Weight Capacity HELP. GVWR??? 2008 GMC Yukon Denali XL 2WD

[kfballer22]

Help! We are getting conflicting information from the dealers we have been visiting, and the responses on RV.net. So we need your help. We own a 2008GMC Yukon Denali XL 2WD. The towing capacity is 8000lbs and we are looking at travel trailers that are at or around the Dry weight of 6000-6500lbs. We have been told that our vehicle would be fine to pull a TT of this size with no issues. We have 2 6 yr olds and having the double bunk bed and queen are preferred for our camping travels.

I need for someone out there who has this vehicle and tows TT to chime in. What should be our concern when we are purchasing our first TT? Our goal is to start out camping in the SE US and eventually take our TT out West for extended periods of time. So imagine hills, valleys, mountains, etc. at some point down the road with this TT. The information that would be most helpful would be a list of specific models of TT that we can research that fit our requirements and weight limits. However, any input is helpful.

Please help. Thanks.

[mb1776]

x2 on what Gdetrailer just said.

Might want to take a look at the Jayco Jay Flight 23MB. Unloaded Vehicle Weight is 4200 lbs. Nice starter unit.

[Gdetrailer]

kfballer22 wrote:
Got it. We will stay around or below 5000lbs based on your feedback. When we are due for a TV upgrade in 2-4 years, we will move to a larger TV so we can tow a bigger trailer. Thanks for the input and just think, you all may have just saved 4 lives by chiming in...because the dealership was telling us we could purchase a 6600lb dry weight TT and would be fine. Um, no we won't!

:C

It is easy to get caught up in the upsize madness, many have gone down that path and shortly after ended up buying a more capable tow vehicle or trading the trailer for one that is better suited for their vehicle.

Gets to be a very expensive mistake..

[kfballer22]

Got it. We will stay around or below 5000lbs based on your feedback. When we are due for a TV upgrade in 2-4 years, we will move to a larger TV so we can tow a bigger trailer. Thanks for the input and just think, you all may have just saved 4 lives by chiming in...because the dealership was telling us we could purchase a 6600lb dry weight TT and would be fine. Um, no we won't!

[Gdetrailer]

therink wrote:

kfballer22 wrote:
The combined weight of passengers and cargo in my Yukon should not exceed 1412lbs. Tow capacity is 8000lbs.

If you stick with a TT with a loaded tounge under 750 or so, you should be OK as far as payload goes.

Correct.

OP needs to give up on the 8000 lb tow "rating".

8000 lbs is simply not happening unless you are not planning to have any passengers or gear AND your trailer would have to be at no more than 800 lbs (IE 10%)..

Op needs to work with the 1412 lbs cargo rating.

Basically put you work backwards.. Add up your passenger, personal gear and fuel weight.. then subtract that from 1412 lbs..

For instance say you have driver, one passenger for a weight of 350 lbs.. Subtract 350 from 1412 and you now have 1062 lbs left..

30 gallons of fuel is going to weigh say 240 lbs.. you now have 822 lbs left..

WD weight of 100 lbs.. you now have 722 lbs of cargo left.

722 lbs means your max trailer weight at 10% tongue weight is 7220lbs..

But wait.. you don't want to have 10% tongue weight.. you want at least 13% up to 15%..

That means at 13% tongue weight your trailer should not weight more than 5554 lbs LOADED.

That means at 15% tongue weight your trailer should not weigh more than 4813 lbs LOADED.

As you can tell by my examples you will never be able to tow a 8,000 lb loaded trailer and be within your max cargo weight with more than 10% tongue weight if you planning to have passengers and a full fuel tank..

[MitchF150]

Don't fixate on that "tow rating" number.. It's not realistic for a tongue heavy travel trailer that will eat up the majority of that #1400 payload pretty quick..

Heck, my truck has a "tow rating" of #11,300!

My #5000 TT puts it within #400 of it's rear axle rating and #600 of it's GVWR. It's only about #600 of tongue weight too.

I do pack heavy, and that includes stuff in the bed of the truck, but it's only 2 of us.

You might be able to get close to that "tow rating" if you don't load anything at all in the truck, including passengers.. 😉

Mitch

[handye9]

kfballer22 wrote:
The combined weight of passengers and cargo in my Yukon should not exceed 1412lbs. Tow capacity is 8000lbs.

Don't get stuck on that 8000 lbs tow capacity. That number was calculated with only a driver, who weighs 150 lbs. No cargo or passengers. As you load up the vehicle with people, cargo, and hitch weight, your max tow capacity is going down, along with your available payload. 1400 lbs of people and cargo would cut your tow capacity to 6600.

Your move toward a 5000 lb trailer, would be a much better fit.

Read through this thread.

[therink]

kfballer22 wrote:
The combined weight of passengers and cargo in my Yukon should not exceed 1412lbs. Tow capacity is 8000lbs.

If you stick with a TT with a loaded tounge under 750 or so, you should be OK as far as payload goes.

[kfballer22]

The combined weight of passengers and cargo in my Yukon should not exceed 1412lbs. Tow capacity is 8000lbs.

