we are in the market for a hybrid trailer, I have a 2006 Saab 9-7x with the 5.3 v8. towing capacity is 6500lbs and has rear air leveling. I will be getting a weight distrubution with sway hitch Two campers we are looking at2004 starcraft travel star 21ss0 weight dry 36842005 dutchman kodiak 23tt weight dry 4500I figure with camping gear and weight of us another 1500 lbsso we'd be tight with the Kodiak, Would you feel either are doable or safe

I think you would be ok with either as far as tow capacity. TV payload may be another story for the Kodiak

Terryallan wrote:I think you would be ok with either as far as tow capacity. TV payload may be another story for the KodiakWhat is the TV payload? Is that how much you can put in the camper?

TV is "tow vehicle" Determine your "payload capacity" first. That information should be on the door jamb sticker. What you can "carry" & what you can tow are TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.Often times payload will be exceeded before you reach tow rating.

ok so here's what i foundCargo Volume 39.8 cu ftStandard Payload 1,230 lbsMaximum Payload 1,230 lbsStandard Towing Capacity 6,500 lbsMaximum Towing Capacity 6,500 lbsso do you take the 1230- people weight and gear?do you subtract the hitch weight also?

Welcome neighbor!Ignore the published dry weight. That's a fictional number. No one tows a trailer at it's dry weight. Dry weight does not include factory installed options, depending on the manufacturer, that could be A/C, awning, spare tire, microwave, and other things. The shipped weight is a better number. But for towing planning, go by the listed GVWR of the trailer. I think overall though you'll be fine but these are about the biggest trailers I would ever tow with that platform. That Saab is a GMT360, Trailblazer/Envoy platform. I wouldn't pull it with the I6 (I had a Trailblazer with I6, it was great for a smaller trailer but only OK for my current Jayco X20E), but with the 5.3 you should be fine. Check your gearing, that'll make a difference. Look in your glove box for a white sticker with RPO codes, look for one of the following to validate which gears your have.GU6 = 3:42 ratioGT4 = 3:73 ratioGT5 = 4:10 ratioVerify your towing capacity is really 6500# by comparing your option list and gears to the towing chart in your owners manual. You will also need to subtract everything inside your TV and the weight of the WD hitch from the rated towing capacity. So if your rated capacity is indeed 6500#, and your family, stuff that travels in the Saab, and hitch weighs 500#, now your towing capacity is 6000#. When your trailer is loaded is when you should weigh your tongue. For planning though, figure 13% of the trailer's GVWR. So if your payload is 1100# and your tongue weight is 700# and your stuff is 500#, then you are over weight because your payload has been exceeded by 100#. This is why knowing the payload is so critical. EDIT: Just your post that your payload is 1,230#. Same rules apply though!I wish you the best!

help on tow weights | Good Sam Community

33 Replies

PAThwacker
Explorer
May 01, 2015
this week a 2005 GLX 4 motion 2.8 wagon with 62k went as high as $6200 at auction, add auction fees: $600, $300 to $400 transport, unknown repairs, it could cost a dealer $8,000 before able to be sold. Retail it $11,000 and hope for the best.

Car sales are hard work: running to the auctions, nonstop repairs, searching sales lists, and car transport long before it hits a lot.
PAThwacker
Explorer
Apr 29, 2015
Got a third nugget 08 Denali envoy with 5.3 this am.
crazysimi
Explorer
Apr 29, 2015
PAThwacker wrote:
We also just bought for the dealership a 2006 SWB TB V8 with a 3.73 and sunroof. Only has 70k on it and will probably be kept for towing duty(boats and flat bed trailers).

Second nugget bought this week: a 2002 Passat wagon GLX fully loaded 4motion 2.8 v6 with 92k.

Ill be dumping my 2004 Passat wagon 1.8t GLS FWD with 195k for the GLX glamper wagon 4 motion.

wow funny thing is i have a 03 Passat GLX wagon 4motion and a 06 Saab 9-7 5.3
PAThwacker
Explorer
Apr 26, 2015
We also just bought for the dealership a 2006 SWB TB V8 with a 3.73 and sunroof. Only has 70k on it and will probably be kept for towing duty(boats and flat bed trailers).

Second nugget bought this week: a 2002 Passat wagon GLX fully loaded 4motion 2.8 v6 with 92k.

Ill be dumping my 2004 Passat wagon 1.8t GLS FWD with 195k for the GLX glamper wagon 4 motion.
PAThwacker
Explorer
Apr 26, 2015
The Hybrid was a 21ft box/approximately 25ft total length. 9ft 6" high by 7ft 6" wide. 3400lb empty, 4100lb to 4400lb ready to camp and 5000lb gvw. The killing spec was the gear ratio in the 5.3 TB: 3.42 fuel economy/not tow worthy ratio.

look in your glove box for the RPO Codes: GT4= 3.73, or GT5= 4.10
If you see GU6 (3.42), you are stuck in popup land.

Our dealership just got in a 2005 Z71 Tahoe fully loaded with a 4.10 ratio. Killing spec on the Tahoe: 1200lb payload.

Specs are out there to make you cringe. They are never in adds, and you have to decipher the labeling either on door pillars and glovebox of GM.
crazysimi
Explorer
Apr 21, 2015
PAThwacker what was the specs and length on the hybrid you had towing
TT233S
Explorer
Apr 16, 2015
crazysimi wrote:
TT233S wrote:
Wow that 23ss looked nice and it was under 12,000, to bad it was sold!!!!

I'm picking my 233s up from Roskopf's in the middle of May!!!!!

Do you use them for storage or did you just buy from them?

Just bought from them.
PAThwacker
Explorer
Apr 14, 2015

SAG!

Pups are fun!
PAThwacker
Explorer
Apr 14, 2015
I guess they aren't listening to an ex-owner of a 5.3V8 short wheel base, envoy/trailblazer/9-7x that towed pups and hybrids with it.

Great for pups, marginal for full height trailers. Go on trailvoy.com if you won't listen to me.
crazysimi
Explorer
Apr 09, 2015
TT233S wrote:
Wow that 23ss looked nice and it was under 12,000, to bad it was sold!!!!

I'm picking my 233s up from Roskopf's in the middle of May!!!!!

Do you use them for storage or did you just buy from them?

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help on tow weights

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