Your Avalanche would pull that trailer, but you would be right on the edge of your combined GVWR. A quality Weight Distribution and sway control device would be a must. Towing that big trailer on steep grades or with a big headwind would not be much fun, you would have to take it slow. To make your Avalance's transmission last, and to make your towing easier there are a few upgrades your truck will need.
Your Avalanche, even though it has the "towing package" does not have an external transmission cooler. The factory transmission cooler is inside the radiator, and not as efficient as an added external unit. There is also no transmission fluid temperature gauge to warn you of pending trouble while towing a heavy load in hot weather. The GM hitch (many issues with this hitch)flexes when you take up the bars on your WD hitch set-up, making it less effective. The Avalanche also comes with "P" rated tires, which flex more in the sidewall than a truck or "LT" tire.
If you add an external transmission cooler, transmission temperature gauge, a good Class IV hitch, and upgrade to LT tires your towing experience should be better, and your Avalanche will last longer.
2002 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 Z-71
2002 Trail Lite 8261
I have no problem with the wheelbase of the Av pulling a 30'. I won't compare engine,etc because I have a 2500. However, I have noticed the trouble transferring weight. Just recently I ditched the OEM hitch and installed a Putnam. Can't weight to see the difference. Also, when people ask me about gas mileage...my answer is simple, I bough the Av to tow, not for mileage.
PS...my OEM hitch showed some stress cracks along the welds.
I have a '03 Z-71 that I have been towing a 27' TT weighting about 4,500 pounds . It has done a great job. I just bought a new Skyline 2911MV and a Equal-i-zer hitch. It's 32' long and weights a little over 6,000 pound. I have pulled it about 50 miles , ran around 70mph on I-40 with no sway.
You should be fine, but if you're using the stock hitch, I would strongly recommend ditching it and going with something a bit more beefy. I've heard some horror stories about the stock/round hitches failing. We went with the Putnum Class IV on our Avalanche and love it. Will be swapping out the stock Suburban with another Putnam soon. Your original post is now kinda old...did you make the purchase or no?
2008 Salem 26TBSS
2006 Avalanche 1500 w/6" Lift
2007 Suburban 1500
P3 Controller
4 lil ones & a Hottie for a wife
Run the numbers (GCWR and GVWR) and see how they look - then figure that you load about #1000 of cargo into the empty trailer... If you already have the TT, weigh it fully loaded... Weigh your truck as you said you added "every available option"...
I have been towing for many, many years and I ALWAYS have known that "something was back there" regardless of what I was towing and what vehicle I was using to tow... I am always a bit suspicious when I see that comment...
The unloaded stock weight of the 29X (the only lite weight 29 footer I saw on the Jayco website) was #5635 with a max GVWR of #7350... Assuming you add about #1000 to the UVW you would be at a max weight of #6635 and that should be well within the range of the Avalanche...
Still - - - you need to run the numbers which will include your families weights and any cargo carried in the truck and the TT tongue weight to see if your under the truck GVWR...
A 2008 2wd Avalanche in LT trim has a max GVWR of #7000 and a max tow of #8200... There is a special package (Z55) for the #7000 GVWR so I would check the specs of your Avalanche and determine what the GVWR really is... The stock 2008 model comes with a standard 5.3L V8 which makes 320 HP and 340 lb ft of torque... The stock rear axle in the 2008 model year is 3:73... There is also a 6L motor available in this model year as well as the 4:10 rear axle and the #8200 tow rating would be based upon those 2 options...
You also said you had every conceivable option on your truck which will unfortunately raise it's curb weight and reduce available GVWR/GCWR and the amount of trailer you can tow...
It sounds as though you'll be OK but you could be close on GVWR and/or GCWR - run the numbers and see what they look like based upon the ratings of your 2004 Model Avalanche and I would weigh the truck to start with as your truck will NOT be what the published curb weight was as you added a bunch of options when you purchased the truck...
There are pros and cons to each RV type... With the TT you don't worry about any drive train issues but of course you still have those issues with the truck... The Avalanche has a 130" wheel base which identical to the Suburban but probably shorter than most Silverados...
I wouldn't say that pulling a trailer is any more or less difficult than pulling a dinghy with a MH but it's a different set of issues... The TT is longer but you can back it, the dinghy usually has 4 down when towing and is more stable... The TT has more side "sail area" and requires a good hitch to minimize or negate trailer sway... The TT will almost surely be heavier than a dinghy and require more stopping distance even though it has it's own brakes... It also sounds as though you'll be quite a few feet longer with the trailer as opposed to the motor home but having driven both types of combinations you mention, I wouldn't say that one is more difficult than the other - just different...
Les
* This post was
edited 06/27/08 06:39am by LAdams *
2000 Ford F-250SD, XLT, 4X4 Off Road, SuperCab
w/ 6.8L (415 C.I.) V-10/3:73LS/4R100
Banks Power Pack w/Trans Command & OttoMind
2006 Nomad 3150 Double Slide (Bunkhouse)
Hensley Arrow
Jordan Ultima 2020
I agree with the others who say it shouldn't be a problem. Take a look at my set-up. Jayfeather 29x (5,450 lbs) and the 1/2 ton Suburban with the 3.73 rear end. With the WDH and sway, I have never had an issue. It works its tail off going up long healthy grades, but I've towed about 2,600 miles so far, going as far as Ontario, and I have never felt the vehicle was overmatched.
Mr. B
Reading, OH
2007 Jayco JayFeather 29X
Reese Dual Cam Sway, WDH, Progidy Brake Controller, McKesh Mirrors
2004 Suburban Z71
'07 Trips: 7, Nights Camping: 22, Miles Logged on TT: 2,010
'08 Trips: 8, Nights Camping: 27, Miles Logged on TT: 2,139
I too have a 2007 Avalanche that is pulling a Jayco 26BHS. with a WD and sway control it pulls it as if it were not there. On our last trip we averaged 13.9mph on a 100 mile trip.
The Avalanch owner's manual lists a maximum pulling weight of 7100lbs. The Jayco 26BHS weighs 6450lbs.
You need more than a 1/2 ton truck fro a 29' trailer...does not matter if it could have an 8.1L engine. You need to realistically look at no more than a 24 or 25' trailer.
Ken
KE5DFR
Vintage 1979 Silver Streak Supreme Rocket toted by a 2002 F350, crewcab dually, 7.3L,4.10 axle,SCMT. Travel with two miniature Schnauzers and one African Gray parrot. Practicing for retirement!
If you are happy with your Class C and it only has 14,000 miles on it you might want to look at how much you would lose selling the Class C and how much it would cost for the new TT and how much gas you would save, if any? The combined cost of what you might lose on the C and pay for the TT would buy a lot of gas, even at todays prices. Sounds like you are happy with the Class C and you might just be borrowing trouble???
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