Armada to Pull 33' Lightweight TT

[jbnery6465]

2008 Armada LE AWD w/Tow Package.

I've done a lot of reading on this forum related to this topic as we're looking to become first time TT owners. Woohoo! Our intention is to have few trips a year with long extended stays. Some trips will make yearly to Oregon and to Arizona, from San Diego. It could also serve as a temporary home until our house is built on some land we own - thus why I'm looking at the longer range.

The topics that I've read related to how long of a TT an Armada can safely pull are more than 4-5 years old, and the focus quickly shifted away from length and focused on weights. But there are new trailers today that are in the 31'-33' that have a dry weight of 5800lbs - 6400lbs, and hitch weight in the mid-700's. I did a whole spreadsheet not only with "estimated" dry weights, but also what I think our loaded weight would be (2 adults, 4 kids, gear, empty tanks). So hypothetically assuming if all my weights are within range, loaded properly, have the right WD hitch, drive in Tow Mode in 4th, etc, can I safely pull these trailers? They are dual axle, not sure if that makes a difference.

Thanks for hearing me out, I'm looking forward to learning from you all. Thanks in advance for the input!!

[Grit_dog]

Echo the rest of the comments, a bit over your skis on all accounts.
Would I hitch up a 7500lb trailer to an older Armada and tow it? Absolutely, but I wouldn’t personally enjoy it, the vehicle would be maxxed out on capability and I’d presume I’d be relying on my years of experience doing sketchy sht with trailers to keep er rubber side down.

[blt2ski]

Me Again wrote:

JIMNLIN wrote:
A 31'-33' TT on a mid size suv with P tires may not make for a fun towing experience. Thats a long tall wall for side winds and passing semis to push on.
Now if the suv was on a '08 3/4 ton chassis 6.x engine and 3.73-4.10 gears with LT E tires with 5xxx fawr and 6xxx rawr then it would be a great handling combo in the wind on on the interstate around semi trucks.

AKA as a rare 2500 Chevy Suburban! One has to go back to 2001-2006 models however to get the 8.1L with Allison transmission, with is a towing beast and likes gas.

Burbs DID NOT get the Allison behind the 8.1, they got a 4L85E 4sp auto.

With this in mind .....

Having 4 kids myself. Back in 92 when I bought a TT, we six weighed about 750-800 lbs. Once I had 4 adult sized teenagers, we were closer to 1200 to a bit over that! How much payload does your Armada have?

Realistically you will want something with 2500-3500 lbs. Which is going to put you into a 25-35 series 8lug van, crew cab pickups. I would not pull my old 25' 7000 lb total with my teenage kids, with my current GM 1500.

The chassis itself is fine with a couple, 700 lbs of hitch weight, I'm at it's 2000 lb payload limit.

Get a bigger tow rig! Then look at one of those trailers!

Marty

[Learjet]

NO !!! and I pulled a 25' 6000 lbs. trailer with a 2006 Nissan Titan for many many miles....did I say NO!

[Me_Again]

JIMNLIN wrote:
A 31'-33' TT on a mid size suv with P tires may not make for a fun towing experience. Thats a long tall wall for side winds and passing semis to push on.
Now if the suv was on a '08 3/4 ton chassis 6.x engine and 3.73-4.10 gears with LT E tires with 5xxx fawr and 6xxx rawr then it would be a great handling combo in the wind on on the interstate around semi trucks.

AKA as a rare 2500 Chevy Suburban! One has to go back to 2001-2006 models however to get the 8.1L with Allison transmission, with is a towing beast and likes gas.

[JIMNLIN]

A 31'-33' TT on a mid size suv with P tires may not make for a fun towing experience. Thats a long tall wall for side winds and passing semis to push on.
Now if the suv was on a '08 3/4 ton chassis 6.x engine and 3.73-4.10 gears with LT E tires with 5xxx fawr and 6xxx rawr then it would be a great handling combo in the wind on on the interstate around semi trucks.

[Me_Again]

I have towed a 29' 5th wheel with a 2001 RAM 2500 from Phoenix to Palm Springs with 40 MPH wind out of the South towing the 5th wheel trailer. That rig you are talking about would be parked or blown into the desert in pieces. Time to think seriously about the other 5 souls in the tow vehicle. Not sure I would want to tow a 33' TT with my 2021 F-150 that is rated to tow 6600 pounds. I towed a 39' 5th wheel from Arizona to San Diego with a 2015 RAM 3500 SRW and the wind in the canyon leaving Az and into Ca on I-8 was brutal. I have towed though Nv in heavy winds all day.

I have seen several crashed TT over the years, all towed by SUVs with shorter wheel base as noted above.

[jbnery6465]

Thank you all for the feedback. I didn't really think about the age of the Armada, good call. I do have a newer used engine in it that's at 90k, but all the suspension and brake components are new. But a safe and fun experience is what I'm after.

I've seen many on rv.net and clubarmada.com who max out at 30' in length with no issues going cross-country. So I'll keep searching around for shorter trailers and see what I find.

[Trackrig]

One of the items I find interesting when a mfg states a towing capacity, is they never mention whether their rating is good for a trip to a camp ground 100 miles away on flat ground, or going across the US crossing the Continental Divide on very long trips over several months.

The Armada will probably do fine to a campground a 100 miles away, but it doesn't have the transmission, rearend or brakes for longhaul traveling.

Bill

[Boomerweps]

I would not push the weight limits of the Armada. That is a FIFTEEN year old vehicle that is now going to start towing a heavy load. Yes, it was built to pull and Tow a set weight limit but things are worn in from your driving in the previous years. Now you're going to put it under different strains and stresses.

[IdaD]

Maybe in theory. I wouldn't personally do it and I'm far from the weight police. Even if the weights check out that's a big sail behind a marginal tow vehicle with a relatively short wheelbase. Plus with 6 people you'll have quite a bit in the vehicle too. If your kids are anything like mine, anyway. That's just my gut reaction without knowing any real specifics.

[ronharmless]

What you need to know is the “actual” weight of the front and rear axles of the Armada when is loaded and ready to go (minus trailer), but including dog, kids, snacks and everything else in the Armada. Once you know that, and the GVWR of the Armada, you can figure out what is left over for tongue weight of trailer.
For more information Clicky