Towing capacity help

[bpowell590]

We are in the process of getting a travel trailer. We really like the Sportsmen Show Stopper that ways 4,500 dry. My tow vehicle is a 2013 GMC Yukon XL 4x4 with a 5.3 motor. I've done a lot of research and can't get an accurate traliering capacity for my vehicle but the RV dealer said it is 5,000. My question is will I be good towing a trailer with those numbers and does anyone have experience doing so?

Thanks for any input,
Brian.

[Golfcart]

APT wrote:
Get a trans cooler and you should be good for your proposed 4500 pound dry RV. Get a WDH and proportional brake controller too. Use tow/haul mode and probably M4. Your first 4 gears are better than older trucks with 4 spd transmissions and 4.10 axles.

Exactly this!

I have a 2010 Silverado 5.3l with 3.08 ratio and I keep it on M4 when im in the hills so it wont search for gears. Even on flat ground i usually keep it there with no real sacrifice to fuel mileage.

I do alot of 6-10 hour trips and I've found that 2500rpm is the sweet spot(about 62mph in 4th gear) to give me all the power i need for the hills and good fuel mileage in the flats. My trailer is lighter than what yours would be(3700lbs fully loaded) but I normally get about 11.5mpg.

If the wind is on my side I get about 12-12.5

[bpowell590]

Thanks everyone

[lbrjet]

What APT said.

[APT]

Get a trans cooler and you should be good for your proposed 4500 pound dry RV. Get a WDH and proportional brake controller too. Use tow/haul mode and probably M4. Your first 4 gears are better than older trucks with 4 spd transmissions and 4.10 axles.

[Calicajun]

I had a 2013 Tahoe with 3:08 rear end gears and towed a 6,200 pounds dry 31' TT. Dealer lied to us and said it had the 3:42 rear end gears and full tow package. The Tahoe towed the TT up both sides of the Grapevine (I5) without a problem at 45 mph. I did add a transmission cooler and Firestone air bags to the Tahoe to help keep transmission temperature down (worked great), the air bags to help with the load.

At your trailer size and weight you should have no problem towing your trailer.

The Tahoe that comes with 3:08 rear end gears do not come with a transmission cooler, larger radiator, oil cooler lines and heavy suspension. The Transmission cooler and air bags were easy to install. Changing the radiator and rear end gears was impossible.

[bpowell590]

I will be using a weight distribution hitch. Does that make a difference in this case?

[RJCorazza]

The 2013 GM towing guide confirms 5000lbs max trailer towing. Without considering potential payload and tongue weight limitations you will over the tow rating real quick. Pack (practically) nothing, and travel with empty tanks and you may squeak by, but I do not recommend it.

[bpowell590]

Do you think it will pull it it fine?

[ol__grouch]

bpowell590 wrote:
Based on what I can tell I have a 308 gear ratio. I do have a trailering button. I looked under the hood and noticed I have two radiators. I live in Georgia which is mostly flat lands but I would like to take the RV to the Tennessee mountains occasionally. What do you think?

3.08 gears aren't really towing gears. That is a ratio more for economy than towing. The tow button disengages the overdrive and may change the programmed shift points. As for the two radiators, the one on the inside is the engine radiator and the outer one is probably your air conditioning condensing coil. A transmission cooler will be a small radiator like thing in front of everything. It's fairly efficient so it isn't very big.

[bpowell590]

Based on what I can tell I have a 308 gear ratio. I do have a trailering button. I looked under the hood and noticed I have two radiators. I live in Georgia which is mostly flat lands but I would like to take the RV to the Tennessee mountains occasionally. What do you think?

[ol__grouch]

You should be okay depending on where you're going to go with it. Short trips on flat ground and it's be fine. If your gearing is good, the higher the number the better (3.55, 3.92, 4.11) and if you don't have one already, add an auxiliary transmission cooler to your truck.Heat is the main transmission killer.

[lbrjet]

On your glove box door you will see an axle code. Look that up and report back. If you have the 3.08 axle that will limit you downward. Axle code and cooling capacity is what you want to find out.