Forum Discussion

AFelts's avatar
AFelts
Explorer
May 18, 2016

'04 Chevy Tahoe 5.3L

I'm looking for any and all advise about my TV's capabilities from anyone with experience. I'm brand new to the forum, so I apologize for the lack of signature, but we currently have a StarCraft Galaxy PUP that we absolutely love. My family consists of me, my DW, DD(9), DD(4) & DD(2), along with our NTU 4-legged Cocoa(the only other male in a house full of females!)

Anyhow, we're looking to upgrade(loosely using that, as I love my PUP) to a Hybrid TT, looking at either a 2016 Aerolite 224ES, or a 2008 Palomino Stampede model 238. Both of them have similar specs, from what I can tell. They are 24-26' in lenght, Dry weight around 4100 for the Stampede and 4536 for the Aerolight.

I'll be adding a WD hitch with anti-sway, either a Fastway E2 8K(purchased & installed at the dealership) or a Reese RP66084(I think that's the part number on E-Trailer. If I buy the Reese, I'll have it shipped to me and take it to the dealership to be installed. I'm not sure which brake brake controller I'll have, but I'll have something installed for sure before towing.

If anybody has any advice, up to and including not using the Tahoe, please let me know. We love camping, and will be traveling a lot. If we're confined to the PUP for a couple more years, that will have to work. I can't risk the safety of my DD's or anyone else on the road, just so we can have a bigger camper.

Thanks in advance for any responses!
Tow Vehicles
  • mkirsch's avatar
    mkirsch
    Nomad II
    May 18, 2016
    What are the specifications for the Tahoe?

    If it has the 5.3L engine and a 3.73 axle ratio (look for GT4 on the list of codes on the inside of the glove compartment lid), you will be okay as long as the truck is well maintained and has good tires.

    Remember that the 4100lbs number is the EMPTY trailer. You will be adding approximately 1000+lbs to the trailer by the time you hit the road so it will be in the 5200-5500lb range. Plus the five passengers will be eating into the payload capacity of your Tahoe.

    You're going to have around 700lbs of tongue weight from the trailer, which will leave you 500-600lbs of payload capacity for everything/everyone else in the Tahoe.

    It'll be right on the edge of "comfortable" but perfectly safe if, again, the truck is in good shape, well maintained, and has good tires. This all goes out the window if you're talking about a rusty old claptrap.
  • SouthpawHD's avatar
    SouthpawHD
    Explorer
    May 18, 2016
    "You're going to have around 700lbs of tongue weight from the trailer, which will leave you 500-600lbs of payload capacity for everything/everyone else in the Tahoe."

    As the poster said above, the tongue weight could be a limiting factor for you. Be sure to check the tongue weights of those hybrids as many of them can be dramatically different. My Jayco hybrid is pushing 900 pounds of tongue weight!
  • AFelts's avatar
    AFelts
    Explorer
    May 18, 2016
    mkirsch wrote:
    What are the specifications for the Tahoe?

    If it has the 5.3L engine and a 3.73 axle ratio (look for GT4 on the list of codes on the inside of the glove compartment lid), you will be okay as long as the truck is well maintained and has good tires.

    Remember that the 4100lbs number is the EMPTY trailer. You will be adding approximately 1000+lbs to the trailer by the time you hit the road so it will be in the 5200-5500lb range. Plus the five passengers will be eating into the payload capacity of your Tahoe.

    You're going to have around 700lbs of tongue weight from the trailer, which will leave you 500-600lbs of payload capacity for everything/everyone else in the Tahoe.

    It'll be right on the edge of "comfortable" but perfectly safe if, again, the truck is in good shape, well maintained, and has good tires. This all goes out the window if you're talking about a rusty old claptrap.


