Determining if 2013 Dodge Dart Can Tow Motorcycle Trailer

Updated 08/22/2018 | Published 08/21/2018

Products Featured in This Question

Detail K2 Mighty Multi A-Frame Utility Trailer - 7-1/2' Long - 1,640 lbs

(9)

$1994.14

Curt T-Connector Vehicle Wiring Harness with 4-Pole Flat Trailer Connector

(7)

$56.08

Question:

Hello, I recently bought the part #24890. The part mentions the maximum towing capacity of 2000 lbs and tongue weight of 200 lbs. The vehicle manufacturer Dodge dart specifies the maximum weight of 1000 lbs. The motorcycle I want to two is Ducati monster 796 is 412 lbs and the weight of uhaul trailer is 800 pounds. I am not quite sure if my vehicle will be able to take the weight. Is there a way to determine this?

asked by: Monil

Expert Reply:

The most important thing to note when determining how heavy a trailer your Dodge Dart can tow is that you will always be limited by your weakest component. This means that if the Draw-Tite Class I Hitch # 24890 features a 2,000 pound towing weight capacity but your vehicle has a 1,000 pound towing limit, you will need to stay under the vehicle's lower 1,000 pound capacity. I did take a look at the online owner's manual for your 2013 Dodge Dart and verified that it does list a 1,000 pound towing capacity.

With this in mind, towing your 412 pound motorcycle on an 800 pound trailer (1,212 pounds combined weight) will exceed the factory limits of your vehicle so I cannot recommend doing this.

Your best option will be to try and find a lighter trailer that is still large enough for your motorcycle. We have the Detail K2 Utility Trailer # K2MMT5X7 that weighs just 451 pounds. Its bed measures 88 inches long and 52 inches wide.

To tow a trailer you will also need a wiring harness. For this I recommend the Curt # C56179. This will require some circuite testing and splicing some wires, and then running the hot lead up to the battery. This will give you a 4-Way connector to connect with and power a trailer's basic signal lights.

You will also need a ball mount and hitch ball to pull a trailer. I have attached a great article that explains how to choose the best one for your setup along with a link that will take you to our available selection of Class I options.

expert reply by: Chris R