towing capacity 2001 GMC Yukon XL 8.1 liter engine

dry weight 10K, you only have 500 lbs to play with. you have to add in the kids, momma, and you in that weight combo to tow with that vehicle. you will be grossly over weight and put your family in harms way. not worth it in my standards, my family is worth getting a proper two vehicle.

that's why I asked for reality towing capacity, we all know that manufacture under rates capacity. I am looking for reality towing capacity.

zell66 wrote:
that's why I asked for reality towing capacity, we all know that manufacture under rates capacity. I am looking for reality towing capacity.

Can you clarify where the info that we ALL know the capacity is under rated comes from? If you are looking for approval, forget it and just do what you want.

Jim

the basic question I'm asking for first off is not for your permission to tow with a vehicle that I have I'm asking people who have had the same engines what have they towed safely when they're gone over there limits as suggested by the manufacturer. and if people are honest we can all agree that at some point we've come close to or we've gone over are towing limits.

As usual...it depends...

The graphic below shows how the ratings system works. Need actual weights in
order to truly know where you are in reference to those ratings.

Decide whether you believe in the ratings system or not.

If not, then academic and do whatever you wish, but note that now the OEM is
off the liability hook. Lots of folks do NOT understand the metrics
of the ratings, nor understand (truly) what a rating number is/means...my
opinion from reading threads here for years and years...plus personal
experience helping others figure it out and/or setting up their systems

If yes, then follow the graphic and use 'real' or 'actual' weights to do the
simple math.

Can work it from the trailer to the TV, or from the TV to the trailer. Simple
math

Also, as noted before, the GMT900 Sub's have a built in receiver that is part
of the bumper. So crash crumple zone duties. Notched bracket to frame and is
a stress raiser. That then has the tongue & hitch weight limited to a max of 1,000 lbs


howmuchcanitow

forgot to touch on engine size/type

If it is the end all for towing, then stuffing a big block with forced induction
would have a Pinto able or safely tow anything out there...but that is missing
the other attributes of towing...there is more to than engine type/size/HP...

That is all about 'go' and the other attributes are manhandling and not
just the good days when a golf cart 'can do it', but on the worse day
out there when Mr Murphy crosses your path...that so many think only
happens to the 'other guy'...

Thank you benk!! This helped me understand it better

The 3:73 rear end is what's holding that number below 10K lbs. 4:10 should put it around 12ish.

Looked at any 1 ton vans ?

Thats what I was thinkin too.
I had the 8.1 in a dually and I never even felt my old fifth wheel but it had 4:10s

It's not about tow ratings, the GVWR of the truck comes into play also...My TT is 8500 lbs loaded. Tongue weight is right about 1200 lbs. The weight of the Suburban with me a tank of gas is 6700 lbs, and the max weight is 8600 lbs. With me , wife, my two kids and a friend's kid along with the tongue weight of the trailer, the truck weighed in right at 8600 lbs. Yes I have gone camping with a loaded cooler and firewood etc and probably had the truck at 9000+ lbs on some trips.

The average family adds 1500 lbs of "stuff" to the dry weight of their trailer, and we are right on that mark. With a 37' trailer and 6 kids I would say you easily add 2000 lbs., so that makes the estimated loaded weight of the trailer at 12,000 lbs. 12% on the tongue means 1,440 tongue weight.

So on the 8.1 and compared to my set up you will be adding an extra 240 lbs of tongue weight plus 3 kids at 100 lbs each, plus all the "necessities" that kids bring, I would guess you'll be hitting the road about 9600 lbs or about 1,000 lbs overweight. The 4.10 gears give you a higher tow rating and GCWR but the GVWR is the same at 8600 lbs.

IMO the truck will handle it but you will be on the bleeding edge with that trailer....the burb has a comparatively short wheelbase for a tow vehicle, and I would strongly advise a Hensley or ProPride 4-bar linkage hitch to keep that trailer under control. At 37' long, that's a lot of sail area to catch the wind, that rig could become a handful in a hurry. Note the pic in my signature, that TT is only 32' and I use a Hensley hitch to keep it well behaved. The burb looks like a toy relative to the trailer, and your trailer is 6' longer than that....

A much better tow vehicle would a 350 or 3500 crew cab long bed truck, you can get a GM with the 8.1 or a Ford with the V10. Yes, you lose the 3rd row, but you gain and additional 36" of wheelbase and a whole lot of GVWR carrying capacity to control that big honkin' trailer.

I love my burb but I think 10k loaded is about the reasonable limit for it. If you owned the burb I would be telling you to look for a smaller trailer, but since you own the trailer I'm telling you to look for a larger truck.

Note that the 8.1 is not the limiting factor, you could pull a house off its foundation with this engine. The limiting factors for the burb specifically are the shorter wheelbase and 8600 lb GVWR