Hi allI have been lurking for years but am a newbie to the whole RV lifestyle. finally making a 10 year dream come true and we will be fulltiming for 1 year with 5 kids and a puggle. :CWe currently own a 2000 3/4 ton suburban with 150,000 miles on it and are looking for a trailer.Ideally would like one with quad bunks for the kiddos but obviously these are longer and heavier. Has to be used because let's face it taking a year off is expensive. Been saving for years for the dream and don't want it all to end just after we buy the trailer.anyway I have seen a few on craigslist that fit our requirements but they are all in the 7000 lb. range. I don't know all the numbers necessary and honestly I don't even understand some of the math and ratios involved but generally speaking how does this sound ? Too heavy?????I am nervous to ask car dealers or RV dealers because they don't seem to know an awful lot from what I have asked.:?I am 130 and husband is 230. Teen daughter steady at 125 but the 11 year old and 9 year old boys at 70 pounds will grow and the 2 year old and baby will as well. Figure 800 pounds for passenger weight for at least a few years.Ok that's my info. now the question is in the hand of the experts on this board.Thank you in advance for considering my inquiries:).

You can pull that weight, but need to know how much you can carry. What is the payload rating for your truck? It needs to support the weight of all passengers and stuff in the vehicle, plus the tongue and hitch weight.Estimate the average 13% of loaded trailer weight to be carried on the tongue, plus another 100lbs for the hitch. Add in the weight of passengers and stuff in truck. If your payload is higher than that you should be ok to carry it.The other issue is the actual trailer weight. If 7k is the empty weight you may struggle when it's loaded. Packed with stuff for 7 people to full time will easily push you close to 9000lbs. That may be too much. Can't say without knowing more specifics of your tow vehicle. (engine, gearing, tow rating etc)

You're kind of in the same boat as I am. My family of five, including three teenages, weighs in around 850 lbs. We have a 3/4-ton Burb as well. Even though it's an '08, the weight numbers are very similar to your '01.The most important number for you is payload. A 3/4 ton Burb can carry about 2000 lbs of payload. Subtract your family and gear, and you're probably left with about 1000 lbs of payload. This is important because the tongue weight of the trailer is part of your payload. Typical tongue weight of a trailer is about 13% of total weight, so that puts your maximum trailer weight around 7700 lbs.My current trailer is a 26' triple bunk. Dry weight is 5565, and GVWR of the trailer is 7800. This means the trailer can carry about 2200 lbs of gear. Here's the weigh slip from our last trip:Now, the GVWR of the Suburban is 8600 lbs. That's the total maximum recommended weight on the 4 wheels. If you add the first two numbers, you get exactly 8600 lbs. Which means I'm using ALL of my available payload with this trailer. And this was for only a two-week trip.A quad bunk trailer might be pushing it a bit with regards to weight. You might be able to get away with it if you pack minimal gear in the Suburban, and pack the trailer wisely. In other words - heavier stuff would be placed towards the rear of the trailer, to keep from increasing the tongue weight on the Suburban.

according to the manual the payload is 3100. Ok I understand the figure better now. I spoke with the owner of the trailer and he stated the dry weight is 7100 but that seems high even with quad bunks. Maybe we downsize the trailer. No real plans on carrying massive amounts in the cargo of the burban but I have never done full time so who knows what we may drag across the country.

A 2000 model year vehicle won't have any "official" payload rating for YOUR specific vehicle. That #3000 figure you see in the manual, is not YOUR rig. Unless it's a base model Burb? Do you have power 'everything', carpet, 3 rear seats, ect?? ;)If so, you probably don't have #3000 of payload..Best you can do is load up the family and get the Burb weighed. That will tell you where you are at now and subtract that from the trucks GVWR that should be listed on the drivers door jamb sticker.That's gonna be your actual 'payload' left for the trailers tongue weight and whatever else you pack in it.The other thing to consider is what is your actual towing performance expectations? Are you willing to put the pedal to the floor and pull 4000 rpms to go up the grades? If you have the 8.1L engine, you'll have power, but the mpg's might start to look a bit low... ;)Are you ready for that?Anyway, sounds like a great plan and wish I could do something like that! I don't have any kids, but that would be a great trip to be sure!Good luck!Mitch

The 2000 3/4 Burb was only available with a 6.0L, 4speed auto(OD). The 3.73 axle ratio was standard. 4.10 or 3.42 was optional. Best case is yours has the 4.10 axle for towing such a heavy TT.

question regarding 2000 suburban 2500 | Good Sam Community

13 Replies

MFinCA
Explorer
Mar 17, 2015
I had a 1999 'Burb with the 7.4L engine and 3.73 gears. It towed my fully loaded TT weighing 6,000 lbs. everywhere. I towed my buddy's 7,000 lb. boat with it as well. I finally had to retire it at 227K miles as I wore it out.

