Towing Travel Trailer

[007matman]

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.

Great. Good luck.

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[RobH]

I pulled my 2020 Grand Design Imagine 23BHE for the first time over the weekend with my 2020 RST...

It's hard to tell, but it looks as though the rear end of your Tahoe might be down a little. And the front might be up a little, which might mean a little less weight on the steering wheels and tires.

Did you weigh the trailer as loaded and get the tongue weight and axle weight and ensure that the tongue weight was 10-15% of the axle weight? Except for my first trip with a U-Haul trailer, I have had no trouble with sway with heavy trailers including a 24 foot Argosy, 31 foot Airstream, and a 34 foot Holiday Rambler. I always made sure the tongue weight was 10-15% of the total trailer weight.

For the last one, the 34 foot Holiday Rambler, I took it from where I bought it to some scales a couple of miles away to check weights on the way home. I understand manufacturers are more honest with weights than they used to be, but there can be a big difference between advertised empty weight without options and weight as delivered.

Also, my 2016 Tahoe owners manual says to adjust the weight distribution spring bars so that the height of the front wheel lip above the pavement is "...the same after coupling the trailer to the tow vehicle and adjusting the hitch." It doesn't say anything about having the engine running and the automatic leveling compressor active while adjusting the spring bars. My understanding was to adjust the spring bars and then start the engine. Do you see something in your manual which suggests otherwise?

 

[RobH]

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

I think that you will be a lot happier with this trailer. After you get it loaded, it shouldn't be over 6,000 pounds. The route you are taking should not be a challenge engine performance wise and you can get an idea of how your Tahoe handles a load.

The trailer floor plan looks like my brother's Starcraft 26 footer. I think I'm going to add the Kodiak to my Craigslist and RVTrader search.

 

[007matman]

All WD hitches should be adjusted with the Self-leveling feature turned off or disabled. The vehicle manufacturer usually doesn't call it out in the owner's manual. Some of the hitch manufacturer's do but not all.. if you call them they'll tell you to disable it.

Without the system on, you should be able to get the vehicle back to almost regular measurements.

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[IROCQUE]

View attachment 253058

It's hard to tell, but it looks as though the rear end of your Tahoe might be down a little. And the front might be up a little, which might mean a little less weight on the steering wheels and tires.

Did you weigh the trailer as loaded and get the tongue weight and axle weight and ensure that the tongue weight was 10-15% of the axle weight? Except for my first trip with a U-Haul trailer, I have had no trouble with sway with heavy trailers including a 24 foot Argosy, 31 foot Airstream, and a 34 foot Holiday Rambler. I always made sure the tongue weight was 10-15% of the total trailer weight.

For the last one, the 34 foot Holiday Rambler, I took it from where I bought it to some scales a couple of miles away to check weights on the way home. I understand manufacturers are more honest with weights than they used to be, but there can be a big difference between advertised empty weight without options and weight as delivered.

Also, my 2016 Tahoe owners manual says to adjust the weight distribution spring bars so that the height of the front wheel lip above the pavement is "...the same after coupling the trailer to the tow vehicle and adjusting the hitch." It doesn't say anything about having the engine running and the automatic leveling compressor active while adjusting the spring bars. My understanding was to adjust the spring bars and then start the engine. Do you see something in your manual which suggests otherwise?

I measured the ride height on the front and the rear after the distribution bars were put on. Front was 38.0" and rear was 37.5" as what was recommended by Fastway. That was after with the magnetic air leveled out. Before that it measured at 38.5" on the front and 37" on the rear. However the bars still had some minimal play with some force by hand so the weight did not distribute evenly and was not putting brute force on the L brackets. Re-adjusted it to another notch higher and that's when it even out with the magnetic leveled. The bars was had more weight on the L brackets it was impossible to move even with the tool. I'm planning to take the trailer to a Cat scale here in greater Toronto area which is an hour away before we head out on next weekend trip to weigh it with all the gear in it minus water. I never pulled with water on any of my previous RV's as that can contribute to sway as well.

 

[Steve Getz]

My ltz pulls our camper fully loaded at a guesstimated 7,000 pounds

 

[IROCQUE]

My ltz pulls our camper fully loaded at a guesstimated 7,000 pounds

View attachment 253097

So do you pull with water tanks full? I used to have a 2018 Starcraft 187TB which was much shorter and lighter with the tanks full. It didn't feel like I was hauling anything behind the Tahoe.

