Yukon Denali 6.2 towing Travel Trailer

[optimusprime]

Therein lies my problem Andrew. I do not know, just guessing based on research. I do not have a trailer with a WDH so I cannot play with the tension and keep weighing the whole setup at the CAT scales. But if and when I buy one, that's what I'll do. I'm hoping that someone here knows of a correlation between how many links of chain equals such and such to this axle and that axle. Then I could modify the calculator for the benefit of all. It's still a work in progress and demands peer review.

Thanks for all your help. I’m so new to this whole thing I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. I think part of what confuses me is seeing so many people towing heavy rigs with the same vehicle as me but seeing numbers that don’t seem to make that possible for me. And then add to it trying to figuring out how the weight distribution system works and how that effects the weight of the hitch itself...oh man.


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[swathdiver]

Thanks for all your help. I’m so new to this whole thing I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. I think part of what confuses me is seeing so many people towing heavy rigs with the same vehicle as me but seeing numbers that don’t seem to make that possible for me. And then add to it trying to figuring out how the weight distribution system works and how that effects the weight of the hitch itself...oh man.

I think it's safe to say that a great many are way overloaded! The chassis and engine can handle it, the weakest link on trucks with the 5.3s or AWD 6.2s is the carrier in those 8.6 rear axles.

Our vehicles are similar, I was looking for a trailer with a dry weight of well under 5,000 pounds. There's one I really like that has a dry weight of 3,925 pounds with a tongue weight of 580 pounds. There's another (the example in the calculator) that weighs 4,860 pounds but has a tongue weight of just 510 pounds. According to the manufacturer of these two trailers, the heavier one will tow properly with its lighter tongue weight compared with the lighter one with it higher tongue weight. Have a headache? Me too!

 

[Bigkevschopshop]

Wow, this thread went 8 pages... cant believe its still going.....

 

[Derick]

Thanks for all your help. I’m so new to this whole thing I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. I think part of what confuses me is seeing so many people towing heavy rigs with the same vehicle as me but seeing numbers that don’t seem to make that possible for me. And then add to it trying to figuring out how the weight distribution system works and how that effects the weight of the hitch itself...oh man.


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Keep in mind a few things......what are the years of what you're looking at vs what they have. Around 2007/2008 they went to the 'ultralight' designs. That will drastically cut the weight. So if you're thinking of a little older 23', you can see another guy towing a newer 30' with no trouble because of the weight difference and construction changes. So, just something to think about. But yea, I kinda made the same assumptions with my toyota sequoia......V8, full size SUV, should tow anything, right? Not so much. It can do it, but it will burn out components that much quicker in the process.

 

[intheburbs]

Therein lies my problem Andrew. I do not know, just guessing based on research. I do not have a trailer with a WDH so I cannot play with the tension and keep weighing the whole setup at the CAT scales. But if and when I buy one, that's what I'll do. I'm hoping that someone here knows of a correlation between how many links of chain equals such and such to this axle and that axle. Then I could modify the calculator for the benefit of all. It's still a work in progress and demands peer review.

Too many variables. There are weight bars with different ratings, different ways of attaching them, and different hitch interfaces. Best way to do it is to spend a few hours at the CAT scales playing with the different tension/link settings. That's what I did when I first started towing.

But I did notice that whenever I tried to relieve weight off the rear axle, either by cranking up the weight bars or shifting cargo, it did indeed make the trailer more prone to sway. I had the basic friction brake sway control.

This was our first rig. I believe the trailer was 4550 lbs. Half-ton Suburban, and of course the kids were much smaller (and lighter). My twin boys are both 6 feet and 200 lbs now. The lighter trailers are called "half-ton towables."

 

[swathdiver]

Too many variables. There are weight bars with different ratings, different ways of attaching them, and different hitch interfaces. Best way to do it is to spend a few hours at the CAT scales playing with the different tension/link settings. That's what I did when I first started towing.

Yeah, that's been the dilemma with this. I wanted to produce something that would get us close and knowing that there are different ways of tensioning and shifting loads, left it more manual. But I have to thank you again Bill, for in playing with the calculator for a few hours these past few nights, it seems the weights must come down if one is to maintain the proper percentage of hitch weight and keeping the truck's balance proper and level or near so. The best way to carry more weight is stick everybody and the dog in the trailer and keep the truck light!

While I have you here, what are your thoughts on this? When I was writing this stuff up, I went through every owner's manual and discovered that the WDH rating for 2010-2012 was 1,100 pounds but before and after is 1,000 pounds.

Then for your 2500s, They are all 1,000 pounds WCH and 1,500 pounds WDH except in 2010 the WCH is 1,100 pounds and in 2013 they are the same as the 1500s, 600/1,000.

 

[intheburbs]

On my '08, the sticker on the receiver says 600/1000. So technically, I'm overloading it with the ~1,120 tongue weight of my trailer. Doubly so because I'm not using WD. So that makes me a bad person.

I think GM has had some issues with the numbers in the owners manuals. I've seen different weight ratings in the manuals of different years of the same platform. My '08 should have the exact same ratings as every other 2500 Suburban from 2007 to 2013. No changes were made during that time, but yet the manuals for the various years have different numbers. I'd be willing to wager that the sticker on the receiver of every 2500 Burb from those years is the same. Hell, most of the suspension bits on my truck go all the way back to 1999. I have torsion bars up front, and leafs in the rear, and no rear sway bar. The production numbers were too low for GM to bother with tweaks in between model years.

 

[swathdiver]

On my '08, the sticker on the receiver says 600/1000. So technically, I'm overloading it with the ~1,120 tongue weight of my trailer. Doubly so because I'm not using WD. So that makes me a bad person.

I think GM has had some issues with the numbers in the owners manuals. I've seen different weight ratings in the manuals of different years of the same platform. My '08 should have the exact same ratings as every other 2500 Suburban from 2007 to 2013. No changes were made during that time, but yet the manuals for the various years have different numbers. I'd be willing to wager that the sticker on the receiver of every 2500 Burb from those years is the same. Hell, most of the suspension bits on my truck go all the way back to 1999. I have torsion bars up front, and leafs in the rear, and no rear sway bar. The production numbers were too low for GM to bother with tweaks in between model years.

I think it's a lack of attention to detail since you have the same sticker on the back as I do. Yours should be 1,100/1,500 so you are good. If GM bumped them up for marketing purposes, then the 1500s should be good for 600/1,100.

Like you, I've seen none or read of any changes to the platform during its run.

 

[Blone]

I pull a 23 ft travel trailer with a 2010 5.3 L Tahoe with no problem.

 

[wjburken]

I think it's a lack of attention to detail since you have the same sticker on the back as I do. Yours should be 1,100/1,500 so you are good. If GM bumped them up for marketing purposes, then the 1500s should be good for 600/1,100.

Like you, I've seen none or read of any changes to the platform during its run.

I rented a 2WD 2019 Tahoe this week for work (VIN - 1GNSCBKC2KR331221) and this is what is on the receiver. Didn’t think to grab photo of door sticker.