How much can we tow with SUV?

[Sunnygirl]

Looking for a travel trailer to pull with an SUV. Tow vehicle is a 2019 Yukon Denali 4x4 with a tow rating of 8100 lbs. and a payload of 7300. It seems like the latter will be the limiting factor. Maybe 1500 lbs. left after subtracting curb weight. 2 adults, 4 young kids and a dog will ride in the car (<500 pounds now but growing each year - the kids, hopefully not the adults!). Wheelbase is 116 inches. I'm thinking a 5000 lb. trailer is the absolute max - not sure about length. We like the Rockwood Mini Lite bunkhouse/Murphy bed floorplan, but think it might be too much.

Thoughts as to what the tow vehicle can handle or suggestions for family friendly trailers we should look at? We have a Hensley hitch from 18 years ago. (We've moved to a MH; this is for kids/grandkids).

Thank you!

[Mickeyfan0805]

Lwiddis wrote:
In response to Mickey’s comment, there is a significant decrease in “18 wheeler passing me” sway in my new Silverado than in the Tahoes. They weigh about the same so it’s gotta be wheelbase. 116 vs. 147.

No question that wheelbase can make a difference - my sole point is that the oft-cited formula has no basis from a reputable manufacturer. Wheelbase is one of many factors that influence the capabilities of a vehicle.

[nickthehunter]

You can get all the info you need to figure out how big a trailer you can tow here: Clicky

[Sunnygirl]

**As others have said, no way your payload is 7300lbs.
Did you mean the Yukon's GVWR?
The actual payload capacity will probably more like 1300lbs.**

Yes, I'm sorry, I mean the Yukon's GVWR. After subtracting curb weight I think there's only about 1500 lbs. left, before people and "stuff." The people are small (150, 110, 45, 40, 30, 20), but the kids will grow.

I was hoping a lightweight trailer around 25' or less would work, but I'm thinking now that the only thing that might work is a popup, which they don't want.

[RckyMtnVia]

Sorry for a long answer to mkirsch. First, the OP was asking about towing a trailer with an SUV, and SUVs tend to have a short wheelbase suitable only for smaller trailers. SUVs also tend to have a high center of gravity due to high ground clearance and a narrow wheelbase - this makes them inherently less stable, and thus less suitable for towing. Secondly, the source of the wheelbase “formula” for the rule of thumb of 110" for a 20' trailer adding and subtracting one foot of trailer for each 4 inches above or below 110". Source: "How to tow Safely - A Complete Towing Guide" by J.D. Gallant, 2003 published by RV Consumer Group. (My comment: lots of technology advances since 2003!)

If we were talking about trucks, then I would not have mentioned the “formula” since a commercial truck with a short wheelbase tractor can pull a 53 ft. box trailer at highway speeds without issues because it's hitch is directly over the rear axle so there's no lever arm to affect the direction of travel.

Towing a travel trailer is a combination of lengths and weights and countermeasures. Wheelbases are like pivot points and the distances between them are like levers. If you push sideways on the rear corner of the TT, the wheels act like a fulcrum and the torque moment is coupled to the hitch ball, the next pivot point. The force X distance product for each end will be the same so the shorter the distance from the rear corner to the wheels, the less force is applied to the hitch through the longer moment arm. At the hitch, the next fulcrum point would be the rear axle of the tow vehicle, again the distance between the hitch and the rear axle becomes the moment that gets transferred to the front wheels. This is where the wheelbase comes in to play, the longer the wheelbase, the less force is applied to the front wheels. As far as weights go, if the tow vehicle weights more that the trailer the tail can't wag the dog, however if the trailer weighs more than the tow vehicle, the tail can wag the dog.

Proof of this leverage is the 5th wheel hitch, which puts the hitch directly over the rear axle and eliminates the lever arm between the hitch and rear axle that allows side forces to affect the direction of travel. This makes 5th wheel trailers inherently more stable than bumper pulled trailers and the lack of a lever arm largely removes the wheelbase of the tow vehicle from handling considerations.

[Grit_dog]

And OP should look for more credible info before she gets scared that her new full size suv with the best available technology isn’t capable of pulling a trailer.

[mkirsch]

RckyMtnVia wrote:
The formula I have seen for wheelbase is 20 feet of trailer for 110" wheelbase, with an additional 1 foot of trailer for every extra 4" of wheelbase.

If this formula were true, then a 3500 dually pickup can't tow more than a 20'-22' long trailer.

Cite your source for this forumula. I have NEVER seen any sort of formula.

