2011 Suburban 1500 with tow package

jenjen77 wrote:
I've been looking through the forums, just because I hate asking the same quesiton someone else already has. But here we go, last year we took our 11 burb from florida to yosemite and back (we have a 2008 freedom lite trailer which has a slide out queen bed, 4000 lbs dry weight, max of 5k) I can tell we had ALOT in our suburban, we added bike racks ont he back of the suburban, carried our 200 lb generator a few gas tanks. It was ridiculous. We were gone a month, gas mileage was terrible, but we expected that.



This year we are wanting to upgrade to something our burb can handle, we are looking at a keystone bullet 2400 (I have 3 kids, and 2 adults, so we need a bunkhouse!) Its gross weight says 6800, our tow rating is up to 8100 lbs.

MTWR (max tow weight rating) is derived using a 'stripper' model TV
with one 150 lb driver, tow option and nothing else

So you would have to weigh in at 150 lbs, no options (AC, power seats,
windows, 4x4, etc, etc) in order to have that MTWR

We are looking to travel to Yellowstone in the summer time next year in it Do you think that is too much weight for our burb?

Yes, and I'd not do it

Boils down to a 'can' vs 'rated for it', or how safely and how long it can do it

We have been researching and researching, and I just don't know. we know we want to upgrade though!! Any advice, or maybe an advice on another trailer we should take a look at it, I would be open to look at!! Thanks!!

Suggest you consider a lighter trailer.

First, decide if you believe in the OEM ratings or not

If not, then this is just an academic discussion and do whatever you
wish, but know you have taken the OEM(s) off the warranty and liability hook

If yes, then read up to learn how the ratings system works and go out
and weigh your setup, fully loaded up with people/pets/cargo/etc...axle
by axle


All things designed are not engineered for the good days out there when
a half ton can town the Space Shuttle (around 190,000 lbs...stripped)

It is for the worse day out there when Mr Murphy crosses your path

Either you have the right sized or not...to manhandle the setup during
that encounter spot on. As there will be no time to go back the store
for bigger/better/etc...nor time to re-adjust or re-load

Only the driver is responsible for the setup...no one providing an
opinion on these freebie forums have any skin in the game. That driver
might not even be the OP here, but their spouse/friend/etc...