I am trying to buy a good vehicle for towing and Durango is the choice I made (probably 2003, probably with 4.7 engine).
I read all threads on towing in this forum, still have a few questions left though:.

- What's the easiest way to see what gear ratio is on the particular Durango (3.5 vs 3.92?). Is it written anywhere specifically?

- If I am looking at Durango without towing hitch - what else may be missing (i.e. what was in towing package) and what's a good way to check if that's there? (i.e. oil coolers etc)

- Is there a difference between different 4 wheel drive setups for purposes of towing? I noticed two types of switches so far - one with 2hi, neutral, 4hi and 4low and another (on Sport) with 2hi and 4hi.

Anything else I should be looking for? Any advice would be appreciated!

 

In the glove box.

Someone else will have to help you there.

Either one should be fine.

How much weight are you looking at towing.

 

About 5000-5500 lbs. Mostly highway towing, no hills - but I do need to be able to tow long distance.

 

You better have GOOD trailer brakes.

I towed about 6,000 lbs back from Maryland to Mississippi (1,000 miles) and it did just fine. I actually got anywhere from 12 mpg to 14 mpg. That's with the 3.55:1 rear diff. I did pull off the interstate at an overlook point in Virginia and cooked the brakes pretty good and that's with a trailer that has brakes on each wheel. That's why I said you MUST have trailer brakes.

I am about to sell my truck (only getting 7.5 mpg and no a/c) and start using my Durango to haul my stump grinder:





I am going to switch the rear gears to 4.56:1 and buy some better tires and probably have a leaf spring added.

Oh, I just had my tranny replaced with a beefy unit from Dan the Fastman. Stock tranny won't last too long with that kind of weight.

 

That does not sound promising. I really need something that I can depend on to do the towing without having to modify or take extra care of. The stated towing capacity was higher than 5000lbs.

I will try to get trailer with brakes, but that still leaves a question of transmission.

 

I have an 03 4X4 SXT with a 4.7. You might be able to still see the sticker on the axle to get your gearing. If not go to any dodge dealer with your VIN and they can print you a build sheet. It will be on there. I have 3.55 gears. Max towing capacity is 4600 lbs. If you don't have tow package, (which mine didn't) you will have to do a few things. First obviously get the trailer hitch. i bought mine from a junk yard that had a frontal collision totaled D for $50. Bolts right in with no problems. Most important is add an external tranny cooler. Cost about $60 and is a PITA to put on but is well worth it. You will also have to add a trailer brake activator. Other than that you should be pretty good. I tow a camper thats about 4000lbs when loaded and the D pulls it just fine. Feel it on the hills but other than that no problems. Hope this helps.

 

if your going to be doing tons of towing i would go with a ram 2500 with a big tranny cooler. i used to have one it completly out did my durango when it came to towing anything.
i towed a honda atv from colorado to missouri with my durango in a very little uhaul trailer maybe 1200 pounds all together, i have 3.55 gears and the whole way i had to have overdrive off . not fun goin 900 miles @3000 rpms

 

My Durango did just fine for that 1000 mile journey with that 6,000 lbs. The slowest it ever got even up the large hills in the mountains of virginia was 55 - 60 mph or so. It was a constant slow down then speed up down the back side of the hills. On the flatter ground, it would hold a steady 75 mph.

The difference between my Durango and my F-250 is night and day and it's not just the engine. The suspension is ROCK solid on the truck and the brakes are for real too. Not so much so on the Durango.

I would love to continue to use my F-250 to tow the stump grinder but the 7.5 MPG is eating up all my profit. I emptied one of the 17 gallon tanks in ONE day of driving around town. It has the 7.5L V8 gas (460 ci).

I'd also love to get either a Ram 2500 with a Cummins or F-250 with a power stroke but the funds are not there plus I've already paid to get this tranny rebuilt bulletproof so I'm just going to have to beef up a few other things (diff, suspension, tires, and brakes) and make do with what I got.

Actually beyond that, I'm saving my money to buy an Isuzu NPR or a Mistu Fuso. Loaded out with 6,000 lbs, they will still get 14 - 15 mpg and I wouldn't have to haul a trailer as everything would fit in the box.

 

Thanks for all the info, it will help.

If anyone can point me to a place (in general Wash. DC area) that can do the installation of transmission cooler I'd appreciate it. I'd rather not go to a dealer for stuff like that.

 

The trannies they put with the 4.7L didn't have quite the problems that the ones that came on the 5.9L and 5.2L.

If you are towing 5,000 lbs, you need trailer brakes regardless of what kind of vehicle you are using.

Also, get a proportional brake controler, meaning that it adjusts the amount of braking power sent to the trailer brakes based on how hard you are braking. This kind is SO much better than the ones that just brake at a predeterminded level.

This is the one that I use and love it. I have a wire harness in both my vehicles along with a mounting pocket in both so I can just unhook it and swap to the other vehicle.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PRODI...spagenameZWDVW