Tow question for new member

[dw1gator]

2003 Tahoe z71 4wd with tow package. 1750 payload 7400 towing capacity. 1000 tongue wt with wdh. 2016 coachman Catalina 273bh. 4800 dry wt, 540 tongue wt.
Am I ok here? Advice?

[Old-Biscuit]

dw1gator wrote:
Thanks for the replies. I am going to cat scales to weigh. Payload is as stated. 6000 is what I have calculated for total trailure weight loaded. Total for all cargo including passengers is 650 to 750 lb.

So if payload is 1750 and passengers etc is 650# to 750# payload just dropped to 1100/1000#

Go weigh 'camp ready'......full fuel, you, ALL passengers, any thing that will be inside Tahoe (bags, backpacks, cargo etc)

Tahoe's GVWR minus actual scaled weight.........true available payload
RAWR minus actual scaled wwight............true weight that can be 'carried'

REAR TIRE MAX LOAD RATING......vs actual rear axle weight. True rear tire weight that can be 'carried'

Get 'real' weights and then you can do math that allows for real world numbers.....not 'dry' numbers, not mfg. magical max tow numbers etc.

[lawrosa]

lawrosa, you do know I was just adding to the humor,
Jerry

Oh ha ha ha ha...

[MFL]

dw1gator wrote:

lawrosa wrote:

That would be for 03 Tahoe DRW, with Duramax.

Never saw one. Can you show us one with dual rear wheels?

I dont think there is such a vehicle

Here is a 03 Tahoe z71 4wd..

Wow. That's mine. Even the color. LOL

Very nice, great color!

lawrosa, you do know I was just adding to the humor,
Jerry

[dw1gator]

lawrosa wrote:

That would be for 03 Tahoe DRW, with Duramax.

Never saw one. Can you show us one with dual rear wheels?

I dont think there is such a vehicle

Here is a 03 Tahoe z71 4wd..

Wow. That's mine. Even the color. LOL

[lawrosa]

That would be for 03 Tahoe DRW, with Duramax.

Never saw one. Can you show us one with dual rear wheels?

I dont think there is such a vehicle

Here is a 03 Tahoe z71 4wd..

[MFL]

lawrosa wrote:
Here is something humorous.

Class 5 hitch for an 03 Tahoe.

2400 lb TW and 17000 lbs towing.... Ha ha ha...

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Chevrolet/Tahoe/2003/C15324.html?vehicleid=200314112

That would be for 03 Tahoe DRW, with Duramax.

Jerry

[lawrosa]

dw1gator wrote:
Thanks for the replies. I am going to cat scales to weigh. Payload is as stated. 6000 is what I have calculated for total trailure weight loaded. Total for all cargo including passengers is 650 to 750 lb.

Please post back with your results..

Also note if the cat scale fails to weigh your individual axles call corporate. They will then call that scale and get you weighed as you wish. ( Training issue with some cat scales)

I had issues with a few weigh masters that would not weigh non commercial on separate scales.

I was told by corporate as long as the axles are over 2500 lbs they are to weigh you.

Corporate
cat scale


And they even show how to weigh here... LOLOL

how to weight

[lawrosa]

Here is something humorous.

Class 5 hitch for an 03 Tahoe.

2400 lb TW and 17000 lbs towing.... Ha ha ha...

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Chevrolet/Tahoe/2003/C15324.html?vehicleid=200314112

[dw1gator]

Thanks for the replies. I am going to cat scales to weigh. Payload is as stated. 6000 is what I have calculated for total trailure weight loaded. Total for all cargo including passengers is 650 to 750 lb.

[Need-A-Vacation]

As mentioned, a 4800lb dry trailer weight can easily be 6k lbs. and the loaded tw can range from 12-15%, which would be 720lbs-900lbs depending on what THAT trailer likes for a safe, stable tow. So using only 10% of the gvwr may not be a close enough estimate to actual to base a purchase decision on. Add about 100lbs for the wd hitch also toward your total payload.

Does your Tahoe have a round tube hitch? If so, consider replacing it with a nice, square tube hitch. The factory hitches (any round tube style) can twist when using a wd hitch, making it harder to get the hitch adjusted right.

What is the total normal passenger weight, and about how much cargo will you have in the Tahoe? Is the 1750lbs per the yellow sticker in the drivers door jamb of YOUR Tahoe, or from the listed "brochure" payload?

[MFL]

It is always best to look at the trailer GVWR on the driver's side front of trailer, rather than go by dry weights.

If it says GVWR 7,000, I would figure 10% of that for tongue wt, since you likely won't load trailer right to the max. This would be 700#s hitch, plus 100#s for WDH.

I think your tow vehicle will work, but will be a heavy load for it.

Jerry

[rbpru]

I agree with the CAT scale idea. My TT dry weight is 5000 lbs. Loaded it is a bit over 6000 lbs. A trip to the scales showed that my normal load put the TV near it 1400 lb. max cargo limit.

The scales give you the real story. It is surprisingly easy to eat up your TV’s payload with camping stuff.

[lawrosa]

IMO if you did not buy the trailer yet take the tahoe to a cat scale. Get front and rear axle weights.

Make sure full tank of gas and all the people you are going to tow with as well as gear...

Take the axles weights on the door tag and subtract that from the scale weights.

That will tell you exactly what your tahoe can tow. ( Will tell you what you actually have left for TW)

If you do this post back and let us know..

You may be very surprised by what the scales tell you...

[Terryallan]

dw1gator wrote:

Second Chance wrote:
Danny,

Dry weight and dry tongue weight on the trailer aren't useful. Choachmen says the GWVR on that trailer is 7,000 lbs. 15% of that would be 1,050# tongue weight. Having towed with a 2005 Tahoe, I think you would be too close to the limits for comfort. Personally, I wouldn't do it.

Rob

Not sure I follow. It says the tongue is 540. Unloaded weight 4800. Max cargo capacity is 7000. If I'm not near the 7000 why would it be too close? Not discounting what you say just trying to understand.

Only you know how much weight you will put in the TT. Personally, I don't believe you will add 2200lb to the TT weight. If not. IF you add say 1000, or 1200lbs. You will be OK.

Do remember. every pound you put in the Tahoe lowers the tow capacity by that much. so if you add 400lb of people not counting you. Your tow cap is 7000.

However. With the Wheelbase of the Tahoe. You will need to get the hitch setup as close to perfect as possible. A 27' TT can turn into a 31' TT once you add in the tongue.

[Drbolasky]

Dry weight and tongue weight as supplied by the manufacturer are usually polite fiction - based on a TT with no options, no battery, no LP gas, etc. This is often buried in the fine print.

Having said that, unless Coachmen is giving you an actual weight (and at one time they did) I agree with Rob, above. By the time you have your TT loaded for the road, it will weigh much more than the "dry weight." The only way to know is to take it to a scale. Good luck & safe travels.