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91 Dakota towing limits?

K

K-Note72

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So I have my eyes on a project car, one that's a bit hard to find, and if I can come through for funding then I can jump on it. Only thing holding me up besides funding is figuring out the logistics of hauling it home.

The details: the car is approx. 2900lbs factory stated weight. The trip is from outside Springfield, OR to Boise, ID and back, shy of 900miles. The most direct route is using Hwy20. With this route, I'd be starting from 600ft elevation, to 3200ft, to 4700ft, to 2200ft and finally to 2700ft (the return trip being reverse).

My dilemma: making sure my pickup is capable of handling the trip (not in peak shape but in good shape at least). My initial plan was to just spare my pickup and rent a pickup and rent a uhaul transport. Only problem is, only two or three rental places around here rent out pickups. Two wanna gouge almost $300, one of those tacking on extra charges if used for towing, and the last one charges $0.59/mile, at about 900 miles you can guess that whopping total. All of this is excluding gas.

My pickup is a 91 Dakota, 5.2L 4x4 w/ 4spd OD auto. Tow cap., according to http://trailers.com/tow-capacity/index.php?action=do_search&year=1991&make=Dodge&model=Dakota 4x4&template=normal , is 6500lbs. What I wanna know is, should my pickup be able to handle the trip? Obviously the biggest climb is the first leg on the trip there, and I'd be hauling a dry trailer. The only real climb on the way back is that 2200-4700, from Burns to Bend. After that climb to 4700, the rest of the return trip is all downhill. Would it be a good idea to get a trans oil cooler on it? Because tacking that on and using my pickup would still be cheaper than renting one.
 
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Trailer would have to have brakes and be light wt.
I would not attempt it with my 93 3.9 2 wheel drive and definitely not with the factory bumper hitch.
 
7mopar said:
Trailer would have to have brakes and be light wt.
I would not attempt it with my 93 3.9 2 wheel drive and definitely not with the factory bumper hitch.
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Dam. So that towing site's estimate, was that just for level ground and in no way an estimate for real world application?

No brakes but would be light, its a uhaul trailer. My guess, car and trailer both would be no more than 5000lbs (probably closer to 4500 or 4600). Although now looking into it, they get anal about what you haul with their trailers and what you haul em with. If it was a stickshift car I'd put it in neutral and put it on a dolly instead.

Mine is the 5.2 4wd with the overdrive unit, so I could drop gearing if need be. I just dont wanna pay the price of renting a pickup, for what few rental places here rent them. One charges additional fees IF YOU PLAN TO TOW WITH IT (even though its for a freakin silverado 2500HD) and the other wants $0.59 per mile, which for a 900 mile round trip would come up to 1/3 of what i'd be paying for the project car
 
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Yea! Have had a 3000# load behind it with no big inclines. The bumper hitch is still there and about all I can say for it.
All u-haul car trailers have hydrologic brakes. I have little doubt the 5.2 would not handle it. The 500 trans will not like overdrive at that wt. U-haul should know what the trailer wt is. If it weighs 1500lbs I would be surprised. That would make your total about 4400 lbs. I just would not try it with less than a 5000 lbs hitch.
If this is more than a day trip it maybe cheaper to pick the trailer up on the other end providing there isn't a drop free. Is there a way to try it locally to see how it goes before the long road trip? A close by big hill for a test run.
I just checked the site you used for tow capacity. That puts my 93 at 5800lbs fat chance of that on a 900 mile trip. But I have an 82 D350 dually setin in the yard that would handle it with ease.
What you picking up that weighs 2800 lbs. and is it possible to pull it loaded backwards on a dolly?
 
7mopar said:
Yea! Have had a 3000# load behind it with no big inclines. The bumper hitch is still there and about all I can say for it.
All u-haul car trailers have hydrologic brakes. I have little doubt the 5.2 would not handle it. The 500 trans will not like overdrive at that wt. U-haul should know what the trailer wt is. If it weighs 1500lbs I would be surprised. That would make your total about 4400 lbs. I just would not try it with less than a 5000 lbs hitch.
If this is more than a day trip it maybe cheaper to pick the trailer up on the other end providing there isn't a drop free. Is there a way to try it locally to see how it goes before the long road trip? A close by big hill for a test run.
I just checked the site you used for tow capacity. That puts my 93 at 5800lbs fat chance of that on a 900 mile trip. But I have an 82 D350 dually setin in the yard that would handle it with ease.
What you picking up that weighs 2800 lbs. and is it possible to pull it loaded backwards on a dolly?
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What I'm hoping to pick up, granted my plans fall into place, is a 72 Dodge Demon. Slant 6 auto car, according to my lookup the weight on it is around 2900.

