towing capacity HELP!
I recently purchased a 2008 Suburban with 5.3 vortex Engine and 3.73 rear end. We have had the bug to purchase a travel trailer for sometime, hence, the reason for the suburban purchase. We live here ...
Forum Discussion
terminator35 wrote:
Thanks rjxj, and Gary. I want to keep my family safe and the vehicle operational. I think I will stick to looking for a trailer no more than 6800 dry weight.
Loaded for camping (dishes, pots and pans, bedding, camp chairs, BBQ, groceries, water, etc) , most trailers are going to weight approximately 1000 lbs more than dry weight. If you buy one at 6800 lb dry weight, you will be 77 - 7800 lbs when loaded. That could easily put you over weight on one or more of your tow ratings.
Check the towing section of your owners manual. You'll probably find a statement similar to "Max tow capacity is limited to the weakest link in the vehicles towing systems". That weak link is normally payload.
Max tow capacity is calculated, considering the driver only weighs 150 lbs, he is alone, and has no cargo.
As you load people and cargo, your tow capacity and payload are going down, pound for pound. IE: bicycles on the roof rack and 500 lbs of family, you no longer have that mythical tow capacity.
You might be better at about 5000 lbs dry weight.
