Towing with a 2007 Tahoe (Question for a relative)

[fickman]

Would you consider towing this trailer:
R-Vision Trail-Lite 27QBSS

. . . with a 2007 Tahoe LT (5.3 liter, 3.73 rear, 4-speed auto, 2WD)

The tow rating is 7,200 lbs., I'm not sure of his actual payload, but it'll be a little more than rated because he's going without the 3rd row for the foreseeable future. I know payload and wheelbase are the concerns.

I've been working with a relative who is in serious RV considerations - he's gone between hybrids and full TTs. He really likes this floor plan and is willing to consider Reese Dual Cam, Hensley Arrow, or one of the other beefed up hitches to help with sway and weight distribution.

I thought I'd solicit feedback and some real world experience from Tahoe owners. I guess you'd classify me as a bonafide, card-carrying member of the weight police. I used to drag a Fleetwood Pioneer 180CK (4,800 lbs. camping weight) with a 2500HD Chevy, and you can see my current rig in my signature.

He'd be closer to his ratings, but not over as far as I can tell.

So - what do you think?

[NCMODELA]

Take this for what it is worth. I have a 2003 Yukon Xl, same drivetrain as yours. I tow a 2011 Keystone summerland 26' loaded somewhere around 6100 lbs. I have taken it on two trips, one to the beach and one to the mountains, to the beach was a breeze, to the mountians it ran hard. Moderate hills I set it on cruise control to run at 62, it would drop to second and run 4500 rpm up the hill. I never really felt like I was out of control. It just worked hard. Going up the mountain side was slow, but I am fine running 30-40 mph for 3 or 4 miles. I don't travel far with it, less than 300 miles either way. I run a dual cam setup. I am about 100 lbs under my GVWR.

That being said, I am probably going to upgrade to a 2500 or truck within the next couple years. I tow the camper to the mountains leave it there for 3 months and tow it back. So I run a little slower and try to go on light traffic times. We just go visit it in the mountains when we want. For right now it does what I want it to do.

There are other hard side trailers out there. Ours is 5680 lbs dry, 5900 lbs on a scale, has a huge slide out, I can fit a family of 6 in there with a dog crate and still have plenty of room, it has a queen bed and bunk.

I would not try to tow the originally posted trailer at all. Not because it weighs too much but because it is too long for your TV. I think my 26' is as big as I would go with my Yukon xl. It is all about what you want to do with it. BTW, my wife and I looked at a hybrid too and had the same concerns, and they were more expensive than the hard sided ones anyway.

[ficksters]

I am the relative that he is referring to. I appreciate the feedback. I am leaning towards the Hybrid, but I have heard people complain of them leaking where the canvass meets the hard side. My wife on the other hand is wanting a hard side all the way around with a queen bed that you can walk around with bunks in the back. I have great advice that tells me, everything with a TT is give and take.

[fickman]

Great feedback! I think those are exactly the kinds of stories my relative is looking for.

[jbres]

My experience is I towed a 27' travel trailer weighing in at 6,700 pounds loaded with a 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe with 3.73 gears and also had 4wd. I did not have a Hensley or anything like that but I did use weight distribution bars and 2 friction type anti sway bars. I towed with this trailer for less than a year and couldn't take it anymore. My Tahoes owners manual also stated I could tow 7,400 pounds, but it really struggled pulling my set-up safely. I had trouble getting it up to speed and keeping it up to speed on highways, and I
felt like I was not in control of my travel trailer. I was pushed around by wind gusts, and semis moderately.
I will say though when I used my set-up to tow to local campgrounds where I did not even need to get up on the highway, it did fine. It kept up to speed and I felt say towing as long as I didn't need to go over 50mph max.
I finally broke down and bought a 2500HD truck which now is night and day difference. I can actually relax while towing, and I feel safe towing to any campground I want as far away as I want.
Hope this helps!

[fickman]

He is willing to buy the Hensley.

The wheelbase:length is what has be most nervous. He's seen the website that calculates max trailer length. Oddly, most of the 36-28' "lightweights" have been pushing his payload rating more than this one.

Thanks for your feedback. I shared the link for this conversation with the relative so he can see the responses and input first hand.

It's not necessarily a mitigation, but I assume most of his trips will be within 500 miles of home in relatively flat land or mild hill country. My advice is that if he pushes the limits, he'll end up with a Suburban (or 2500 Suburban). . . mostly b/c I've been there before. I spent a lot of money turning my old 1500 with 3.42 gears and no tow package into a tow vehicle. I eventually bought the 2500HD anyway.

He wants a slide, queen bed, and if possible bunk. . . is willing to consider HTTs. Buying a new TV right now is not a consideration. (It's his DW's daily driver. She likes the Tahoe and isn't comfortable driving anything longer right now. Plus, they just bought it this year.)

I wanted feedback on the TT in the OP because it's the length that is being pushed and not the weights. . .

[bikendan]

no way would i tow a nearly 32' TT with a short wheelbase Tahoe.
unless they want to spend the money on a Hensley or ProPride WDH.

if it was Suburban, then maybe. i have an '07 Avalanche, which is a Suburban with a pickup bed.
i tow a 24 1/2' HTT and i wouldn't want to tow anything longer than 27'-28' max.