How to Determine Towing Capacity of 2004 Dodge Dakota V8 4x4 Extended Cab  

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Helpful Expert Reply:

Using my resources I was able to determine that your 2004 Dodge Dakota v8 4x4 with extended cab has a towing capacity of 4750-lbs when the rear axle has a gear ratio of 3.55; if your rear axle is geared with the 3.92 ratio you'll be able to tow up to 6050-lbs. Since your trailer is going to be near that limit you'll need to take into consideration whether or not any cargo that may be stored in the trailer when determining the gross towing weight. If this trailer is hauling a boat, you may be able to pull this off. Conversely if you are towing a travel trailer of any type, adding in 250-lbs of gear is going to put you right at the limits of your towing capacity with the lower gear ratio.

An easy way to determine which specs your Dakota has is going to be by searching your VIN number through a database or go to a local Dodge dealer that will tell you specifically what that vehicle is equipped with. I recommend starting at the Dodge website first, but in my experience with other manufacturers they may not have late model years available- you could also contact Dodge directly. You should also be able to go through a site that is able to decode VIN numbers that will give you the build sheet for your vehicle. If you find out that your Dakota is geared with the 3.92 rear axle you won't have any issue, but with the lower ratio you will be right at the limits of what your vehicle can safely tow.

expert reply by: Erik B

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