Towing with a 2016 GMC Yukon Denali

My vehicle is similar, a Tahoe. I wouldn’t “tow” more than 6000-6500 pounds while rated at a max of 8400. That’s loaded/wet weight, not dry weight. However, you need to “carry” weight too. Trailer tongue, hitch, people, stuff in the tow vehicle. What is your payload? Mine is 1595. Unfortunately you violated the rule...buy or select the trailer first, then match a tow vehicle. You don’t need to be an expert, but you need to learn. Do some reading. Yes, you need sway and a WD hitch but they don’t increase payload or max trailer weight. Again, do some reading before you buy anything else. I love my Tahoe but it won’t carry or pull everything.

There is no standard answer to "Can I tow this?", all depends on how many people, how much stuff you plan to carry, how close you may be to any of your ratings.

Your tow vehicle has multiple weight ratings. The 8100 lb tow rating is just one of them. The vehicle also has a "max occupant / cargo weight" rating (AKA payload), the tires have both a speed and weight rating, the axles have weight ratings, and the hitch receiver has one rating for carrying dead weight (without weight distribution) and another rating for when weight distributing is applied. True towing capacity is limited to the weakest link in the vehicles overall ratings. Normally, that weak link is payload.

Trailer tongue weight and weight of added hitch / sway equipment are counted as cargo weight in / on the tow vehicle. Your tow vehicle needs a payload capacity to carry the combined weight of everything / everybody you put in or on it, plus the tongue / hitch weight.

Trailer tongue weight is not a constant number, it fluctuates up and down during every trip. Average is 12 - 13 percent of whatever the loaded trailer weight happens to be. Depending on how the trailer is loaded and location (in relation to it's axles) of it's holding tanks, tongue weight can be 15 - 16 percent. Less than ten percent can cause sway issues.

Weight distributing hitches have two purposes. The primary purpose is to restore lost weight (caused by trailer tongue weight) on the tow vehicle's front axle, and secondary purpose is leveling the tow vehicle / trailer combination.

Average trailer load (dishes, pots and pans, bedding, BBQ stuff, camp chairs, groceries, water, etc) is 800 - 1000 lbs. With 4500 lbs dry weight, you will be over 5000 lbs, loaded. I would say yes to the distributing hitch. Also note the weight ratings on your receiver hitch, it most likely will tell you weight distributing is required for tongue weight in excess of 500 lbs.

You'll find a tire / loading sticker on the drivers door post. It will have a number for "max occupant / cargo weight. That's the payload you have to work with. Your trailer will use about 800 lbs of that carrying capacity. If the bicycles and stuff create an issue with your payload, you could move some into the trailer.

Simple answer is absolutely. And if it sags a bit too much for your likeing, add something to the rear suspension.
This all in the context of your original post.
Now, if you don't want to become the next internet expert, like so many on this site and prefer to just live your life, then don't read this thread again.
If you want to see 5 pages about Cat scales, bathroom scales, wd hitches, weighing each can of food that enters the camper, tire aspect ratio arguments, etc, stick around. This thread will be 5 pages by tomorrow night!
(PS you'll even get a couple people tell you you should buy a 3/4 ton truck and a couple more say it's smart and not much more to buy a 1 ton instead!)

OP...if you are just looking to have a stack of printouts sitting next to you...then just wait a bit..you will get many, many "sure you can", "no problem", "I've been doing that for years with no problems"...ETC...


But, they have no skin in YOUR game (unfortunately many don'teven care IMHO), as there is only one person responsible for the setup...and...that is the driver..maybe your spouse or whomever

You don't need to be an expert, just knowledgeable enough to understand how that system(s) work

Or...you can go the route of hard knocks...

And note that all things engineered/designed are not for the good days when a riding lawn mower CAN DO IT, but for the possible day Mr Murphy crosses your path...

