2021 Suburban. How Much Trailer?

[TheFifeBand]

I just ordered a 2021 Z71 Suburban with the Max towing package. I don’t have it yet, so I don’t have the details provided on the yellow sticker inside the door. The manufacturer indicates 8,100 lbs as the towing capacity. Total passenger weight is 450 lbs.

I am a complete trailer newbie and do t want to be tricked into buying too big of a trailer by a salesman. I want to know the max weight I can actually tow. Based on manufacturer stats, what should I be looking at? Is 5,000 lbs dry trailer weight my max? Is there a different stat or value I should be looking at? Please help me make a smart decision.

[dugwms]

Not sure if you have considered it at this point but, we found, for us, that a hybrid was the best of both worlds. Lot's of space because the bunks were not in the main living area, very nice amenities and low weight. You have the canvas to deal with but, pound for pound, we loved our hybrid. Towed very well and the bunks for the kids were awesome.

[bazar01]

falconbrother wrote:
I'm towing with my old 2000 model Suburban, 7200 weight rated. My trailer is just under 5800 dry. I don't usually have very much in the tanks. It's me, DW and pugs. I added Sumo Supersprings to the rear suspension. It tows just fine. The older 5.3 is a bit sluggish at lower RPMs, which is fine for me. I think if you're towing 5000 with a 2021 Burb with the tow package you'll have no issues at all. Just get the hitch set up right.

My one tip. Don't let the transmission hunt for gears. The 5.3 likes RPMs and the transmission gets hot when it's hunting, like pulling up a mountain. Other than that. The Suburban tows great.

We have had this set up since Jan 2017. We have been up the mountains, back roads, interstates, etc.. It does fine. You'll have no problems with what you're talking about.

+1.
I still have my 2001 Suburban with 285k miles. It has the 3.73 rear end and tru cool 40k trans cooler. The cooler kept the transmission fluid cool. It pulls my 5500 lb loaded camper with no issues. But I have to put air springs in the rear coil springs to level it.

[falconbrother]

I'm towing with my old 2000 model Suburban, 7200 weight rated. My trailer is just under 5800 dry. I don't usually have very much in the tanks. It's me, DW and pugs. I added Sumo Supersprings to the rear suspension. It tows just fine. The older 5.3 is a bit sluggish at lower RPMs, which is fine for me. I think if you're towing 5000 with a 2021 Burb with the tow package you'll have no issues at all. Just get the hitch set up right.

My one tip. Don't let the transmission hunt for gears. The 5.3 likes RPMs and the transmission gets hot when it's hunting, like pulling up a mountain. Other than that. The Suburban tows great.

We have had this set up since Jan 2017. We have been up the mountains, back roads, interstates, etc.. It does fine. You'll have no problems with what you're talking about.

[kellem]

I think you'll have no problem finding a trailer for your family that the Suburban can comfortably pull, lots of lightweight options out there.

Like mentioned, payload will be the number you'll need to pay close attention to.

I'll give an example. Let's say the Burb has 1500 lbs of payload and your trailer weighs 7000 lbs loaded.
12% of 7000 = 840lb tounge weight.
Wife, 2 kids and a dog = 550 lbs
Cooler and hitch = 100 lbs

That all consumes 1490 lbs of the 1500 lb payload.
Your still good but gives you an ideal what to look for.

Edit.
My apology, see Burbman gave example.

[Dadoffourgirls]

carringb wrote:
One more note... I watched the TFL review of the 2021 'burb, and was able to catch to the weights placard.... It stated a 790# tongue weight limit. Since this rig is brand new, we don't know why. It could be structural, or it could be they only used 10% for the dynamic part of the SAE J2807 validation tests.

Based on what I heard and seen, I think this is the answer. The tongue weight is a straight 10% of the max trailer.

[bazar01]

I have a 2018 Suburban Z71.
I use it to tow my 4500 lb dry weight 18-foot travel trailer for me and the wife only. All kids grown.
8 pass: 1,540lbs. (bench middle and rear seats)
GVWR: 7500 lb
GAWR FRT: 3600 lb
GAWR RR: 4200 lbs

Plenty of power but transmission temps go up to 210F highway and slight inclines.
Had to modify the transmission thermal bypass valve to low temp and now my trans fluid stays around 175-180F.

[Lwiddis]

My loaded Tahoe was 1545, pitch.

[BenK]

Found a bit of time to read up on the 2021 Suburban...

It has +4.x inches more wheel base (longer) and guessing took advantage of the fixed diff pumpkin. Articale also says the rear passenger doors are wider because of the increase of wheel base

Here is the image of the new IRS...still looking for an image or diagram of the pumpkin and its super structure



A different approach from the Expedition, which has a kinda sorts traditional lower link/arm. With the change just off square to manage forward thrust, but still a cantilever moment. Am still not sure the precision requirements of any IRS will have those precision joints sized for towing heavy

GM’s approach is to have a trailing link in line with the forward vector and is frame rail mounted...instead of to the diff structure (cross member between both frame rails

Air bags and not convoluted (doesn’t have the hinged lift), but smooth sided

Now wonder how nimble vs the shorter design.

