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SRT and weight distributing hitch

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#21 ·
IvoryHemi said:
grossly overweight, even with a WDH that TT is over 1,000 lbs tongue weight. The most Durango’s chassis/axles can handle is a TT in under 5500 lbs dry

This is a 5800 lb TT with no WDH on Durango To show you how overloaded your rear axle is, SRT GAWR is 3,940 lbs. That loaded BH260 has even more weight on your rear axle than shown here.


View attachment 114752
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Uhm, my 2019 Trackhawk had a Tow limit of 7200lbs, and my new Durango Hellcat is rated at 8700lbs . . . maybe the older Durangos were limited to 5500lbs, but not the newer ones . . . the picture I posted was of my Trackhawk pulling my 23' KZ Toy Hauler, which has a 7000lb GVWR, and as it appears in the picture, it was probably around 6000
 
#22 · (Edited)
Stonecoldtx said:
Uhm, my 2019 Trackhawk had a Tow limit of 7200lbs, and my new Durango Hellcat is rated at 8700lbs . . . maybe the older Durangos were limited to 5500lbs, but not the newer ones . . . the picture I posted was of my Trackhawk pulling my 23' KZ Toy Hauler, which has a 7000lb GVWR, and as it appears in the picture, it was probably around 6000
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You are correct, so is IvoryHemi. He is citing the empty weight of a TT, not the gross weight. By the time you load it up with all your gear, fluids, lp gas, whatever, you get to those high numbers real quick. When you're near the upper limit of the towing capacity, it is very likely you are exceeding the GAWR for the rear axle of the DD, especially if you have anyone/anything other than yourself in the vehicle.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Stonecoldtx said:
Uhm, my 2019 Trackhawk had a Tow limit of 7200lbs, and my new Durango Hellcat is rated at 8700lbs . . . maybe the older Durangos were limited to 5500lbs, but not the newer ones . . . the picture I posted was of my Trackhawk pulling my 23' KZ Toy Hauler, which has a 7000lb GVWR, and as it appears in the picture, it was probably around 6000
Click to expand...
Your focusing on the wrong number. The Durango will not be able to tow a 8,700 lbs travel trailer and stay under its rear axle rating. That’s because TT’s have 12-15% tongue weight.

A 5000-5500 lbs dry (7,000 lb GVWR) TT is at the very limit of what Durango can tow. 5.7 or 6.4 or 6.2SC doesn’t matter as it’s not the engine holding it back, it’s the chassis and axles.

SRT’s chassis and axle ratings (7100/3200/3940 lbs) are basically the same as the regular 5.7 (7100/3200/3900 lbs).

Because of this the SRT is going to be limited to the same size travel trailer as the 5.7, which is under 5,500 lbs dry weight.

Once you add in 2nd or 3rd row passengers (whose weight goes 100% on the rear axle), you further reduce how much tongue weight the rear axle can carry as you get closer to its 3,940 lbs limit.
 
#24 ·
IvoryHemi said:
Your focusing on the wrong number. The Durango will not be able to tow a 8,700 lbs travel trailer and stay under its rear axle rating. That’s because TT’s have 12-15% tongue weight.

A 5000-5500 lbs dry (7,000 lb GVWR) TT is at the very limit of what Durango can tow. 5.7 or 6.4 or 6.2SC doesn’t matter as it’s not the engine holding it back, it’s the chassis and axles.

SRT’s chassis and axle ratings (7100/3200/3940 lbs) are basically the same as the regular 5.7 (7100/3200/3900 lbs)

Once you add in 2nd or 3rd row passengers (whose weight goes 100% on the rear axle), you further reduce how much tongue weight the rear axle can carry as you get closer to its 3,940 lbs limit.
Click to expand...
Maybe you better correct Dodge then . . . because all their documentation clearly shows what I have posted . . . it's their information, if you think they're wrong, you better tell them, not me
 
#25 ·
Stonecoldtx said:
Maybe you better correct Dodge then . . . because all their documentation clearly shows what I have posted . . . it's their information, if you think they're wrong, you better tell them, not me
Click to expand...
Dodge isn’t wrong, you are just misinformed.

Durango’s tow rating is certified using the J2807 standard. Which means (one) 150 lb driver, (one) 150 lb front passenger, 70 lbs of towing equipment and 10% tongue weight.

So in order to tow 8,700 lbs and not exceed vechicle limitations that means that you can have a total payload of 1,240 lbs in the Durango broken down into:

300 lbs of total passenger weight
70 lbs for WDH
870 lbs tongue weight

Tongue weight for travel trailers are in the 12-15% range. Which means with higher tongue weight comes a lower overall trailer weight.

