Your thoughts requested.. Would you tow this? Am I Crazy?

[philobeddoe]

If you are of the mindset of upgrading tow vehicles, but need the SUV for family/extra room, look into a nice used 3/4 ton Suburban. There not as popular as the Yukon/Tahoe/Suburban on 1/2 ton running gear, but they can be found. Most will have the 6.0 gas burner in it, which would be plenty stout enough for your bumper pull. Plus you'll get the heavier spring/suspension with the 2500 series. Just food for thought.

[AquaMan]

I think the 2500 and 3500 suburbans are only available for fleet purchases and I think have been for a several years. This means finding one with low or average miles would be tough, not impossible, but tough. There is a company that will take used 2500 suburbans and put a DMax in them.

[007matman]

I was looking around for a 2500 when I bought the Escalade. Most of what I could find was a ex-military or patrol vehicle. They were stripped and just had the basics.

I may be in the market next year so we'll see what I can find then. Traveling with a large family is difficult but not impossible.

I have a buddy that has one of those diesel conversions on a Denali XL. I'd love to have it but he won't sell.. it's as good as gold to him :-) they'll probably bury him in it.

[philobeddoe]

Originally Posted by 007matman

I was looking around for a 2500 when I bought the Escalade. Most of what I could find was a ex-military or patrol vehicle. They were stripped and just had the basics.

I may be in the market next year so we'll see what I can find then. Traveling with a large family is difficult but not impossible.

I have a buddy that has one of those diesel conversions on a Denali XL. I'd love to have it but he won't sell.. it's as good as gold to him :-) they'll probably bury him in it.

Day late and dollar short, as usual. A good friend of ours sold his 2500 Suburban late last year and it was an LT. Which means pretty heavily loaded, leather seats and all and it wasn't a conversion. So, there must be some upper trim level 2500 Suburbs out there!

[CNYCamper]

Completely off topic, but compelled to mention 42 posts in this thread and not one snide or belittling remark, just helpful advice and good ideas being tossed back and forth. Reason I joined this forum in the first place.

[325BH]

Originally Posted by CNYCamper

Completely off topic, but compelled to mention 42 posts in this thread and not one snide or belittling remark, just helpful advice and good ideas being tossed back and forth. Reason I joined this forum in the first place.

Well, we'll have to fix that!

Just kidding [emoji846]

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by 325BH

Well, we'll have to fix that!

Just kidding [emoji846]

Now you jinxed it ~~ making pop corn now...

[007matman]

Originally Posted by CNYCamper

Completely off topic, but compelled to mention 42 posts in this thread and not one snide or belittling remark, just helpful advice and good ideas being tossed back and forth. Reason I joined this forum in the first place.

I really appreciate all of the insight that has been shared. I totally expected to be flamed asking these questions.

I'd sure the "I'll never go above 70%'er because the sky will fall, the vehicle will explode, and you should use a Diesel Dually for any towing" guy/gal will eventually pipe up :-)

[007matman]

Originally Posted by philobeddoe

Day late and dollar short, as usual. A good friend of ours sold his 2500 Suburban late last year and it was an LT. Which means pretty heavily loaded, leather seats and all and it wasn't a conversion. So, there must be some upper trim level 2500 Suburbs out there!

That's pretty much the theme of my life.. I'll keep my eye out. They're kinda like Unicorns I think.. LOL!

[The_Rhino]

family of 6... 22" wheels and short sidewalls

If the 22" wheels were not stock, then they likely reduce your payload/GCVW so maybe check into that... IMO you will not be happy with your current setup on a longer trips where you are exposed to a greater number of emergency handling/stopping instances... If you choose to keep this TT, you may need to consider a 3/4 ton truck w/seating for 6, 1 ton van, or hard-to find/older 3/4 ton SUV...

In 2013 we wanted to pair a used full-size SUV with a 7,000 lb. (empty) TT for our family of 5. I made an Excel spreadsheet to calculate weights & unfortunately I could not get the payload numbers to work for the 2007-2010 Escalade (7800lb towing capacity), newer Suburbans, Yukon XL, or even the Armada w/9,100 tow capacity due to its 1,600 payload...

