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.

[BubbaChris]

Payload is something that should be on the Yellow Sticker inside the driver's door frame for your Denali. That number would be accurate for your specific build before you add anything other than a very modestly-sized driver (I believe 160lbs).

Everything else you add to the vehicle along with the tongue weight of the TT count against this total.

So if you come back with your Yellow Sticker Payload figure, folks can make more accurate suggestions about max trailer size/weight.

[kfballer22]

I did see where the rver above suggested that I shouldn't tow a vehicle above 6000lbs loaded. That would eliminate a trailer of 5900lbs. Am I accurate?

[kfballer22]

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?

[Gdetrailer]

kfballer22 wrote:
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.

Trailer "dry weights" are not real useful since they often do not include things like propane, propane tanks, battery and any optional add on items..

A trailer with a dry weight of 6500 is more likely to be 7000-7200 lbs empty..

I think you will find that trailer to be well over your capacity when you are loaded..

But.. You really need to determine exactly what you CAN tow.. That towing capacity of 8000 lbs is seldom achievable because you typically run out of available payload of your vehicle.

That 8000 lb tow rating comes from a stripped down BASE model of your vehicle.. Any options above that base model will take away available payload (your trailer tongue becomes payload for your vehicle and must be accounted for)..

So, to determine the payload for your vehicle you need the GVWR of the vehicle and the curb weight (no passengers or personal gear) of the vehicle.

Sometimes the curbweight is printed on the drivers door info and sometimes it is not. If not then you need to get the vehicle weighed..

Many newer vehicles have a tire loading info sticker on the drivers side door or door post which will list the max payload.. If you have that you can use it instead of weighing the vehicle.

Subtract the curb weight from the GVWR and the result is available payload..

Passengers and personal gear weight is subtracted from the payload and the result is the MAX tongue weight your vehicle can haul..

Tongue weight can vary from 10%-15% of the trailer weight and for best stability you should be shooting for 13%-15%..

So a trailer at 6500 lbs EMPTY should have a tongue weight of 600 lbs to 975 lbs.. Loaded up your trailer is going to have a tongue weight well over 1000 lbs!

Then you need to consider the WD (weight distribution hitch) weight as part of the payload of the vehicle since it will directly affect the vehicle payload.. That is at least 100 lbs worth of steel..

[Dakota98]

What is the "payload" capacity of the Yukon?

Does it have "factory" tow package?

Answering these questions first will lead you to the other answers.

[therink]

An 8000 loaded trailer will have +/- 1000 lb tongue weight (always figure 13 percent ratio of trailer gvwr). What is the gvwr of your Yukon? How much weight will you be loading into the Yukon? Passengers, gear, dog, options, hitch, etc. When you add all together, you will more than likely overloading the Yukon. Manufacturers Tow capacities are deceiving. You run out of payload long before you reach max trailer weight the tow vehicle is rated to tow.
P rated tires on the Yukon are soft and not a good fit for towing heavy trailers.
If you want an 8000 lb trailer, I would get a larger tow vehicle. The max I would want to tow is 6000 lb trailer loaded.
You will get a lot of opinions, but if you exceed any ratings including payload, your trailer is too heavy. BTW ignore what dealers say, they don't care about your safety.