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Towing more than your vehicle is rated for


LPFSTheFett

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Cliff notes. Truck and trailer come in 400 lbs over the 14k max combined vehicle rating. Tow it or find a smaller trailer?

 

Longer version. Yukon XL can pull 7900#'s. 14k combined total rating. We weighed the truck with the family, full tank of gas and 150#'s of corn to mimic luggage. The scales came in right at 7000. The travel trailer we are looking at weighs 7400. So the two together will go over the 14k allowed. With a weight distribution hitch, is it close enough, or would you recommend looking for a smaller trailer.

 

I'd pull it with my pickup, but three kids in the back of a truck for a 12 hour trip sucks!

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My parents towed a similarly overweight trailer with an 03 Suburban for several years, and it eventually killed the rear diff, followed by some damage to the cam from a bent pushrod around 10k miles later. It always pulled it, but spent a lot of time at 5k rpm and up getting up hills or up to speed.

 

Also, your 7400 pound trailer weight is the dry weight I'm assuming, with full propane tanks but no water or food, clothes, or other gear?

 

I personally wouldn't push it. Smaller trailer, or a bigger truck if it were me. Also, at that weight a weight distribution hitch should not be considered an option but a requirement.

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I was always told towing is not about the power, but braking.

 

Trailer with brakes and in-cab controller and you'll be fine.

 

I've over pulled with a bronco II, the worst suv ever made and it was ok. I don't recommend it but if you have 1/2 a bit of common sense, you'll be fine.

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After having to do an emergency stop while towing a camper I can't say that I'd ever tow a trailer that was even close to being at the limit. 65 to 0 takes long enough you can think about what's happening and have time to get scared.
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From what I read the trailer dry weight is 7370 with full propane. But I can assume there will be a minimum of 400 over. Probably 500.

 

The other option would be to get a diesel ford excursion and just use it for longer trips and maybe as a hunting truck. Won't be as nice as the wife's Yukon. But plenty big enough and can tow 10k.

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What year is it. Didn't they make a 2500 version of the Yukons? what's the difference between the 1500/2500, that maybe you can swap over the pArts instead of buying a whole other vehicle just for towing.

 

If it's a engine swap then disregard lol.

 

Or maybe do some upgrades to your current ride to make it tow better,. More power, better brakes, suspension.

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From what I read the trailer dry weight is 7370 with full propane. But I can assume there will be a minimum of 400 over. Probably 500.

 

The other option would be to get a diesel ford excursion and just use it for longer trips and maybe as a hunting truck. Won't be as nice as the wife's Yukon. But plenty big enough and can tow 10k.

 

You also have to factor in the weight of passengers and gear in both the camper and the truck. I bet if you hit the scales with that rig loaded for a trip you'd be way over GVWR.

 

You also need to watch per axle weights. You can be under on total weights and still easily have the rear axle of the tow vehicle way overloaded.

 

Campers listed dry weights are as light as possible, and also usually don't include options. So start adding the weight of the A/C, awning, grill, etc.

 

Tow ratings on vehicles are one of the things the Mfgs compete on. There may be some magic configuration that allows the vehicle to safely tow the max trailer weight with only a driver and no gear in the tow vehicle. Most camper are not going to be balanced that well and you have passengers.

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What year is it. Didn't they make a 2500 version of the Yukons? what's the difference between the 1500/2500, that maybe you can swap over the pArts instead of buying a whole other vehicle just for towing.

 

If it's a engine swap then disregard lol.

 

Or maybe do some upgrades to your current ride to make it tow better,. More power, better brakes, suspension.

 

Brakes, axles, wheels, springs, shocks, transmission, transfer case, the engine swap would be lots easier than all that.

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2500 has better drivetrain. Better trans, bigger t-case, bigger diffs, full floating axkes

 

Stiffer springs, more robust frame, higher capacity trans/engine cooling, fuel tank large enough to go more than 150 miles between fuel stops, etc. etc. etc.

 

I've grown up with travel trailers and the difference in a half ton and a 3/4 ton truck (or 3/4 ton suburban) towing an 8 or 10k trailer is HUUUUGE. Not to mention you're not tearing up your equipment operating at the very threshold of its rated capacity.

 

Also, 12 hour trip with wife and 3 kids is a huge factor to consider. If you were going from Grove City to Deer Creek I'd say fuck it, roll the dice.

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I'd willing to bet by the time you load the camper with normal gear and food, let alone bikes/random crap you'll be 1000+lbs overweight, if not much more. I think your "150lbs" of luggage is very light. Hell you can have that much in a couple coolers for food/drinks for a weekend trip depending on people. I'd play it safe.
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Yeah I think 150#'s probably is a little low for total luggage. But we aren't ones to load up a bunch of coolers with food. Generally we get where we are going and hit up a grocery store.

 

The wife is being a little difficult on the travel trailer she wants. I'm going to see if I can find one that's at least 400 pounds lighter. I don't mind pushing a vehicle to it's limits, hell we all do it to our sports cars. But you really can't get past physics when it comes to turns, hills and wind. Most of our long trips will be towards the Carolina's which involves those huge mountains.

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That was my question....out to the plains, up to MI, ect...no problem.

 

Those facking WV mountains. F that. Sounds like a miserable time that loaded down.

 

If you do try, the WD hitch should help a lot. Also not sure if there are any helper springs you can add. Not sure if the XL is on coils, but if so airbags will go a long way to sure up the rear end.

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Stiffer springs, more robust frame, higher capacity trans/engine cooling, fuel tank large enough to go more than 150 miles between fuel stops, etc. etc. etc.

 

Exactly.

 

And everyone that keeps saying the braking is the most important, yes that is a major factor, but the rear suspension and the wheelbase is a huge factor in towing as well. Going slightly over on a pickup with weight distro is totally different than going over with an SUV. The SUV already has a ton of weight over the rear axle. Honestly, if you are looking at picking up a different vehicle, get a 2500+ crew cab longbed truck and put a cap on the bed.

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