Dodge Durango Towing?

[BeerBrewer]

It's just me, but I think that you'd be much happier and safer with a larger tow vehicle. I towed a trailer (not as big as 2500RL) across country with a Durango that was equipped for towing and it was NOT a pleasant experience. I am now towing a Transcend 26RLS (32 ft) with a Ram 2500 and I couldn't be happier.

[Ynot4me2]

We bought a 22mle (26ft)after we bought a F150 2.7 EB. I'm just within my limits and some days its not pleasant. Not white knuckle but not relaxing either. Its suppose to be a vacation. As soon as the financial hurt will be acceptable I'll be trading.

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[Overtaxed]

Something I don't think get's stressed enough, the more truck you have, the more comfortable and controlled you will be towing ANYTHING. I've had a 7K landscape trailer for years, towed it with my 3.5 150, my 250 and now my 450. The 450 is notable better, and the 250 was notably better than the 150. Yes, the 150 did it "fine" but the 250 was "better" and the 450 "best".

Put another way, we should really start these "what truck" conversations with "can you make a dually work for you", rather than "what's the smallest truck I can use". Yes, if you have constraints, you can make a SRW or 150 work, but a DRW will simply be better towing small, big or anything in between. Similarly, a diesel engine is "better". Best case, start with a diesel dually, no matter what you're towing, for the best experience.

[Ynot4me2]

Something I don't think get's stressed enough, the more truck you have, the more comfortable and controlled you will be towing ANYTHING. I've had a 7K landscape trailer for years, towed it with my 3.5 150, my 250 and now my 450. The 450 is notable better, and the 250 was notably better than the 150. Yes, the 150 did it "fine" but the 250 was "better" and the 450 "best".

Put another way, we should really start these "what truck" conversations with "can you make a dually work for you", rather than "what's the smallest truck I can use". Yes, if you have constraints, you can make a SRW or 150 work, but a DRW will simply be better towing small, big or anything in between. Similarly, a diesel engine is "better". Best case, start with a diesel dually, no matter what you're towing, for the best experience.

Don't get me wrong, I 100% agree with your statement, but what if its your daily driver and what if your not towing all the time. I was once told not to go above 80% of any of your limits. Today starting over, I would mostlikely never go above 70%

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[Stealth13777]

My recommendation would be to plan a truck purchase (nice situation to be in by the way, matching the truck to the trailer vice trailer to truck!) around the GVWR and about 13%. Those are realistic numbers. There is a thread on this site giving real world numbers. Basing a purchase on the known fantasy published dry weights really doesn’t get you anything but disappointment. Travel trailers are a tough tow relative to their weight.

Starting there, I like the Durango as well especially to fit a garage, but that’s a 30ft trailer. And a 2k mile trip, if I read that correctly, is a lot further than down the block. That trailer is borderline, in my opinion, for a large 1/2 ton truck. So yes, the hemi has enough power and the truck would be a great daily, but that’s a lot of trailer to control.

I’d share my Durango towing experience, but it may not be relevant... it was a single axle trailer and a Durango from two generations ago with a leaf spring rear suspension and 318 Magnum - totally different truck.

I’m not convinced these would be enough for that trailer either - and it sounds like you’re a Mopar fan. But the Nissan Armada, Ford Expedition, and maybe Chevy Tahoe are only slightly longer, similar V8 power, but either weigh significantly more, have significantly more payload, or both versus the Durango (based on some quick googling).

[Overtaxed]

Don't get me wrong, I 100% agree with your statement, but what if its your daily driver and what if your not towing all the time. I was once told not to go above 80% of any of your limits. Today starting over, I would mostlikely never go above 70%

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For sure, you need to make sure you can make it work for you. My F450 is my DD, so I went through exactly that same math and wound up on a 450. But, it's not the "best" towing vehicle (the 450) it's the best that I could make work for me. The best, and there a few members who went this way, is a semi (tractor trailer). There's nothing with wheels that tows, stops and controls a load better, safely, and more comfortably than a semi; it's what they were built to do. I don't have one because I simply cannot make that work for me, so I kept going down the list, what's the "next best" thing? In my estimation, it's something like an F450-550-650 type vehicle. And that type of vehicle I could make work, especially since the 450 came in a pickup (the bigger trucks do not, at least not that I'm aware of). So that's where I landed; I could have towed my 351M with a 350SRW (and did tow it with a 250SRW) and I suspect I would have been in the range for weights on a 350. But my thought was, since I was already joining the 2 truck club, how to prevent the 3 truck club.

