Towing Travel Trailer

[Bob2C]

ill add my 2 cents as someone who has towed a travel trailer for years when working pipeline. Sway hitch will help a ton. The vehicle can do it fine and trans temps will exceed 200 but if it starts to get overly hot it will warn you.

Use your display to watch the temps if it helps you feel comfortable. In the mountains when downhill be gentle on any brakes used since the trailer will be pushing at that point you can create a sway condition. I usually coast down hill and if it gets a bit pushy or quick I lightly apply the trailer brakes manually.

properly set tongue weight. It makes a huge difference in how things will handle. Also do not over inflate the tires. Once loaded you can chalk the tires and drive a few feet and see your tread pattern. You want full contact but not eating the sidewall edges.

For the earlier question on the TSC and stabilitrack, basically the vehicle will individually brake each will as needed to counter the sway while also applying trailer brakes if it feels need to do so to help. Its a huge help but it has limitations a wildly swaying trailer can still get away from it. The big thing is besides how you brake with sway is keeping your steering pointed to where you want to be. Keep the wheel straight do not try to counter steer it you will just exaggerate the sway.

Last travel trailer I pulled was with my 2016 LS tahoe. It was a 28 footer and old. I was near capacity and pulled it about 250 miles. It pulled fantastic. Ive pulled a much lighter trailer thought that would not distribute well and it pulled like crap. And currently I often pull a mini excavator home from work as im doing some clearing and it pulls great. Every trailer is different and you may have to stop and adjust a time or 2 to feel comfortable and that is OK.

Also use tow mode for sure. Tow mode uses a different set of tables and makes a difference in keeping within the power band when getting going down the road. A longer wheelbase would be more stable and ideal for sure but with proper setup and learning the rig the smaller wheelbase can do it.

Thank you. Much appreciated.


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[bde269]

id rent a diesel truck and pull the trailer and family with that . be safe and make it back home to tell us how she pulled

 

[RobH]

So am I reading this correctly? 1k tongue weight, 10k max trailer weight

The devil is in the details.

See the small print on the sticker that says "Tow vehicle maximum trailer rating may be less." The hitch is built to go on more than one vehicle, like on a 2500 Suburban. The manufacturer doesn't know on what vehicle it will be installed. So they put in the statement quoted.

More details. In my Tahoe owner's manual, it says that weight of cargo and passengers in the tow vehicle have to be subtracted from the trailer weight rating in the manual. Presumably you're going to have some family and gear in your tow vehicle.

Depending on how far you are going and how much mountains, an increased capacity transmission cooler like the Tru-Cool 40k 007matman mentioned will help keep both the engine and transmission fluid temps down. Consider a transmission fluid thermostat to keep the transmission fluid temps from being too cool the rest of the year. Or pull the extra capacity cooler after Labor Day, assuming you are home by then.

 

[Tiredmechanic23]

The devil is in the details.

See the small print on the sticker that says "Tow vehicle maximum trailer rating may be less." The hitch is built to go on more than one vehicle, like on a 2500 Suburban. The manufacturer doesn't know on what vehicle it will be installed. So they put in the statement quoted.

More details. In my Tahoe owner's manual, it says that weight of cargo and passengers in the tow vehicle have to be subtracted from the trailer weight rating in the manual. Presumably you're going to have some family and gear in your tow vehicle.

Depending on how far you are going and how much mountains, an increased capacity transmission cooler like the Tru-Cool 40k 007matman mentioned will help keep both the engine and transmission fluid temps down. Consider a transmission fluid thermostat to keep the transmission fluid temps from being too cool the rest of the year. Or pull the extra capacity cooler after Labor Day, assuming you are home by then.

He will already have a factory trans thermostat in the cooler line block on the side of the trans. Its very common to delete it all year long. Trans temps are drastically cooler when towing even with the factory trans cooler once the thermostat is out.

 

[dubyagee01]

I have a Denali with an 8500 lbs towing capacity and towed a car trailer through north Georgia. Straight hitch. No trailer brakes. Pulled great but braking was at its limit. Engine braking and a cautious speed is what kept my brakes from burning on those hills. I was at 4-5000 pounds. These half ton yukes suburbans and hoes can pull 8500 but dont like it at all. Bent shocks, blown engine (in a friends suburban towing a 30 foot camper) engine mounts and brake wear makes it not worth it to me.