[kfballer22]

Great information. We have shifted our scope to TT that are 5000 or less. We are more concerned with getting to our destinations safely than being there will a few more feet and space to lounge in while we are there.

Question now is, which TT would you recommend at this weight? We would like a TT with gas/electric option for the water heater, double bunk beds is a must, and preferably a slide with the kitchen on the opposite side of the slide. Any recommendations?

[APT]

Open driver's door and locate this sticker. Note what you have where mine says 2051:



That is as equipped payload and includes all the options your exact vehicle has, but no people or driver. Take that number, subtract an estimated weight for your family and a few things to entertain them en route, and the rest can be used for trailer tongue weight. So, let's say you have 1500 pounds. Family is 600 pounds. That leaves 900 left for TW which is about a 7000 pound loaded TT. I bet you need to stay under about 6000 pounds dry.

The good news: Your 6.2L/6-spd trans will pull it very well.

[Dakota98]

kfballer22 wrote:
Weight Information
Curb Weight - Front (lbs)2923
Gross Axle Wt Rating - Front (lbs)3600
Gross Combined Wt Rating (lbs)14000
Curb Weight - Rear (lbs)2672
Gross Axle Wt Rating - Rear (lbs)4200
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating Cap (lbs)7400

I can't find "payload" reference in any of my research on my vehicle. Does the above information help? Can I tow a trailer that is dry weight of 5900lbs with this vehicle?

Was this information found online ?

If so, it is inaccurate for your needs. The information you need is on the vehicle stickers. When found, that information reflects "as built"
meaning your specific rig. Look on the drivers door jamb & in the glove box for that info. You should find defined weights & the type of tires that came on it new. Does it have a "factory" tow package ?

[goducks10]

kfballer22 wrote:
Weight Information
Curb Weight - Front (lbs)2923
Gross Axle Wt Rating - Front (lbs)3600
Gross Combined Wt Rating (lbs)14000
Curb Weight - Rear (lbs)2672
Gross Axle Wt Rating - Rear (lbs)4200
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating Cap (lbs)7400

I can't find "payload" reference in any of my research on my vehicle. Does the above information help? Can I tow a trailer that is dry weight of 5900lbs with this vehicle?

Curb weight front and rear=5595lbs
GVW is 7400lbs, that leaves 1805 for payload.
Those are probably optimistic numbers.
Even so now subtract you, the wife and the kids from the 1805 payload.
Now what else is in the Tahoe? That's what you have left for the TT's tongue weight.

You really need to load up the Tahoe and go weigh it. Then subtract that number from the 7400 GVW and that's what you have left for tongue weight.

JMO but a TT that weighs 6000lbs fully loaded would be the max I'd want to tow. That would put the tongue weight around 750lbs.

A dry (sticker on TT) weight of 5000lbs for a TT would be the place to start. Don't go off brochures, they can be close but normally aren't and can be anywhere from 200-700lbs low. That brochure dry weight on a 5000lb TT could well be 5500lbs when delivered. Best thing to do is pound the pavement at dealers looking at floor plans and stickered weights. 99% of the time the sticker is on the entry door.

Another way to look at the numbers is you have a GCVWR of 14,000.
If you're Tahoe weighs 7000lbs after you're all hitched up then to be with in the GCVWR you can only tow 7000lbs max.

Whatever weight you add to the Tahoes base weight of 5595lbs comes off the towable weight.

[Gdetrailer]

kfballer22 wrote:
Weight Information
Curb Weight - Front (lbs)2923
Gross Axle Wt Rating - Front (lbs)3600
Gross Combined Wt Rating (lbs)14000
Curb Weight - Rear (lbs)2672
Gross Axle Wt Rating - Rear (lbs)4200
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating Cap (lbs)7400

I can't find "payload" reference in any of my research on my vehicle. Does the above information help? Can I tow a trailer that is dry weight of 5900lbs with this vehicle?

Your "curb" weights are highlighted in red.

You need to add those together.. That gives you 5595 lbs for curb weight.

Subtract 5595 from 7400 and you have 1805 lbs as your available payload.

You will need to subtract you the driver, passengers, gear and fuel weight from that number above to get what is leftover for tongue weight.

As I mentioned before dry weights seldom are what as advertised.. Typically you can add AT LEAST 500 lbs to the dry weight.. So a trailer listed as 5900 lbs dry will be around 6400 lbs empty..

But keep in mind you seldom ever tow with a empty trailer.. EVERYTHING (and I mean EVERYTHING) you put into that trailer adds weight.. So you can figure that trailer when loaded is going to be 800 lbs to 1000 lbs heavier..

That would now put your 5900 lb advertised dry weight at 7400 lbs.. That will translate into 740 lb - 1110 lbs tongue weight..

Add 100lbs for WD and your tongue can be as high as 1210 lbs.

Even though you may have 600 lbs of payload left I think you are going to be happier with a trailer dry weight of no more than 5K and less would be better yet..

I am always puzzled at folks who feel the need to go as big and heavy as possible..

[therink]

Yes, I would not want to tow a fully loaded trailer that exceeds 6000 with a Yukon. Simply my opinion.