Durango is certified for a 8,700 lb trailer if it meets those strict J2807 requirements.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Trailer trailers simply don’t fall under the J2807 standards.

And adding combined passenger weight over 300 lbs will reduce available tongue weight, which reduces overall trailer weight. Which is frustrating for a 6-7 passenger family vehicle
 
#27 ·
Here is an example of a well suited travel trailer for a Durango. 2021.5 No Boundaries 19.3. I have a Tow N Go and it pulls my camper great with nearly zero squat with the WDH. I personally would not want to pull a bigger camper with it though.

Durango with me, full tank of gas and car seats - 5720lbs.

Durango (with trailer hitched up, i'm 200lb, two 50lb kids, 120lb wife, 70lb dog, 50-75lb WDH) - 6000lbs
Fully loaded camper with no liquids in the tanks. - 5420lbs
Front axle of durango - 3080lb
Rear axle durango - 3560lb
Total Combined weight with camper - 11420lb

Trailer dry weight 4176lb.
RV calculated loaded weight - 5420lb
 

Attachments

#28 ·
IvoryHemi said:
Trailer trailers simply don’t fall under the J2807 standards.

And adding combined passenger weight over 300 lbs will reduce available tongue weight, which reduces overall trailer weight. Which is frustrating for a 6-7 passenger family vehicle
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Furthermore, J2807 was developed to provide a basis for comparing tow ratings between vehicles/manufacturers. It does not necessarily represent an achievable limit except in very narrow circumstances.
 
#29 ·
Certainly are quite a few assumptions on this thread. First off is the “actual” tongue weight of the trailer once the last item is installed before leaving. There are so many models of trailers built now, there is no true percentage to “guess” what the weight is on the tongue. Secondly, there are many different WDH ratings, and designs. As a former RV employee, I can attest to seeing many different theories put to the test, with many failing the safe, proper set up. Either get on a scale, buy a tongue scale, or just “wing it” and hope for the best. My 22.5’ TT is actually 27’ long, ball to bumper. I have 800lb bars on my WDH, 2 anti sway sliders, Airlift air bags inside the rear coil springs, a dry tongue weight of 350lbs, (yes a very center balanced TT) with a dry weight of 44xx lbs. Once the wife loads every possible thing she can fit in the trailer and I fill the fresh tank (400lbs which is at the rear of the trailer), I am at 550 on the tongue and
grossing the trailer weight at just over 6000. There are so many factors that come into play when towing,
length of tow vehicle vs length of trailer is one so often overlooked. Regardless of capacities.
If you have never experienced “the tail wagging the dog” when towing, you need to understand that is how so many crashes occur with TT’s. Crosswinds, emergency braking, blowouts, (as far too many pull at excessive speeds). Just want to say, keep it real, DD is a unibody SUV, not a BOF truck, regardless of the horsepower, it has its limits, regardless of the stated capacities. Long winded, sorry but I am passionate on this subject for your safety and everyone else on the road. I have witnessed some pretty horrific TT crashes over the years and it sticks in my memories.

“If you knew you were driving to your death, would you be in such a hurry?”

Play on the safe side, stay well below the limits, and enjoy the drive.

Rick
 
#30 ·
So what exactly is the formula for being within safe limits. I've read many towing threads where there are differing opinions. By all accounts if we follow the GAWR example above. I could even be out of limits with my snowmobile trailer (even though I know I'm not). I think the manufacturers do a disservice in not posting the proper information. Sally the fact is that the majority of trucks towing are probably over weight. Just look at the road conditions.
 
#31 · (Edited)
WildSioux said:
So what exactly is the formula for being within safe limits. I've read many towing threads where there are differing opinions. By all accounts if we follow the GAWR example above. I could even be out of limits with my snowmobile trailer (even though I know I'm not). I think the manufacturers do a disservice in not posting the proper information. Sally the fact is that the majority of trucks towing are probably over weight. Just look at the road conditions.
Click to expand...
I agree that it is convoluted and confusing.

The absolute best thing you can do is weigh your loaded setup somewhere that can do each axle separately (like a CAT scale at a truck stop), then you know exactly where you stand.
 
