Towing with 1/2 ton SUV NEED ADVICE

There's a cargo capacity sticker on your door post. That is the maximum payload the vehicle will carry. Add the weights of all passengers and cargo, the weight of the WDH. and the trailer's tongue weight. If the total is less than the sticker, you can hook up. The trailer's tongue weight is going to be about 13% of the trailer weight (7500 x 13% = 975 lbs.).

I'd suggest you look for a lighter trailer.

I've towed close to max with my 2002 Yukon XL. Up some pretty steep hills in the Sierras.

No, I didn't enjoy it. But if you're willing to go slow, it'll do it. I don't think I'd want to use it regularly though. My gears are 3:23 though. Not ideal.

Here's the thing. Going up was slow. WDH with anti sway made it bearable. Never made it over 40ish going up a 12% grade. But that's not your real problem.

Your real problem is stopping. If you go uphill, eventually, you gotta come down. And stopping that much weight with a Yukon XL and it's smallish breaks and those gears, sucked. A lot. I'll go as far as to say stupid and dangerous. I swore I would never do it again and had I thought about it, I'd have never done it to begin with.

You need to check if your brakes are bigger than mine. Very well could be. You're already better off with you transmission from what I've heard.

In my particular model and year, I'll never go over 70% of max load again if going up or down hill. 75% period.

That's just my take. Small sample. Many have been towing with worse set ups for a lot longer than me.

I have a 2012 GMC Sierra with the same drive train. I put bigger tires on it (not the best for towing) I pull a loaded 6600 pound trailer (5800 dry) in the hot part of California. Pulls fine, very stable but slow on the steep grades in my area.

I'm going to add an additional tranny cooler just for a piece of mind (hits 230 on steep grades and I pull over to let it cool on the long ones but I'm also running 33 inch tires)

You're going to have to weigh everything to check your payload but I think you'll be fine.

You can climb any hill in 2nd gear (just not that fast)


Enjoy!!

Ps don't stress out like I did, just take it slow and have fun!

When we were first married we pulled a 35 foot Kencraft trailer with a 1972 Ford LTD. We have no problems, that 400 CUI engine ran like a top. We should have had a tranny cooler on it as the fluid got too hot and spilled out the fill spout, but that was the only problem. You are talking about a trailer that maxed out at a 1000 pounds less than your max towing capacity. You will be fine, just do not tow it at 70 and you will be fine. Things can get out of hand at 70 too fast for my liking. So I recommend 60, that is what we towed all our trailers at and now drive the MH at that speed also. We pass many stations that others doing 70 are stopping at, Like the extra MPGs at slower speeds. We have all the time in the world and see no reason to watch the scenery speed by. If you have to drive 70 to get done all the things you want to do, your list is toooooooooooo long, cut it down and enjoy what you can do. As our signature says, Stop and smell the roses, you will remember your trips more fondly, and return rested and not needing another vacation to get over your vacation. When you are 70, you will not remember all the places you hurried through, only those that you took time to savor.

Best of luck and keep on camping.