@Yukon John @40offshr
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/trt-tow-rig-tuesday-show-what-ya-tow.104437/#post-1242802
GM made lots of 2500s you just have to keep an eye out for them. Ebay had a great many for sale recently at once. If you go 2010+ you get the L96 and can run FlexFuel in it.
In 2010, GMC made a Yukon XL SLT 1500 4x4 with the L9H 6.2 and the 9.5 rear axle, so you get the big motor and true 4x4 to stick her in 4LO to muscle out of those slippery ramps.
The 6L90 was only used in the 2500s.
That part I bolded in red, not really. According to my build sheet, in 2008 GM built 5,678 2500 trucks. Compared to the 50k+ half-ton trucks, that's a drop in the bucket.
There's a very narrow demographic of folks that wanted/needed a 6+ passenger heavy-duty (or at least non light duty) tow vehicle, which is why GM killed them after 2013.
To the OP - could you tow the boat with a Denali XL? Sure. For 40 miles twice a year it shouldn't be that big of a deal.
If it was me, here's what I'd do to prepare:
I'd make sure the brakes on the trailer working at peak performance. Manually activating the brake controller should lock one or more wheels of the trailer.
Keep the speed as low as feasible to reduce stress on the rear axle. Avoid highway driving if possible. Speed=heat=bad things happening
From a mileage standpoint, a Denali XL isn't going to be any better than a 2500. Denalis are a dime a dozen, and 2500s are unicorns. But a 2500 is almost 1000 lbs heavier than a Denali XL, and that weight will help keep the tail from wagging the dog. Plus, the added durability of the 2500 should keep maintenance costs down. My '08 2500 has 190k miles, and I've put about $200 total into it over the last five years, not counting fluid changes. Note in my sig that I also have an '09 Sierra Denali, which is virtually identical to an XL Denali, so I do have some basis for reference. I've owned the Suburban longer, but I have several thousand dollars of repairs into the Denali - primarily front wheel hubs, front half-shaft, etc. If I had to pick one, I'd pick the 2500 every time.
