Anyone with experience towing with a Suburban
Hi, I’d like to hear from people who have experience towing a larger travel trailer with a Suburban. I have a Suburban 1500 5.3L. I want to buy the largest travel trailer my suburban can safely tow. ...
Forum Discussion
I just got up this morning (8am here) and saw all the replies, I really appreciate the help.
EMD Driver posted exactly what I don’t want to happen.
I will watch my payload and will keep everything under the weight limits.
Our big trip is in July. So my plan is to weigh everything loaded at my local scales. I then plan to take the rig out locally just to see how it handles. If everything is ok then I’ll go on a few weekend trips to the desert in Nevada with my friend who has a 5th wheel to see what happens in the mountains. I have to be able to travel out of California with it.
My tow vehicle is a 2003 5.3L suburban 1500 with the 3.73 axle ratio. Well maintained. Will have everything especially steering, suspension and brakes checked within the next two months. The tires are 3 years old Michelin LT2s but show signs of superficial cracking in the sidewalls. I’m not comfortable with them for towing so will replace those.
I can’t really change my tow vehicle this year. In a year or two should be able to buy a much newer truck but absolutely cannot this year as we’re spending our cash on the travel trailer.
So I feel like with the 29 foot at 5,500lbs I would be really pushing the Suburban’s limits, but with the 25 foot at 4,500lbs it will be tough on the Suburban but should manage it. I’m taking into account I need to add passengers and gear.
I also noted Wincrasher65 had problems setting up weight distribution with the air ride suspension, I have the autoride self levelling suspension. Will this cause problems.
So I will buy some form of sway control, a weight distributing hitch system and good brake controller. I did also read through the thread “My relentless pursuit to cure trailer sway - the dancing TT” which was very interesting.
Thanks
EMD Driver posted exactly what I don’t want to happen.
I will watch my payload and will keep everything under the weight limits.
Our big trip is in July. So my plan is to weigh everything loaded at my local scales. I then plan to take the rig out locally just to see how it handles. If everything is ok then I’ll go on a few weekend trips to the desert in Nevada with my friend who has a 5th wheel to see what happens in the mountains. I have to be able to travel out of California with it.
My tow vehicle is a 2003 5.3L suburban 1500 with the 3.73 axle ratio. Well maintained. Will have everything especially steering, suspension and brakes checked within the next two months. The tires are 3 years old Michelin LT2s but show signs of superficial cracking in the sidewalls. I’m not comfortable with them for towing so will replace those.
I can’t really change my tow vehicle this year. In a year or two should be able to buy a much newer truck but absolutely cannot this year as we’re spending our cash on the travel trailer.
So I feel like with the 29 foot at 5,500lbs I would be really pushing the Suburban’s limits, but with the 25 foot at 4,500lbs it will be tough on the Suburban but should manage it. I’m taking into account I need to add passengers and gear.
I also noted Wincrasher65 had problems setting up weight distribution with the air ride suspension, I have the autoride self levelling suspension. Will this cause problems.
So I will buy some form of sway control, a weight distributing hitch system and good brake controller. I did also read through the thread “My relentless pursuit to cure trailer sway - the dancing TT” which was very interesting.
Thanks
