[CarbonDak]

Towing Advice 2004 QC 4x4

So I bought myself a 26FT Travel trailer with a dry weight of 4,131lbs. With a full fresh water tank and all our stuff, it should sit right around 5100-5200lbs but we normally cruise with empty tanks so lets say 4500lbs. After tugging the trailer around town a few times it definitely shows its weight back there. The Dak obviously struggled with the weight and engine temps would begin climb on even the slightest incline. I never engaged OD, and maintained a max speed of 55mph. After some google-fu and some forum browsing I did some low-budget changes but I am scared to pull this thing more than 30mins from home for fear of cooking my truck.

Things I've done:
Downgraded from LT33x12.50's to P275/65's (33's were 67bs per tire, new tires are shorter and 42lbs per tire)
Coolant flush with 2 bottles of water wetter
reflashed Superchips from tow setting to 87oct (in regards to this post: http://www.dakota-durango.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3135809&postcount=5)
added a balance hitch and trailer brake controller
re-installed my viscus fan

My Dak is an 04 QC 4x4 w/ a 4.7/auto. 2" lift 9.25 rear w/ 3.55's, factory tow package. Only mods are a K&N drop in, stampede 70mm TB, Gibson catback and superchips tuner.

The next thing on the list is the most expensive is both axle re-gears to either 3.92 or 4.10. but that's another $1200-1500 from now. I plan on sticking with 32" tall tires so I may go with 4.10's.

Am I just being paranoid or should I expect to see a slight rise en engine temps while pulling this thing in an incline?

Somebody hug me and tell me its going to be OK.

 

[Primus]

Dude, I think you are being a little paranoid but that's ok. We love our trucks and hate to see them suffer.:jester::kiss:
As for your setup, IDK what is going on, because my '03 was setup up the same way minus the 33" tires, Suprechips tuner, and I have headers on mine.
With the 3.55 gears, these trucks with the 4.7 will definitely feel the weight but the engine temp rise has me concerned, because I have pulled my parents 21ft. stern drive Hurricane deck boat that does weigh around the same as the 26ft. travel trailer you have through the hills of southern and central Missouri into the Ozark Mountains and we never had any issues with cooling. It may be time to replace the radiator with an all aluminum replacement with or without the trans cooler built in. Granted, I never took my clutch fan off but still.
As for the gears question, if you plan on doing a lot of highway driving, it is definitely recommended to go with 4.10s and the mechanical advantage will help alleviate some of the coolant temps because the engine is not having to work as hard.

 

[TazRango]

My Rango 4.7 4x4 is bone stock, with the exception of a cone filter. 45RFE trans with 3.55 rear, 31" tires, dealer option tow (not factory, so just the class IV hitch and 7 way connector, no oil cooler or radiator upgrade). No special prep or additives besides airing the rear tires up an extra 5psi, and I pulled this combo (nearly 6,000lbs) 500 miles round trip and she barely broke a sweat. On the outbound leg it was 100 degrees out, and the only time the temp spiked was when I turned on the A/C. But it had no issues on the moderate grades we have here. I rarely even had to turn off overdrive so I got decent mileage. The return leg was only in the 80's so I was able to run the A/C the entire way.

 

[CarbonDak]

So this weekend I towed a 67' firebird on a double axle car trailer with a loaded bed. Estimated total to be around 4500-5000. Dakota didn't break a sweat. Im starting to wonder if its b/c of aero dynamics now. Pulling the camper down the road, the wind resistance is adding "weight" to it the faster I go.

 

[lstevens1976]

I would suspect there's something else going on. My '01 Durango 4x4 w/ Factory Tow handled a Handicap Conversion Minivan on a Uhaul Trailer from Seattle, WA to Boise, ID with no problems. That included climbing the blues and part of Snoqaumi.

The temp did raise a little on the includes, but at no other time did it go up. That van sat a good 2' higher than the Durango once it was on the trailer.

 

[Rook87]

A lightweight snowmobile trailer with the shell lid on it slows me down more than a jeep on a heavy car trailer all because of the aerodynamics of things

 

[cbr600rx7]

Out side air temp and elevation are also contributing factors. But if the truck is starting to get warm somthing is going on and a radiator or fan clutch would probably be the first place I look.

As for gearing I would go with 4.10s personally since your already spending the money. With nearly 33 inch tires it puts you closer to what the factory RPM would be with 3.92s and stock tires.