I have a few suggestions concerning the tow ability of a Dakota. I have (for sale albeit) a 2005 QC, full-time 4x4 with the regular 4.7 and 3.55 rear end gears. This truck gets bad fuel mileage with no load so when I pulled 5000 lbs it was getting 6-8 mpg at 60mph. I also own a 2007 Megacab CTD to pull my 31" Jayco Eagle and my DW's 2003 Jeep Overland with the 4.7HO and 3.73 rear end gears.
If you are dead set to buy a Dakota then I suggest you get the 4.7 HO and at a minimum 3.73 gear set because the 3.55 lug the motor which contradicts how this motor generates HP and torque. The 4.7 is a high rev power-plant which means you need higher rev's to access the power for towing.
There is a night a day difference between the HO when comparing the two on paper, but trust me, had I known or tested I would have bought the HO.
Where I live Dakota's are similarly priced to full size trucks give or take a few thousand. I can't say my truck was trouble free but for light towing (3000 lbs & under) the truck is best used for to and from Walmart or Safeway.
Some will say the truck is capable of towing allot more but I was not comfortable towing close to max loads with my family inside but each to their own.
Take my comments how you wish but the above is based on actual ownership and usage and not hearsay from my brother in-law who knows some guy with the same truck.
BTW, if you can wait just a few months, I believe the 08 Dakotas are getting the 'revised' 4.7L. Tq is geting upped to like 340 ft-lbs(?) and Hp is going over the 300 mark.
FYI
We had a Dakota and towed a very heavy PU for 5 years but when we started looking at trailers we upgraded to the Ram 1500 just in case we wanted something bigger. The Dakotas now have V8's and can tow more. It was a great truck. We love our Dodge trucks.
wa8shc wrote: BTW, if you can wait just a few months, I believe the 08 Dakotas are getting the 'revised' 4.7L. Tq is geting upped to like 340 ft-lbs(?) and Hp is going over the 300 mark.
FYI
Yes, the 08 Dakotas will be redesigned and have improvements to the 4.7L V-8. HP will be 290 hp and torque will be 320 ft-lbs.
At this point, if you can't find what you want on a dealer's lot, then you will have to order an 08. I would highly recommend the 3.92 gears. The 4.7L is much happier with them vs. the 3.55s. Unfortunately, it's hard to find a Dakota with 3.92 gears on a dealer's lot.
2008 Nissan Titan SE, Crew Cab, 4x4
Long Bed, Big Tow
I use my '05 Dak QC 4x4 to pull a 25 foot TT (less than 6,000 lbs loaded) through hilly PA terrain. I have the H.O. 4.7 engine & 3.92 gearset. I echo others that you should find the H.O./3.92 version as your first choice and expect poor mpg (towing or not towing). I found mine used and couldn't pass up the deal. Dak's are niche trucks and I like the size. The 4th generation '08s will have more power and stiffer suspension.
Another vote here for the 4.7l HO, 3.92's... I pulled my trailer (6K) loaded about 4000 miles with one in 2005. It rev'd high on the hills and gets poor mileage but got the job done.
2004 Dodge Durango Limited, 4x4 Hemi
2005 Dutchman Lite 27B
Dshultz50 wrote: We have a Dakota 4wd -- it's a '96 --- we just turned 185,000 miles on it! We've replaced the transmission, brakes, tires and just recently had to fix the A/C. It's smooth riding and easy to maneuver....I LOVE the darn thing! We're going to use it as our toad behind our MH. We've never towed anything like you're talking......so others can give you info there. But as far as PUs are concerned.....you can't go wrong with the Dodge Dakota.
As far as the replacements I mentioned above.....when you figure some people trade in pickups between 85,000 and 100,000, those repairs are NOT expensive....sure beats a payment to the bank!
I'll have to admit it took me a couple of seconds (I'm a newbie on the site) to figure out your "2cent" comment. Then I had a good laugh. I've been struggling with the grim reality of replacing my 03 Dakota Quad cab...pushing 68,000 miles, 3 more payments and its mine! Not replacing due to age or condition, It still feels new to me, I love it. Just wanting to upgrade to a hybrid from my pop-up and real concerned about towing capability. That's what brought me to this wonderful site, I'm hooked! However, with respect to me upgrading the trailer, the jury is still out on whether the truck will do the job. Opinions go both ways, probably a good sign its iffy. However, your comment's regarding your high miles were very encouraging.
We pulled our hybrid, 3,500lb dry and roughly 4,500-5,000 loaded, with our '97 Dakota V8 Magnum 5.2L back in our earlier camping days. The truck pulled it, but I often had to drop it into a lower gear up hills. It nearly always heated up on the climbs, sometimes to dangerous levels that required us to pull over and idle with the heater running for several minutes before continuing. When there was wind resistance or steep climbs, our MPG dropped to about 5mpg (from 9-10). The 20-gallon tank meant that at times we could only go 100 miles between fuel-ups! I thought it was ridiculously expensive when gas was $1.50 a gallon, but now it would not even make sense to pull anything with it, unless it was to your local campground in town.
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2006 T301BHD Forest River Sandpiper
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campingwithlobo wrote: We pulled our hybrid, 3,500lb dry and roughly 4,500-5,000 loaded, with our '97 Dakota V8 Magnum 5.2L back in our earlier camping days. The truck pulled it, but I often had to drop it into a lower gear up hills. It nearly always heated up on the climbs, sometimes to dangerous levels that required us to pull over and idle with the heater running for several minutes before continuing. When there was wind resistance or steep climbs, our MPG dropped to about 5mpg (from 9-10). The 20-gallon tank meant that at times we could only go 100 miles between fuel-ups! I thought it was ridiculously expensive when gas was $1.50 a gallon, but now it would not even make sense to pull anything with it, unless it was to your local campground in town.
There is a big difference between ye olde 318 5.2L Magnum, and today's 300+ horsepower, much more efficient 4.7L Magnum v8. Sure the 4.7L will want to rev higher, but that is what it was built to do. The only way a Dakota these days would drop to 5 mpg towing is if it were grossly overloaded, or driving directly into the winds of a hurricane. I towed 6,000 lbs many times with a 2004 4.7L equipped Dakota and never saw below 8 mpg. Usually right at 10 mpg when towing, never overheated even with the A/C on, and that same truck would return 18 to 20 mpg empty on the highway at 60 mph with the cruise set in the flatlands of Illinois.
I notice this post originated last summer, I wonder what the OP decided to do?
2005 Surveyor SV-291 Tows smooth as silk!
1995 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie SLT 4x4 5.9L V8 low miles, It ain't pretty, but it's paid for!
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