Advice on towing with Yukon Denali

[Penguin_Rob]

Hey folks, I recently bought a 2017 Yukon Denali, and plan on getting a TT around 23-25 feet. I would expect that it won't exceed 5,000 lbs. or so. My questions are: 1. Should I get a weight distribution hitch or just rely on the self leveler. 2. Is there a reason GM advises on not using the adaptive cruise control while towing? Thanks in advance for any advice or experience you can share!

[Lwiddis]

"The guy at Camping World said never use cruise when tow haul is engaged."

And that expert has what qualifications?

[EstorilM]

bailer6334 wrote:
Also check the DOT laws for your state. Here in Arizona a trailer of that weight I believe requires WDH by law. From a safety point of view it would be wise to invest in a good WDH as well.

There has to be some stipulations there - as I mentioned my manual specifically says not to use any weight distribution devices (I believe in all CAPS as well) yet at 7700lb rating a 30' is well in its limits.

[bailer6334]

Also check the DOT laws for your state. Here in Arizona a trailer of that weight I believe requires WDH by law. From a safety point of view it would be wise to invest in a good WDH as well.

[travelnman]

I was told by the dealer that I don't need all that stuff but he went ahead
an hooked it up. Then I said what about a sway bar, again told me they are
totally not worth it. I insisted he put it on which requires drilling some
holes and bolting everything thing on, he again had some comments but did it
to make me happy. I have run with and with out the sway bar, it helps a lot
so you may want to look into that also. I have a problem with this whole set up. The RV bounces some call it porpising. Acts like your on a pogo stick but only in Wisconsin something about their expansion joints but who knows. We just got back from a trip up to Madison, WI
without the RV but saw a Ford Explorer bouncing up and down I thought
it was head to the moon. They were pulling a small RV so it is not
just my suburban that does this. I do know that it is the only state I have experienced it in. I was told my suburban has a suspension weakness for this that I should get a pick up truck and at the looks of things most everyone is. I don't know if the Denali has the suburban suspension or not but if you get this reaction when towing it can drive you insane and make everyone sick. I don't know of a cure except maybe replacing the suburban with a pick up or leave the RV at home when visiting in Wisconsin. I wish I had the bucks for the Denali that would be my pick also. They have dropped the All Wheel Drive and gone to 4 wheel select which is better for us campers so you did the right thing buying new.

[Lynnmor]

falconbrother wrote:


As to the cruise.. The guy at Camping World said never use cruise when tow haul is engaged. So, I don't.

Un-freakin-believable! :R

[falconbrother]

We tow about 6500lbs with a 5th gen Suburban, 5.3. I added sumo supersprings so, the handling is really great. Your truck has more power than mine. You will have no issues towing but, get the WD hitch. It will make things safer.

As to the cruise.. The guy at Camping World said never use cruise when tow haul is engaged. So, I don't.

[Penguin_Rob]

Thank you, my fine traveling friends. It's been a few years since I've towed anything heavier than a boat. I wish I had kept my old WDH! I'm pretty upset about the adaptive cruise, though. I ordered it specifically for expressway towing. Maybe I'll contact GM to get the real skinny on that mandate, since it does have a built in brake controller. Thanks!

[IBcarguy]

2017 Denali is a great truck. My daughter has one and I was amazed at the power. This truck can easily handle the TT you are considering. Like everyone else, I also recommend using a WD hitch.
I think the issue with the adaptive cruise is related to how it might interact with trailer brakes.

[bobndot]

Rob, Gross trailer Weight (the weight of the trailer plus all the stuff you carry inside it )
Tongue weight (TW) , usually 10-15% of the gross trailer weight can cause the rear of the truck to drop and the travel trailer (TT) nose to drop . This will remove weight from the front wheels of the tow vehicle (TV) . Traction and steering of the TV will be affected.
If the TT has too little TW , this can cause trailer sway where the TT swings back and forth. These two factors is the reason to use a weight distributing hitch (WDH).
Generally speaking,the WDH puts back that weight onto the TT and trucks axles and wheels and the combo will appear to be back to level.