[bikendan]

Sunnygirl wrote:
Looking for a travel trailer to pull with an SUV. Tow vehicle is a 2019 Yukon Denali 4x4 with a tow rating of 8100 lbs. and a payload of 7300. It seems like the latter will be the limiting factor. Maybe 1500 lbs. left after subtracting curb weight. 2 adults, 4 young kids and a dog will ride in the car (<500 pounds now but growing each year - the kids, hopefully not the adults!). Wheelbase is 116 inches. I'm thinking a 5000 lb. trailer is the absolute max - not sure about length. We like the Rockwood Mini Lite bunkhouse/Murphy bed floorplan, but think it might be too much.

As others have said, no way your payload is 7300lbs.:E
Did you mean the Yukon's GVWR?
The actual payload capacity will probably more like 1300lbs.

[Grit_dog]

You’ll hear everything from you need a dually to you can tow a 36’ TT.
However, if you keep your trailer to a manageable length, say 26’ giver take, it’ll tow easy. Weight is honestly not much of a concern, within reason. WDH to handle the tongue weight and the 6.2/10speed chassis will pull whatever you put behind it very smartly and capably.
I wouldn’t have issue with a 7-8klb loaded trailer at all.

[Lwiddis]

In response to Mickey’s comment, there is a significant decrease in “18 wheeler passing me” sway in my new Silverado than in the Tahoes. They weigh about the same so it’s gotta be wheelbase. 116 vs. 147.

[Mickeyfan0805]

Meaning no offense to the poster, the wheelbase formula mentioned above has been bantered about on these boards for years, and I've never seen any formal basis for it. From my best research, it seems to date back to an opinion on a towing blog awhile back, but I've never seen any trailer or vehicle manufacturer post any such formula regarding wheelbase. So, do with that formula as you will.

That said, in addition to much of the input above, I'd suggest you need to look forward a bit. You mention 'growing every year' with the kids. That is sure to be true, and it will happen in a hurry. I honestly think your 500 estimate is likely WAY under. Unless you have a remarkably petite family, 6 bodies plus a dog will rarely only weight 500 pounds. And, if it does, you are talking about very young children who have car seats, diaper bags, toys, etc. that all add up the weight in a hurry.

Nonetheless, even accepting the 500 basis, your current 500 pounds can readily become 750 in just a couple of years. It will likely continue well beyond that. Unless you are willing to move to a HD van in a couple of years, you want to make sure you buy a trailer based on what they will weigh near the end of your vehicle's life, not now. Otherwise, you'll grow out of it in 2 years and find yourself stuck with a pairing that can't haul the grandkids it's meant for.

[Lwiddis]

I’m a three time Tahoe owner and NO Tahoe or Yukon can carry 7,300 pounds. Try 1,500 to about 1,800 pounds. Second, you don’t want to tow at maximum rate just like you don’t want to run your fastest every time you move your body.

However, I would have gone to 6,000 pounds of TT with my Tahoes but no more. My Winnie is 5,200 wet and loaded. Watch your payload numbers!

[BenK]

Comments embedded in red

Sunnygirl wrote:
Looking for a travel trailer to pull with an SUV. Tow vehicle is a 2019 Yukon Denali 4x4 with a tow rating of 8100 lbs. and a payload of 7300.

Doubt your payload is 7,300 lbs

Guessing it is your GVWR. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating

There should be drivers door label that will have = GVWR, curb, Payload, front/rear GAWR

It seems like the latter will be the limiting factor. Maybe 1500 lbs. left after subtracting curb weight. 2 adults, 4 young kids and a dog will ride in the car (<500 pounds now but growing each year - the kids, hopefully not the adults!).

Suggest loading everything up and go weigh it. Axle by axle

That will then give you the true payload left for the trailer tongue

and what is left for a true max trailer your TV is rated for

Find the GCWR of your TV and subtract the actual weight from GCWR and that is the actual max trailer weight it is rated to tow

Wheelbase is 116 inches. I'm thinking a 5000 lb. trailer is the absolute max - not sure about length. We like the Rockwood Mini Lite bunkhouse/Murphy bed floorplan, but think it might be too much.

Thoughts as to what the tow vehicle can handle or suggestions for family friendly trailers we should look at? We have a Hensley hitch from 18 years ago. (We've moved to a MH; this is for kids/grandkids).

Thank you!

[Seattle_Steve]

Don't forget that 2 adults, 4 kids and a dog also means a LOT of stuff will also go along. They might even want to take bikes for everyone. Factor in at least another 1000 pounds for stuff. It's really hard for me to imagine an suv pulling anything adequate for that many people.

[APT]

You have a lot of power, but suspension and brakes will lower the limit from max tow rating when it comes to a TT.

Please confirm the as equipped payload on the Tire and Loading sticker on your driver's door or door jam. "The maximum combine weight of occupants and cargo shall not exceed xxxx pounds".

My rough estimate is 6k dry is a good limit for you.