2003 1500 suburban

Mine is a 1999 1/2 ton with a towing package. I used it to tow my 19' boat, but I never felt that comfortable with it. I have to admit that I came to the conclusion that a 1/2 ton just isn't enough vehicle for serious towing. I got rid of the boat because I needed the car more.

Miles

We have a 27 ft Fleetwood, 1/2-bunk house "heavy" construction, no slides. The trailer grosses at 7000 lbs and have towed it with 3 Suburbans.

1st 1/2 ton suburban was a 1994?-something with leaf springs and a 3.42 rear end.

It did OK and sometimes I wish we still had it (had a tail gate!). It also had the "real", square iron receiver platform.

2nd 1/2 ton was a 2001?-something with coil springs and a 4.10 rear end, and the receiver with the wimpy looking round cross member and 'tack welds'.

It did OK (and performed minimally different than the earlier car- and careful because I go on rear end ratio rants due to the minimal difference in performance on these two).

2 years ago, I got a 3/4 ton, 6.0L, 6-speed, 3.73 rear end (yes, the 6-speed makes a bigger difference than the rear end.)

The suspension is markedly different. The 2500 'burb looks pretty happy hooked up with no WD whereas the 1500's would be squatted with and without WD. (I still use WD with the new one- just saying the extra capacity of the rear end is significant and evident). I hate the mile-high 'integrated' receiver and got a huge drop bar, but the camper acutally runs slightly nose high in spite of it.

As to towing, stopping, and stability...It's not all that different than the previous ones (even with the 6.0L and 6-speed and suspension). Pretty much any TV-trailer set up requires you to drive accordingly and smartly.

I'd take a wild guess at 5500 lbs IF it has the towing package.

my '07 5.3 Avalanche is built on the same GM900 platform as the Suburban, with the factory tow package and the 3.73 rear end.
i tow a 24' HTT that weighs between 5000-5500lbs. loaded for camping.
i live in the West and won't tow anything bigger, since i have lots of mountain ranges to get over.

We had a 2003 Subrban LT with the 4.10 rear end.
Pulled our 3600lb PopUp wonderfully.
When we upgraded to our #6500lb Hybrid, it was awful. The Suburban was rated to tow something like 8600lbs...but the payload was a pitiful 1425lb.

With 600lb on the hitch, + two 75lb kayaks, and 6 bikes, 4 kids, etc etc...the Suburban's comfy-minded suspension was overloaded and the rear end felt like I had 2 flat tires all the time.

Needless to say, our 3/4ton ram truck does a great job with our current RV.