With a 19 foot enclosed trailer I have to keep my Denali below 70 to keep it out of lower gears at speed and keep the fuel usage at a decent rate.

 

[RobH]

He will already have a factory trans thermostat in the cooler line block on the side of the trans. Its very common to delete it all year long. Trans temps are drastically cooler when towing even with the factory trans cooler once the thermostat is out.

Didn't know we had a factory trans thermostat. I'll be watching my transmission temps to see how they behave.

 

[Danny3737]

Keep a close eye on your trans temp

 

[Bob2C]

This is what I’m looking to tow. Still on the fence

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[007matman]

This is what I’m looking to tow. Still on the fence

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IMO, that's too much trailer.

You're going to have issues. Best off finding a newer 1500 with Max tow (rated 11k plus) or a 3/4 ton + truck.

I had camper dealers tell me all the time I could pull the size of trailer I bought and even more. I also had folks on this forum tell me the same.

Money was an issue for me and I needed the ability to haul 6 people. The crew cab works because I can do a bench in both the front and rear with my year truck because a center jump seat was optional. I just pulled out the center console and replaced it with a used center jump seat.

You want something with a gross (max loaded) of under 6000lbs for that vehicle. For me, I couldn't find anything that would sleep 6 that was within that spec.

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[Tiredmechanic23]

Didn't know we had a factory trans thermostat. I'll be watching my transmission temps to see how they behave.

cant remember if its open point is 180 or 190 but its one of the 2. Even the 1500s have them but the 2500s do not. Its a efficiency thing for the EPA ratings if not mistaken. I plan to pull mine soon just got to have time. I rarely see over 190 though since my trans build.

 

[RobH]

It sounds like a really attractive trip. Are you planning to stay east of the Mississippi River or go out west? Denver starts out a mile high and elevations go up from there.

That trailer loaded plus a family of five or six and their gear in the Tahoe would be a goodly load. Don't feel that you have to answer the following questions for me. They are just things you might consider. You may already be familiar with them.

It looks like they might be providing the hitch with the trailer rental. I would have expected a 2 5/16" trailer ball on a trailer that size and weight. Slide outs are nice. But they weigh about five hundred pounds more than the same floor plan without the slide out. Are the kids young enough for stacking them on bunk beds in a "bunkhouse" model?
The goal might be to rent a trailer with a 1000 less GVWR.

Paper plates. No one likes doing the dishes. And it uses fresh water and helps fill the grey water tank.

What is the total weight of the other members of your family besides you?

The driver, within reason, is a freebie when loading the Tahoe. As is fuel at 6 pounds per gallon. But the weight of passengers and cargo in the Tahoe are supposed to be subtracted from your max trailer weight of 8,600 pounds. It's in the fine print in the towing section of my Tahoe Owner's Manual.

How much cargo will be in the Tahoe?

And cargo in the trailer? If full, that 40 gallon fresh water tank will weigh 332 pounds.

The only way to know for sure on the weights is to weigh the total rig and then the front and rear axles of the Tahoe and the rear axles of the trailer. And compare the weights to the Front and rear axle gross weights for the Tahoe and for the trailer.

What the factory says you can tow on the level at sea level doesn't really relate to what you can do driving to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Or the Rocky Mountain National Park.

You might consider doing a two or three day trial run to a nearby state park in a higher elevation close by. And weigh the rig as loaded for the trip.

Don't know how many people you want in the Tahoe. Can you leave your third row seats at home?

Can you leave your second and third row seats at home and have the others drive in a second car with only a passenger (lighter) with you in the Tahoe?

For what it is worth, I figure my Tahoe LT 2WD with the NHT Max Trailering Package is good for me and my wife and things and a trailer with a max loaded weight of 5,500 pounds (12,000 combined) going over the ~ 9,000 foot passes out west.

I know that it is rated for 14,000 pounds combined weight. But I know how my brother's Yukon XL 6.2 liter with 3.42 rear axle handled pulling his older, heavy, 21 foot trailer with a claimed weight of 3,000 pounds over a 9,000 foot pass last summer on a trip to Yellowstone. The Yukon XL weighs about 400 pounds more than a Tahoe. That's why the Tahoe has a greater trailer weight rating than the long wheelbase models.