#33 ·
WildSioux said:
So what exactly is the formula for being within safe limits. I've read many towing threads where there are differing opinions. By all accounts if we follow the GAWR example above. I could even be out of limits with my snowmobile trailer (even though I know I'm not). I think the manufacturers do a disservice in not posting the proper information. Sally the fact is that the majority of trucks towing are probably over weight. Just look at the road conditions.
Click to expand...
Formula is simple, keep under the axle weights, tongue weights, gross tow vehicle limits, and the speed limit. When hooked, make sure the trailer and tow vehicle are LEVEL. The reason I am so adamant about the speed at which you travel when towing is a lot operators exceed the speed rating of the tires on trailers. Most TT tires are S rated tires. 65 mph max. Sure you can go over that, but then you are gambling. I have been passed so many times by “Rig Rockets” blowing coal as they go by with their diesels, doing 75+ mph, to catch up to them eventually as they get lucky and only have to change their blown tire(s).
But, so many are in a hurry to get to their destinations, they risk catastrophe to arrive a few minutes early.
Limits are just that....the max in ideal situations when the stars align and everything goes just right.
When I pulled my trailer with my three quarter ton pickup, the first thing my wife said was, “Is the trailer hooked up?” Lol, Always have more tow vehicle capacity than you require, it makes it so much more enjoyable travelling.
 
#34 ·
Started towing a TT in 1995, graduated from the WD hitch installed by the TT dealer which didn’t work worth a hoot, to the Hensley version, very expensive but, to this day, the only that works without issues, like the metal on metal creaking and grinding of an Equalizer version (that you always can tell in the camp grounds). I have an Equaizer stowed i my shed now that a later TT dealer sold me, then went back to the ‘Cub’ Hensley, never looked back, my 2012 DD always rides level and stable in all kinds of wind/traffic conditions.
If you are sure of only limited use of an ‘Equalizer type WD, you might be happy, just know the annoying creaking and grinding will be with you on the road or wherever. Bottom line, a good WD to level and stabilize towing a TT is absolutely essential for safety on the road.
Stick with the GVWR of a TT to evaluate towing vehicle capacity.
 
#35 ·
FalconVFR said:
View attachment 114653
Click to expand...
I tow a 7500 pound boat/trailer setup without a WD hitch (though rarely more than 45 miles each way and usually 6 miles) and it doesn't sag NEARLY this much (2019 SRT). Maybe it deflects/sags an inch; maybe less. Your tongue weight has to be way off. I have never checked my tongue weight but the rig tows solid as a rock.

Your setup looks downright dangerous and your tongue weight must be way too high.
 
#36 ·
I don't tow because I've looked into getting a TT and the towing information is so damn confusing, I don't feel comfortable that I know enough to do so safely. Looks to be a huge competition between manufacturers bragging about "towing capacity" (which doesn't seem to be an actual thing), and TT dealers trying to sell the biggest and most expensive trailers they can, and those who tow thinking their trailer length/weight is a direct representation of their schlong.

For example, I'm sure this is a very informative website: How to Measure Towing Capacity, GVWR, GCWR - Towing 101, but it doesn't answer my question of: What does the 8700 lb towing capacity for the DDSRT represent in reality?

All I know is that it doesn't mean I can tow an 8,700 lb trailer.
 
#37 ·
RancidLunchmeat said:
I don't tow because I've looked into getting a TT and the towing information is so damn confusing, I don't feel comfortable that I know enough to do so safely. Looks to be a huge competition between manufacturers bragging about "towing capacity" (which doesn't seem to be an actual thing), and TT dealers trying to sell the biggest and most expensive trailers they can, and those who tow thinking their trailer length/weight is a direct representation of their schlong.

For example, I'm sure this is a very informative website: How to Measure Towing Capacity, GVWR, GCWR - Towing 101, but it doesn't answer my question of: What does the 8700 lb towing capacity for the DDSRT represent in reality?

All I know is that it doesn't mean I can tow an 8,700 lb trailer.
Click to expand...
I agree with all your points. Technically, a DDSRT CAN tow a 8,700# trailer, but only if it is set up to put enough tongue weight on to prevent instability while staying under the rear axle weight limits (depending on what you are carrying in the tow vehicle - passengers, cargo, pets, etc). One might be able to achieve that with a boat or flat bed trailer, but generally not with a travel trailer since they typically have their weight biased toward the tongue. It is also more difficult to calculate out how your loading of the TT affects the distribution of said weight.
 
#39 ·
#40 ·
Urbish said:
That appears to be an Airstream Globetrotter 27 which has a GVWR of 7600#.
Click to expand...
Actually, it looks like it's one of the 23-ft Airstream Flying Cloud trailers:

www.colonialairstream.com

Airstream Flying Cloud for Sale | 19 Different Floorplans

Airstream Flying Cloud travel trailer for sale. The Airstream Flying Cloud is known for offering a smooth ride, without compromising comfort.
www.colonialairstream.com www.colonialairstream.com

114854

Here's a picture from the Dodge Website:
Image
 
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