Remember, GM’s marketing demanded (required via spec) to have the receiver hidden. So the designers incorporated the receiver into the bumper. Behind the plastic trim.

Since now part of the bumper, the receiver cross tube (torque tube) has crumple zone duties (requirements) and the why it only had a 1,000 lb max WD rating. Now the reported ‘new’ max 790 by Bryan...wonder what else they did back there?

IMO....GM continues to target the overwhelming numbers of owners who do NOT tow, but ride quality of paramount importance...towing heavy is just a side note...

Also, from the image, think the rear frame rails are too small for after market receivers trying to increase the tongue weight rating. Maybe those receivers will have a higher weight rating...but the frame rails will become the weak link.

Will delve deeper when time permits

Moderator edit to re-size picture to forum recommended limit of 640px maximum width.

[BurbMan]

APT, since OP has only 450 lbs of passengers, he probably has room to fold the 3rd row, and as you know, you can fit a LOT of stuff in a burb with the 3rd row folded 🙂

Anyway those numbers were just for illustration, but you make a good point. With a family of 4, a dog, and a 1200 lb tongue weight, we were right the 8600 GVWR of our burb, so anything that wasn't essential went into the trailer.

[APT]

BurbMan wrote:
As an example, let's say the max capacity of the Suburban is 1500 lbs. Subtract 450 for passengers, 300 for cargo, and 100 for WD hitch and that leaves 650 lbs of capacity available for trailer hitch weight. So 650 / 0.13 = 5000 approx max trailer wight. Since this is the fully loaded weight, the trailer dry weight should be about 1000 lbs less, around 4000 lbs.

Generally I agree with this. I do not tyhinmk people will put another 300 pounds of stuff inside the tow vehicle. 300 pounds is a lot inside the cabin and I'd recommend putting more in the TT since we are all towing giant boxes of air. Also, not all WDH weight is on the TV axles and neither is all trailer tongue weight with a properly adjusted WDH.

I recommend 6000 pounds dry max. Get a WDH with integrated sway control and learn how to adjust it. Enjoy.

Interesting catch on the TFL vid. 2007+ GM large SYVs all have 1000 pound TW limit with WDH. I would be surprised if that was reduced in the 21+ redesign.

2021 Suburban Owner's Manual wrote:
Do not exceed a maximum trailer tongueweight of 567 kg (1,250 lb) for a conventional
trailer hitch.

[carringb]

One more note... I watched the TFL review of the 2021 'burb, and was able to catch to the weights placard.... It stated a 790# tongue weight limit. Since this rig is brand new, we don't know why. It could be structural, or it could be they only used 10% for the dynamic part of the SAE J2807 validation tests.

[BurbMan]

Welcome to the forum, and congrats on the new Burb! As was noted, the big issue is not what you can tow, it's what you can haul. Most travel trailers (TTs) put about 13% of their total weight on the hitch. So a 5000 lb (loaded, not "dry") trailer will add 5000 * 0.13 = 650 lbs. Add another 100 lbs for the weight distributing (WD) hitch and 450 lbs (your number) for passengers and you are at 1200 lbs before luggage or anything else in the Burb.

Where most folks get jammed up is going by the "tow rating" of the vehicle. Most tow ratings are based on only a single 150-lb driver in the vehicle, and every pound you add to the vehicle reduces your max tow rating.

So the better way to work the numbers is to back into your max trailer weight. As was stated, you'll need the "max capacity" of the vehicle from the yellow sticker on the door jamb. This number is unique to the model, weight of options, etc., so won't automatically be the same for all Suburbans.

As an example, let's say the max capacity of the Suburban is 1500 lbs. Subtract 450 for passengers, 300 for cargo, and 100 for WD hitch and that leaves 650 lbs of capacity available for trailer hitch weight. So 650 / 0.13 = 5000 approx max trailer wight. Since this is the fully loaded weight, the trailer dry weight should be about 1000 lbs less, around 4000 lbs.

In past years the Suburban had a solid rear axle like the pickup trucks, 2021 is the first year for Independent Rear Suspension (IRS) which is great for handling, ride quality and performance, but generally not as sturdy as a solid axle. Although my heavy duty 2500 Suburban had IFS in place of a solid front axle and that proved to be very durable.

Be safe, get the numbers and do that math!

[pitch]

Did they give you a VIN number? If so GM must have a decoder someplace.
Just make sure that when you are looking at trailers, go with the gross (wet) weight.
Most salesman will highlight the empty weight.
Only 450# of passenger? That cannot be correct. My self,my wife and the dog would blow past that. that's a three row vehicle, sure it is not 1450, which should be the ball park cargo for a vehicle of that type.

[BenK]

Oh...IRS....

Agree with Bryan

The IRS specifications Will be most important in order for anyone here to help...unless someone has one