There was a little bit of huffing and puffing going on with three of us in the Yukon. And a couple of "pull over in a turn off, put it in neutral, let cars behind us pass, and let the engine and transmission cool down some". Some of the grades can be steep with long ascents.

East entrance to Yellowstone.

 

[Bob2C]

It sounds like a really attractive trip. Are you planning to stay east of the Mississippi River or go out west? Denver starts out a mile high and elevations go up from there.

That trailer loaded plus a family of five or six and their gear in the Tahoe would be a goodly load. Don't feel that you have to answer the following questions for me. They are just things you might consider. You may already be familiar with them.

It looks like they might be providing the hitch with the trailer rental. I would have expected a 2 5/16" trailer ball on a trailer that size and weight. Slide outs are nice. But they weigh about five hundred pounds more than the same floor plan without the slide out. Are the kids young enough for stacking them on bunk beds in a "bunkhouse" model?
The goal might be to rent a trailer with a 1000 less GVWR.

Paper plates. No one likes doing the dishes. And it uses fresh water and helps fill the grey water tank.

What is the total weight of the other members of your family besides you?

The driver, within reason, is a freebie when loading the Tahoe. As is fuel at 6 pounds per gallon. But the weight of passengers and cargo in the Tahoe are supposed to be subtracted from your max trailer weight of 8,600 pounds. It's in the fine print in the towing section of my Tahoe Owner's Manual.

How much cargo will be in the Tahoe?

And cargo in the trailer? If full, that 40 gallon fresh water tank will weigh 332 pounds.

The only way to know for sure on the weights is to weigh the total rig and then the front and rear axles of the Tahoe and the rear axles of the trailer. And compare the weights to the Front and rear axle gross weights for the Tahoe and for the trailer.

What the factory says you can tow on the level at sea level doesn't really relate to what you can do driving to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Or the Rocky Mountain National Park.

You might consider doing a two or three day trial run to a nearby state park in a higher elevation close by. And weigh the rig as loaded for the trip.

Don't know how many people you want in the Tahoe. Can you leave your third row seats at home?

Can you leave your second and third row seats at home and have the others drive in a second car with only a passenger (lighter) with you in the Tahoe?

For what it is worth, I figure my Tahoe LT 2WD with the NHT Max Trailering Package is good for me and my wife and things and a trailer with a max loaded weight of 5,500 pounds (12,000 combined) going over the ~ 9,000 foot passes out west.

I know that it is rated for 14,000 pounds combined weight. But I know how my brother's Yukon XL 6.2 liter handled pulling his older, heavy, 21 foot trailer with a claimed weight of 3,000 pounds over a 9,000 foot pass last summer on a trip to Yellowstone. The Yukon XL weighs about 400 pounds more than a Tahoe.

View attachment 252975

There was a little bit of huffing and puffing going on with three of us in the Yukon. And a couple of "pull over in a turn off, put it in neutral, let cars behind us pass, and let the engine and transmission cool down some". Some of the grades can be steep with long ascents.

East entrance to Yellowstone.

View attachment 252976

Great info here. The trip will be going from Virginia to Cooperstown NY up 81. I have gone through PA before In my vehicle and it’s not a bad drive. I think the highest elevation is 1500ft around mountain top in northeast PA. Just 2 adults and 2 kids. I did however after reading some advice decide not to get the trailer mentioned initially. I am now considering this one which I believe should be fine. I won’t be pulling huge inclines and we are stopping along the way and any one part of the drive is around 3 hours.

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[MainelyScott]

The smaller trailer will be good. I have a 2019 Tahoe with trailer package, added a brake module, and use the "Equalizer" hitch setup. And I use the "trailer" button. I've towed my Winnebago 2108 DS (3900 lbs. dry) about 15000 miles with no problems.

 

[Shunto]

http://changingears.com/rv-sec-calc-trailer-weight-tt.shtml

Hope this Helps.