 

[RobH]

Water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon. Depending on the location of the water tank on the trailer, its weight might be primarily on the axles or in between the axle and the tongue, in which case it would add some to the tongue weight, which might be desirable. Or it might reduce the tongue weight if behind the axle. All else equal, more weight, including the grey water and black water tanks, means more work for the engine and some increment of load on the trailer suspension and hitch.

For me, it depends on how much hills I expect and whether I can get water easily where I'm going. If I expect water to be short, I might carry it with me (tanker it), including some five gallon water jugs in the shower.

A five gallon jug in the shower weighs 40 pounds. Five of them weigh 200 pounds, which is about what I weigh when I stand in the shower. I am putting my weight on my two feet, which is a lot more pounds per square inch than the five gallon water jugs. Of course, the shower location may have some effect on tongue weight, which can be evaluated. I've done weight and balance calculations in aviation for years, where weight affects performance, and balance affects control, just like trailers.

 

[RobH]

I measured the ride height on the front and the rear after the distribution bars were put on. Front was 38.0" and rear was 37.5" as what was recommended by Fastway...

View attachment 253085

Sounds and looks like you're good, then.

It used to be, before active air leveling systems, the protocol was to adjust the bars so that the front and rear of the vehicle both went down the same, with the goal being to split the tongue weight evenly between the front and rear. The biggest thing is to not load down the rear and lighten the load on the wheels at the front doing the steering of the vehicle.

 

[Cpta88]

I’m running a 2018 suburban with max tow. I have a 2015 jayco white hawk, 24ft it’s 6800lbs loaded with all our crap and with the WD hitch it goes great!!

I will say I would not go any bigger than this, I tow a lot between this and my dump trailer and this is comfortable for me. I towed a friends slightly larger trailer and although still wishing my tow rating was scratchy as hell.

 

[bruce kelly]

Some comments about pulling trailers over 40 years and 100K miles.
1. set up the spring bars on the hitch (I had a Reese) so both bumpers go down about the same amount. The spring bars will seem unreasonably tight and will protest with turns and going into driveways. Put some grease on the pivots for the bars. My tow vehicle (suburban or Yukon XL) did not have load leveling feature, I would turn it off during setup.
2. My trailers liked to be loaded more at the front, fresh water tank was in front, waste at rear, travel with front tank full and rear tank empty.
3. I did not have a sway-control device. Direction when I started was "if trailer sways, tighten bars one notch"
4. My first tow vehicle was an Oldsmobile big wagon about 1976. It had a 455 cid. After the first trip, I upgraded to a suburban 305. Never found anyplace I couldn't go, but going up the Platte river into a head wind all day in second gear at 3500 rpm got old. after 238K I upgraded to 5.7. When I started, I spoke with Oldsmobile lubrication engineer about towing loads. The Oldsmobile v8 was rated for industrial applications for up to 3500 rpm for continuous operation. I used that limit with all my tow vehicles. With 30 years newer design and lubricants, I would go to 4000 today.
5. Pay attention to transmission. Some models unlocked the torque converter before downshifting. With the torque converter unlocked the transmission will overheat in a short time. My 93 pickup was the first year to do that and I noticed it the first time I pulled. The truck was recalled to reroute the transmission vent so it would not spray oil on the exhaust manifold when the transmission overheated, instead of fixing the control to prevent overheating. The early trail blazer suffered from this. I think it has been fixed on later models. If you run into the unlock issue, downshift, the converter will lock in the lower gear.
6. I never found the need to add engine or transmission cooling accessories for trailers under 5000 pounds with little attention. Olds lubrication engineer said to change engine oil when you get home.

I no longer have a trailer larger than a 3500 pound boat, and my current 18 suburban handles it easily and I don't need the factory installed heavy duty trailer stuff.

 

[Bob2C]

