Towing, unibodies, frames

[tshephard]

Well, I read a bunch of posts about body on frame 2021 Durangos, and went to look.
No frames! Still unibody.
Which has been one of my criteria for next play/WORK vehicle.
I'm liable to tow 3500 and 7000 lbs, say once a month, up to 100 miles and go bouncing in the mountains or beach.

Is my criteria still reasonable - to insist on a real frame?
(I don't see any unibody tractors...)

 

[Astro14]

4 Runner is the last mid size body on frame, but I’m not certain it’ll meet your tow requirement.

Otherwise, it’s pickup or Suburban.

 

[supton]

7k? For work? Unless if you can rent (you say once a month) then it basically will need to be BOF. Just don’t think you will find anything unibody.

not sure if short wheelbase 4Runner will be “fun” at 7k. Might want a bit more vehicle.

 

[Skippy722]

The guys over on the Durango Facebook page routinely tow right up to the limits with no real problems. I never towed anything heavy, but my friend routinely hauls cars around with his. My other friend is pushing 600 wheel horsepower through the stock AWD system.

The unibody that the Durango uses is an older Mercedes designed one, and was always designed as a “suv” style platform. The new Tow n Go R/T’s can do 8,700lbs, and have all the SRT goodies (big brembo brakes 6 piston front 4 piston rear, adaptive suspension, user selectable drive modes, etc) but with the slightly more economical 5.7 instead of the 6.4. For being big heavy crossovers they do handle well, at least I thought so down in the Blue Ridge mountains. If I had bought a 2014+ instead of the 2011 I had I’d likely still have it, the 8 speed is just that good.

 

[bullwinkle]

I like towing with a (ladder) frame, although our northern guys tow a 3-7K trailer with a unibody Transit 250 all the time, I haven't heard of any issues with them. This is why I have an Express 3500 & NOT a Dodge B-series nor Transit for my personal tow vehicle-rust makes them weak quickly, unlike a decent frame.

 

[tomcat27]

we towed our 6000lb boat with our Durango. long distances too.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

The B Series Ram Vans were always unibody and they have put in some work towing. Even the older GM vans. Cherokees, Grand Cherokees - always unibody and have done okay towing. I have a friend who put a LOT of miles towing on a Transit van well above the 5000 pound towing capacity without issues.

As for rust - ladder frame used to be an advantage when they were c channel. But a boxed frame is just as bad of a death sentence when it comes to rust.

 

[wpod]

What is the factory tow ratings? How would the hitch be mounted?

 

[CKN]

If you are going to tow 7,000 pounds any where near a regular basis-you need a vehicle with a longer wheelbase. Other wise it's going to be the "tail wagging the dog". If you are towing a boat at that weight-you could probably get by. But anything "boxed shaped" really needs a longer wheelbase.

 

[CKN]

4 Runner is the last mid size body on frame, but I’m not certain it’ll meet your tow requirement.

Otherwise, it’s pickup or Suburban.

Wheel base is too short on the 4Runner. It's a poor tow vehicle.

 

[wpod]

If you are going to tow 7,000 pounds any where near a regular basis-you need a vehicle with a longer wheelbase. Other wise it's going to be the "tail wagging the dog". If you are towing a boat at that weight-you could probably get by. But anything "boxed shaped" really needs a longer wheelbase.

I have tow my tractor with my F150 and it does I towed my tractor with the Wife's F350 and didn't know the tractor was behind the P/U. The tractor 45 horse model and trailer weight 6,000 lbs. the tail wagging the dog is valid 1

 

[CKN]

I have tow my tractor with my F150 and it does I towed my tractor with the Wife's F350 and didn't know the tractor was behind the P/U. The tractor 45 horse model and trailer weight 6,000 lbs. the tail wagging the dog is valid 1

Yes-not one answer on here refers to wheelbase-a consideration when towing.

 

[ls1mike]

What I have seen in a few places is 110 inches of wheel base is good for 20 feet of trailer. For each additional 4 inches of wheel base you get 1 more foot of trailer. My truck is 167.7 inches. That gives me about 34.5 feet, my travel trailer is 35 feet. The longer the wheels base the better the tow. I have personally seen two travel trailer accidents in the past 15 years. 1 was a first gen Tundra towing 27 feet of trailer. It rolled from wind on Snoqualmie Pass, the other was a Honda Passport towing 25 feet of trailer same situation. Both were not enough wheel base for the trailer. Wheelbase is important.

 

[meep]

What I have seen in a few places is 110 inches of wheel base is good for 20 feet of trailer. For each additional 4 inches of wheel base you get 1 more foot of trailer. My truck is 167.7 inches. That gives me about 34.5 feet, my travel trailer is 35 feet. The longer the wheels base the better the tow. I have personally seen two travel trailer accidents in the past 15 years. 1 was a first gen Tundra towing 27 feet of trailer. It rolled from wind on Snoqualmie Pass, the other was a Honda Passport towing 25 feet of trailer same situation. Both were not enough wheel base for the trailer. Wheelbase is important.

Truth. I towed the same camper with two different vehicles, a pathfinder rated at 5000 or 5500 pounds, and a fwd chrysler minivan rated at 3500 if it had auxiliary cooling (mine did not). our trailer was 3000 lbs wet. Hands down, the minivan was absolutely superior in every aspect, even though it was approaching max, while the Nissan was at 40%. It was a long wheelbase model. In general, I’ve also found leaf springs to be better suited that other arrangements, though id think Ram and others have improved on that since then.

for towing, vehicle lifts, long travel off road suspension, off road tires, leveling kits, are a disadvantage. Need a stable platform. That would mean more to me than unibody vs ladder frame. The frame type probably means more in terms of passenger comfort, as BOF will isolate trailer language some small amount from the cabin.

 

[Kuato]

Wheel base is too short on the 4Runner. It's a poor tow vehicle.

Not bad if you keep it under the 5k limit.

Tshephard if you will be towing 7k on a regular basis you may want a pickup.

 

[CKN]

Not bad if you keep it under the 5k limit.

Tshephard if you will be towing 7k on a regular basis you may want a pickup.

It has a 109" wheelbase. That's a trailer no longer than 20 feet-and a WD hitch would be mandatory.

 

[tiger862]

You Can't Tow That - Blog

The author discusses tow vehicles and his recent experience towing with a Dodge Caravan. Can-Am RV Centre in London Ontario has extensi... read more.

www.canamrv.ca

I wouldn't do this but some do. Most of what he claims with stow and go i can attest to. Mine has carried lots of weight.