# 2005 Dodge Durango Hemi



## schrade (May 5, 2005)

My wifes lease is about up on here minivan. So now the time is here to look for a new vehicle. We are currently towing the 26rs with a 2004 Avalanche 1500 Z71 as per my sig. I have a company car so needless to say we dont need three cars.

Thinking about trading the avalanche in and buying a 2005 Durango with the Hemi and 7 passenger seting for her. The tow rating is more than my Avalanche. Should be fine. Anyone have experience with the "new" Durango and towing? I will put my prodigy in the Durango so that should not be a problem.

Any input is appreciated.


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## Scrib (Jun 28, 2005)

The problem with anything "half-ton-ish" is the GVWR. In the case of the '05 Durango, the GVWR is 6600lbs:

6600 GVWR
-5202 curb weight
-200lb driver
-100lb passenger
-200lb gas
-500lb tongue weight
------------------------
398lb carrying capacity

You run out of room pretty quick.


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

Ditto what scrib said. We've got a 1/2 ton towing a 21RS and are right up against the gvw.

Mike


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## schrade (May 5, 2005)

So am I better off with my 2004 Avalanche?


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

Hard to say, your best bet would be to get the setup weighed and see how the weights match up to your maximums.

Can you tell I just had mine weighed and am close to being overweight?









Mike


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## Scrib (Jun 28, 2005)

I think you're slightly worse off









6800 GVWR
-5478lb curb weight
-200lb driver
-100lb passenger
-200lb gas
-500lb tongue weight
-----------------------------
322lb carrying capacity


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## vdub (Jun 19, 2004)

My experience is that many rv'ers have the notion that a 21' to 25' TT can be nicely towed with a smaller, less-than-half ton vehicle, such as an Explorer. And, that the larger TT's, such as a 26' to 28' can be handled by a half-ton. And, that the 30' 5's or TT's can be towed with a 3/4-ton. The manufacturers and dealers generally do little to change this perception, however, I think it is a mistake.

In some cases, the generalization may be true, and with careful loading, most TV/TT combinations may fit the numbers. However, to truely be safe, I am of the opinion that you need to bounce everything up one category. That is, the smaller TT's really need a 1/2-ton TV, the larger (28') TT's need a 3/4, and the 5's need a 1-ton. That's not to say that you can't legally "get by" with the smaller vehicles, but you just have to be very, very careful on how much you load them up with and you need to be aware of everything you put in. That is, it should be a constant concern. With the next larger size of vehicle, many of those problems simply go away.

RV safety and RV weight limits seem to be getting more attention from local and state police than they did in the past and I believe we may see some states cracking down on overweight situations. My understanding is that California and some parts of Alberta are already doing some spot checks. So if I was going to advise someone on a TV today, I would recommend BIG. The legal issues are, however, just a side note. The real issue, of course, is the safety of your family as well as the other people on the highway with you.


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## Scrib (Jun 28, 2005)

Exactly. I'm bummed I have to buy a TV, but I can't make it work any other way.


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## troyament (Mar 24, 2005)

I think there is a large misconception on the pulling ability of the Durango. We don't have any issues pulling our 28rls that others don't have with 1/2 ton pickups, tahoes, ect. I agree a 3/4 or 1 ton would be nicer for pulling, but since we drive our Durango on a regular basis outside of camping I think our is a better rounded decision overall for us. With a proper packing, weight distribution technology, and brake control you will be just a good as others and better with the hemi than me. I just got back from Wisconsin Dells and on the way out averaged 10.3 mpg, and with 20-30 mile head winds got 8.9 mpg.


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## Highlander96 (Mar 1, 2005)

It is not about pulling, it is about stopping and making emergency lane changes while maintaining control of the rig.









I know Ghosty has a riding mower that can pull a TT.





















Thanks for the humor on earlier posts Ghosty.

You are not going to find the weight police around here, just a bunch of individuals who are a combined wealth of knowledge. We come from different areas and lifestyles, but enjoy similar activities. Our main concern is having fun with our families and friends. However, safety is paramount.

Ultimately, you have to be comfortable with you decisions.

Happy Outbacking!

Tim


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## gregjoyal (Jan 25, 2005)

Scrib said:


> I think you're slightly worse off
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Not that it actually changes your numbers, but... The Avalanche has a 7000 lb GVWR and a 5678 lb Curb Weight.


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## troyament (Mar 24, 2005)

RU, I will agree that safety is number 1. After all that is why many Durango owners choose the newer Durango. It has the a full 5 star safety rating. I think that is the best of the road... I don't think that many others can claim that, especially the larger 3/4 & 1 ton vehicles. Also the Titan is a nice choice for safety, just ask Jolly.