And talking to a few people on another forum we figured a tow dolly should work. Just gotta protect the trans, so I'll take along some tools so I can drop the driveshaft and toss it in the back. This is all if I can't get ahold of someone I know who has a big truck +flatbed with a free day. If not, I still have the dolly option
 
If you go with the drop droveshaft option make sure to plug the trans hole with something.
 
Really wish there was a way to sync all responses across both forums..........

Someone over on the forabodiesonly forum JUST mentioned that too, so I'll instead do as he mentioned and unhook the shaftand wire it up somewhere and tape over the u joints
 
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If you use your Dakota be sure to disengage the OD while towing or you will be changing the trans. A trans cooler is a great idea.
 
65 sporty said:
If you use your Dakota be sure to disengage the OD while towing or you will be changing the trans. A trans cooler is a great idea.
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Yeah I figured on a trans cooler. Found one online for $50, idk if that price is good or too cheap but it outta 224 reviews it has 4.5/5 stars and says it'll fit on my dakota, so I say it's worth a shot.
 
I don't know if this will help alleviate or confirm your fears of being able to to through those hills. My old roommate had to pick up his Super Bee in Arizona, the only condition being he had to haul back a 68 Cougar. No problem. Little bro can come and bring his Dakota. They get said cars and head home. Big hills according to them after they returned the Dak was hauling the mail, he doesn't know how to go slow. The truck had no problems, made it up and down the hills fine. (I don't know the difference in elevation they encountered, you can look it up). After they got back, they happened to notice as they were unhooking the toe dolly with the Cougar, that the Dak had a 1 7/8" ball while the dolly was a 2" hitch. Said it towed like any other trailer and never showed signs of being loose. It's a lighter combo, but the Dak did everything asked of it. 5.2 auto 4x4 ext cab if it matters. I'd go get it if it was my only option, add it to the crazy story for when it's over!
 
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LocuMob said:
I don't know if this will help alleviate or confirm your fears of being able to to through those hills. My old roommate had to pick up his Super Bee in Arizona, the only condition being he had to haul back a 68 Cougar. No problem. Little bro can come and bring his Dakota. They get said cars and head home. Big hills according to them after they returned the Dak was hauling the mail, he doesn't know how to go slow. The truck had no problems, made it up and down the hills fine. (I don't know the difference in elevation they encountered, you can look it up). After they got back, they happened to notice as they were unhooking the toe dolly with the Cougar, that the Dak had a 1 7/8" ball while the dolly was a 2" hitch. Said it towed like any other trailer and never showed signs if being loose. It's a lighter combo, but the Dak did everything asked of it. 5.2 auto 4x4 ext cab if it matters. I'd go get it I'd it was my only option, add it to the crazy story pile when it's over!
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Yeah I'm pretty sure mine's the same, 5.2 auto 4x4. My only concerns were weight limits and weight imbalance for the bumper. That's why I opted for the dolly, lighter and takes the weight off the hitch. I just gotta make sure the car's tires will make the trip and to unhook/secure the driveshaft
 
What is your bumper rated at? The 93 factory is 2000 tow and 200 tounge. 3000 lbs tow has done some damage.
 
7mopar said:
Stretched the metal a little where the ball mounts.
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Mine has a drop down hitch kinda like this one
33598_2000x2000.jpg
 
Your using a receiver hitch not a ball on the bumper right. The hitch pictured above goes into a receiver.
 
Yeah I got a receiver hitch. No clue what size ball is on it though. I can get a pic of it tomorrow
 
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You can tow your project car home without having to worry about the Dakota. I thought you were towing off the bumper, but a receiver hitch is way better and stronger. As long as the truck is in good running condition, you should be fine.
 
Be sure to check the ball size and make sure it matches, 2" is your most common now. Like Locu's story above a 2" will go over a 1 7/8" but with the risk of coming off. 1 7/8" isn't very common now but it pays to check
 
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