Towing capability with a 5.3L v8 Suburban

girlsma wrote:
We are considering trading in our 2009 tahoe for a 2011 suburban in order to be able to tow a lightweight travel trailer, instead of a hybrid trailer as we have now. The maximum towing weight is listed as 8,000 lbs so my question is what do you feel is the most we could tow without any problems. We would be removing the 3rd row seats.

The 8k tow rating is only with the 3.42 rear axle and tow package.

If the 2011 Burb has the 3.08, it has a much lower towing capacity.

Few RVers add 2000 pounds of stuff, 1000-1500 seems typical unless you plan to travel for weeks at a time. There are plenty of family friendly TTs in the 5-6k dry range with GVWR in the 7000-7500 pound range, like my North Trail!

I am a bit confused as to how we can tow a 6,000 dry weight tt if the tow limit of the Suburban is 8,000. The gross weight given on all these tt adds another 2,000 pounds.

Does your Tahoe already have the 6-spd, 3.42 axle, and trans cooler? I see little reason to change to a 2011 half ton Burb unless you need the extra interior space. If you don't have the HD towing package already, then a replacement might make sense.

Payload for a loaded up LT/LTZ Suburban is in the 1400 pound range. Take off however much the family weighs and whatever you plan to put in the back. Rest can be for trailer tongue weight. Loaded TT tongue weights tend to be in the 12%-13% range. 6K dry 650 dry TW seems reasonable for a family or 4 or 5.

If you want a replacement TV, I highly recommend the 2008+ Suburban 2500. You are then only limited by the relatively weak 1000 pound TW of the receiver. That can get you into some 7-8k dry TTs.

IMHO the 5.3L Tahoe will tow just as much the 5.3L sub. Have an '05 factory tow equiped Tahoe. Towed several 10s of thousands of miles with a 6,000# (scaled) TT. Won't want to tow more with that engine, Don't get that wrong, it's a great engine and runs great but struggles more than I liked pulling 8% grades. It's a personal preference. BTW still have that Tahoe (165k miles) doesn't do tow duty any more but stays on the road with my daughter. Runs like a scalded dog and has never been touched mechanically except routine maintaince. Great vehicle, got a cold one bet it will make it 250k miles.

Trade the Tahoe for 3/4 ton crew cab truck.

My problem with my GM wasn't towing capacity, it was GVWR. Once I added people and a little stuff to the van there was no capacity left for tongue weight. I'm not sure of the other posters logic, but I'd guess they about accurate if you do the math after the fact with weight readings from a scale.

Lots of variables, but without any problems, 6000lbs loaded. You can find quite a few nice trailers in that range. That's about what my old Jayco is, give or take a few hundred, and I was pulling it with an old 5.7 Suburban with 3.42 gears. I wouldn't have wanted to go in the mountains with that rig, but it did just fine on the rolling hills of the midwest. The 5.3 has more power and torque than the 5.7 although it may run at higher rpm doing the same job.