Does anybody here tow with their daks? I've been contemplating getting a trailor camping or a boat in the next year or so. What does your trailor way and what are you towing?

Thanks.

Todd

 

I tow about once or twice a month with mine. I have a 5x8' landscape trailer with two quads. I don't know what the trailer weights but it's probably around 600lbs and I put about 1,200lbs in it with another 5-600lbs in the bed. I never even know it's back there. I have towed a friends 8'x16' enclosed race trailer full of quads and riding gear and that definately put a strain on it (my guess is probably around 6,000lbs.?), especially braking. Got it done though...lol

 

I tow weekley 2 850+lb jet skis and obiviously trailer in really hilly areas. It does ok but will struggle in the steep hills. The dak does a great job just have to have patience with it and not push it. I see other makes struggle worse than mine in these hills with less weight so I think the dak must do pretty good. When mine only had 300 miles on it I towed a trailer that was over 4800lbs from Washington DC to Austin TX just over a month ago. It really was hard on it in the hills of VA, I'm talking 40-45mph at 5500 RPM to make it up some hills but it did it and averaged around 12.6 MPG. Good little puller but I wouldnt plan on something to large. I couldn't imagine pulling the 7,200 rated, there in no way! Do they test these trucks on flat ground or going down hill?

 

Last August I towed a double axle U-Haul with all my daughter's belongings, 2500 - 3000 lbs. combined.
My truck was only two weeks old, but the only indication I was towing was the smoother ride!
I did have to downshift to fourth to maintain 90mph up one hill.
The trailer had hydraulic brakes so I didn't even use mine.
The Dakota's brakes are the worst of all trucks, so definately get trailer brakes.

 

Wow my truck must be running on 4 cyl if he can do 90 up a hill....maybe I should take mine to a dealer! My truck wont pull 90 with out a trailer up a hill. Also Uhaul has surge brakes so you had to used your brakes. I tow less than 3000lbs and could never do 90 on flat ground. I have off the entire summer and my truck spends more time with the skiis behind it than not so really familiar how it tows. If you are looking for a camper for sure get it with electric brakes. Wish they made a electric brake for the jet ski trailer, any one know of a kit?

Just looked at my weight tickets. The truck and 6X12 U-haul (biggest tow behind trailer only offered with surge brakes) together with my stuff was 9800lbs. Was amazing it didnt sagg at all. Maybe also I had a bad trailer but at 70mph it would start to wander on the road which was very un-nerving, any faster it would of been dangerous for me and anyone around me.

I have to find out how some peoples trucks have this amazing power. I hear people racing cars (and beating them) pulling loads like a 18 wheeler and mine cant do any of that. I got my a** handed to me by a honda civic the other day. I think my new gibson exhaust made a slight difference but nothing like other peoples trucks. So either my 06 4.7L QC with now less than 2500 miles on it is really not running well or some people are embelishing just a wee bit....

 

I bought mine for towing,Period.
Not that I don't love it for looks but thats why I bought mine.

I tow our camper,it's a 24' tow behind that weighs 4,300lbs dry when we pack it up it's close to 4,700.
I took it campping 5 times last year & only 2 this summer(not done yet).I use the tow/haul button to change the shifting patterns which i feel helps alot,I'll keep my speeds 65 to 70MPH maybe 75 going down hill but thats it,I'll get 12.7 MPG if I keep it @ 65MPH.
Knock on wood I have had zero problems with it & I plan to do alot more camping w/ it!


Good luck DakotaStone with your new toy.


Blu_

 

Thanks guys. It seems to work hard here in the grand state of Washington and in Oregon too with the hills being steep and long in most areas. Hopefully in the next year or two I'll be able to afford a boat... or a camper, most likely a boat though. 4700lbs is a lot of weight for most trucks. I know that the Daks can pull up to 6800 depending on what you have.

Do you guys thing that the QCs can pull about 6000?

 

From my towing experience (a small camping trailer about 2K and a workhorse/clysdale two horse trailer 5K) I'd say it might be a little tuff going @ 6K around washington and oregon. They can pull uphill but you wont be going more than 35-40mph and you'll need a good start going up. They can do the 6800 no problem on flat or declained grade but once it start going uphill the thing will begin to struggle. So if you are the sort of person that gets frustrated going 35mph and everyone passing you I'd say look for something lighter

 

I tow a travel trailer 5,000 lbs, I tow a boat 6,200 lbs. I have more trouble with the travel trailer than the boat for some reason. The boat is heavier yet easer to tow. I think alot is due to aerodynamics. I have a slow tow up some steep hills but it gets there. I would not want to perform high speed towing anyway.

 

I towed to atv on my two place trailer one being my 03 polaris sportsman and a honda 650 all around 1500abls worked great