RaiderFan67, I am not new to TTs or towing but am new to this forum and thought I would add my two cents worth. I currently own a 2002 Suburban 1500, same engine and gear as yours except two wheel drive. I pull a Jay Flight 29BH. I have weighed my setup on three separate trips and all three times the truck and trailer have weighed 12,000 lbs. GCWR. Truck 6,000, trailer 6,000. Like you, I studied and researched my combination and after reading everyone's posts wondered if I was crazy also while contemplating my first "big" trip. Two years ago, the family and I loaded up, bikes, cooler, firewood and clothes and food for a sixteen day trip from south Florida to Lake Placid, NY traveling through the scenic routes of Pennsylvania and New york. And to tell you the truth, my only regret was avoiding the Smokey Mountains. To say the least I was very pleasantly surprised how well the combination handled and towed. Obviously we didn't set any records but then again thats not my intention. I know I didn't climb grades like what is out west but did hit our fair share. I don't baby my TV but then again I don't abuse it either. Third gear, tow haul on and turn up the revs to that sweet spot of around 3,100 rpms and just let her do her thing. The whole trip, 3,000 miles, only downshifted a handful of times into second gear. Just held it there and kept the rpms around 4,100 and never saw the tranny go above 185 or the engine coolant go over 200. I'll tell you this though. And don't mean to make you worry, something to watch though. The weakest link on your TV is the rear end. I'm going to cut this a little short. Its a story for another time. Your rear end will get extremely hot if you push it hard. Mine use to get up there around 250 plus. Prior to my "big" trip, I installed an aftermarket differential cover, temperature gauge and now run 75W140 gear oil. What a world of difference. The temperature now has never exceeded 220, and usually runs around 200. Just take a rest periodically and let the rear end cool down after a long hard pull. It will usually cool very quickly, like in about twenty to thirty minutes. If you have never changed your rear end oil, you will definitely want to after you get back, trust me. Let us know how it goes. Be careful and let the machine do its thing, thats what its made for.
Ah... I remember the 5-6 posts I wrote asking about my 2003 Yukon XL (1500 with 3.73) and its ability to tow 5300# dry weight travel trailers... I kept hoping that eventually someone would tell me that I had power to spare, my engine was perfect for the task, stability would be great, and that the wheel base was exactly what I'd need for a 26-28 footer...
But alas, I never got that feedback. In fact, much of the feedback was exactly what I see here.
It was time to make a hard decision... Keep the Yukon XL and buy a TT that I could barely tow when fully loaded (that I'd likely not be really satisfied with) or sell the fuel-sucking underpowered Yukon XL (which was my wife's daily driver). I should add that 98% of the time someone was driving the Yukon, there wasn't a pop-up, TT or utility trailer behind it. Whats worse, 75% of the time someone was driving the Yukon, they were alone in the vehicle.
Translation, I was the proud owner of an under-powered fuel-sucking grocery getter that really wasn't really equipped to tow the travel trailer we really wanted.
I should add that this desire for a travel trailer wasn't a fleeting romance. We have been camping with a pop-up for 8 years and absolutely loved the camping experience and the memories it provided for us all. However, I ALWAYS felt the Yukon XL 1500 was under-powered. When we had our Jayco Eagle 12FSO Pop-Up, I vividly recall pulling it (approximately 3000#s) with the Yukon XL 1500 through some of the small (but long) inclines in the plains of Wyoming. I was frustrated that I couldn't hold 65-70 mph without the engine constantly up-shifting. I mean, come on, this is a Pop up here!
My wife and I took a rather drastic (but very necessary) step. A few weekends back, we decided to go find a travel trailer we both loved. Not liked, not something our Yukon XL could pull, but something we loved (regardless of the requirements of the Tow Vehicle)...
We ended up falling in love with a Spree 318 with a GVWR of 7500#s loaded - clearly above the towing weight, recommended length and tongue weight the Yukon XL.
It didn't take long to realize that the Yukon XL wasn't going to be in our garage for much longer.
We have now sold the Yukon XL, and bought my wife a perfect grocery getter and kid transporter (Honda CRV) which averages somewhere in the 24 mpg to 28 mpg range - roughly twice that of the Yukon XL 1500.
