I have a jayco exp 17c and a 19' bass boat. I will be towing both in the south alot. I learned my Yukon has the 3:08 gears and no HD tow package which drops it to 5000lb tow capacity. I had no idea. Thought it was 8500lbs. It was struggling a bit up hills. Short distance I can manage but long distance, long term I might want something better. If I was going to upgrade my tow vehicle & remain in an SUV, what would you recommend? Probably will buy a newer year, used vehicle. Was thinking of a Nissan Armada.

4000 pounds loaded for what you have should be fine. That's well under your tow rating. Using the first 4 gears only should provide decent performance and improved fuel economy (Tow Haul, M4). Get a trans cooler. $50, or $200 installed. Towing in the 2500rpm range (whatever gear that is) should provide a decent towing experience. Better throttle response, fewer downshifts, lower trans temps, and better fuel economy.Read this thread of similar circumstances.If you want to change the TV, then:2008+ 2500 Suburban/Yukon XL00-06 2500 Suburban/Yukon XL00-05 ExcursionDo it right. Check the payload stickers as you shop. I don't like the Titan/Armada gearing. And it doesn't have that much power like the Hemi to make up for its poor gearing. Very few gas engines can tow any high walled RV in top gear at 65mph.

I had a Yukon with 3:08 gears. Shifted like a maniac going up hills pulling just a small motorcycle trailer with two bikes inside. And I'm talking Eastern hills, not western mountains. Loved the truck but the worse tow vehicle I ever owned.Traded it for a Dodge Diesel (2006)...could not possibly be more happy. 20mpg, NEVER down shifts even with a 10,000 pound trailer. Cruise all day at 70 with zero issues. 180,000 miles with only normal maintenance.NOTHING like a diesel for towing.

Trailer weighs just under 3000lbs, you're suppose to add 1000lbs for gear, and then I am going to put a hitch on the TT and transport 2 scooters and bikes. I am thinking I'll be pushing well over 4500lbs. The rating is 5200lbs.

old school rule of thumb:Towing:at the very least, have a tow vehicle that has a tow rating of 20% more than the max load you ever expect to tow. That way you should have no problem towing up/down hills, hot weather and brakes large enough to stop the load in an emergency stop situation.in the old days to meet these numbers, if you had a trailer of any size, you would see 3/4 ton trucks, now the tow ratings of the 1/2 trucks are much higher.I stuck a trans cooler on a 1/2 ton pickup and the next thing I had was a radiator cooling issue as the trans cooler is just another item in front of the radiator to slow the flow of air, trans cooler, ac condenser, then radiator, with air having to travel through all of this the temp started going up so I traded and got a 3/4 ton truck and all problems were solved, towing wise.

tcc11tcc wrote:I have a jayco exp 17c and a 19' bass boat. I will be towing both in the south alot. I learned my Yukon has the 3:08 gears and no HD tow package which drops it to 5000lb tow capacity. I had no idea. Thought it was 8500lbs. It was struggling a bit up hills. Short distance I can manage but long distance, long term I might want something better. If I was going to upgrade my tow vehicle & remain in an SUV, what would you recommend? Probably will buy a newer year, used vehicle. Was thinking of a Nissan Armada.You are still in the same class TV with consideration of an Armada (Nissanis my fav Japanese badge)Do note that in the 'half ton' class...there is a HUGE range of GVWR'sand why so many confuse the 'bigger' ones (I call them fake half ton)are in essence 3/4 ton range (GVWR)Era is also important if buying used. My 1980 C10 Silverado is theHeavy Duty version of it's day at 6,200 GVWR. Today's HD versions runup to 8,xxx GVWR. Back in 1980 a 3/4 ton ran in the 7,600 GVWR rangeBest to use their specifications...AKA ratingsCompare their GVWR's, front/rear GAWR's and GCWR's as that is the bestway, IMHOBaked into those ratings will be the sizing of frames, brakes, trannies,engines, gear ratios, etc, etcBut first decide whether you believe in the ratings system or notIf not, then academic and just do whatever you wishIf yes, then use their ratings as comparison...not marketing verbiageand badging

Best SUV for towing | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

maxwell11
Explorer
Jun 11, 2013
old school rule of thumb:

Towing:

at the very least, have a tow vehicle that has a tow rating of 20% more than the max load you ever expect to tow. That way you should have no problem towing up/down hills, hot weather and brakes large enough to stop the load in an emergency stop situation.

in the old days to meet these numbers, if you had a trailer of any size, you would see 3/4 ton trucks, now the tow ratings of the 1/2 trucks are much higher.

I stuck a trans cooler on a 1/2 ton pickup and the next thing I had was a radiator cooling issue as the trans cooler is just another item in front of the radiator to slow the flow of air,
trans cooler, ac condenser, then radiator, with air having to travel through all of this the temp started going up
so I traded and got a 3/4 ton truck and all problems were solved, towing wise.
tcc11tcc
Explorer
Jun 11, 2013
Trailer weighs just under 3000lbs, you're suppose to add 1000lbs for gear, and then I am going to put a hitch on the TT and transport 2 scooters and bikes. I am thinking I'll be pushing well over 4500lbs. The rating is 5200lbs.
Rbertalotto
Explorer
Jun 11, 2013
I had a Yukon with 3:08 gears. Shifted like a maniac going up hills pulling just a small motorcycle trailer with two bikes inside. And I'm talking Eastern hills, not western mountains. Loved the truck but the worse tow vehicle I ever owned.

Traded it for a Dodge Diesel (2006)...could not possibly be more happy. 20mpg, NEVER down shifts even with a 10,000 pound trailer. Cruise all day at 70 with zero issues. 180,000 miles with only normal maintenance.

NOTHING like a diesel for towing.
APT
Explorer
Jun 11, 2013
4000 pounds loaded for what you have should be fine. That's well under your tow rating. Using the first 4 gears only should provide decent performance and improved fuel economy (Tow Haul, M4). Get a trans cooler. $50, or $200 installed. Towing in the 2500rpm range (whatever gear that is) should provide a decent towing experience. Better throttle response, fewer downshifts, lower trans temps, and better fuel economy.

Read this thread of similar circumstances.

If you want to change the TV, then:
2008+ 2500 Suburban/Yukon XL
00-06 2500 Suburban/Yukon XL
00-05 Excursion

Do it right. Check the payload stickers as you shop. I don't like the Titan/Armada gearing. And it doesn't have that much power like the Hemi to make up for its poor gearing. Very few gas engines can tow any high walled RV in top gear at 65mph.

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Best SUV for towing

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