dodge dakota 4x4 sport short bed HELP!

[lets get out]

I have a Dodge dakota 4x4 sport (year 2002) short bed extended cab truck. anyone out there have one? and can i pull a 5th wheel with it? and how much trouble is it to pull a 5th wheel with this truck? How much wieight can i pull. I like the 5th wheel because of the room. I know i can look at travel trailers but they dont seem that big to me. I have read on here about sllides and such to put on the truck ...i kinda dont know what i am talking about but hopefully you do! How much does something like that cost to puchase and have installed to pull a 5th wheel. Please everyones help will be greatly appreciated. The bed on the truck is about 5'3" in length. ThANKS ALL!

[wingnut60]

Can't locate any earlier specs than 2005--for that year the tow ratings were from 4700 to 6950; Gross weights were from 9300-11700--depending on -V-6/V-8/club or crew cab----not much room for a fifth wheel of any size.
Joe

[NLOVNIT]

Your Dakota is probably similar to our previously owned 2001 Durango 4x4, 4.7L V-8 automatic. I want to say it had a 3.55 rar, but not sure. It had a max towing capacity of about 5000 lbs. The 4x4 reduced our towing down a couple hundred pounds. We pulled a 25ft TT (no slides) with a GVWR of 4400 lbs. Even then, the short wheel base left a lot to be desired for towing & we got pushed around a lot when semis & motorhomes passed us.

I would give up on a 5th wheel if I were you. Pretty much anything out there will be over your axle rating, over your tow rating & over your GCWR. Not safe for you, your family or those on the road with you.

Lori-

[Ray,IN]

I agree with the others, your pickup does not have the capacity for hauling/towing a 5th wheel trailer. Approximately 22% of the 5er trailer weight is placed on the hitch, and onto your truck. This means you are limited to a smaller pull-type trailer with that pickup. Even 1/2T pickups are quite limited to choices of 5ers.

[kidashley25]

Check out from the Dodge Dakota Parts I'm sure they have some similar item your looking for...

[jimcumminsw]

Hi and welcome to the forum first.
I have to agree with the other here that state, you can not pull a 5er with that model of pick-up truck. I checked the Dodge Body Builder .com Web site and I could only find information from 2004 and on. Here is the web site. http://www.dodge.com/bodybuilder/2004/docs/an/dts.pdf
The 2004 Dodge Dakota has a maximum rear axle capacity weight of only 3,850 LBS. This does not allow you enough axle capacity to pull a 5er even in the 1/2 ton series that some manufactures are producing.
For example take the 26SAB Cougar (1/2 ton tow-able), this has a gross vehicle weight of 9,990 LBS and the pin weight that the rear axle will see is 1,998 LBS. This weight plus the hitch, fuel and two passengers in your truck will overload the rear axle and tires capacity. Sorry if you want to pull a 5er look at a 3/4 ton or larger model of truck first.
Jim W.