towing 30' triple axle WW with a 2500 suburban

Way too much trailer for a Suburban!
I frankly feel the big bumper pulls need a dually more than a forty plus foot fiver.

Do yourself a favor and get rid of that trailer or get a dually.

I recently got rid of my GMC 98 K2500 Suburban with the 454(picture in sig), and I was towing a 23 foot Attitude and it struggled pulling it. All I ever carried was 3 quads in there...I got rid of it and now tow with a Silverado with the 8.1 ally combo...and let me tell you NIGHT AND DAY, its like its not even back there...

I did two my buddies 28 foot Weekend Warrior once and it struggled and it was really squated in the back..I might have pic of it hooked up to my truck.

A 30' WW triple (smooth sides) is going to weigh in at around 9000lbs. My 26' (smooth sides w/slide)weighs 8k and I had a FSC3200 (smooth sides) it weighed 9950k, all dry and empty weights. According to the scales at my local recycling yard.

If your having trouble with slight grades, you don't have enough truck, plain and simple. Time for a diesel with 11k+ behind you.

I have a 99 K2500 Suburban with 454 if you have 3:73 gear ratio
tow rating is only 8500lb
with 4:10 I think is it still less than 10000 like 9500lb
4x4 towing is 500lb less then the two wheel drive.

I tow ww fs2300 with my Suburban

Remember that too little tongue weight will make the trailer unstable.

Sounds like it's time for an upgrade on the tow vehicle. I have zero problems towing mine with a 3/4 ton pickup.

I know, sounds expensive. But you are talking about regearing BOTH axles, adding air bags to save the rear suspension, maybe adding more hitch, maybe burning up a tranny and maybe that's not enough... It will add up real quick.

Have you tried cleaning out the front storage and towing with water in the fresh tanks? Also make sure your toys are packed as far back as they can be, that impacts tongue weight alot. Even something as simple as moving a cooler to the back can make a difference. That should lighten the tongue quite a bit but of course adds to total weight going down the road. (OK, it was a 160 quart cooler with 3 cases a beer and 80 pounds of ice)

Just my thoughts.

A crash looking for a place to happen.

hawaiian44 wrote:
does anyone have a similar setup and have any problems- looking at air bags and possibly regearing- want to go to new areas but having problems with slight grades- anything off the flatland gives me worries of 30mph on the freeway- 4x4 suburban 2500 with the 454 motor- thanks

What year - it really makes a difference.

If you have the 99, then go for it. I have a friend towing with a 99, 454, and 4 speed. He locks out overdrive while towing, and gets a impressive 6- 6.5 MPG. He is towing a 31' trailer with about 10,000 GVWR and around 1,100 hitch weight.

You will probably have to upgrade the hitch if you are going over 10,000 pounds. If you have the thinwall round tube hitch, that came with the 2000 + GMC's, then junk that and get something heavy duty.

Fred.

Way, way too much trailer for that vehicle.
My 2002 F250 Powerstroke worked hard at towing my FS3000. That trailer squated my truck pretty good.
Sold it and got a F350. Sat much better with my trailer.

Keep in mind a 30' WW can top 13,000 pounds pretty easy. In fact, I'd say that size WW was hard to stay under the 13k GVWR. They also have a lot of wind drag. I don't think your guesstimate of 30 MPH in the mountains is too far off, assuming your engine is stock. Re-gearing would be a really good idea. To be honest, I think that weight is pushing it. You will be way over factory GCWR, so besides being slow, worn out parts will make themselves apparent pretty quick.