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Tow package?

Jerm21

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#1
Sorry, I know 100% this has to have been posted a million times, I spent an hour looking and cannot find a specific answer:

I have the opportunity to buy a used 2019 Durango SRT, a vehicle Iv always wanted, but didn't think Id ever be able to afford. This one is absolutely perfect, but does not have the actual towing package (no hitch). It does have the brake assist controls on the steering wheel, tow mode etc. The guy selling it said he'll install a Mopar hitch and 7 pin, and that all SRTs essentially have the other equipment already installed. Is this true? I even tried calling the SRT help line and they didn't "know".

Id appreciate any help. The only reason the wife is on board is we need a vehicle to tow a pontoon boat, and she will kill me if I buy this an find out its not equipped properly lol!
 


DavidKFla

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#2
Sorry, I know 100% this has to have been posted a million times, I spent an hour looking and cannot find a specific answer:

I have the opportunity to buy a used 2019 Durango SRT, a vehicle Iv always wanted, but didn't think Id ever be able to afford. This one is absolutely perfect, but does not have the actual towing package (no hitch). It does have the brake assist controls on the steering wheel, tow mode etc. The guy selling it said he'll install a Mopar hitch and 7 pin, and that all SRTs essentially have the other equipment already installed. Is this true? I even tried calling the SRT help line and they didn't "know".

Id appreciate any help. The only reason the wife is on board is we need a vehicle to tow a pontoon boat, and she will kill me if I buy this an find out its not equipped properly lol!
I would only be concerned about it having a transmission cooler and a limited slip rear. The absence of the limited slip would be my deal breaker.
 


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Jerm21

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Thread Starter #3
I would only be concerned about it having a transmission cooler and a limited slip rear. The absence of the limited slip would be my deal breaker.
Thank you for the reply: According the build sheet, It has the following equipment that leads me to think Id be ok:
- Trailer Sway Dampening
- Elec LTD Slip Rear Diff
- 3.70 rear axle ratio ( I believe all SRTs have this)
- Heavy duty engine cooling / oil cooler (does not list. trans cooler)
 


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#4
Thank you for the reply: According the build sheet, It has the following equipment that leads me to think Id be ok:
- Trailer Sway Dampening
- Elec LTD Slip Rear Diff
- 3.70 rear axle ratio ( I believe all SRTs have this)
- Heavy duty engine cooling / oil cooler (does not list. trans cooler)
If it doesn't have a transmission cooler it's pretty easy to install. How much does the rig weigh?
 


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#5
Sorry, I know 100% this has to have been posted a million times, I spent an hour looking and cannot find a specific answer:

I have the opportunity to buy a used 2019 Durango SRT, a vehicle Iv always wanted, but didn't think Id ever be able to afford. This one is absolutely perfect, but does not have the actual towing package (no hitch). It does have the brake assist controls on the steering wheel, tow mode etc. The guy selling it said he'll install a Mopar hitch and 7 pin, and that all SRTs essentially have the other equipment already installed. Is this true? I even tried calling the SRT help line and they didn't "know".

Id appreciate any help. The only reason the wife is on board is we need a vehicle to tow a pontoon boat, and she will kill me if I buy this an find out its not equipped properly lol!


If I understand the question, this came up once before on the forum. A member wanted to install the hitch after the fact and supposedly, the harness did not exist to enable simply adding the 7-pin connector.

That's not to say that it couldn't be done, but the claim was that it was not plug-n-play into an existing connector.

We have a DSRT, however at the moment the wife has it out and about. I could look underneath at some point and try to determine if the connector that the 7-pin would attach to is obvious or not.
 


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Jerm21

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Thread Starter #6
If it doesn't have a transmission cooler it's pretty easy to install. How much does the rig weigh?
About 6,000 pounds total
 


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Jerm21

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Thread Starter #7
If I understand the question, this came up once before on the forum. A member wanted to install the hitch after the fact and supposedly, the harness did not exist to enable simply adding the 7-pin connector.

That's not to say that it couldn't be done, but the claim was that it was not plug-n-play into an existing connector.

We have a DSRT, however at the moment the wife has it out and about. I could look underneath at some point and try to determine if the connector that the 7-pin would attach to is obvious or not.
Thank you!
 


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#8
Also be aware the factory tow package came with factory installed/integrated trailer brake control, starting in MY 19 (I think). Mine has it.
 


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Jerm21

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Thread Starter #9
Also be aware the factory tow package came with factory installed/integrated trailer brake control, starting in MY 19 (I think). Mine has it.
Thank you for your reply.

Is this the 3 "buttons" on the bottom right of the steering wheel? This truck has those, I have noticed some others don't.
 


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#10
About 6,000 pounds total
Somewhere on their website you can check the vehicles towing capacity by entering the vin. I checked my Ram 1500 on there.
 


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#11
Thank you for your reply.

