Forum Discussion

trance728's avatar
trance728
Explorer
May 10, 2015

1/2 Ton Suburban in steep grades with TT

I've read a bunch of different posts in several forums about towing with a 1/2 ton Suburban and how it will struggle on steep grades and that you should really have a 3/4 ton.

Here's my situation: I already have a 2005 1500 Suburban RWD with 3.42 gears and a tow package. My truck is rated to pull 7400#. I live in the Denver area and want to take a few trips out to California which will require going up steep grades I think 7% is the highest. The trailer. I want to get has a dry weight of 5700#.

My question is: If I add an additional tranny cooler, use a brake controller, a weight distribution anti sway hitch and only drive in 3rd with the tow mode on, will I be able to make a few trips out there without killing my transmission. Is there any other things I could do to help?

I would plan to leave the trailer with no water and very little gear through the mountains and it would only be myself and my dog in the truck.

I know I should upgrade my truck, but I can't get the trailer and a new tow vehicle at the same time. I don't mind getting a different truck later in the year but for the immediate timing I'd just like to know if the Suburban would make it until then.

I have thought about a smaller trailer but if I would inevitably trade up to a bigger truck in a few months I'd rather get the one I want.

Thanks for any feedback.
  • I would recommend a small lite-weight trailer, a beefier tow vehicle or my 1st choice would be to go south and bypass I70.
  • The 10 and 15 are later in the trip, I'm more concerned about I70 as it goes through the Rockies.
  • You could drop down to I-10 or I-15 they are in flatter landscape. I had a 1500 burb and it struggled with grades even with the camper left back at the CG. Pikes Peak blew out the differential. We were stuck at a State Park for a week without a vehicle while it got fixed.