saboken wrote:
Hi I have a lot of experience towing cars with medium duty trucks but I am just about to hopefully go full time in a 2005 Gulf stream Conquest 30bhs my tow vehicle is a 2001 GMC YUKON XL slt it has the factory tow package with the factory Trans cooler and I will be using a prodigy P2 brake controller, I have a 10000lb Weight distribution system with anti sway,....the gulfstream weights 6622lb empty, in the math I did I have a 2392 limit I can put into the TT without going over the abilities of the Yukon....
You're probably safe with the Yukon, but approaching that 8600lbs max is getting a little too close. What is the GCWR of the Yukon and what is the scale weight of the Yukon alone? The difference between those two numbers will tell you how much you can pack in the trailer and stay within the Yukon's ratings.
I know I'm going to sound like an alarmist here but priority #1 is to remove the OEM receiver and replace it with one like this
Draw-Tite Class IV Receiver. That might sound crazy, but if you take a good look you'll see the OEM receiver is poorly engineered and has very ticky tack welds.
The main issue is the OEM receivers flex
A LOT and it uses the bolted on brackets in the bumper superstructure to transfer torsion from the WD hitch to the frame. Translation: it does a really poor job of making that transfer. In fact, because of all the bolts and brackets in the food chain it mostly flexes and bends so you get very little weight transfer.
This topic was discussed frequently on this forum several years ago. There were also some users that had welds break on the OEM receiver while towing creating scary situations. Your best option is to install a receiver that bolts directly to the frame like the Draw-Tite unit. This will ensure that you are transferring the necessary torsion to the frame and you'll get your towing setup correct.
For the trailer wiring you can get something like this
Hopkins 7-way plug with Flat-4 accessory pins. The area on the bumper to the left of license plate has nothing behind it. You can use a 2" hole saw to mount the new 7-way plug on the bumper. When I replaced the receiver on my wife's Yukon XL that's what I did and it makes a very clean installation.
Oh, one more thing.....If you're towing heavy in the warmer months with this Yukon expect to eventually develop exhaust leaks. On these LS motors they tend to break the front and rear most exhaust manifold bolts on both sides when you work them hard. It's not the end of the world, but it's quite possible it will happen. The fix is to remove the inner fender wells for easy access and replace the OEM bolts with Grade 8 hardware or studs. When mine went bad I didn't have the time (or the patience) and a local shop had done a bunch of them. They charged me $350 to remove the manifolds, extract the 4 broken bolts that I had, and install the stainless steel shorty headers I purchased to replace the OEM cast manifolds. Many people keep the OEM manifolds and they will be fine, but I was looking for improved exhaust flow when I did mine.
KJ
