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SweetLou's avatar
SweetLou
Explorer
Feb 02, 2017

Tahoe Towing

A friend has a newer Tahoe and wants to buy from an AD a Thor 29 ft
10,000 GVWR pull trailer. It has the V-8 but I don't remember the year. The power might be there but it doesn't seem logical that this vehicle can tow this much weight or better stated should tow this much weight. Any advice?

10 Replies

  • Thanks guys. I knew that it wasn't going to work. Its way to much trailer for him.
  • Swell1 wrote:
    This is to much weight for a Tahoe to pull. I have a 2011 Tahoe 4x4 with the Factory tow package Here's the ratings.

    Payload 1616
    Trailer weight rating (LBS) 8200
    GVRW 7300

    Good Luck


    GVWR... an my Tahoe weighed almost 6,000 lbs. without people or cargo. Didn't leave much left over.
  • This is to much weight for a Tahoe to pull. I have a 2011 Tahoe 4x4 with the Factory tow package Here's the ratings.

    Payload 1616
    Trailer weight rating (LBS) 8200
    GVRW 7300

    Good Luck
  • REceiver limits of 2007+ GM SUVs is 1000 pounds when using a WDH. That's about 7500-8000 pound loaded TT. Tow ratings are under 8500 pounds. Payload of around 1400 pounds minus family and cargo inside means a practical TW lower than the 1000 pound receiver rating.

    6k dry assuming the family is light is a good guideline for Tahoe and other half ton SUVs.
  • rockhillmanor wrote:
    SweetLou wrote:
    A friend has a newer Tahoe and wants to buy from an AD a Thor 29 ft
    10,000 GVWR pull trailer. It has the V-8 but I don't remember the year. The power might be there but it doesn't seem logical that this vehicle can tow this much weight or better stated should tow this much weight. Any advice?


    ??
    Is this a MH you are talking about? Is it a diesel pusher?

    Most gas MH's I've seen are rated for 6,000 lbs. And no one I know will tow that much weight they stay under.

    For a GAS motor home a Tahoe is too heavy. Toad (towed car) should ideally weigh in around max 3,000 lbs. Even at that you will 'know' its' back there any heavier and you will be struggling to get up the smallest hills.

    Diesel pusher MH's is a different story regarding weight of toad.

    Hope some of this helps you. :C


    I'm pretty sure the OP is talking about the Chevy Tahoe SUV - not a motorhome.

    Rob
  • SweetLou wrote:
    A friend has a newer Tahoe and wants to buy from an AD a Thor 29 ft
    10,000 GVWR pull trailer. It has the V-8 but I don't remember the year. The power might be there but it doesn't seem logical that this vehicle can tow this much weight or better stated should tow this much weight. Any advice?


    ??
    Is this a MH you are talking about? Is it a diesel pusher?

    Most gas MH's I've seen are rated for 6,000 lbs. And no one I know will tow that much weight they stay under.

    For a GAS motor home a Tahoe is too heavy. Toad (towed car) should ideally weigh in around max 3,000 lbs. Even at that you will 'know' its' back there any heavier and you will be struggling to get up the smallest hills.

    Diesel pusher MH's is a different story regarding weight of toad.

    Hope some of this helps you. :C
  • Having towed a 6,400 GVWR travel trailer with a Tahoe, I'll have to agree with those above - no way with the 29' trailer described. The combo would be an accident waiting to happen and would endanger others on the road.

    Rob
  • Things you can pass on to your friend:

    1. Travel trailers are not just dead weight being pulled behind the tow vehicle. On average, 12 - 13 percent (could go up to 15 percent) of the trailer weight is being carried (tongue weight) by the tow vehicle. Thus, the tow vehicle must have both, towing capacity to pull the trailer, and payload capacity to carry the trailer's loaded tongue weight, in addition to the weight of aftermarket accessories, people, pets, weight distributing hitch (about 100 lbs), and cargo.

    2. Look at the tire / loading sticker for a max occupant / cargo capacity. That is the weight capacity that Tahoe has to carry everything listed above.

    3. At 10,000 GVWR, that trailer could eat up to 1500 lbs of payload. Quite likely, that Tahoe would be maxed out on payload, before he adds people, pets, accessories, or cargo.

    4. Looking for Tahoe's max tow capacities, the highest I found was 8400 lbs.

    5. That truck / trailer combination would be a very unpleasant (likely unsafe) towing experience.
  • Talk to your friend about Payload.
    That trailer is going to have 1000-1200 lbs of tongue weight when travel loaded.
    That's going to be up against it for the soft suspension and "P" rated tires of a Tahoe with the family and gear in it.
  • If it's loaded to the max 10k, it's too much for a Tahoe. The tow rating is only around 8k. A 10k gvwr trailer probably has a dry weight near the max tow rating already.

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