Went on a 672 mile trip today to pick up an enclosed trailer. So I’m back now and here is what I found out:
2011 Citadel V6 AWD towing a 8.5x16’ tandem axle enclosed trailer that is 7.5’ tall. 3500lb empty weight.

Denver to Ft Collins (about 50 miles). On the computer 23mpg then the 50 mph cross winds started. The rest of the trip the Durango was in 4th gear. 237 miles total going 80mph.
Denver to Douglass I-25 no trailer
MPG - Computer 17.8 / Actual 16.5

Douglass to Gillette and back Hy59, ½ with and ½ with out the trailer driving 65 with the cross wind
MPG - Computer 15.1 / Actual 14.4

Douglass to Cheyenne I-25 Driving 67mph with the trailer and 60mph cross winds. The Durango spent 80% of the time in 3rd gear with the rest of the time evenly split between 2nd and 4th gears.
MPG - Computer 9.4 / Actual 9

Cheyenne to Denver I-25 driving 70 with the trailer and little to no wind. The Durango spent 60% of the time in 3rd gear, 30% in 4th with the rest split between 5th and 2nd.
MPG - Computer 11.9 / did not fill up yet for Actual #

I was trying to decide what vehicle to take. The nice Durango or my loud, noisy, rough riding, fuel guzzling 2001 Ford Diesel. I wanted to take the Durango to see how it would do power and mileage wise and let the folks here know how it does pulling a big trailer. I got about what I expected with the mileage (minus going out there because of the wind). I absolutely hate going up a hill in second gear at 5300 rpm and listening to the engine scream for minutes at a time. At the end, when I was driving down my city roads with stoplights and all the mileage started going up? I guess that goes to show you how much wind resistance there really was. I am exhausted but I attribute that to the wind and how bad it was pushing me around on the interstate. Sorry for all the info but every segment was different.

Bottom line the Durango got the job done. Would I do it again, not unless I had to. I should have taken my Diesel.


PS, Yes, I know the manual says the max trailer face surface area the V6 Durango can pull is 40 square feet and I was making it pull 62.2 square feet - I'm just CRAZY!!

 

Sounds like it was a job for the Hemi. I would have had a fit listening to my truck driving in 2nd - 4th gear.

 

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I have a 22Ft ATC Raven Lite Enclosed Trailer I just bought. It has the wedge front and is only 2200 lbs empty. We will be heading out to Montana from WI in June to pick up a 1929 Model A we bought from my father in law. I plan on posting full details on towing MPG ect with our R/T
I have pulled the trailer with my 2000 Durango and it pulls like there is nothing behind me. Should be fun to see results with the R/T

Thanks for sharing your info.

 

+1 Good for you for reading the manual and knowing what you were doing. -1 Not so good doing exactly what the manual tells you not to do.

I'm glad the D got you there and back, but if something fails mechanically in the next 1000 miles, please don't come back and complain that the D is garbage.

With the added wind drag, you were likely 'pulling' in excess of the max capacity. I know wind can be unpredictable, but wow, 60mph crosswinds!

 

Why take a knife to a gun fight... or a v6 to a v8 tow job? I'll never understand that.

 

Do you not understand I don't own a V8 Durango?

I wanted to see how it would do and so did a lot of others on this forum. All I was trying to do was provide some real life numbers.
That is also why I was reluctant and am now regretting posting this, every as-hole has to comment how stupid I was to do this with a V6 and I should have a V8. Technically the Hemi is not capable of towing this trailer either. My trailer sill exceeds the frontal area square footage.

For those of you who appreciate my real life test, you welcome.

 

Just because you can pull it doesn't mean you should pull it.

Your info is valid, the test results interesting. Still doesn't mean we can't share our opinion that when you tied into the trailer knowing it was larger than you are supposed to pull, probably shouldn't have keep pulling it anyway... or have even hooked up for that matter.

THUS, since you DO own a vehicle that could have been used in the gun fight, it should have been used instead of the knife. Simple. No real reason needed to trash a brand new Durango otherwise. Most learn to stop touching the stove as soon as they realize it is hot.

Typical threads and users similar to your situation (not saying YOU specifically) end up with posts next month saying how their vehicles are crap, lemons, it was Dodge's fault, etc... when in reality :lightbulb:

The fact your panties are in a bunch tells us perhaps you know you fracked up. Don't be upset when you do something stupid and someone then tells you indeed it was stupid.

 

Fuzzy- thanks for the review! I appreciate it greatly. Haters gonna hate.

 

The only thing that maters is what was the tranny temp doing while towing? When I towed last year with my 11' express AWD with a 3500# load i just kept an eye on the tranny temp and engine temp, it was the hottest day of the summer over 95 degree's, 5 adults luggage and a 3000# boat with 8' beam and trailer, towing in D for most of the trip. Results temps never went over 172 degrees for the tranny and the car never got overheated with the air on. Something else, I have an aftermarket hitch which means it is not factory set up for towing. Anyway i achieved 16.5 mpg overall that weekend with about 325 mile round trip. Where i work (HVAC company) we abuse the hell out of vans that pull tandem axel trailers getting in the mid single digits for fuel economy and most of them have over 200,000 miles. I swear were gonna blow up engines some day, but no they just keep rockin. just keep up with fluid change intervals and don't be in a hurry is the advice i would give.