Anyone towed this heavy and log with a 2500 Suburban/Yukon XL/Avalanche?

[Shamrockthecasbah]

I recently picked up a 2004 Suburban 8.1/4.10 (specs in signature) and I am looking to up-size to a much larger rear living travel trailer.

We are considering Rockwood Signature, Open Range Roamer, and Grand Design Reflection. The floorplans that we like range from 35'-38' (hitch to bumper) with dry weights of 8000-8800 lbs. I suspect that actual ready to camp weights would be 9200-10500 lbs with actual tongue weights of 1300-1600 lbs depending on model. I use an Equalizer 4 point now, and realy like it, but I would most likely have to go with a Blue OX Swaypro with 1500 or even 2000 lb bars since the Equalizer max is 1400.

Does anyone have direct experience towing a travel trailer this size and weight with a GM 2500 SUV and can you provide details? Doing the math, I know I can stay under my TV weight limits. My biggest concern is the trailer length with my relatively short wheelbase of 130".

Thank you.

[bikendan]

Well, I don't know of any of those vehicles that would have payload capacities for those tongue weights, along with occupants and cargo in the vehicle.

What is the payload capacity of your Burb?

[Shamrockthecasbah]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Well, I don't know of any of those vehicles that would have payload capacities for those tongue weights, along with occupants and cargo in the vehicle.

What is the payload capacity of your Burb?

The specs for my 2500 Suburban are in my signature, but the door jamb payload sticker is 2108 lbs. When I tow, I remove my 3rd row seat which weighs 70 lbs so I figure I'm working with 2178 of payload.

I still have my 1500 Suburban which has served us pretty well towing our 23IKSS (very good stability but low on power). Being a 2003 it was built one year before payload stickers were mandatory but my CAT scale weights showed my payload to be around 1500 with the rear seat removed.

Nevertheless, I will be towing my new trailer (still shopping) with the 2500 Suburban. My payload math goes like this for what I am assuming is a worst case scenario of 1600 lbs:

2178 Payload
-550 Me, wife and youngest daughter
-50 Things (almost everything in the camper)
-100 Hitch (Blue Ox Swaypro 2000)
-1600 Tongue weight
+150 Estimated amount of weight hitch will transfer back to the trailer
+28

For my own calculations I usually don't even account for the weight of the hitch because I know from experience that it will transfer more to the trailer than the hitch itself weighs, but I wanted to show that I had considered it.

The trailers that we are looking at have an advertised (fairy-tale) hitch weight of 990 to 1,140. That's why I chose 1,300-1,600 as more realistic range. I'm not expecting 1,600 lbs but want to be prepared. The GVWs range from 9,590 - 10,995. I am very meticulous about weights: I've scaled both of my previous rigs and tweaked the hitches and loading to optimize.

In general my concern is that this would be a big step up in weight AND length. I'm confident that I can manage the weights and stay with limits, but i was looking for feedback from other members on their experience towing a TT in the 35'+, 9000lb+ range.

[Cowracer]

I tow a Rockwood 8329ss that grosses out at about 9600 and a hitch weight around 900 lbs with an Excursion with no issues other than a slight wiggle when passing semis, but that probably due to my lift kit more than anything.

A 2500 'Burb is the same as a 2500 crew cab (mechanically) and I see no issues at all towing up to the 12k tow rating. Especially with the 8.1 and 4.10 gears. Just get a good weight distributing hitch.

tim

[Super 8]

You basically have the same drivetrain/suspension as the 2004 2500hd reg cab long box pickup, which has 133" wheelbase.
I tow a 37' hitch to bumper but I have a crew cab which is longer. I also use the 12K 4-point equalizer hitch, which works very well.

[timfromma]

I tow a trailer that size all the time with a 2500HD Silverado Duramax.

[Oneiron]

We had a 2012 Suburban 2500 6.2L V-* and it did not work well towing our Roo 23IKS at all going up any significant grade. We switched to a Ford F-350 Crew Cab Lariat with the 6.7L Turbo Diesel...amazing difference. No issues at all running at much lower rpm's as we climbed to Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado recently. In short, get a diesel and rest easy!! You will not regret that decision.

[bikendan]

Thanks Shamrock for posting your Burb's payload.
I've never seen anyone post payload numbers, that owned a 3/4 SUV. Except for some Excursion owners.

[aceinspp]

Originally Posted by Oneiron

We had a 2012 Suburban 2500 6.2L V-* and it did not work well towing our Roo 23IKS at all going up any significant grade. We switched to a Ford F-350 Crew Cab Lariat with the 6.7L Turbo Diesel...amazing difference. No issues at all running at much lower rpm's as we climbed to Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado recently. In short, get a diesel and rest easy!! You will not regret that decision.

However he has the 8.1 with 4:10 lot different than the 6.2 , It pulls like there is no tomorrow as I had it in a 1 ton dully. Later RJD

[Shamrockthecasbah]

Originally Posted by Oneiron

We had a 2012 Suburban 2500 6.2L V-* and it did not work well towing our Roo 23IKS at all going up any significant grade. We switched to a Ford F-350 Crew Cab Lariat with the 6.7L Turbo Diesel...amazing difference. No issues at all running at much lower rpm's as we climbed to Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado recently. In short, get a diesel and rest easy!! You will not regret that decision.

I think you mean 6.0 engine rather than the 6.2 and you probabaly has 3.73 gears.

[Shamrockthecasbah]

The other thing that is disappointing about the 2007 and later 2500 Suburbans (other than no diesel and no big block) is that the factory hitch is limited to 1000 lbs of tongue weight with WD. On these models the hitch incorporates a crumple feature for safety which causes this limit, and from what I understand, there are no aftermarket upgrades available. I just installed a Curt XD hitch on my 04 Sub that's rated for 17,000/2400. I realize it doesn't mean my truck is rated to handle that, but it's a big upgrade over the lousy factory hitch that was unbelievably rated for 1500 pounds of tongue weight.

[tomrob1161]

I tow my 2013 Rockwood Signature Ultralite, 8315BSS with my 2010 Yukon 2500 XL, My weight distribution hitch is a Reese Sway Control hitch. The only thing I don't like about it is the height of the Receiver on the truck. I have to use a 12" drop shank to get the trailer level. I've been towing trailers since 1996 with 3/4 ton Suburbans and Yukon XLs with no problems.

[stomperz71]

I tow a Salem Hemisphere 312QBUD which is about 36' long and around 1000 lb hitch weight with a 1999 Suburban 2500 454. I get some wiggles every once in awhile but I'm only running an Anderson WD. I think if I had a little better WD hitch I wouldn't even know its back their most of the time! Just bought a Whipple Super Charger for some added ponys to help with the hills!

[Oneiron]

Yes, you are right. I did have the 6.0 L engine and lower gear ratios. However, I still stand by my decision to go with the diesel for current and future usage. When I searched for the heaviest duty Suburban/Yukon I could find, I never once came up with one that had the huge V-8 and gear ratios required. In short, there aren't too many out there especially used.