Either you have the right sized and/or set it up correctly spot on...or not...no time to go back to the store...nor reset it up

“Now, if you don't want to become the next internet expert, like so many on this site and prefer to just live your life, then don't read this thread again.“

Follow grit dog’s advice! He’s the ONLY expert on this site. And he KNOWS manufacturers underrate the truck’s! KNOWS!

But if you have an issue and you are overloaded the manufacturer waives that card at the judge and walks out of the courtroom without paying a dime. You pay it. You exceed specifications. You are at fault. Not the manufacturer, not grit dog....you.

Thank you handye9 for your detailed response. I understand that it complex but am just looking for someone who is familiar with that common vehicle to tell if what I'm after doing should be within the limits without taking the setup to CAT scale and going deep down the rabbit hole. Canoe would go on the roor rack of the yukon and the bicycles would be stored in the rear of the trailer. And I did provide a general idea of the rest of load.

Haha Grit Dog. Thanks

And thank you BenK. I am actually looking for that middle ground of enough understanding to keep us safe as you say. So if someone just says I'm good to go I wont hit the road and say hakuna matada.
But for the experts, who we all need, is what I'm asking unreasonable or do I have to break it down further? I would think that trailer is a modest size...no?

something to remember about towing not mentioned.....performance! For some, doing 35-40 mph on a 3-5% grade at 10,000 feet elevations is too slow! You could be that slow with your, as your non turbo/supercharged motor will be down 30% of its sea level HP due to elevation! Just remember to go slower, take your time etc when in these situations. Chassis wise, your probably fine!
Yes, you should get a WD system along with anti sway if you can. That will make things a bit smoother, less side to side movement in side winds, trucks going by etc. Sway itself, is mostly based on how the trailer is setup. ie level to slightly nose down, 10-15% of total trailer weight on the ball, more is a bit better than less.
Reality, that 8100 lbs of trailer max weight, needs to include family wght, hitch weight, trailer weight etc. So if family is1000 lbs, you have a max 7100 for a trailer, assuming you have 710-1050 lbs of freepayload for the hitch. If not, you have less trailer capacity yet!

Marty

Are you, the OP, really on Guam the island ? If so, then ask if there are any freeways where you’d be running at freeway speeds ?

Just a few comments to look out for and take note of

Towing is comprised of components, sub systems and systems. Each have their own ratings and that they all work together...none are stand-alone....plus each rating has fine print that qualifies each rating...think a CYA, as the OEM can never design whatever to handle everything/every-situation/etc

Take the OEM published 8,100 lb MTW (Max Tow Weight Rating)...there is/are fine print below that chart or a reference symbol pointing to fine print somewhere that sets the conditions for the vehicle to be rated to tow that 8,100 lbs

It is a ditto for the other ratings

It is also not an absolute...meaning that if it worked or didn’t work for someone...will it absolutely work or not for everyone out there

Since this OP doesn’t want to weigh...then it’s going to be a guessing game and the why many recommend getting a higher class TV...more margin, but they too can be over their ratings

I’ll not say sure you can stuff...just the metrics of HOW2 figure it out your self

Will say that your goal is to have enough tongue weight (min of 12% actual tongue weight...or more), that the trailer should be level or pointed down slightly, that the TV is weighted as per the TV’s manual recommendation (some deal with weighting of the front axle...others return to unweighted front axle to fender height, etc)

As for the WD Hitch System...you will have to guess on what size/rating of the WD bars/truniun/etc and how much they need to be tensioned. Even the hitch head size, they have weight ratings too

Finally, the trailer brake controller...best advice is to know that if the trailer starts to sway...manually initiate the controller and DO NOT step on the TV brakes...but...keep your foot on the throttle to pull the whole setup straight...then slow down...

Of course, the tires should be aired properly and other stuff up to snuff

It isn’t hard, just data gathering, actually weighing and then simple math...or go down the hard knocks schooling...

After once it is dialed in...you won’t need to go through this cycle again, unless you change something

Marty is spot on and note that there are performance specifications all OEMs have to meet during their certification testing to meet government agency requirements