Towing a trailer at max tow capacity (7,800) will take the TV & TT all the way to max GCVW with just a single driver... Therefore, you have to also deduct the weight of your family from the tow capacity - all while not going over max payload (family & tongue weight combined...). Therefore, realistically, the 1/2 ton SUVs are limited to TTs in the <6,500 (loaded) range unless you plan to drive separate vehicles...

Older 3/4 SUVs, like the Excursion or Suburban, are pricey (in good shape) & have older, less efficient engine/tranny tech. Newer 1 ton vans, like the Nissan NV, have room for 6+ & can tow a 7,000+ lb. TT, but are ugly/expensive... So in 2013, for our family of 5, we bought an entry-level 2 year-old Ram 2500 CC w/5.7 Hemi, seating for 6, and payload of 3,000 for $14,000.

A few months later we found a mildly used 2-slide bunkhouse for $20K, replaced the tires & mattress, so have $35K wrapped-up in both... The kids LOVE having their own bunk ROOM which also provides a nice outdoor kitchen for me... With family of 5 & 1 dog (700), we have a payload of 2,000 BEFORE adding 5 bikes, inflatable kayaks, generators, firewood, etc... The more we camp, the more stuff everyone thinks-up to bring along... Plus kids keep growing...

[007matman]

Originally Posted by The_Rhino

If the 22" wheels were not stock, then they likely reduce your payload/GCVW so maybe check into that... IMO you will not be happy with your current setup on a longer trips where you are exposed to a greater number of emergency handling/stopping instances... If you choose to keep this TT, you may need to consider a 3/4 ton truck w/seating for 6, 1 ton van, or hard-to find/older 3/4 ton SUV...

In 2013 we wanted to pair a used full-size SUV with a 7,000 lb. (empty) TT for our family of 5. I made an Excel spreadsheet to calculate weights & unfortunately I could not get the payload numbers to work for the 2007-2010 Escalade (7800lb towing capacity), newer Suburbans, Yukon XL, or even the Armada w/9,100 tow capacity due to its 1,600 payload...

Towing a trailer at max tow capacity (7,800) will take the TV & TT all the way to max GCVW with just a single driver... Therefore, you have to also deduct the weight of your family from the tow capacity - all while not going over max payload (family & tongue weight combined...). Therefore, realistically, the 1/2 ton SUVs are limited to TTs in the <6,500 (loaded) range unless you plan to drive separate vehicles...

Older 3/4 SUVs, like the Excursion or Suburban, are pricey (in good shape) & have older, less efficient engine/tranny tech. Newer 1 ton vans, like the Nissan NV, have room for 6+ & can tow a 7,000+ lb. TT, but are ugly/expensive... So in 2013, for our family of 5, we bought an entry-level 2 year-old Ram 2500 CC w/5.7 Hemi, seating for 6, and payload of 3,000 for $14,000.

A few months later we found a mildly used 2-slide bunkhouse for $20K, replaced the tires & mattress, so have $35K wrapped-up in both... The kids LOVE having their own bunk ROOM which also provides a nice outdoor kitchen for me... With family of 5 & 1 dog (700), we have a payload of 2,000 BEFORE adding 5 bikes, inflatable kayaks, generators, firewood, etc... The more we camp, the more stuff everyone thinks-up to bring along... Plus kids keep growing...

The rims are stock. They come standard with the Premium package.

I agree. I'd like to move up and probably will some point. Probably not this year though..

[jkoenig24]

Can I interest you a bridge that I have for sale? Prime location in Brooklyn.

[D W]

Originally Posted by 007matman

I've had a couple on instances where I could feel the trailer moving (very windy day and a large truck passed me) but it was little more than a sensation.

