I myself don't care what you pull with. I'm not trying to be uncaring, but it doesn't do much good on this form to give an opinion on this subject. In my opinion you are over loading your TV. I would just use this example you pull a 30 ft. TT. Let’s just say 4400 to 5000 lb. with a Durango AWD V8 Hemi, and an 8 speed tranny with IV tow package this truck is set on a car crossover frame not a truck frame. I pulled a 30 ft. 5th wheel. Let’s say 9000 to 10,000 lbs. With a 1998.5 3500 1 ton DRW. With 5.9 24 valve with 47RE Auto tranny with tow package. At times we would have trouble pulling big hills i.e. mountains I did improve the motor and put a heavy duty TC in the tranny it did help but not totally. To me it's like a mouse trying to pull an elephant he may pull him but he won't last in the long haul. The odor was most likely smelled was your tranny fluid burning. So you must do what you think is best it's your hard earned money. I have improved my 5er 2011 39 ft. about 12,000 lbs. dry pulled with 1998.5 for a year or two pulled good but nothing like my 2014 3500 DRW heavy duty 6.7 24V much more power and pulling with the Aisin AS69RC Transmission rated to pull 30.000 Lbs. I'm very happy with it and know I won't have to worry about what I pull. I truly only wish you the best! "HOP ALONG FROGS"
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Old 03-21-2015, 05:49 PM   #19
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Now I know I'm over if maxed out. Durango can tow 7200 as long as I travel light which there's just my wife & I. Is this possible if I make sure sure I stay under 6800lbs would be my goal. Do you think that is do able realistically?. I was assured by the dealer that I was well with in the Durango tow limit. Because they said gvwr is the max for the trailer. But cargo would be 800 to 1000lbs. That would be 5820. & still have a little wiggle room. Thanks to all for your responses & comments etc. Very helpful. Wish I knew this a week ago.
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Old 03-21-2015, 05:55 PM   #20
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I was assured by the dealer that I was well with in the Durango tow limit.
again, as i said, #1 newbie mistake.

also, you need to check the Durango's payload capacity, from the sticker in the driver's door.
SUV's are notorious for much lower payload, compared to their towing capacity.
almost all will run out of payload, way before they get near towing capacity.
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