Dodge durango Towing modifications?

[kmboren]

I am thinking about giving up my search for a truck and modifing my durango some to make it more friendly for towing my jeep. I would save quite a bit of money this way. I have a 2000 durango AWD that has the 5.9 in it.

I have a question in changing my gears, what gears should I go with? I am running 31x10.50r15 tires and I am at 3.55s right now. Should I go to 3.90s or 4.10s. I already have a flow master and a normal K+N filter.

Here is a list of some other modifications I plan on making.

HUGHES / EDELBROCK FI AIRGAP KIT http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/...kdWN0aW9uIChJbnRha2VzICYgQ29sZCBBaXIgS2l0cyk=

A tuner that allows me to select different modes like towing and performance. More than likely a superchips flash paq.

Air bags in the rear to handle the load better.

Anything else I should consider?

 

[rholbrook]

What a nd how often are you towing?

 

[kmboren]

What a nd how often are you towing?

I have been towing my jeep cherokee on my 18 foot flat bed trailer. My guess is the total weight is around 6500 lbs or so. I tow it about 3-4 times a year. Plus I collect fire wood on the same trailer 2-3 times a year.

 

[Toad]

Upgrade trans cooler

 

[rholbrook]

Leave the gearing

 

[notajeep]

Upgrade trans cooler

this

 

[Caleb]

What are your complaints? Not enough power, more stability, etc? You're pushing the upper limits of the tow rating and even then, that's a lot on the short wheelbase of the Durango. Even doing everything you plan to, it still might disappoint you. Are you currently using a weight distribution hitch? If not that should be your next investment, that will make all the difference in the world.

 

[Maverick]

What are your complaints? Not enough power, more stability, etc? You're pushing the upper limits of the tow rating and even then, that's a lot on the short wheelbase of the Durango. Even doing everything you plan to, it still might disappoint you. Are you currently using a weight distribution hitch? If not that should be your next investment, that will make all the difference in the world.

Ditto Caleb.

 

[kmboren]

Upgrade trans cooler

My durango actually has a pretty large Tans cooler that is part of the stock platform?

 

[kmboren]

Leave the gearing

Why. This seems like it would be one of the better things to do.

 

[kmboren]

What are your complaints? Not enough power, more stability, etc? You're pushing the upper limits of the tow rating and even then, that's a lot on the short wheelbase of the Durango. Even doing everything you plan to, it still might disappoint you. Are you currently using a weight distribution hitch? If not that should be your next investment, that will make all the difference in the world.

Mostly power and torque. I am not able to find a suiteable truck in my price range so I thought it would be cheaper to just spend some money on upgrades. I think the Plenum gasket is bad on mine so I thought I would upgrade it with a new intake manifold. It is also suppose to help with the MPGs. The rear of the durango sages more than I like so I want to add the air bags to help with that. I will also look into the weight distribution hitch. I have no compliants on my stablitly currently just the bumper sage. The gears will actually increase the recommended towing weight of my durango per Dodge. The flash paq just to give me more options.

 

[Anchor_Mtn]

I wouldnt spend the money on gears for a rig that towed a trailer only about once a month.

I would do the bags in the rear and the tuner if you feel you need it. The intake cant hurt to change and since you want to do new gaskets anyway, go for it. I agree with the others and get a bigger trans cooler.

 

[rholbrook]

You dont tow enough to justify the cost of regearing. When your not towing you will wish you had the higher gears. The money you spend on all the modifications you could possibly get you a new tow rig. All these mods start to really add up.

 

[Caleb]

Mostly power and torque. I am not able to find a suiteable truck in my price range so I thought it would be cheaper to just spend some money on upgrades. I think the Plenum gasket is bad on mine so I thought I would upgrade it with a new intake manifold. It is also suppose to help with the MPGs. The rear of the durango sages more than I like so I want to add the air bags to help with that. I will also look into the weight distribution hitch. I have no compliants on my stablitly currently just the bumper sage. The gears will actually increase the recommended towing weight of my durango per Dodge. The flash paq just to give me more options.

I don't care if your Durango has a 10k tow rating per dodge, it's got a short wheelbase and that will limit what you can tow more than anything. Get that weight distro hitch before doing airbags, gears or anything else. The air bags only lift the rear, they won't help with capacity or anything else. The hitch will lift the rear and make it tow tons better. Like Russ said, unless this is oy used for towing, you'll regret the gears the 99% of the time you're not towing. Trams cooler is nice, but if you're not getti g hot S it is, then it won't buy you anything. I vote get the hitch first before anything else.

 

[Gravy]

Bigger brakes. WD hitch.

I disagree with everyone above about gears though. You should regear it if you plan to keep it. 31's are much bigger than the stock tire. Ours 98 with the 5.9 had 255/60/16's stock.
the difference between 3.90's and 4.10's almost negligible. Go 4.10's.

oh ya bigger /better brakes. Those brakes are woefully undersized to be towing a trailer that is much longer and could weigh 2k lbs (w/ Jeep and gear) more than the Durango itself.

put another trans cooler on it. Those transmissions do not like getting hot.