|
08-18-2012, 05:33 AM
|
#1
|
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 51
|
An Update on Our Dodge Dakota
in the last 24 hours we travelled 1800 km(1200 miles) in our new to us 2008 dodge dakota towing our 2600(dry) travel trailer
the truck has a v6, auto, 2 wd and the light duty trailer package(wished it was the heavier package but it isnt)
i added some stuff(7 pin, brake controller, tranny cooler) and left for the east coast
flat towing was easy, 105-110 kph in towing mode, braking and handling was great, acceleration good not great. around town it has plenty of power.
there are some long steep hills in new brunswick and southern quebec, longest and steepest was 8 percent for 5 km!! i did that in second gear(manually selected) at 90 kph with engine reving at 4000 rpm with power to spare, tractor trailers were doing half that. a major head wind for a couple of hours called for a stop and nap rather than fight it. heavy crosswinds with semi's passing us had little effect on the trailer, not pleasant but gut wrenching either
lots of bumpy sections even in 100 kph areas kept the suspension busy but again not gut wrenching, the truck handled it very well and comfortably, braking was easy and quick when needed
v8 vs v6?, cant answer that question, but the v6 did a great job, we even had the air on all the time. criuse controll on most of time except on the long upgrades. fuel mileage i'll figure out later but initial estimates are good
all in all, a very relaxing long distance tow, way better than the same trip last year with the windstar(same trailer)
__________________
1998 Forest River 21rb
2003 Ford Windstar
2 bicycles and a 3 yr old husky
|
|
|
09-10-2012, 10:27 PM
|
#2
|
carl.net
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 77
|
Glad to hear your Dakota did you well. I also pull with one and have been quite happy.
__________________
- 06 Salem LE 28BHS (axles flipped), Boliy Pro3600ES Generator
Dodge Dakota 4.7l HO (260hp/310torq), 131 in wheel base
3.92 gears with towing pkg, Reese dual cam sway control
Tekonsha P3 break controller
- 36 ft Monterey cabin cruiser, Stainless blender
Two 4.7 GXi I/O (2 x 320hp = 640hp)
|
|
|
09-11-2012, 01:28 AM
|
#3
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Salida, Colorado
Posts: 3
|
I tow our Flagstaff T12RB pop-up hard side with a 2002 Dakota Quad Cab 4WD 4.7L V8 up 12,000 ft passes here in Colorado. My only complaint is that the rear sags. I just ordered Hellwig 815 load assist springs and hope that will do the trick. This is my third Dakota 89 short bed w/ 3.9 v6, 94 club cab with 5.2 v8 & tow package (I miss this one) and now my 2002.
|
|
|
09-11-2012, 07:13 AM
|
#4
|
carl.net
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 77
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by HappyCOCamper
I tow our Flagstaff T12RB pop-up hard side with a 2002 Dakota Quad Cab 4WD 4.7L V8 up 12,000 ft passes here in Colorado. My only complaint is that the rear sags
|
Without my Reese hitch my rear end sits on the axle. With the Reese the entire truck squats two inches.
__________________
- 06 Salem LE 28BHS (axles flipped), Boliy Pro3600ES Generator
Dodge Dakota 4.7l HO (260hp/310torq), 131 in wheel base
3.92 gears with towing pkg, Reese dual cam sway control
Tekonsha P3 break controller
- 36 ft Monterey cabin cruiser, Stainless blender
Two 4.7 GXi I/O (2 x 320hp = 640hp)
|
|
|
09-11-2012, 07:43 PM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Champlin, MN
Posts: 446
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevem
there are some long steep hills in new brunswick and southern quebec, longest and steepest was 8 percent for 5 km!! i did that in second gear(manually selected) at 90 kph with engine reving at 4000 rpm with power to spare, tractor trailers were doing half that.
|
Just drove those hills about a month ago with our TT. They are pretty good ones. Good to hear it went through them well!
