Visit our Popular Forums

white laker · 12-24-2014, 09:53 PM

i currently pull my 02 31 classic with a yukon xl, 2006. i miss my chevy avalanche and would like to go back to one again. has anyone pulld with an avalanche? can anyone give me any sort of comparison to the yukon? they look pretty much identical. i like the common ride but miss the box.
any input is appreciated
thanks
Pete

bolerama · 12-25-2014, 08:53 AM

Pete.

I was looking at the Avalanche also as a tow vehicle because of the box. I would go with a Pick up instead.
The Avalanche has a uni-body construction that is not designed for towing. One of the members in our Airstream club (WBCCI) was pulling a 31 footer with his Avalanche, and the hitch had to be rebuilt. It was pulling away from the bumper. It could have been disastrous, but he fixed it in time. All tow vehicles require a frame.

Paul

J. Morgan · 12-25-2014, 09:21 AM

Unless they have changed a lot over the past few years, Avalanches have a full frame.

1/2 Ton 4WD Truck, 72 Sovereign Hensley Arrow

SteveH · 12-25-2014, 09:26 AM

Just looked for information on the Avalanche on the Chevy page, and it appears they no longer offer the Avalanche.

Guess the CAFE standards got it, or possibly low demand.

flaagan · 02-07-2015, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveH

Just looked for information on the Avalanche on the Chevy page, and it appears they no longer offer the Avalanche.

Guess the CAFE standards got it, or possibly low demand.

It was actually selling decently. It was killed off internally as much as externally. It's unfortunate because they're awesome vehicles. We're on our second one after getting over 150k miles out of the first, only sold that because the parents don't like having high mileage vehicles. I'll be using theirs to tow the Ambassador I'm picking up soon, and depending on some non-AS related decisions may pick up another for myself in a year or two.

Glenritas · 02-07-2015, 05:33 PM

In 2001 we picked up a used '98 Tahoe 2 door to tow our 17' Casita.

By 2005 it had close to 100,000 miles and Chevy was giving employee discounts on new trucks .

So we jumped on a 2005 Avalanche that I customized. It had the 5.3L v-8 with a 4L65E and 4.10 gears.
I found the transmission gear spacing quite wide,about 1000 rpm apart .
In the mountains 2nd was to low and 3rd was to high.

So I installed a Gear Vendors under/overdrive unit giving me 8 speeds that were spaced about 500 rpm apart.

We pulled our 17' Casita with it and it was great.

In 2011 I decided that the Avalanche was just to large for the Casita.

So I rebuilt the engine and rear axle in the Tahoe and moved the Gear Vendors from the AV to the Tahoe and put the AV on the market.

While on vacation in Aug 2012 the AV sold.

After we got home the wife felt the Casita was a bit tight after being on the road for 2 months, so she started to search for a Airstream a week later we dragged home a '69 Tradewind.

After a few more tows I felt I needed a longer wheel base . Now where is that AV when you need it. In 2013 the last AV were produced and I wanted one again but the wife said no.

2014 rolls around and I persuade her to let me get something with a longer w.b.

So in May we took home a Tundra double cab. Good grief that thing is even larger then the AV. But with a 5.7L v-8 and a 6 speed with 4.30 gears the gear spacing is spot on and this thing hauls B with the AS in tow.

Buy the way our 13' Casita is behind the AS.

BoldAdventure · 02-07-2015, 05:41 PM

Mr. Oberg the original owner of our Airstream said he towed with a Avalanche.

To quote him in an email

Quote:

The trailer has been to every state and province of Canada except
the NW Territory, Newfoundland and Labrador. It has been to Alaska twice,
once on the top of the world highway from Dawson City, Yukon Territory
to Chicken, AK. Towed with our Chevy Avalanche the whole time.

chaseav · 02-07-2015, 07:01 PM

I tow with a 2007 Avalanche and it tows like a dream! It greatly exceeded my expectations on handling and braking but I am a little surprised that it requires so much gear change. The 5.3L is a little low on torque but for my 5400lb (empty) trailer it's just fine through some decent sized hills. This summer I'll be taking it through the Blue Ridge Mountains of WV (loaded) which is as extreme as you can really get on the east coast.

My truck DOES have the tow package with transmission cooler and trans temp monitor. Both of those are a huge help but as I learned through experience, you have to have the truck in tow/haul mode in order for the trans cooler to engage. I thought it was temperature controlled but it's not... it's an on/off switch tied directly to that button. Without that package, I do not think the Avalanche could handle my trailer so make sure the one you're looking at has it.

And yes, sadly they stopped making the Avalanche in 2013/2014 but there are rumors floating around that Cadillac may be bringing it back in their version of the Escalade EXT. Depending on how we do in the mountains this summer, I'd begrudgingly consider trading my Avalanche in on an older (2013+) Escalade EXT but only because it came standard with a 6.0L engine which would make it a better tow vehicle. However, I don't know it's tongue weight yet so if they have a special gooey suspension or something, that may hurt it.

dznf0g · 02-07-2015, 09:43 PM

The Avalanche was NEVER a unibody. It sits on a suburban chassis (Yukon XL) If your Yukon is not a Denali, the powertrain is the same, so it will pull pretty darned close to what you are used to. I believe is is a bit lighter than a Suburban and Yukon XL, so theoretically, it would have a bit more payload....but not too much. I have pulled my 30' Classic with an Avalanche, Suburban, Yukon XL and a Escalade EXT. It is a very stable platform, but the 5.3 was a bit under powered when in the Appalachians. I never towed in the Rockies with any of them, but it would be slow going uphill.

bolerama · 02-07-2015, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenritas

Buy the way our 13' Casita is behind the AS.

Love the picture! We always joke that we'll put our 13' boler behind our Airstream (legal in our province). You've done it! That made my day. Such a great picture.

Lisa

Glenritas · 02-08-2015, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bolerama

Love the picture! We always joke that we'll put our 13' boler behind our Airstream (legal in our province). You've done it! That made my day. Such a great picture.

Lisa

If you liked that one you'll love this one ....

and this one .....