Some comments about pulling trailers over 40 years and 100K miles.
1. set up the spring bars on the hitch (I had a Reese) so both bumpers go down about the same amount. The spring bars will seem unreasonably tight and will protest with turns and going into driveways. Put some grease on the pivots for the bars. My tow vehicle (suburban or Yukon XL) did not have load leveling feature, I would turn it off during setup.
2. My trailers liked to be loaded more at the front, fresh water tank was in front, waste at rear, travel with front tank full and rear tank empty.
3. I did not have a sway-control device. Direction when I started was "if trailer sways, tighten bars one notch"
4. My first tow vehicle was an Oldsmobile big wagon about 1976. It had a 455 cid. After the first trip, I upgraded to a suburban 305. Never found anyplace I couldn't go, but going up the Platte river into a head wind all day in second gear at 3500 rpm got old. after 238K I upgraded to 5.7. When I started, I spoke with Oldsmobile lubrication engineer about towing loads. The Oldsmobile v8 was rated for industrial applications for up to 3500 rpm for continuous operation. I used that limit with all my tow vehicles. With 30 years newer design and lubricants, I would go to 4000 today.
5. Pay attention to transmission. Some models unlocked the torque converter before downshifting. With the torque converter unlocked the transmission will overheat in a short time. My 93 pickup was the first year to do that and I noticed it the first time I pulled. The truck was recalled to reroute the transmission vent so it would not spray oil on the exhaust manifold when the transmission overheated, instead of fixing the control to prevent overheating. The early trail blazer suffered from this. I think it has been fixed on later models. If you run into the unlock issue, downshift, the converter will lock in the lower gear.
6. I never found the need to add engine or transmission cooling accessories for trailers under 5000 pounds with little attention. Olds lubrication engineer said to change engine oil when you get home.

I no longer have a trailer larger than a 3500 pound boat, and my current 18 suburban handles it easily and I don't need the factory installed heavy duty trailer stuff.

Great info. Much appreciated. Plans changed. Not going up through PA to NY so I don’t have to deal with the mountains. Going to southern VA. Should be an easy pull.


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[Bob2C]

Well halfway through my trip. Truck pulls this trailer with absolutely no problem. The leveling suspension is great too. Going down steep grades I hardly touch the brake. It downshifts soo aggressively it holds back. RPMs shoot up to around 4500. Highways trans temps hover between 194-199. Side roads about 201 but just yesterday in heavy stop and go it got up to 210. So all in all very pleased.

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[swathdiver]

Well halfway through my trip. Truck pulls this trailer with absolutely no problem. The leveling suspension is great too. Going down steep grades I hardly touch the brake. It downshifts soo aggressively it holds back. RPMs shoot up to around 4500. Highways trans temps hover between 194-199. Side roads about 201 but just yesterday in heavy stop and go it got up to 210. So all in all very pleased.

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Great news and sounds like you're having a good time!

 

[Bob2C]

Great news and sounds like you're having a good time!

Yeah. Family had a blast. Towing the trailer was a breeze with this truck. No sway and plenty of power in the 5.3 although I have a tune. The only downside outside my home area premium is almost 3 a gallon where I went. Around me it’s 2.30. Next time I’ll probably go a bit longer with bump-outs on the trailer. It can easily handle it.


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[bigdog9191999]

trans cooler may be in order if all else is good, if for nothing more than longevity.

 

[007matman]

Best piece of advice I can give is buy yourself an OBD2 reader and the Torque Pro app.

Install the guages to keep an eye on the engine temps and the trans temp. If it's anything like my rig, you'll be shocked at some of the temps you'll see that don't show up on those idiot guages installed in the dash.

Your rig is new enough that you'll probably be fine for a while.

I never had any questions on if my Esky could pull our rig. In fact, it seemed to do so with surprising ease... 415 HP will do that. However, as the stuff started breaking and then breaking again I eventually got wise.

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[tim crow]

All WD hitches should be adjusted with the Self-leveling feature turned off or disabled. The vehicle manufacturer usually doesn't call it out in the owner's manual. Some of the hitch manufacturer's do but not all.. if you call them they'll tell you to disable it.

Without the system on, you should be able to get the vehicle back to almost regular measurements.

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How do you disable the self leveling? Are you supposed to turn it back on when towing or leave it off the entire time?

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[007matman]

How do you disable the self leveling? Are you supposed to turn it back on when towing or leave it off the entire time?

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You can either pull the relay or the fuse (or both). You just want to ensure that it doesn't turn on (inflate) when adjusting the hitch. After you have it dialed in, then you can reconnect the system.

The goal is to only have the leveling system adjust to make the vehicle level. Not to support the additional weight of the camper. Doing so is dangerous and will likely lead to issues.

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[Sltx1050]

You can either pull the relay or the fuse (or both). You just want to ensure that it doesn't turn on (inflate) when adjusting the hitch. After you have it dialed in, then you can reconnect the system.

The goal is to only have the leveling system adjust to make the vehicle level. Not to support the additional weight of the camper. Doing so is dangerous and will likely lead to issues.

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2018 Tahoe Manual states other wise it says to adjust equalizer after leveling with

How do you disable the self leveling? Are you supposed to turn it back on when towing or leave it off the entire time?

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According to owners manual pain the automatic level control section you should let it level first then configure the WD Hitch.