 

[IROCQUE]

I pulled my 2020 Grand Design Imagine 23BHE for the first time over the weekend with my 2020 RST. The weight of my trailer is about 5500lbs dry add about another 850lbs with gear and food. The Imagine is over 27 foot long which I believe is the max for a SWB (Tahoe of Yukon). Towed ok. I still experience a bit of sway but still manageable. I'm using the Equil-lizer Fastway E2 weight distribution system with 800lb friction bars which did help a lot. You just need to be sure they are adjusted correctly especially if your Tahoe is equipped with the Magnetic Ride suspension with the auto-leveling. Mine was not installed at the correct height when I first picked up my trailer from the dealer. The engine needs to be running during the fitment and adjustment in order for the compressor to fill up the suspension in order to get the correct level with all the tongue weight on the ball. This way it can compensate for the excessive sag and the weight for the bars to be correctly adjusted accordingly. If you are just a weekender and not going any long hauls full-time I think you should be fine. I tried looking in YouTube if anybody uses a Tahoe or Yukon to pull their RV's and they are not too many of them doing this. It's "do able" but rare.

 

[PG01]

I pulled my 2020 Grand Design Imagine 23BHE for the first time over the weekend with my 2020 RST. The weight of my trailer is about 5500lbs dry add about another 850lbs with gear and food. The Imagine is over 27 foot long which I believe is the max for a SWB (Tahoe of Yukon). Towed ok. I still experience a bit of sway but still manageable. I'm using the Equil-lizer Fastway E2 weight distribution system with 800lb friction bars which did help a lot. You just need to be sure they are adjusted correctly especially if your Tahoe is equipped with the Magnetic Ride suspension with the auto-leveling. Mine was not installed at the correct height when I first picked up my trailer from the dealer. The engine needs to be running during the fitment and adjustment in order for the compressor to fill up the suspension in order to get the correct level with all the tongue weight on the ball. This way it can compensate for the excessive sag and the weight for the bars to be correctly adjusted accordingly. If you are just a weekender and not going any long hauls full-time I think you should be fine. I tried looking in YouTube if anybody uses a Tahoe or Yukon to pull their RV's and they are not too many of them doing this. It's "do able" but rare.

View attachment 252992

View attachment 252991

Just curious..... what can possibly be in that roof top box that didn’t fit inside the trailer?

 

[007matman]

Just my two cents.

Pulling a trailer once or twice with a new vehicle isn't exactly an exhaustive test of towing capacity or would assist in uncovering what potential issues are down the road.

GM hasn't really changed the basic technology behind these rigs in probably 20 years. My 2004 Denali had Air-ride suspension (and an iron-block V8 which was probably more durable than these Aluminum block variants based on the same design. My 2010 Esky has Mag-ride and Air-ride.

The issues that seem to persist from year-to year are very consistent regardless of the metal wrapper that's placed around it.

Ok. Carry on.

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[IROCQUE]

Just curious..... what can possibly be in that roof top box that didn’t fit inside the trailer?

I carried a few extra camping folding chairs in the Thule roof carrier and an outdoor metal clothes dryer. It was just a test to see if the roof carrier was necessary plus my wife didn't want them in the new trailer as they would roll around.

 

[IROCQUE]

Just my two cents.

Pulling a trailer once or twice with a new vehicle isn't exactly an exhaustive test of towing capacity or would assist in uncovering what potential issues are down the road.

GM hasn't really changed the basic technology behind these rigs in probably 20 years. My 2004 Denali had Air-ride suspension (and an iron-block V8 which was probably more durable than these Aluminum block variants based on the same design. My 2010 Esky has Mag-ride and Air-ride.

The issues that seem to persist from year-to year are very consistent regardless of the metal wrapper that's placed around it.

Ok. Carry on.

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I didn't start pulling the trailer right away, drove this Tahoe for about 5000km on it more than what GM had recommended. My 2018 Tahoe LS had the 5.3 and the revs where much higher on hills and didn't have the magnetic ride suspension and there was a little more visible sag on the rear too.

 

[PG01]

I carried a few extra camping folding chairs in the Thule roof carrier and an outdoor metal clothes dryer. It was just a test to see if the roof carrier was necessary plus my wife didn't want them in the new trailer as they would roll around.

I was just busting your chops..