Help Needed to pair new Tahoe w/ TT
Hey Guys, I'm a newbie here. Looking to purchase a TT and TV really soon. Given all the towing horror stories going around, I'm very apprehensive about subjecting my wife and 2 small kids to anything...
Forum Discussion
I've been towing for 10 yrs with GM's ubiquitous 5.3L coupled to a non-tow friendly 3.42 axle and although the newer narrow ratio 6 spd transmission is much more flexible for towing than my older wide ratio 4 spd and does make up to some degree for that 3.42 I personally wouldn't tow a trailer anywhere near this heavy with this truck. 6000 lbs loaded and ready to camp is about as much as I'd tow with my Avalanche, perhaps a bit more if it had the newer 6 spd, but certainly not as much as this trailer would weigh ready to camp. As always with any 1/2 ton payload capacity (or more correctly lack thereof) will be your limiting factor.
With a UVW of 6500 lbs that trailer won't weigh any less than 7500 lbs loaded and ready to camp, probably closer to 8000 lbs with a family of four and all the junk families tend to drag along with them. Gross tongue weight could therefore easily run 1000 to 1100 lbs, seriously cutting into the truck's payload capacity and limiting what else you can carry - people and cargo. In reference to the truck you said - "Actual unloaded weight (only driver and gas): 3408 lbs" but I have no idea what this means :h as this truck will certainly weigh a LOT more than that, I'd guess closer to 5700 lbs. Tough to do with a truck you don't own but the solution is to go weigh it with a full tank of gas. Allow an additional 100 lbs for any hitch equipment you may use, if you're in it at the time subtract your weight from the scale reading and you'll have the truck's curb weight as it sits there ready to be hitched to a trailer. Subtract that number from it's GVWR which is listed on the driver side door jamb sticker and you'll have it's actual payload capacity, that which you will use to account for the weight of everyone and all additional cargo. What's left is what you will use to account for trailer tongue weight transferred to the truck - exceed that and you're certain to exceed it's GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating). Believe it - you won't come anywhere near to that 14,000 lb GCWR without easily exceeding the truck's actual payload capacity. :E
A wheelbase of just 116" is IMO way too short for towing a trailer of this size and although the E2 is a reasonable WD for some I suspect you'd want to go with at least an Equal-i-zer (big brother to the E2), Blue Ox Sway Pro, Reese Dual Cam, etc. In fact, wheelbase of this vehicle might even justify the expense of a Hensley Arrow or ProPride 3P to keep that trailer properly under control at all times under all road & weather conditions. JMO, but a crew cab truck such as a Silverado with a much longer wheelbase would be a far better solution for towing than this Tahoe you're considering.
With a UVW of 6500 lbs that trailer won't weigh any less than 7500 lbs loaded and ready to camp, probably closer to 8000 lbs with a family of four and all the junk families tend to drag along with them. Gross tongue weight could therefore easily run 1000 to 1100 lbs, seriously cutting into the truck's payload capacity and limiting what else you can carry - people and cargo. In reference to the truck you said - "Actual unloaded weight (only driver and gas): 3408 lbs" but I have no idea what this means :h as this truck will certainly weigh a LOT more than that, I'd guess closer to 5700 lbs. Tough to do with a truck you don't own but the solution is to go weigh it with a full tank of gas. Allow an additional 100 lbs for any hitch equipment you may use, if you're in it at the time subtract your weight from the scale reading and you'll have the truck's curb weight as it sits there ready to be hitched to a trailer. Subtract that number from it's GVWR which is listed on the driver side door jamb sticker and you'll have it's actual payload capacity, that which you will use to account for the weight of everyone and all additional cargo. What's left is what you will use to account for trailer tongue weight transferred to the truck - exceed that and you're certain to exceed it's GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating). Believe it - you won't come anywhere near to that 14,000 lb GCWR without easily exceeding the truck's actual payload capacity. :E
A wheelbase of just 116" is IMO way too short for towing a trailer of this size and although the E2 is a reasonable WD for some I suspect you'd want to go with at least an Equal-i-zer (big brother to the E2), Blue Ox Sway Pro, Reese Dual Cam, etc. In fact, wheelbase of this vehicle might even justify the expense of a Hensley Arrow or ProPride 3P to keep that trailer properly under control at all times under all road & weather conditions. JMO, but a crew cab truck such as a Silverado with a much longer wheelbase would be a far better solution for towing than this Tahoe you're considering.
