Yukon Denali 6.2 towing Travel Trailer

[gooffeyguy]

Why no "redline" on the tach is probably because the tach only goes to 6k, which is probably redline

 

[optimusprime]

Also, when y’all are talking about the trailer weighting 5-6K are you referring to empty or loaded weight?


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[89Suburban]

Why no "redline" on the tach is probably because the tach only goes to 6k, which is probably redline

Do our trucks have rev limiters?

 

[avalonandl]

Yep rev limiters are at 6,000 rpm or sumthin like that,,,,,

Trailer weight varies. Most are dry weights and you really have to figure about 1000 lbs more for gear, food, supplies, etc....

 

[swathdiver]

Also, when y’all are talking about the trailer weighting 5-6K are you referring to empty or loaded weight?


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Dry Weight for a Trailer is like Curb Weight for a car or light truck, it's the weight of the vehicle with all options and a full tank of fuel, or in the case of the trailer, batteries and gas (propane). But sometimes those are excluded so you have to check.

My prior references are to a loaded trailer, regardless of what it's dry weight might be as we rarely tow them that way once our wives get inside!

My truck has seen just over 5700 rpms though the motor is rated for 6200 as is the transmission. I think the factory rev limiter is set by computer for 5800 so there is no way for us to manually hold it and go higher and thus no need for a red line marking. Is that right Bill?

 

[gooffeyguy]

I thought curb weight of a vehicle was without fuel?

Gas weighs 7lbs per gallon

A full tank of gas is like adding another person 182-214 lbs

2001 Yukon SLT
2012 Yukon Denali XL
2011 Yukon Denali RIP 5/20/18

 

[Jason101]

Not a Yukon, but I tow 6,400 pounds fully loaded, 30ft Travel Trailer with a 2017 Tahoe (5.3 engine) and I have plenty of power. I have a good WDH with sway control, so I get minimal way

 

[Isaiah W]

I think the tow/haul feature on the (correct me if i'm wrong) 2007+ that has transmission braking is underrated. I use it with no trailer with a fully loaded car through hills/mountains, helps to maintain speed down hills using the transmission.

 

[Jetav8r7]

When our kids were smaller, we started using the travel trailer for vacations. At the time, I had a half-ton Suburban. It was an ultra-light 28' trailer that was about 4500 lbs dry. Loaded for vacation, we were closer to 6,000 lbs.

The engine isn't the problem in the half ton trucks. As others have said, the 6.2 is a great motor. But the weak link is the rear axle. You'll be overloading it, even with weight distribution, if you go much above 6500 lbs or so in trailer weight.

So, bottom line, yes, the truck will pull a travel trailer very well. You want a trailer that's no more than about 5,000-5,500 dry. And if you ever go to an RV dealership, don't listen to a thing the salesman tells you. Check everything using scales. CAT scales charges $11 for a weigh. Cheap insurance.

I tow fairly often near max gross with my 2010. And there ain’t no way in the world I would every let my Tahoe get into that heat range. I have the tow package. But that’s why my tranny lasted me 340,000 miles befor I swapped it out. I kept a critical eye on my trans temps.

 

[optimusprime]

The more I do the math with the GVWR and how much we will be carrying, the more it seems it’s not really feasible. I only have around 500 lbs of hitch weight left over so that puts me at about 5000 max trailer weight, or 3500 dry weight if I leave the 1500lb margin for stuff in the trailer. And that’s with my kids only weighing 50lbs each right now.


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[Bigkevschopshop]

The more I do the math with the GVWR and how much we will be carrying, the more it seems it’s not really feasible. I only have around 500 lbs of hitch weight left over so that puts me at about 5000 max trailer weight, or 3500 dry weight if I leave the 1500lb margin for stuff in the trailer. And that’s with my kids only weighing 50lbs each right now.


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Weight distribution hitch is included in the numbers?

WD hitch, trailer brake controller, you should pull 5k dry weight and all your gear/wife/kids with no problem with a 6.2.

Stock towing capacity for 6.2 is around 8k stock, do a few things and increase that and make it safer, the truck on flat ground will pull more than doing hills. If I can do 5k trailer no weight distribution hitch frequently with a 5.3 with another 1k in the back, you can dang sure do it with a 6.2

My burb loaded down like normal, 22' car hauler, 2500 dry weight, 3500 lb car on back... 12 mpg let it eat...

 

[optimusprime]

Weight distribution hitch is included in the numbers?

WD hitch, trailer brake controller, you should pull 5k dry weight and all your gear/wife/kids with no problem with a 6.2.

Stock towing capacity for 6.2 is around 8k stock, do a few things and increase that and make it safer, the truck on flat ground will pull more than doing hills. If I can do 5k trailer no weight distribution hitch frequently with a 5.3 with another 1k in the back, you can dang sure do it with a 6.2

My burb loaded down like normal, 22' car hauler, 2500 dry weight, 3500 lb car on back... 12 mpg let it eat...

View attachment 239661

I’m just going by the legal numbers. The GVWR of my Yuk is 7400. All loaded up with hitch, passengers and 200# of gear/food,etc we are at 67-6800. That leaves roughly 500 or so lbs left for hitch weight of 10% meaning a 5,000lb trailer. I just don’t know how to get past these numbers.


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[norcalboon]

28ft 5500# dry, total loaded weight (no water) via CAT scale is 12,740 lbs, but as mentioned the weak link is likely the rear axle. Upgraded trans cooler is only mod and it pulls great - also pulled this set up with prior 2005 Yukon XL with the 5.3 and 3.42 - it did OK but screamed in 2nd gear up any hill.