__________________
TV: '17 Ram 2500 Big Horn CCSB CTD 4x4
TT: '18 Wolf Pack Limited 325Pack13
Tow Acc: Andersen Ultimate Hitch 2 goose ball mount, AirLift 5000 bags and HD compressor system
|
|
|
09-12-2012, 06:25 AM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Jamestown NY
Posts: 588
|
With my 08 Dakota I put Monroe overload shocks (W/Springs) on the rear and with the Equilizer hitch I only drop the back about 1" and the front 3/4". I have the 4.7 V-8 with the heavy tow package and dropping the trans 1 gear I can pull most hills at 60mph @ 4000RPMs with power to spare towing my TT scaled at 6540lbs.
__________________
2012 Winnebago "Journey To Insanity" 40U
2008 Dakota Sport 4x4
2004 Subaru Baja - DW's
2006 Honda Shadow Aero - TOAD for now.
F.R.O.G. member
|
|
|
09-12-2012, 07:28 AM
|
#7
|
carl.net
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 77
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by lindy
With my 08 Dakota I put Monroe overload shocks (W/Springs) on the rear
|
This has got to be the best idea for a Dakota, that tows, I have heard yet! I went to the Monroe site and could not find the overload shocks for a 2007 but did find the Monroe 58650 Sensa-Trac Load Adjusting Shock Absorber. Is that the same one you used?
__________________
- 06 Salem LE 28BHS (axles flipped), Boliy Pro3600ES Generator
Dodge Dakota 4.7l HO (260hp/310torq), 131 in wheel base
3.92 gears with towing pkg, Reese dual cam sway control
Tekonsha P3 break controller
- 36 ft Monterey cabin cruiser, Stainless blender
Two 4.7 GXi I/O (2 x 320hp = 640hp)
|
|
|
09-12-2012, 10:38 AM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Jamestown NY
Posts: 588
|
carl.net; put them on 3 years ago and don't really remember the exact name of the monroe shock. Suffice to say there is a spring that runs all the way from the top, to the bottom of the shock, and it takes a lot to compress it into place (like a hyd floor jack). I ordered them thru the local NAPA store.
__________________
2012 Winnebago "Journey To Insanity" 40U
2008 Dakota Sport 4x4
2004 Subaru Baja - DW's
2006 Honda Shadow Aero - TOAD for now.
F.R.O.G. member
|
|
|
09-12-2012, 11:35 AM
|
#9
|
carl.net
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 77
|
Very cool. It is probably the same shock just some marketing guy needed to justify his position... Grin. I will have them on before my next tow. I read that if you jack up the vehicle, attach the top of the shock 1st and then use a floor jack to compress the shock into place it is only reasonably difficult. Was I being fed a load of manure and the $100 to get them installed is well worth the aggravation and scraped knuckles???
__________________
- 06 Salem LE 28BHS (axles flipped), Boliy Pro3600ES Generator
Dodge Dakota 4.7l HO (260hp/310torq), 131 in wheel base
3.92 gears with towing pkg, Reese dual cam sway control
Tekonsha P3 break controller
- 36 ft Monterey cabin cruiser, Stainless blender
Two 4.7 GXi I/O (2 x 320hp = 640hp)
|
|
|
09-12-2012, 06:54 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Jamestown NY
Posts: 588
|
I found the worst part was getting the upper bolt unbolted. It has sort of a cup like bracket under it and gets full of dirt etc, that and the nut has a tab on it because you can't get a wrench on it due to it's location. You end up getting a lot of sand in your eyes. Yes jack the truck up and place jack stands under the frame, then a floor/hyd jack works good to compress the shock. $100 for install is about right being as it'll take about an hour minumum.
__________________
2012 Winnebago "Journey To Insanity" 40U
2008 Dakota Sport 4x4
2004 Subaru Baja - DW's
2006 Honda Shadow Aero - TOAD for now.
F.R.O.G. member
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|