azcamping
Phoenix, AZ
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Joined: 05/29/2007
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* This post was
edited 12/09/07 11:52am by azcamping *
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Loopy
Western Pennsylvania
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Joined: 02/27/2007
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Yeah, take someone with first hand experience with the exact vehicle he has a question about with a grain of salt.
Dave is absolutely correct about proper hitch setup and the correct tires but if you read my thread pertaining to my Tahoe you saw that I have load class C tires inflated to the proper pressure and a Reese Dual Cam Weight Distribution Hitch.
Have re-setup the hitch twice just to be absolutely sure and even took the BFG Long Trails off of my friend's truck because I was at a loss. Nothing will help a poor TV/TT combo, do you really want to chance it? I was willing to take that chance and now I'm here telling you from experience that it's not worth it.
The decision is yours but I'd probably go a bit shorter than the trailer you're looking at. If that wasn't already obvious since, as you can see, I chose to go down to the 20BH.
The other thing to consider is where you'll be towing the trailer and how often. If you live in an area such as me, then you want something a little shorter and easier to handle since the roads around here are mountainous and you'll encounter many curves. In Texas you may be able to get away with something a bit longer though. The 22FB would be the max I'd go though.
Bryan  , Jess , and our Parsons Russell Terrier, Melvin 
1999 Chevrolet Tahoe 4D 4WD 5.7L 3.73" Rear End
Reese Strait-Line Dual Cam Weight Distribution Hitch
Tekonsha P3 Brake Controller
2008 Jayco Jay Flight G2 20BH and Mods
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jmyers
Lexington NC
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Joined: 09/13/2007
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I have a '99 Tahoe, 5.7L/3.42 rear end. I was told by numerous people, not counting the RV salesman, that my Tahoe would pull the 30FKSS Sandpiper I was looking at. So I bought the TT, a 2002 model, with a dry weight of 7000#. Put a Reese StraightLine WD and a Prodigy controller on and I was ready to hit the road. I had a 30 mile trip home from the dealer, and the part of the ride through the small town was as good as it gets. When I got on the highway is when I entered the Twilight Zone. I didn't have any sway but I had all the other problems that more than made up for the lack of sway, not to mention the worry of burning up the tranny. When I got home, I parked the TT and never hooked the Tahoe to it again. I have a friend who rebuilds wrecks and he found a 2000 Chevy Silverado 2500 4/4 6.0L/3.73 rear. I pull the Sandpiper with the Silverado now. And the Tahoe still has the fingernail marks on the steering wheel.
2000 Chevy 2500 4/4 6.0L/3.73
2002 Forest River 30FKSS Sandpiper
Reese Strait-Line
Prodigy
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Loopy
Western Pennsylvania
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Weight and gear ratio is what killed you Jeff. Your Tahoe is rated at about 5500 to 6000 lbs. max towing capacity depending on 4WD or not.
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jmyers
Lexington NC
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Loopy wrote:Weight and gear ratio is what killed you Jeff. Your Tahoe is rated at about 5500 to 6000 lbs. max towing capacity depending on 4WD or not.
No argument there. Which goes to prove that I had a BAD combo. But after I got it home I didn't push the envelope anymore. I learned the hard ($$$$$) way. I hope I can help someone else learn a little easier and cheaper.
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azcamping
Phoenix, AZ
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* This post was
edited 12/09/07 11:51am by azcamping *
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jmyers
Lexington NC
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azcamping wrote:Worry about "burning up the tranny" does not prove a bad combo. What were all the other problems?
I think you're missing my point. The tow didn't feel comfortable, I didn't feel comfortable. Someone else in my situation may have been just fine (although I doubt it). As I've grown in years I've also grown much more cautious. If it doesn't feel right to me, then it isn't right. That's just the way I am.
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ThreeDtx
Central Texas
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Joined: 09/26/2007
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I also had a Tahoe and was like you about the weight concerns. When I found a trailer that we liked I went to two of my truck buddies that know their business about TV and tow weights. They agreed that the Tahoe would pull the weight but, the transmission in the Tahoe was not going to handle the pull. The tranny would be first thing to give you the problem. I had a 99 with 120,000 miles so that was a no brainer for me.
Bouught a new TRUCK, Ford F150 with the 5.4 It has a tow weight of 9200 lbs and opens the door to more choices in your seach. Happy Hunting.
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NOSHOJO
San Diego
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Joined: 03/14/2006
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Okay, here is my two cents. I have a 2007 Tahoe with the 4.10 rear end and 4wd. I purchased a 2007 Laredo 271rl with a dry weight of 6700#. I purchased a hensley arrow because I know the trailer was on the boarder line of what the truck could handle. I have to be honest, it did not pull like a dream but keeping it around 55mph is was not too bad. It took a while to dial in the HA. I added a set of airbags and that helped. I recently changed my rims from 17" with 265/75/17 (stock) tires to 22" with 305/40/22 and this made all the difference in the world. I can still feel the trailer trying to wag a little, but i certainly feel stuck to the road. The truck and trailer feel like they are one vehicle. It tows very well. The engine and tranny seem to be pulling effortlessly. I have not attempted any major grades but I am happy with the set up now. Do consider the better tires because I think the stock tires were causing a lot of the problem. Good Luck.
2007 Tahoe 4x4 4.10 Rear End
2007 Laredo 271rl
Hensley Arrow Hitch
Prodigy Brake Controler
Wife, two kids and 8 fish.
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Curly2001
Tucson, Arizona
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Joined: 09/08/2002
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I agree with no longer than 25' end to end. Any more will be too much to comfortably tow. I would think a "lite" model is what you should look for and you should be just fine. Make sure you have the tow package and exterior coolers too.
Curly
2007 Chev. 2500HD, 6.0, 4:10 diffs, six speed auto
2001 25Y Terry Northwest Edition
2007 Polaris Sportsman 500x2
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