A very capable tow vehicle. They don't make them like that anymore....
BurbMan
Explorer II
Mar 16, 2015
The 8.1L engine made its debut in 2001, so the 6.0L was the only engine offered in 2000. You should be OK towing up to an 8k loaded trailer, or about 6.5k dry.

To do the numbers, load up the family and drive across a scale, either at a moving company, recycling yard, or CAT scale at a truck stop. Subtract your weight from the 8600 limit on your truck and that will tell you how much cargo capacity is left over to carry the tongue weight of the trailer. Since most trailers put 13% of their total weight on the tongue, divide your available cargo capacity by 0.13 to estimate the loaded weight of the biggest trailer you should pull, then subract 1500 to get to the target dry weight.
APT
Explorer
Mar 16, 2015
Oh, payload is on the order of about 2600 pounds for 6.0L and 2250 for 8.1L. Take off 250 pounds for 4WD. Plenty for the tow ratings and larger families.
virgoox
Explorer
Mar 16, 2015
Excellent advice here- I will have to share with hubby as I am all girl when it comes to cars. Learning a lot though and I am starting to really think about car stuff and it's pretty interesting. So load us all up with gas and gear, get weighed, and that will guide us to what we can pull. Sounds like a plan!
I'm pretty excited about the movement on these forums there is so much to learn.
Thanks everyone:)
ktosv
Explorer
Mar 16, 2015
Almost 5 years ago I towed the trailer in my signature with an 04 3/4 ton Suburban with the 6L and 3.73 axle. As long as I towed in 3rd (drive) it did fine, but my trailer is all I would have wanted to tow with it. The truck could carry the weight and felt fine in that regards, but it was the acceleration and hill climbing that I wouldn't have wanted to be any less.

My trailer has a GVWR of 7200# and depending on our camping trips has weighed all of that.
APT
Explorer
Mar 16, 2015
krobbe, was the 8.1L available for 2000? The tow ratings would be about 7500 to 12000 pounds depending on engine and axle ratio. If the 6.0L, then 7500/9500 for 3.73/4.10 axle. You'll want to stick to under about 6000 pounds dry with the 6.0L. If you have the 8.1L, then 8k dry should be fine.

Flush all the fluids. Replace the receiver. Get a proportional brake controller. Use a WDH with integrated sway control.
camp-n-family
Explorer
Mar 15, 2015
You should be able to find a lighter weight model that will fit your needs. Friends have a Passport 2910BH which might suit. (they have 9 kids!) Separate bunk house in back with a large cargo door. Big slide with dinette. Only 5400lbs dry. Tows easy.

Don't know what your budget is, but there are lots of lighter options available.
BenK
Explorer
Mar 15, 2015
Congratulations on attaining one of your dreams !!!

2000 Suburban 2500, so a GMT800

First thing, if not already, replace the POS OEM receiver with a traditional design
About $200 bucks plus approx 1 hours labor. Even better are the heavier duty and
they are in the +$250 range

With a +6K rear GAWR, you will run out of GVWR first

Agree with Mitch, go out and actually weigh your Sub, fully loaded as if ready
to go RV'ing. That is the ONLY way to know where you are in reference to payload

Better to have the big block (8.1L), but the 6.0L will also do the job...albeit
struggle a bit more in the hills.

What diff ratio does your Sub have? I have 4.1's and think that is the best

Hope yours does NOT have a suspension lift, nor over sized tires (too much over
30" dia).

As for the trailer...if me, I'd look at the lighter weights for this type of
trip. As everything will add up. Golf clubs, bicycles, etc, etc, etc, etc. So
a lighter weight with a good GVWR is what I'd get myself.

IF you do get one of the heavier ones...then just note that, that then reduces
what you can bring.

Good luck!
krobbe
Explorer
Mar 15, 2015
The 2000 3/4 Burb was only available with a 6.0L, 4speed auto(OD). The 3.73 axle ratio was standard. 4.10 or 3.42 was optional. Best case is yours has the 4.10 axle for towing such a heavy TT.
MitchF150
Explorer III
Mar 15, 2015
A 2000 model year vehicle won't have any "official" payload rating for YOUR specific vehicle. That #3000 figure you see in the manual, is not YOUR rig. Unless it's a base model Burb? Do you have power 'everything', carpet, 3 rear seats, ect?? ;)

If so, you probably don't have #3000 of payload..

Best you can do is load up the family and get the Burb weighed. That will tell you where you are at now and subtract that from the trucks GVWR that should be listed on the drivers door jamb sticker.

That's gonna be your actual 'payload' left for the trailers tongue weight and whatever else you pack in it.

The other thing to consider is what is your actual towing performance expectations? Are you willing to put the pedal to the floor and pull 4000 rpms to go up the grades? If you have the 8.1L engine, you'll have power, but the mpg's might start to look a bit low... ;)

Are you ready for that?

Anyway, sounds like a great plan and wish I could do something like that! I don't have any kids, but that would be a great trip to be sure!

Good luck!

Mitch