 

[optimusprime]

View attachment 239669

28ft 5500# dry, total loaded weight (no water) via CAT scale is 12,740 lbs, but as mentioned the weak link is likely the rear axle. Upgraded trans cooler is only mod and it pulls great - also pulled this set up with prior 2005 Yukon XL with the 5.3 and 3.42 - it did OK but screamed in 2nd gear up any hill.

Maybe i could get away with more trailer if I move some of the vehicle cargo to the trailer to distribute the weight?


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[Bigkevschopshop]

I’m just going by the legal numbers. The GVWR of my Yuk is 7400. All loaded up with hitch, passengers and 200# of gear/food,etc we are at 67-6800. That leaves roughly 500 or so lbs left for hitch weight of 10% meaning a 5,000lb trailer. I just don’t know how to get past these numbers.


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The GVWR payload of the tow vehicle doesn't subtract from the hitch weight rating.

 

[optimusprime]

The GVWR payload of the tow vehicle doesn't subtract from the hitch weight rating.

Right. But if I have a loaded vehicle that is -6900 lbs, that only leaves around 500 lbs left until I exceed the GVWR. The remaining weight will be used up by the hitch weight correct?


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[Bigkevschopshop]

Right. But if I have a loaded vehicle that is -6900 lbs, that only leaves around 500 lbs left until I exceed the GVWR. The remaining weight will be used up by the hitch weight correct?


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Nope, truck weight is 1 number, trailer weight is another, there is COMBINED GVWR used for DOT thats MAX GVWR of the tow vehicle, and the max of the trailer combined.... Under 26000 lbs requires NO CDL(at least in texas)... You are well under that so don't worry about that either. Now will it squat the truck? YES, if it were me, Coolers and junk I would put in the trailer for the haul anyways to save the rear axle. But that's me. BUT a weight distribution hitch can take a trailer with tongue weight of 800 lbs, make the truck think its only 200 lbs. Honestly weight distribution hitch it, load up and go. Dont skimp on trailer brakes, get a Techonsha brake controller also. Trailer sway control helps keep the rig planted in cross wind situations... BIG HELP.... I have towed trailers for 25 years, from a little bitty 4x8 trailer for lawn tractors, boats of all shapes and sizes, travel trailers from 20 ft to 40 ft, 18 wheelers sitting right at GVWR combined at 80k.

Get out there and enjoy some trailer life with the family.

Thing to remember, loading your tow vehicle down with stuff, the weight is not solely at the very back of the vehicle, the front end takes some of the load, like people/gear in front of the axle, fuel etc its all distributed evenly on front and rear. Its not a definite point you are loading weight on like a hitch...

 

[swathdiver]

I thought curb weight of a vehicle was without fuel?

No, it's measured by the tank being full and without passengers or the driver. Check the EPAs website.

Not a Yukon, but I tow 6,400 pounds fully loaded, 30ft Travel Trailer with a 2017 Tahoe (5.3 engine) and I have plenty of power. I have a good WDH with sway control, so I get minimal way

View attachment 239660

Looks perfectly setup!

I think the tow/haul feature on the (correct me if i'm wrong) 2007+ that has transmission braking is underrated. I use it with no trailer with a fully loaded car through hills/mountains, helps to maintain speed down hills using the transmission.

The 2012 and newer also have trailer sway control programming and improved modes of Powertrain Grade Braking and Cruise Grade Braking.

 

[cacher77]

I have 2018 Tahoe LT Z71 4wd (5.3L) and it tows our travel trailer fine. Mine doesn't have a built in brake controller so I have a Tekonsha P3 aftermarket. I've got 2 kiddos w/ one on the way and we have a Forest River No Boundaries 19.7. 3,900lbs dry, 4,500 fully loaded. Check them out, 23ft w/ tongue, full kitchen/bath, bunk beds, full queen and convertible dining bed. I fit 2 kayaks, inflatable standup paddle board, golf clubs, mountain bike and other toys; plenty of room. I use an Equalizer weight distribution which really helps. Good luck!

 

[optimusprime]

Nope, truck weight is 1 number, trailer weight is another, there is COMBINED GVWR used for DOT thats MAX GVWR of the tow vehicle, and the max of the trailer combined.... Under 26000 lbs requires NO CDL(at least in texas)... You are well under that so don't worry about that either. Now will it squat the truck? YES, if it were me, Coolers and junk I would put in the trailer for the haul anyways to save the rear axle. But that's me. BUT a weight distribution hitch can take a trailer with tongue weight of 800 lbs, make the truck think its only 200 lbs. Honestly weight distribution hitch it, load up and go. Dont skimp on trailer brakes, get a Techonsha brake controller also. Trailer sway control helps keep the rig planted in cross wind situations... BIG HELP.... I have towed trailers for 25 years, from a little bitty 4x8 trailer for lawn tractors, boats of all shapes and sizes, travel trailers from 20 ft to 40 ft, 18 wheelers sitting right at GVWR combined at 80k.

Get out there and enjoy some trailer life with the family.

Thing to remember, loading your tow vehicle down with stuff, the weight is not solely at the very back of the vehicle, the front end takes some of the load, like people/gear in front of the axle, fuel etc its all distributed evenly on front and rear. Its not a definite point you are loading weight on like a hitch...

Hmmm. I have read in multiple other forums that the weight of the trailer that is on the hitch is part of the overall GVWR and needs to be factored into the payload capacity of the rig. Is this incorrect?


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