Towing with 2011 Yukon Denali

[gooffeyguy]

Thanks for the information! I'll keep an eye on the rpms and see what mine does. Real newbie question, what would the factory external transmission cooler look like? Attached to the radiator? Or would that be an engine cooler? Thanks!

The external trans cooler is mounted just behind the grill and looks like this...

 

[donjetman]

Stock External Trans Cooler

 

[swathdiver]

Thanks for the information! I'll keep an eye on the rpms and see what mine does. Real newbie question, what would the factory external transmission cooler look like? Attached to the radiator? Or would that be an engine cooler? Thanks!

Basically like this depending on the model of truck in this generation:



The transmission oil cooler lines come out of the transmission on the driver's side. They cross underneath the transmission to the passenger's side and move forward into the right side tank of the radiator. If the vehicle also has the external cooler in the photo, a line will come out of the transmission cooler in the radiator and into this cooler and return to the transmission.



Well, looks like the fellas beat me to it! Should have read through before posting! LOL

Dave, what kind of gears do you have to arrive at those RPMs and at what speed is that? @Geotrash

 

[Geotrash]

Dave, what kind of gears do you have to arrive at those RPMs and at what speed is that? @Geotrash

3:43 gears, running between 60 and 65.

 

[swathdiver]

3:43 gears, running between 60 and 65.

Ok, something like this ring a bell? This is with 275-55-20s, full tread depth, no slippage on the converter.

One thing I recently learned is that by going with a 3.73 gear for example, those 3rd through 5th RPMs at 70 drop to 65. Add 4.10s and they drop to 60 mph. Top speed drops too!

 

[Geotrash]

View attachment 371744

Ok, something like this ring a bell? This is with 275-55-20s, full tread depth, no slippage on the converter.

One thing I recently learned is that by going with a 3.73 gear for example, those 3rd through 5th RPMs at 70 drop to 65. Add 4.10s and they drop to 60 mph. Top speed drops too!

Yup! Looks right - my tires are 275-55-20 and in good shape so it should be close. I also have a billet converter with the factory stall and a stronger lockup clutch than stock. 3.73s would be useful for keeping the engine a little higher in its power band longer before needing to downshift, but it's not a big enough deal in this area to warrant making the change in my case. I'll probably end up having the transmission gone through in the next few years anyway for preventative maintenance and strengthening. It's already given me a good chunk of my money's worth. Paid something like $22K for the truck 4 years and 40K miles ago. The transmission shop I love quoted me $3300 for a full rebuild with all of the trimmings. Cheap insurance when the time comes.

Hope to keep it going for another 10 years until the kids are both at least halfway through college. Fingers crossed! At that point I'll likely be in the market for a 1-ton truck to haul a 5th wheel with anyway.

 

[swathdiver]

Yup! Looks right - my tires are 275-55-20 and in good shape so it should be close. I also have a billet converter with the factory stall and a stronger lockup clutch than stock. 3.73s would be useful for keeping the engine a little higher in its power band longer before needing to downshift, but it's not a big enough deal in this area to warrant making the change in my case. I'll probably end up having the transmission gone through in the next few years anyway for preventative maintenance and strengthening. It's already given me a good chunk of my money's worth. Paid something like $22K for the truck 4 years and 40K miles ago. The transmission shop I love quoted me $3300 for a full rebuild with all of the trimmings. Cheap insurance when the time comes.

Hope to keep it going for another 10 years until the kids are both at least halfway through college. Fingers crossed! At that point I'll likely be in the market for a 1-ton truck to haul a 5th wheel with anyway.

My wife is itching for a 5th wheel trailer so I think we're going to have a 1-ton before too long. I wanted to start out small and tow a travel trailer with the Yukon XL but she wants to hit the road for a year since she works remote. I was thinking of going the route you did as well with regards to the torque converter. I'm also going to start working on that 14-bolt axle soon and either experience towing with 3.42s or regear before putting the axle in with 3.73s.

 

[Geotrash]

My wife is itching for a 5th wheel trailer so I think we're going to have a 1-ton before too long. I wanted to start out small and tow a travel trailer with the Yukon XL but she wants to hit the road for a year since she works remote. I was thinking of going the route you did as well with regards to the torque converter. I'm also going to start working on that 14-bolt axle soon and either experience towing with 3.42s or regear before putting the axle in with 3.73s.

