Towing with a Chevy Avalanche 1500 4x2 - Need some advice
I am new to RVing and am planning on doing some towing with a travel trailer. I need some advice from all of those towing gurus out there... I have spend what seems like and endless amount of time searching for some assurance that I am in the good.
I have a 2003 Avalanche 1500 4x2 with a 3.73 axle and locking diff. I hope to be pulling a travel trailer weighing 4900lbs dry (2004 R-Vision TB27DS). I expect the gross to be around 5500 - 6000 lbs as I don't think I will be carrying around a lot of water or heavy items. Just household stuff and some propane (FYI, the trailer's GVWR is 7693 lbs - well below what I intending on carrying). I will have about 500 lbs worth of flesh (people) in the tow vehicle and maybe an extra 200 lbs worth of stuff in the bed. The trailer's tongue weight is 690 lbs (vehicle is rated to handle 1000 lbs) and I will always be using a properly configured weight distribution hitch with some sway control and obviously trailer brakes.
Is this a sound setup for a well serviced half ton with 150K miles on it? The towing cap is 7200 lbs for my vehicle (with two people in the cab), but I doubt that is realistic (most people agree this is stretching it a bit). Would you recommend air bags? Maybe an aux tranny cooler? I have another vehicle that would handle this, but we really enjoy traveling in our Avalanche!
Remember that the Avalanche is not a truck chassis. It is an SUV with a truck bed. The same chassis as the Suburban. But it is heavy and has a nice 5.3 V8 in it.
Moderate hills here in GA. I will not be traveling at altitude or over any mountain passes... but I am a bit paranoid. I think it stems from the fact that I blew out my dad's transmission when I was 18 and dumb, pulling a trailer full of rocks... could have invested that $3,000...
Thanks! Sol
I have a 2003 Avalanche 1500 4x2 with a 3.73 axle and locking diff. I hope to be pulling a travel trailer weighing 4900lbs dry (2004 R-Vision TB27DS). I expect the gross to be around 5500 - 6000 lbs as I don't think I will be carrying around a lot of water or heavy items. Just household stuff and some propane (FYI, the trailer's GVWR is 7693 lbs - well below what I intending on carrying). I will have about 500 lbs worth of flesh (people) in the tow vehicle and maybe an extra 200 lbs worth of stuff in the bed. The trailer's tongue weight is 690 lbs (vehicle is rated to handle 1000 lbs) and I will always be using a properly configured weight distribution hitch with some sway control and obviously trailer brakes.
Is this a sound setup for a well serviced half ton with 150K miles on it? The towing cap is 7200 lbs for my vehicle (with two people in the cab), but I doubt that is realistic (most people agree this is stretching it a bit). Would you recommend air bags? Maybe an aux tranny cooler? I have another vehicle that would handle this, but we really enjoy traveling in our Avalanche!
Remember that the Avalanche is not a truck chassis. It is an SUV with a truck bed. The same chassis as the Suburban. But it is heavy and has a nice 5.3 V8 in it.
Moderate hills here in GA. I will not be traveling at altitude or over any mountain passes... but I am a bit paranoid. I think it stems from the fact that I blew out my dad's transmission when I was 18 and dumb, pulling a trailer full of rocks... could have invested that $3,000...
Thanks! Sol
