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phbarnhart · 09-21-2010, 12:44 PM

First of all, Hi! I've been browsing a little and am seriously considering buying an AS.

Recently I bought a 2010 Suburban. It didn't have the Heavy Duty towing package but I've added a transmission fluid cooler and a brake controller. I'm told that the truck can tow 7400lbs.

I'm interested in either a 25' or 27' flying cloud but am concerned about the weight some. I recently rented a cheap white box trailer that was 26" with an UGVW of 6000lbs and I was not impressed.

Does anyone tow anything like that with a vehicle like mine? (Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, etc.)

Thanks,
Phil

Dave Park · 09-21-2010, 01:03 PM

Note that your load requires the use of a WD hitch. Without that, your tow capacity is typically halved by the manufacturer.

phbarnhart · 09-21-2010, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Park

Note that your load requires the use of a WD hitch. Without that, your tow capacity is typically halved by the manufacturer.

I did notice that and any TT I buy will be set up with a a WD and probably anti-sway system. The white box was set up with a WD system but I'm not sure if it was properly tensioned.

Could a better WD and anti-sway system be the answer?

4RXLA · 09-21-2010, 01:11 PM

I think you might be a little underpowered. I towed a 6000lb SOB with a 2006 Tahoe half ton and I was not comfortable with the handling. The AS will be heavier. You lilkely will need sway control and be prepared to slow down in the mountains.

Dave Park · 09-21-2010, 01:14 PM

Are you considering an older or smaller AS or a newer or larger AS?

phbarnhart · 09-21-2010, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Park

Are you considering an older or smaller AS or a newer or larger AS?

So you're saying that I can go old and big or new and small but not new and big?

Honestly, I'm not thrilled by the idea of either, but it may be that or a new TV and the wife will NOT go for that. Unless, of course, Chevy stops teasing me and finally puts out that Suburban with the 4.5 turbo diesel V8. I'd buy that in an instant regardless of price (ok, maybe not regardless, but I'd strongly consider it).

SteveH · 09-21-2010, 01:30 PM

Phil,

Welcome to the forum. You don't state what engine your Suburban is equipped with, but even more important, what rearend gear ratio it is equipped with. I believe the trucks with the towing package have the 3.73:1 ratio, and the standard, the 3.08:1. Big difference.

If I were you, and were seriously considering towing a travel trailer of any kind, I'd find out for sure what gear the Sub is equipped with, and have it changed to the 3.73 if possible.

I used to tow a 25' with a 1/2 ton GMC pickup with the 5.3L engine, and the 3.73 gears, and it was adequate if not in the mountains. I had the gears changed to 4.10 (custom shop only option), and it was even better.

r carl · 09-21-2010, 01:37 PM

A 27' flying cloud will tow easier than the white box you towed before.

phbarnhart · 09-21-2010, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveH

Phil,

Welcome to the forum. You don't state what engine your Suburban is equipped with, but even more important, what rearend gear ratio it is equipped with. I believe the trucks with the towing package have the 3.73:1 ratio, and the standard, the 3.08:1. Big difference.

If I were you, and were seriously considering towing a travel trailer of any kind, I'd find out for sure what gear the Sub is equipped with, and have it changed to the 3.73 if possible.

I used to tow a 25' with a 1/2 ton GMC pickup with the 5.3L engine, and the 3.73 gears, and it was adequate if not in the mountains. I had the gears changed to 4.10 (custom shop only option), and it was even better.

Sorry for the oversight. It's the 5.3 V8 and you're right on with the rear-end ratio. I'll call around and see what a swap would cost. I bet it would be less than a new truck. I live in Eugene, Oregon and so I would have to go over mountains in no matter what direction I go.

Splitrock · 09-22-2010, 04:48 PM

Here in eastern South Dakota, there ain't nothin between me and Texas but one barbed wire fence. I have to go west 400 miles and turn left to find the first hill. North there's no hills at all as far as I been. East we have to go all the way to the Smokies to find a test hill. A 1/2 ton with a 5.3'd be no problem to tow 7400 lbs here.

Gary

xrvr · 09-22-2010, 05:40 PM

Changed my rear end to a 4.10 in my 07 4sp auto silverado from a 3.2? Cost with speedo recalculation from a dealer was 1800 dollars. Can be done for less but independent shops all wanted to go for either rebuit or used rearends. Also dealer had a better warranty on parts and labor. jim

SteveH · 09-22-2010, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

Changed my rear end to a 4.10 in my 07 4sp auto silverado from a 3.2? Cost with speedo recalculation from a dealer was 1800 dollars. Can be done for less but independent shops all wanted to go for either rebuit or used rearends. Also dealer had a better warranty on parts and labor. jim

I tried to get my '07 GMC 1/2 ton changed to 4.10 at the dealer and was told they would not do it because GM did not offer 4.10 gears for that housing, and they would not install after market gears. Had to go to an independent shop to get it done (three times before they got it tolerable by the way), and then had to buy a programmer to correct the speedometer error, which would cause the computer to alarm before it was recalibrated.