Honestly, at this point it's just speculation that we'd even want a 5th wheel. Every time we camp with our current camper we remark about how perfectly it suits our needs and how happy we are with it. It's entirely possible that we'll just keep our current camper and go full time for a few years when that time comes. We've talked with several people in our travels who made their way up through various sized campers to a 5th wheel, and then decided it was too big for their needs - so much so that it was more hassle than it was worth and they ended up downsizing again. We've also met lots of people full-timing in campers smaller than ours and loving it. And... we've also met lots of people who love their 5th wheels. So who knows.

The Yukon XL is such a great traveling rig and a 1-ton truck seems like it would be a hassle to deal with as a runabout on the other end. Since yours is part time 4wd, that 14-bolt axle would be a great investment in towing durability.

You might take her to an RV dealer and have her check out the bumper-pull travel trailers. She might be pleasantly surprised and feel like saving a few bucks in both cost up front and towing costs sounds appealing to her once she sees how nice they are.

 

[swathdiver]

Honestly, at this point it's just speculation that we'd even want a 5th wheel. Every time we camp with our current camper we remark about how perfectly it suits our needs and how happy we are with it. It's entirely possible that we'll just keep our current camper and go full time for a few years when that time comes. We've talked with several people in our travels who made their way up through various sized campers to a 5th wheel, and then decided it was too big for their needs - so much so that it was more hassle than it was worth and they ended up downsizing again. We've also met lots of people full-timing in campers smaller than ours and loving it. And... we've also met lots of people who love their 5th wheels. So who knows.

The Yukon XL is such a great traveling rig and a 1-ton truck seems like it would be a hassle to deal with as a runabout on the other end. Since yours is part time 4wd, that 14-bolt axle would be a great investment in towing durability.

You might take her to an RV dealer and have her check out the bumper-pull travel trailers. She might be pleasantly surprised and feel like saving a few bucks in both cost up front and towing costs sounds appealing to her once she sees how nice they are.

Yeah, I think we should stick with our original plan. I chose the Riverside Retro 265RB but they quit making them after 2021 and replaced it with a slightly smaller, heavier, longer unit, the 240BH. It's about 600 pounds heavier empty and while the math supports upper 6000s for travel trailer weight I would rather it be under 6500. I can easily do that with the 265. I also like the idea of those new ones (245RB) with the big bathroom but it displaces the bunks. Wife wants the kids with us. I suggested we buy two and let them tow their own! LOL

There's only four for sale across the country right now too. Wouldn't be the first time we drove across America to buy something.

Then again, I could get a Class A and tow the Yukon behind it! LOL Would like windows on both sides behind the front seats so my folks and mother-in-law could make a trip with us and be comfortable.

 

[Geotrash]

Yeah, I think we should stick with our original plan. I chose the Riverside Retro 265RB but they quit making them after 2021 and replaced it with a slightly smaller, heavier, longer unit, the 240BH. It's about 600 pounds heavier empty and while the math supports upper 6000s for travel trailer weight I would rather it be under 6500. I can easily do that with the 265. I also like the idea of those new ones (245RB) with the big bathroom but it displaces the bunks. Wife wants the kids with us. I suggested we buy two and let them tow their own! LOL

There's only four for sale across the country right now too. Wouldn't be the first time we drove across America to buy something.

Then again, I could get a Class A and tow the Yukon behind it! LOL Would like windows on both sides behind the front seats so my folks and mother-in-law could make a trip with us and be comfortable.

We've seen quite a few of those in our travels, and they're "super cute" as my wife Sydney says. Interesting that the 240BH is heavier. Are you sure? I just looked at a few of them on RVTrader and it shows it as lighter than the 265RB.

Either way, you won't notice a difference with 600 lbs +-, even with the 5.3. We have an Alpha Wolf 26DBH-L, which lists at 5,795 empty, but that's a fantasy according to my CAT scale tickets. We're within all limits of our Yukon XL with it, but only *just*. It's right at 7,200 fully loaded for camping. Pulls no different will all tanks and cupboards empty and sitting at ~6200 lbs.