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

Agreed about the Durango safety, however I believe we are discussing a different form of safety where the typical crash tests do not apply. Mainly towing. In my opinion there are obvious drawbacks of a 1/2 ton vehicle of the Durango class SUVs, and this would include the Tahoe, Expedition, Armada, etc.. This would include limited weight carrying capacity that can be easily overloaded, and of course the shorter wheelbase / trailer sway issues when towing a larger size rig.

I think these are undeniable. That said, the weight problem is generally true to ALL 1/2 ton trucks / SUV's. My Suburban included. At the risk of being a little un-popular here, modern controls and apparatus will not chage the inherent load carrying and handling limitations of ANY 1/2 ton tow vehicle. Yes, we can make them do a better job. But should we?


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## vdub (Jun 19, 2004)

CA Jim is right. It is a different kind of safety concern. They don't test for this type of safety and no grade is given. And, as Ghosty has pointed out, it's not about towing, but about stopping and maintaining control.


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## troyament (Mar 24, 2005)

I think all in all everyone has a good opinion. I am sacrifice driving more defensively & safer when I am towing to keep my family safe while towing. I many times here people talk about how they are safer towing with their 3/4 & 1 Ton vehicles, but most of the time they are also the ones bragging how much faster they are driving on the road because they can. That in the long run makes them much more unsafe than people pull conservatively with their 1/2 ton. On the other hand when driving from a to b without the TT I know I have one of the safest vehicles on the road compared to other TV's. Do I wish I had a 3/4 for towing? Yep! In my opinion is it the safest option overall for my family? Nope!


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

It is as they say opinions.....

It is as they say your decision for what is safe and correct for you..........

For my opinion, it is not my driving that I am concerned about. It is the others on the road around me that I cannot control.

John


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## JBall (Jun 6, 2005)

I have the 2004 Durango Hemi with the 3.55 axle ratio. It tows my 05' 26rs like a champ. I haven't towed it up any serious hills but the ones I've had to go up were taken with ease. The 3.55 has a towing capacity of 7450lbs. If you get the 3.93 axle ratio the towing capacity goes up to 8950.

The only problem I think I might be having is the front end dances a little bit and I'm not sure why that is. I will make a post on this forum and see what people have to say. Shoot me a Private Message if you want anymore info on the Durango...


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

JBall said:


> The only problem I think I might be having is the front end dances a little bit and I'm not sure why that is.
> [snapback]43386[/snapback]​


This could be a symptom of too much tongue weight on the rear of the vehicle. This will actually raise up the front of your truck when you hitch up. Also a good example of what we're discussing here. Without hearing all the details I can't say for sure, but it's likely you need to adjust your weight distribution bars to move more weight forward and get the front tires back on the ground.


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## vdub (Jun 19, 2004)

That would be my guess as well. If it is ok without the TT and only dances with it, then likely the front end is too light and the hitch needs adjusting.


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## risnewski (Feb 20, 2005)

I picked up the 2005 Durango w Hemi in March and my Outback 23RS in May. I've taken the 23RS on four trips now, and just got back from Tahquamenon Falls in the UP which is a 725 mile round trip (including an awesome 5 miles over the Mackinac Bridge) and it has performed flawlessly. No mountains, but some decent hills and a few fast stops. Avg gas mileage when pulling is 10.1, so I've earned a decent rebate on my REI credit card.

We've been fully loaded on each of the trips--my wife, two adult kids and three grand kids, five bikes and far too many clothes. We don't put any water in the trailer until we arrive onsite and don't carry any food other than dry goods.

Puzzler for me, cuz I don't understand these things--when I put the trans in Tow/Haul, the RPM goes up about 1.000 rpm. What's up with that?


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## vdub (Jun 19, 2004)

Tow/Haul basically takes overdrive off the table as an option and it changes the software slightly to optimize towing. So you drop a gear, therefore rpm's go up.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

risnewski said:


> I picked up the 2005 Durango w Hemi in March and my Outback 23RS in May. I've taken the 23RS on four trips now, and just got back from Tahquamenon Falls in the UP which is a 725 mile round trip (including an awesome 5 miles over the Mackinac Bridge) and it has performed flawlessly. No mountains, but some decent hills and a few fast stops. Avg gas mileage when pulling is 10.1, so I've earned a decent rebate on my REI credit card.
> 
> We've been fully loaded on each of the trips--my wife, two adult kids and three grand kids, five bikes and far too many clothes. We don't put any water in the trailer until we arrive onsite and don't carry any food other than dry goods.
> 
> ...


It also changes the shift point for each gear but in the the 1500 it only changes about 350 - 500 for each shift point (allows the engine to rev more in each gear).


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## vdub (Jun 19, 2004)

Another thing I've noticed about tow/haul is that if you are on cruise control and going down a hill, then tow/haul will shift down for you in order to maintain the speed. Not sure if that is true if not on tow/haul. I learned that totally by accident as I don't normally have it on cruise when going down hill, especially with a load.


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