Another how much can I tow

stngls wrote:

busterbrown73 wrote:
I owned the Envoy's little brother, the Buick Rainier with the I6 powerplant. If your Envoy has airbags and can be equipped with an auxiliary transmission cooler, decent brake controller, and quality WDH,

Way over my head here. It has air bags and that's all I know. Guess I have to go to GMC dealer to find this out.

You'll need to understand the dynamics of towing before you hitch up. Weight distribution hitches are almost always required with any travel trailer that are bigger than tear drops and micro's. Keeps the load on the TV (tow vehicle) spread out over both axles. Your air bags do a good job alone but the WDH will force weight on the front end for drivdability.

Secondly, any trailer weighing in at 3,000 lbs or more with it's load (know as Gross vehicle weight ratio, GVWR) need to have a trailer brakes. This requires the use of an electronic brake controller on the tow vehicle. Remember, arresting your truck and camper from highway speeds need to be done by all axles, both camper and truck. The controller orchestrates this.

Thirdly, towing takes a toll on your transmission. Component of early tranmission demise: HEAT. Towing creates heat. Your truck platform incorporates part of the radiator as a in-line transmission cooler. Even though it works for regular everyday driving, towing adds much more stress (and heat) to the tranny. Adding an external transmission fluid cooler in front of the radiator will keep your trans temps in the favorable range. I wouldn't bother with a stealership visit. Any reputable independent transmission or repair shop/mechanic would be able to install one for you. It took me about 1 hour to install one on my Buick.

IMHO, if you're unsure of what any of the forementioned components are, I'd spend more time learning about the fundamentals of towing and ask as many questions on these forums as you possible can. Don't be discouraged by the "need a full-ton diesel to pull a pop-up" police that will comment on your equipment. Just remember, what ever you tow, keep it safe and within the limits of your rig.

Then as said go with a small lightweight trailer that will work with your vehicle a slide ads a fair bit of weight to trailer, don't go by empty weight of trailer as you will have to ad gas, water etc.
Frank.

Me Again wrote:
If it is like our Rainier it has a factory rear air suspension which is noted to fail sooner or later, and the rear drops down to the axle. The biggest issue is the very short wheel base and stability. These are vehicles that will turn on a dime and give you 9 cents in change. A vehicle with that short of a wheel base are not what I would consider great tow vehicles. Chris

I owned my Buick for over 8 years and I would have to politely disagree with your opinion. I towed a 3500 lb enclosed cargo trailer all over the country with mine for 3 years. Built like a travel coach 8ft x 12 feet long and tall. With the nearly 300 hp 6 cylinder and a good brake controller, most of the time I never felt it was there. I didn't even use a WDH or sway control.

Secondly, all air bag systems have a shelf life. So do pneumatic/hydrolic shocks and springs. My original OEM air bags started to leak in 2015, 9 years after the vehicles inservice date. After about 40,000 towing miles and 125,000 vehicle miles, I'm not sure that was failure or just simple aging of a usable product. I ended up replacing the bags with aftermarket Arnotts. The compressor still worked as expected so my cost was minimal.

GMT360's are great tow vehicles if properly equipped and you're towing within the capacities of the truck and trailer. Just ask the members on GMTnation.

Me Again wrote:
A vehicle with that short of a wheel base are not what I would consider great tow vehicles. Chris

I have no choice but to work with what I have for now.

If it is like our Rainier it has a factory rear air suspension which is noted to fail sooner or later, and the rear drops down to the axle. The biggest issue is the very short wheel base and stability. These are vehicles that will turn on a dime and give you 9 cents in change. A vehicle with that short of a wheel base are not what I would consider great tow vehicles. Chris

If I had the $$, I'd but a Lance trailer, but......I will have to start out with something more affordable for now. I haven't considered used because I wouldn't know if something was wrong with it, so I'm looking at new with a warranty. I'm waiting til spring cause the warranty starts at purchase and I won't be leaving to go north til the spring anyways. Plus I can save up more in the meantime.

busterbrown73 wrote:
I owned the Envoy's little brother, the Buick Rainier with the I6 powerplant. If your Envoy has airbags and can be equipped with an auxiliary transmission cooler, decent brake controller, and quality WDH,

Way over my head here. It has air bags and that's all I know. Guess I have to go to GMC dealer to find this out.

There is also Taylor Coach in Ontario Canada that makes lightweight travel trailers, in many configurations and will customize a trailer for you.

clicky link
Check out these folks for small rv trailers.
Small liteweight units are out here.......You may have to do some long distance trailer shopping for finding one that fits your needs.

I owned the Envoy's little brother, the Buick Rainier with the I6 powerplant. If your Envoy has airbags and can be equipped with an auxiliary transmission cooler, decent brake controller, and quality WDH, the GMT360 platform is very capable at towing many ultralites hard shell campers. I wouldn't suggest a 28+ footer bunkhouse. But there are many light weight floor plans that your truck could tow safely and with relative ease. A 20 foot, 3600 lb murphy bed bunkhouse from the Keystone Bullet line is just 1 example. You don't need a 1/2 ton plus truck to pull 3000-4000 lb trailers. And you're not limited to 2000 lb minivan tent campers that many may want you to believe. Go ask the guys and gals on GMTnation.com. This is an awesome forum for a Envoy owner to join as these people know the platform like know other. Generally speaking, make sure you're within the capacities of the truck and trailer and your equipment is in good working order.