And this time, I did it "right" at least for me. I stopped looking at "what the minimum I can get by with" and started looking at "what's the biggest/most capable thing I can make work for me". My advice to others is do the same, stop trying to figure down to the lb if you'll be "over or under" or looking at axle and tire ratings to "make sure" and come at it the other way entirely.

[Flip94ta]

As a 2500RL and SUV owner I hope I can offer you some good info. A lot of the info already posted is good stuff. Your ideal vehicle is a 3/4 ton truck with a gas engine, simple, safe and more than capable. But like you I wanted something that fit in my garage. My wife wanted something with three rows. So we ended up with a nice compromise.

You donÂ’t mention how deep your garage is. I recommend you buy the longest wheelbase vehicle with the highest payload that still fits. Or the Ram as you mentioned. If you are really intent on fitting inside consider this.

Using a tongue weight scale our tongue weight was 800-880lbs once we put our level blocks, chocks, tools, mini grille etc in the pass through. We pack some stuff on and around our recliners in the back of the camper to offset our tongue weight but itÂ’s still pretty high, as are all 30-32ft imagines. Once we installed our solar panels and boxes the weight is even higher now.

Focusing on the stock ready to camp weight of 800-880lbs, you may already be exceeding the DurangoÂ’s receiver rating, IÂ’m not sure of that number. I know most Expeditions are 920lbs and Suburbans and TahoeÂ’s are very close to that.

Based one what I said in the first paragraph, see if you can fit a Suburban or Expedition XL in there. They are 224” or less. Ours fits, but you do leave the garage door up if want to walk around the back of the Burb. There’s only 3-4” to spare. They are both very good tow vehicles and that 130-132”wheelbase makes them pretty safe for cross country travel. We made a 3000+ mile trip in ours this summer.

If you can’t fit one of those two your next best option is a new 2021 Tahoe or 2018-21 Expedition. Try are 211” or less and have 122” wheelbases. You’ll have to drive slower with these.

I think the last option I’d recommend is a 2015-17 Expedition, I think they are 205” or so and a 119” wb. They are good value pick if you don’t need the latest greatest.

I donÂ’t recommend the foreign SUVs, they either, have a shirt WB, low payload or a low tow rating. I also donÂ’t recommend a 2020 or older Tahoe. The wheelbase is very short and thereÂ’s really very little cargo room in these vs the Fords.

Please note with any of these, you have to find one with a tow package, none tow more than 6000lbs without it. Spotting the brake controller on the dash confirms that they have it. If thereÂ’s no brake controller run away no matter what the dealer says.

Also, I’m not sure how much you plan to pack but all these 1/2 ton SUVs are limited by the payload. I really recommend sticking to the LS-LT trims on the GM and XLT trims on the Ford. You’ll want the XLTs that have the right package though, the one with the SYNC 3 display is nice. Also look for the trucks with 18” wheels. They’ll ride better, cheaper to replace and more payload. These low-mid level trims will give you an extra 150lbs of payload.

Lastly, donÂ’t be tempted by the 6.2L, the 3.0L diesel, or the platinum Ford with higher output 3.5L. The 2500RL tows fine with our 352hp/382lbs, those options just take away from the payload.

[Flip94ta]

In my response I see all my apostrophe show up as a capital A? Does it look that way for you guys or is that just on my phone?

[Bungy]

We are downsizing from a class A 38 foot Motorhome.
Found the perfect floor plan the Imagine 2500RL.
Now looking for a good tow vehicle.
Like the new 2021 Dodge Durango RT with the 5.7 hemi. 7200lb tow rating 1300lb cargo capacity.
We are weekend warriors for now, 1 long trip a year (1500-2000 mile round trip). We live in Ohio
So tow vehicle will be a daily driver, a little concerned with the length of the 2500RL for the Durango (120" wheel base)
Just me and the wife, never boondock so don't carry anything in the tanks.
Thanks for any suggestions

Just remember that max tow numbers aren’t the only consideration. BIL burnt the tranny out of his Durango (same tow rating) pulling a TT weighing only 5k

[M&Lcamping]

Hello Fergy5244; We looked at the 2500RL as well but picked the 2250RK - Like a few have posted here, the actual build weights will be a bit different then the advertised most likely. Our vehicle is rated at 7700 lbs. towing and 1367 cargo. At this point I have the weights being added to the front cargo area and the weight on the rear cargo carrier, (I had a hitch bar welded to the frame on the back), it keeps our tongue weight at 770 lbs. which has fit all driving conditions for us well. The tongue weight for ours was 549 lbs., add in another 124 for the 2 batteries and then approximately 72 lbs. of full propane tanks ... well you get the picture. We won't be towing anything larger with this TV.