Don't let those throttle jockeys intimidate you. They like to pull up on you doing 80+ MPH catching you in a draft and putting an aero-push on your rig. They take away your down force and your trailer will want to go into "sail mode". Most of the time you'll be able to feel the trailer wanting to pull to the left. They may not realize what they're doing, but some of them do it on purpose. You can avoid this simply by letting up on your throttle and moving to the right as safely as possible. You will regain your down force and shift the wall of air to the passing 18 wheeler. You're not going to wreck him, but when he hits that wall of air it will be like he loses 50 HP immediately. He will struggle to get by you, but it beats getting blown across the highway.

[007matman]

Thank you. I'm new to the large trailer thing so this is really helpful. I'm sure there are all types of Dynamics that I've never thought of when pulling a large trailer.

[DouglasReid]

I am not the weight police, and it does seem the numbers do work, Barely.

One item to keep in the very front of yoru mind when towing that close to max gross weight............BRAKES!

The braking capacity of a 3/4 ton vehicle is significantly greater than a 1/2 ton. Even with properly functioning and adjusted trailer brakes the stopping distance will be significantly greater in the 1/2 ton vehicle.

Your very life and the lives of those most dear to you accompanying you, not to mention the motoring public around you at the time could very well depend on your ability to stop in a minimum distance in an emergency situation.

I know, you aren't planning on getting into that situation, but neither did the last guy killed in a traffic accident.

JUST food for thought!

[007matman]

Originally Posted by DouglasReid

I am not the weight police, and it does seem the numbers do work, Barely.

One item to keep in the very front of yoru mind when towing that close to max gross weight............BRAKES!

The braking capacity of a 3/4 ton vehicle is significantly greater than a 1/2 ton. Even with properly functioning and adjusted trailer brakes the stopping distance will be significantly greater in the 1/2 ton vehicle.

Your very life and the lives of those most dear to you accompanying you, not to mention the motoring public around you at the time could very well depend on your ability to stop in a minimum distance in an emergency situation.

I know, you aren't planning on getting into that situation, but neither did the last guy killed in a traffic accident.

JUST food for thought!

Agreed. Brakes are a big deal and I've already done one set of upgrades there. Getting ready to do the fronts soon. But it does stop REALLY well.

Aill be sure to give myself some extra room.

[TKPINSC]

Originally Posted by 007matman

Agreed. Brakes are a big deal and I've already done one set of upgrades there. Getting ready to do the fronts soon. But it does stop REALLY well.

Aill be sure to give myself some extra room.

Keep in in mind dropping your speed five miles an hour will do more to reduce your stopping distance than any brake upgrades. A slower speed means you have travelled a shorter distance before you react and a significant reduction in the vehicle's momentum that needs to be converted into heat by the brakes. A bonus is less heat build up in the tires and less heat for the transmission cooler and radiator to deal with.

[007matman]

Originally Posted by TKPINSC

Keep in in mind dropping your speed five miles an hour will do more to reduce your stopping distance than any brake upgrades. A slower speed means you have travelled a shorter distance before you react and a significant reduction in the vehicle's momentum that needs to be converted into heat by the brakes. A bonus is less heat build up in the tires and less heat for the transmission cooler and radiator to deal with.

Yeah, I've already told the kids that we're not going to be setting any land speed records when we're towing the trailer. Gas Mileage I hear takes a pretty big jump when we're slower too. That'll be my incentive.. I'm guessing we will probably get somewhere in the single digits towing that much.

[325BH]

Originally Posted by 007matman

Yeah, I've already told the kids that we're not going to be setting any land speed records when we're towing the trailer. Gas Mileage I hear takes a pretty big jump when we're slower too. That'll be my incentive.. I'm guessing we will probably get somewhere in the single digits towing that much.

Keep aware of any hills/grades. What feels like good brakes on flat land for short periods of time can quickly fade away (pun intended) when going down a long big grade.

[tande]

Originally Posted by TKPINSC

Keep in in mind dropping your speed five miles an hour will do more to reduce your stopping distance than any brake upgrades. A slower speed means you have travelled a shorter distance before you react and a significant reduction in the vehicle's momentum that needs to be converted into heat by the brakes. A bonus is less heat build up in the tires and less heat for the transmission cooler and radiator to deal with.

Where is the "Like" button when you want it!!