Is this the 3 "buttons" on the bottom right of the steering wheel? This truck has those, I have noticed some others don't.


No, this is an actual trailer brake manual override on the dash, when she gets back I'll get a picture of it if someone else doesn't show it first
 


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#12
- Trailer Sway Dampening
Not sure why you'd want your trailer, or its sway, to be damp. Damping is a good thing, though.

Anyway, people pull somewhat heavy loads with what I consider inadequate tow vehicles all the time, and get away with it.

Personally, 2,000 lbs. is about what I'd pull with a Ram 1500, if I had no other choice.
 


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#13
Not sure why you'd want your trailer, or its sway, to be damp. Damping is a good thing, though.

Anyway, people pull somewhat heavy loads with what I consider inadequate tow vehicles all the time, and get away with it.

Personally, 2,000 lbs. is about what I'd pull with a Ram 1500, if I had no other choice.
2000 lbs? Mine was rated for 10,800 lbs. It did a great job with this setup. I traded when I went with an enclosed trailer.
20200713_184930.jpg
 


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#14
If I understand the question, this came up once before on the forum. A member wanted to install the hitch after the fact and supposedly, the harness did not exist to enable simply adding the 7-pin connector.

That's not to say that it couldn't be done, but the claim was that it was not plug-n-play into an existing connector.

We have a DSRT, however at the moment the wife has it out and about. I could look underneath at some point and try to determine if the connector that the 7-pin would attach to is obvious or not.

^^^ This !!

In older models, all the wiring was in place & tucked behind the bumper. All you had to do was replace the hitch cover on the bumper, add the hitch & some relays, get the BCM flashed by the dealer (so it recognizes the harness) and you were in business. They stopped doing the wiring in '19 or '20 as I recall.

Also, if you add the hitch aftermarket (even if you use all MOPAR parts) the tow rating is less than if the vehicle came factory equiped. Not sure why that is & it doesn't make a lot of sense (been hotly debated on the Durango fourms), but that's Dodge's 'official' position.

Not sure what controls you are referring to on the steering wheel, the OE built in controller is mounted on the dash below the start button !
 


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#15
2000 lbs? Mine was rated for 10,800 lbs. It did a great job with this setup. I traded when I went with an enclosed trailer.
Sorry, but I don't care what the J2807 ratings are. A 1500 is still too light and has small brakes. I wouldn't want to tow that setup with a diesel crew cab 2500, at least not one with the idiotic 3.42 gears they used for years.

If that setup was great, you may want to try a 3500 with duals. But you already used "great" so it may become a matter of having run out of superlatives.
 


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#16
Sorry, but I don't care what the J2807 ratings are. A 1500 is still too light and has small brakes. I wouldn't want to tow that setup with a diesel crew cab 2500, at least not one with the idiotic 3.42 gears they used for years.

If that setup was great, you may want to try a 3500 with duals. But you already used "great" so it may become a matter of having run out of superlatives.
I have a 2500 now. It does an amazing job pulling the 28' enclosed trailer. This ain't my 1st rodeo.
 


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Well, have to admit that I sold my real tow vehicle and now all I have is the 3500.

It's okay for up to pulling 25,000, and obviously anything below that, and I really don't understand why 2500s even exist. That 10K GVWR and spongy rear suspension really hurts them, and for what...a $1,000 price difference?

But don't get me wrong. I'd take a 2500 over a car with a bed on it (a 1500) any day. Hundreds of thousands of towing miles has taught even a dummy like myself a few things.
 


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#18
2000 lbs? Mine was rated for 10,800 lbs. It did a great job with this setup. I traded when I went with an enclosed trailer.
View attachment 76890
By now you know what my preference is. And not only do I have a significant tow vehicle advantage...there are fewer doors to drag around on the trailer. DSCN4478[1].JPG
Is it overkill to pull a single car with a 3500? Maybe. But I don't mind the extra safety margin one bit.
 


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#19
By now you know what my preference is. And not only do I have a significant tow vehicle advantage...there are fewer doors to drag around on the trailer. View attachment 77031
Is it overkill to pull a single car with a 3500? Maybe. But I don't mind the extra safety margin one bit.
It depends on how you are going to use it. Mine is used for a daily driver and hauling the car and trailer. A dually would be a tough fit in my garage. It does a great job. The trailer is all aluminum for a significant weight savings.
20220111_152616.jpg
 


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#20
In my case, the only thing the 3500 is used for is towing. Had a nice little aluminum gooseneck flatbed when all I had was a 2500, but the stuff I tow has kept getting heavier.

As you can imagine, the 38-foot (aluminum) toy hauler in the background is pretty much DRW only as it puts well over 4,000 lbs. on the coupler, as does the 32-foot flatbed behind it.

Sounds like you need a larger garage - and a nice 2-door for a daily driver.
 




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