Tahoe vs Suburban
Anyone tow with the shorter wheel base Tahoe? Is there any difference in handling vs the longer wheel base Suburban? The GMC version of the Suburban is also built with the shorter wheel base. I w...
Forum Discussion
I tow a 35 foot Keystone Bullet with a 2008 Yukon XL Denali (the Suburban's big brother). Your trailer's dry weight is irrelevant as the GVW is the value that your tow vehicle should never exceed. My Bullet is around 7400lbs when fully loaded with cargo, propane, and fluids.
The second component to towing capacity is payload. You don't want to exceed this either. We load everything other than the humans into the trailer to keep our payload in check.
The third component to towing is the direct relationship between wheelbase of the TV and length of the trailer. Any tow behind over 26 feet really requires as much wheelbase as one can provide. If the wheelbase isn't there, you'll be in for a big surprise on your first trip at highway speeds.
I recently had to invest a couple thousand dollars in a Hensley Arrow hitch as I had a jaw dropping, white knuckle experience on a return trip from western Michigan. 30+ MPH crosswinds making me cuss all the way home; I wouldn't want to test the waters with a short wheelbase 1/2 ton SUV pulling max loads.
Also, if you're thinking about a full size SUV pulling a lengthy and heavy trailer, you need adequate HP and torque to do so. My Denali has the larger small block 6.2 that produces almost 100 more HP and 50 more ft lbs of torque than GM's smaller 5.3L that you'll find in the none-Denali variants. Ask anyone pulling heavy with GM's 5.3L vortec or Fords 5.4L Triton about how their vehicles master inclines. They just don't. You'll appreciate every extra ft lb on 7% grades.
I'm usually an advocate for half ton trucks and their towing abilities as many on these RV boards are driven by the thought that you need the biggest full ton truck to move anything larger than a 24 foot lightweight.
I almost changed my belief system 5 weeks ago coming back from that camping excursion in 30 MPH crosswinds. I corrected my hitch setup with the forementioned Hensley and just keep a conservative eye on both vehicle's weights. Now, my long wheelbase 1500 is probably more stable than many 3/4 and full ton trucks I've seen out there. Our 2000 mile trip last week to Disney's Fort Wilderness proved it as my wife drove 1/2 the trip while I slept.
Again, as long as capacities are not exceeded and the TV's powerplant and wheelbase are adequate, 1/2 ton's are a viable option. A good hitch and hitch setup help tremendously.
The second component to towing capacity is payload. You don't want to exceed this either. We load everything other than the humans into the trailer to keep our payload in check.
The third component to towing is the direct relationship between wheelbase of the TV and length of the trailer. Any tow behind over 26 feet really requires as much wheelbase as one can provide. If the wheelbase isn't there, you'll be in for a big surprise on your first trip at highway speeds.
I recently had to invest a couple thousand dollars in a Hensley Arrow hitch as I had a jaw dropping, white knuckle experience on a return trip from western Michigan. 30+ MPH crosswinds making me cuss all the way home; I wouldn't want to test the waters with a short wheelbase 1/2 ton SUV pulling max loads.
Also, if you're thinking about a full size SUV pulling a lengthy and heavy trailer, you need adequate HP and torque to do so. My Denali has the larger small block 6.2 that produces almost 100 more HP and 50 more ft lbs of torque than GM's smaller 5.3L that you'll find in the none-Denali variants. Ask anyone pulling heavy with GM's 5.3L vortec or Fords 5.4L Triton about how their vehicles master inclines. They just don't. You'll appreciate every extra ft lb on 7% grades.
I'm usually an advocate for half ton trucks and their towing abilities as many on these RV boards are driven by the thought that you need the biggest full ton truck to move anything larger than a 24 foot lightweight.
I almost changed my belief system 5 weeks ago coming back from that camping excursion in 30 MPH crosswinds. I corrected my hitch setup with the forementioned Hensley and just keep a conservative eye on both vehicle's weights. Now, my long wheelbase 1500 is probably more stable than many 3/4 and full ton trucks I've seen out there. Our 2000 mile trip last week to Disney's Fort Wilderness proved it as my wife drove 1/2 the trip while I slept.
Again, as long as capacities are not exceeded and the TV's powerplant and wheelbase are adequate, 1/2 ton's are a viable option. A good hitch and hitch setup help tremendously.
