Towing with a 6?
 

so, as some of you know i recently picked up (no pun intended) a pickup. 2002 dodge dakota quad cab. 3.9 magnum V6. 4X4. nice little truck. i dont LOVE it but i like it alot.
so anyway, what do you guys think about using this thing to tow with? i know its not the strongest truck around but i have two ramps within 3 miles of my home, the closer one being about 1/3 mile away. i've been kind of looking around at boats and seem to find some in the 400-700 miles range. how would you feel about pulling that far with this truck?
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...3/S6301138.jpg

If it has the 3.92 gears(which most 4X4 3.9L's did) then I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how well it does. Those 3.9's were offerred in 1 ton RAM VAN's for awhile, and even some conversion vans. It won't be fast, but it is torquey for a 6. Turn OD off and let her roll. The good thing is that engine is tough as nails and hard to tear up. I would though make sure it has a large trans cooler on it as the trans is the weaklink in it. Don't let it shift up and down alot and you'll be fine towing something the size of a V-20.

CTT we just towed a V20 12 hours each way with Rob's truck with a V6 Auto in it. It did fine and he has a lot of miles on that puppy.

Did that truck come from the factory w/a tow package?...Ferm's ZACKLY right about a transmission cooler...add one if you need to...

The route to where the boat is...is it a hilly one or relatively flat?...I-95 that Willy & Rob did to Charleston is fairly flat land...if you got a mountain range to traverse, you might wanna find another way...then there's the question of braking power...you ain't got a favorite uncle w/an F250?...:head:

ferm, she's got 3:55's. what do you think? can she drag a V20 1,000 miles?

I had a 1991 Ford Explorer with a 4.0 litre V6 and tow package. It towed my 20' Formula just fine. I did not tow 1000 miles, but I did tow it about 300 miles from Indiana to Dale Hollow Lake in Kentucky and the trip included quite a few hills. Kept it out of overdrive in the hilly areas and it did great.

She'll do it, but will be a bit doggy with a 3.9l and 3.55 gears in a quad cab.