We do not yet have the Spree 318, nor do we have the new (to us) tow vehicle. My point is simply this: When we determined that the 1500 Yukon XL was basically good for nothing, we swallowed hard and took the hit. We plan to purchase a good condition used F250 Crew Cab/F350 Crew Cab with extended bed. Will that vehicle also be a fuel (or Diesel) sucking pig? Absolutely! But it will be purpose built for towing and used exclusively for towing! An expensive luxury? Perhaps, but I'm looking at something with some years and miles on it, and I kind of consider it to be a part of the "total package" for getting the new TT.
In summary, it didn't take much convincing from the RV.Net forums as well as my personal experience to prove that my TV was not up to the task.
I think you have come up with a good plan. I have had two pickups since 1969 and both were bought from the gitgo for towing and hauling. The 69 Ford F250 went until 1989. It would have towed longer but I fell out of towing for a few years when I aquired an Allegro motor home. I bought a Dodge Ram 2500 4WD in 1994 with the Diesel Cummins Engine knowing that I was going to pull a trailer with it as soon as I was done with the motorhome. It is still going strong 264,000 miles towing our 27' TT and I have no doubt it will pull for another 5 or 6 years and even longer if I want it too.
Get a good tow vehicle and use it for towing and you can get over twenty years of good use out of it. It has always come in handy as a replacement for one of the other more fuel efficient cars in the family when they were not available for any reason such as dead battery, dropped off for service or one of the family has taken it out of town etc. This occasional use has the effect of keeping the truck in ready to go status keeping the cobwebs out etc.
I kept family sedan and commuting economy cars in the stable to suit driving needs. Two of my grownup children have taken the KOOL SUV route but they never do anything with them except feel KOOL. They wind up borrowing my truck when they need to pull something or haul something. They too, are now complaining about fuel economy and not being able to do much with the SUV anyway. It does some jobs OK but has a tendency to come up short when put to the implied use.
I couldn't even begin to list all the things I did with my truck simply because I had it. But to list a few, I rented a backhoe one day and transformed my yard and had the cool experience of learning to use one. That was a stitch, LOL, and hard work and fun. I rented a large trailer on two differnet occasions and moved (rescued) family members from out of town. I hauled lumber for a woodworking project. Camped on one trip out west in just the truck with a topper on it. That was one of the best trips I have ever taken. On and on it goes. to each his own But i just can't imagine there not being a truck available for my use when I need one. It is just a life I have gotten used to. The cost of fuel does not change that, except I just drive it less for anything but what it is really needed for. Take care of it and it remains a good investment.
Just my musings, but as I reflect back on it, I wasted very little fuel over the years driving something I didn't need for the job at hand. I drove a VW rabbit diesel commuting to work or something similar, used it as a runabout. I drove a sedan or small van to haul the family. It all just seemed to fit. I now drive a 2007 4cyl camry which gets over 35 MPG on trips and does pretty well around town to boot. It won't tow or haul anything but it is a nice ride and fuel costs are still manageable. Now $10 a gallon in somtething to think about. What would I do then? --- I would still probably keep the truck around for use 20 or 30 times a year.
2008 Dutchmen Kodiak 27CDSL, 94 Dodge 4x4 Cummins, Trailer mods: Automatic switchover for Honda EU3000IS generator w/extension plug to back of truck. Propride 3P hitch Plan to do mods for camping in cold weather.
Thanks to all of you for your comments and suggestions. We are heading out Thursday morning for the fitst big trip (10 days). Now I just need to figure out the rest....backing up, setting up,....and the list goes on.....
rhondavid wrote: Have you reviewed this site. Lots of good information on there about weight and lenght. You should be okay with the lenght but weight would be major concern to me. Having towed with a 2001 Suburban with 5.3 and 3.73 rear end I can say you can expect only marginal towing performance. Our dry weight is about 5300# and loaded we are closer to 6300#'s. We spend a lot of time in second gear with the engine screaming even on small inclines. If you have a major incline to pull you will be very disappointed in the Suburban! Not trying to frighten you but just tell it like it is.
Engine, transmission and rear end will be straining hard. Suspension was not that great to handle the extra weight transferred via the tongue of the TT. I thought I had a great tow vehicle and had been conservative in my purchase to give me sufficient margin etc. Boy was I wrong.
What do you put in the TT that makes the weight almost 1,000 lbs. more?
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Plan to do mods for camping in cold weather.
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