    Thanks for the reply Mkirsch. I hadn't considered the tongue weight in the payload just yet, so I'll be sure to skimp on the extras in the TV for sure. The truck is in excellent shape, I believe, for it's age and maybe even for one 10 years newer. I will be sure to get some of the fluids changed again, but as far as maintenance, it's all up to date, with good tires, new disc brakes all around. I wonder if I should go with a transmission cooler like I've read about in some other threads?
  • AFelts's avatar
    AFelts
    Explorer
    May 18, 2016
    SouthpawHD wrote:
    "You're going to have around 700lbs of tongue weight from the trailer, which will leave you 500-600lbs of payload capacity for everything/everyone else in the Tahoe."

    As the poster said above, the tongue weight could be a limiting factor for you. Be sure to check the tongue weights of those hybrids as many of them can be dramatically different. My Jayco hybrid is pushing 900 pounds of tongue weight!


    Thanks SouthpawHD, the newer of the two has a tongue weight over 600lbs! The '08 Stampede is only 411. That will definitely be more a part of the discussion since mkirsch brought up the point earlier too. I'm not opposed to the used TT, but the DW is pretty convincing, and also pretty set on the new '16 model. Numbers don't lie though, so we may end up with the cheaper choice of TT being the best fit.
  • Campfire_Time's avatar
    Campfire_Time
    Explorer
    May 18, 2016
    AFelts wrote:


    Thanks SouthpawHD, the newer of the two has a tongue weight over 600lbs! The '08 Stampede is only 411.


    Be very careful using dry weight numbers for planning. Ready to tow those tongue weights will be higher.

    When your trailer is ready to tow you'll be closer in weight to the GVWR than the dry weight. So find out what the GVWR of each trailer is and plan for 13% of tongue weight based on those numbers. That way what ever you do you know where where maximums are, and most likely you'll be below those numbers, ready to tow.

    So for example, the Aerolite has a GVWR of 6600#. At 13% that's an 858# tongue. Realistically you'll be at closer to 6000# loaded, which is still a 780# tongue. Plan accordingly.

    And most important, don't let all this overwhelm you, have fun!
  • rbtglove's avatar
    rbtglove
    Explorer
    May 18, 2016
    I've had three tow vehicles with a 5.3 and the heaviest TT ready to go weighed in at just under 5K. The ones you are looking at would be well over that loaded I think. My 2011 Silverado is the only one of those three I had that really pulled our TT well, the others had the 4 sp versus the 6 spd tranny and really struggled in the mountains. Think being in KY you wouldn't be happy towing those TTs.
  • AFelts's avatar
    AFelts
    Explorer
    May 18, 2016
    rbtglove wrote:
    I've had three tow vehicles with a 5.3 and the heaviest TT ready to go weighed in at just under 5K. The ones you are looking at would be well over that loaded I think. My 2011 Silverado is the only one of those three I had that really pulled our TT well, the others had the 4 sp versus the 6 spd tranny and really struggled in the mountains. Think being in KY you wouldn't be happy towing those TTs.


    Thanks for the info rbtglove. I wonder if the WD hitch will make any difference? I'll apologize in advance if you were inferring that you used that as well. I'm pretty new to towing anything, so all info is appreciated.
  • monkey44's avatar
    monkey44
    Nomad II
    May 19, 2016
    For what it's worth - we bought a new 2003 1500 4x4 Sierra with 5.3 and 3:73 ... found it to be very under-powered and we were at about 6000 lbs packed and on the road. I drove it six months (ate about $5000) and traded it up for a 2500 4x4 w/6.0L and never regretted it - well, regretted eating the $5000, but drove the 2500 for 214,000 miles. Last year, traded that one and went directly to the 2500 HD ... Didn't even think about the 1500 despite the tow claims.

    Note: We're were nearly full-timing it, and traveling a lot, so it makes a difference if you tow occasionally, less distance, and family outings.
  • rbtglove's avatar
    rbtglove
    Explorer
    May 19, 2016
    I have always used a equal-I-zer hitch and would not tow with out weight distribution and sway control to go with the brake controller, especially with an SUV with a shorter wheel base.

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