Please tell me how big a truck needs to be to pull a camper

[NancyinArkansas]

I have a 1979 20 foot pull behind nomad camper and a 6 cylinder dodge dakota truck -2004-modle and my husband says it will tear up the truck to pull it so my camper is just sitting in the yard --does anyone pull their campers with a 6 cylinder truck--help please-Nancy

[agmantoo]

read here
http://www.lancecamper.com/sec3/html/match.htm

[Cabin Fever]

According to the Dodge website, the Dakota will tow from 4800 to 6600 pounds depending on engine, transmission, rear axle ratio, 4x4 or 4x2, etc.

Visit this site and plug in your truck's specific info to get its tow rating:
http://www.dodge.com/towing/D/vehicl...ght.jsp?year=4

[Kenneth in NC]

I've owned 3 dodge dakotas with the 6 cylinder in it they all pulled fine. Our current dakota has the V8 318 and really I liked the V6 better.

how much does the nomad weigh? what is the tongue weight? Does your dakota have a towing package on it?

[Beeman]

A Dakota is not a full size truck. The pulling capacity might be fine. I always am more comcerned about the stopping and steering ability of my tow vehicle. I would in no way tow a camper with anything but a fullsize truck.
I had a 20ft. camper and pulled it with a fullsize Chevy van 1/2 ton or G10 series. It had a class 3 hitch with Reese load equalizer bars and of course a brake control so the trailer had stopping power. This was a marginal vehicle for towing this camper.