The spring bars used have to be close enough to match the real scaled TW of your loaded up TT. Having a little extra spring bar rating on the WDH is not going to hurt you. (ex: if your real TW is 950#, a 1200# spring bar will work fine as will a 1000# bar, but i would prefer the extra 1200# bar because your TW will shift depending how much stuff you carry and how you pack the TT)
The times when you would NOT need a WDH is when your TV is stout enough and the TT is light enough that the TW does not have any impact on the truck. Most people towing TT's with 1500 trucks and SUV's usually have to use a WDH due to TT weight .

You can buy a SHERLINE TW scale $140, go to a public scale or use the bathroom scale method (google it) to measure your real TW which might be double your dry TW. (dont be shocked :E)
You need to know the real scale weights of both TT and TV all loaded up for a trip. SET up your hitch properly. All you need are sockets and a tape measure.
Do it yourself and don't allow a dealer to do it for you. RV dealers have a broad range of talent and for some reason sometimes they allow the less talented to set up hitches.
It will take a few hours time but its worth it, do it right and your towing experience will be a good one. Your TV should feel like it's in control of the TT. If not, you need to fine tune the WDH.

I use the following WDH set up because its a universal set up that covers the basics. You can also use your specific WDH mfg suggestions for fine tuning the set up. But get the basics down first.
WDH set up .

[afidel]

GM normal cruise does just fine if you put the vehicle in tow haul mode, I've done ~10,000 miles so far this year, 99% on cruise. It handles 6-8% grades fine, with 7-8% downhills being perhaps not agressive enough at downshifting. The only time I've decided it was being bad enough to override was in the 40 mph downhill twisty parts in the Keibab National Forest the other day, it's likely I'll also go manual in the Bighorn Mountains next week. Other than those rather extreme situations I'd rather be using my attention to focus on other things like traffic, animals along the road, temps, etc rather than speed.

[Lwiddis]

My TV is similar and TT is 5,100 pounds wet/loaded. YES on the weight distribution hitch. I believe I stop better with the weight shifted back up front. And twice I've had to stop fast for left turners. I do use cruise in dry conditions despite GM's recommendations. I'm not an expert but have had no problems and like having my speed monitored by a computer. Full control, Jerem, without watching speed.

[EstorilM]

Definitely get the WDH, can't hurt anything and can only help - just check the manual, as mine specifically says I can't use any hitch devices (weird land rover thing).

Adaptive cruise probably has a couple issues - one of which is the fact that it (normally) brakes the vehicle if required. Using an electronic brake controller, I'm not sure if it'll activate the trailer brakes. Actually yours almost certainly has an integrated brake control system, but I'm still iffy on it allowing adaptive-cruise to modulate trailer brakes.

Trans shifting and hunting is probably also a big problem. On mine I can use command shift to lock in a certain gear and still use cruise control, but on a 10hr trip I only used it for a couple minutes. Like the last poster said, I feel way more comfortable being in control. Plus it's always good to have your foot near the pedals. Also almost any change in incline or speed required a gear change and totally different throttle, so I really couldn't let cruise do much of anything in command shift mode anyways. In auto w/ cruise it would almost certainly downshift one extra gear more than it needed to EVERY time there;s a speed change, which gets old really fast.

Also you might want to check the break-in periods and requirements in your manual since it's so new. Even though that's not a super large trailer, it'll definitely be the first work your SUV has ever had to do. 🙂

[jerem0621]

Hello,

Congrats on the new Truck!

Yes, you will need a weight distribution hitch. The self leveling system will level out the rear end but does nothing to help restore the lost weight off of the front tires.

Also, as far as the adaptive cruise control. When you tow you have a vehicle that pivots in the middle, I can see how the adaptive cruise control could cause issues with this, possible causing a sway event or even a loss of control. I would definitely stay away from adaptive cruise control or any other auto pilot feature, heck, cruise control in my vehicle is not used while towing. I want to be 100% in control all the time.

Thanks!

Jeremiah