My 2001 Dakota 4X4 SLT is a 3.9 Automatic. I've owned it since new and it has had a pretty easy life covering only 65K miles. I'm preparing to retire and am thinking about getting involved in camping using some sort of trailer. As a result I am very aware that the truck needs upgrades in cooling at the least.

Does anyone have a real world suggestion for particular parts that have proven to be good for this job? I don't want to save $100 at the front only to have to spend 6 times that much later to "do it right".

I am looking at a radiator upgrade, an auxiliary tranny cooler as well as a PS cooler. The battery and alternator are a separate issue at the moment.

Thanks,

 

Turns out the Sport package included the upgrade alternator and I'm going to guess the upgraded battery as well so I'm only looking at the cooling items.

Naturally I'd change all the lubricating fluids as well, tranny, diffs, etc.

 

An Aux transmission cooler can easily be plumbed in series to the factory one in the radiator. Many folks place it under the bed. Just use 3/8" hydraulic hose. I run a 12 pass Derale with 10" fan that is on with the ASD relay.

 

Thanks for the input.

 

I have the 4.7 with the complete factory tow package, only downfall is I have 3.55 gears (I'm about to go to 4.11)

The mountains are harder with the 3.55, but the flats are great. I tow alot with my Dakota over my other 2 trucks, and it's about even with my F150 5.4 V8. The F250 with the 460 is self explanatory.

Dakota has a K&N intake, Hamburgers throttle body spacer, cat back exhaust, and a programmer tuned for Towing. I have a Prodigy P3 brake controller, and use a B&W tow and stow for my hitch. I did use a weight distribution hitch and sway bar with the 30' travel trailer. It does good. The brake controller is a must, and I think the programmer is second. We have a very steep hill on a back road by my house and starting at 60 with the minimum tune at the top I was doing 37 in first with 2800LBS behind me. In the tow tune I'm doing 50 in second. If you don't have the factory tow package add a trans cooler too.

 

My "advantage" is that the Sport Package came with 3.92 gears as well as the HD electrical system so I'm looking at the extra cooling and hitch. I don't plan any steep hills although New England isn't exactly prairie country either! I'm going to stay as light as I can, probably in the 2500# range and obviously I don't plan on doing the highway boogie either. Slow but steady will win that race.

Thanks for the specifics on what you did. A 30' trailer isn't even a thought, but the brake controller sure is.

 

Yeah the Dakota wouldn't like the 30' trailer out here living in the mountains. I try to stick around 5000 LBS now, and will occasionally get up to 7000 but I avoid the big hills. Really when I get over 5000 I like to use the 3/4 ton

You will be fine with your 6, add a trans cooler. If any upgrade the K&N intake and a programmer if you can find one for the 6. Maybe a free flowing exhaust after that.

 

Thanks for the encouragement on the 6 cylinder. I have been posting on the RV.net site and getting "advice" that mostly consisted of "Sell it and get a real truck". I only have the Dakota and have no plans on upgrading it. (My other vehicles are a Subaru Outback and a Miata) With 66K on the clock it's almost new except for the lousy clear coat problem. It lived a relatively easy life only hauling heavy loads from time to time. The whole camper thing is an experiment so I'm not going hog wild. The long range plan it to always rent unless we find we are crazy about it and can justify ownership although I can't see it getting that out of hand!

 

You can tow a 2500lb trailer all over with the 6, just get that brake controller, and I would get a weight distribution hitch and sway bar.

 

Enjoy some Dakota's doing what the big boys do. Read this post.


https://dodgeforum.com/forum/dodge-d...ou-dakota.html