By the way, anyone need an '07-'08 GM 1/2 ton programmer? I've got one only used once.

xrvr · 09-22-2010, 06:09 PM

There were two different Silverados in 2007. The classic like mine was the old model, perhaps you have a later model . The classic looks like a 2006 and older, the new one was redesigned. There were mechanical as well as option changes. jim

Dave Park · 09-22-2010, 06:45 PM

I think that's when I'd be scouring breaker yards for an 07 with the ratio you want that had front end damage, and buy the complete axle.

Luckily, my FX4 has the perfect ratio and HD tow package. I made it a buying requirement or I knew I'd be going through this

SteveH · 09-22-2010, 07:15 PM

As far as I know, they both had the same rear end housing....the GM 8 bolt.

slowmover · 09-04-2011, 12:26 PM

Is this the TV for the new 25' Eddie Bauer (GVWR 7.3k)? I see from that other thread that the inaugural trip is but a few weeks away.

You may have already covered or be intimately familiar with the following. If not, then once done you'll appreciate the very significant difference made as to hitch rigging.

Truck specs (GAWR, GVWR)?

Hitch brand and model?

Certified scale weight on empty & loaded TV already in place?

TW of empty trailer (full fresh water & propane)?

Dealers are sloppy on this, in general.

A bit of preliminary work and then going across a CAT Scale will dial in the combination as to the WDH.

There's a difference between fairly-good and finger-tip. A big one.

Alumaholic · 09-04-2011, 02:25 PM

... you are a victim of the EPA and GM's attempt to increase their fleet MPG averages.

You have a 5.3 L with a 3.08 RA. Your towing capacity is 5100, not 7400.

I made the same, sad discovery when I purchased my 2009 Suburban.

I sure wish Congress would quit trying to design cars. They have ruined the venerable Suburban.

phbarnhart · 09-04-2011, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alumaholic

... you are a victim of the EPA and GM's attempt to increase their fleet MPG averages.

You have a 5.3 L with a 3.08 RA. Your towing capacity is 5100, not 7400.

I made the same, sad discovery when I purchased my 2009 Suburban.

I sure wish Congress would quit trying to design cars. They have ruined the venerable Suburban.

Yeah, I may very well be upgrading to 3.73 gearing once I've taken it for a few trips. The owners manual is very interesting on the subject of towing capacities for the various equipment options. The. 3.08 is rated at 5000 and the 3.42 w/ HD cooling package is rated at 7900. The really interesting thing is that the 3.42 w/o the cooling package is only rated at 5400 (I didn't even know that you could get it that way, but it's in the manual anyway).

I am NOT saying that the information above supports the inference that a 3.08 w/transmission cooler will be able to comfortably tow 7400 but it does seem that way. In any event, I've towed a SOB that was 6000 dry and the transmission fluid never got over 200 degrees.

I imagine that I, like many others on here, will end up making some TV adjustments in order to support the AS habit.

phbarnhart · 09-04-2011, 07:51 PM

Wow, now that's what I call cross referencing! These threads are in totally different forums!

I'll try to answer as best I can.

Quote:

Originally Posted by REDNAX

Is this the TV for the new 25' Eddie Bauer (GVWR 7.3k)? I see from that other thread that the inaugural trip is but a few weeks away.

You may have already covered or be intimately familiar with the following. If not, then once done you'll appreciate the very significant difference made as to hitch rigging.

Truck specs (GAWR, GVWR)?

Rear: 4200lbs
Front: 3600lbs
GVRW: 7400lbs

Quote:

Hitch brand and model?

Equi-l-izer (for now) because the dealer is throwing it in.

Quote:

Certified scale weight on empty & loaded TV already in place?

No

Quote:

TW of empty trailer (full fresh water & propane)?

6055... that's with LP and a full fresh tank

Quote:

Dealers are sloppy on this, in general.

A bit of preliminary work and then going across a CAT Scale will dial in the combination as to the WDH.

There's a difference between fairly-good and finger-tip. A big one.

There is a CAT scale near my house and I plan on figuring out when a good time to go would be so that I can go get it all dialed in.

phbarnhart · 09-04-2011, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Park

I think that's when I'd be scouring breaker yards for an 07 with the ratio you want that had front end damage, and buy the complete axle.

Luckily, my FX4 has the perfect ratio and HD tow package. I made it a buying requirement or I knew I'd be going through this

Next time. Honestly, we've only had the Suburban for 18 months but when we bought it we had no idea that we would be buying an Airstream a year and a half later. We just rented SOB trailers several times last, and then this, summer and kind of fell in love with the aluminum and.... well you know how it goes.