2021 Tahoe w/ max trailer package

[constructor]

The buyers of our 2018 26 Flying Cloud own a 2021 Tahoe w/max trailer package.

The door reads tongue weight rating 840 and the manual states max weight is 1250 for standard hitch. What's the real rating? The trailer has a 904 tongue weight and is 6000 lbs w/1600 payload.

They are not planning any trips to Rockies but want to be safe.

Thanks all.

[BayouBiker]

The door label 840 is referenced in the towing guide as applying to towing on the ball without a Weight Distribution Hitch. It is not clear from the towing guide the maximum with WD, but the 1250 you offered seems correct.

[LNBright]

The manual is published for a 'standard build'. Options, such as a sunroof, powered seats, etc., will nickel-and-dime into the standard build's given weight. The door sticker is supposed to be the weight for 'that specific vehicle', as optioned from the factory.

So, yeah, if the door sticker says 840, and the trailer's tongue truly is at 904 on the nose, then they'd be 64lb over. Not the worst one out there, but, over...

[BayouBiker]

Leslie you may be thinking of payload since base weight changes with options. GVRW, Towing Capacity, and tongue limits are not influenced by build differences. 1250 is a good WD max tongue weight to use for the Tahoe.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Bob
🇺🇸

For Brian...

[LNBright]

True, I suppose I was thinking of payload being cut down....

However, shouldn't the tongue weight be accurate on the door sticker?

[BayouBiker]

Not sure what I'm going to do with a picture of a hitch rating label, but thanks just the same .

[SSquared]

This got me wondering, so I went looking for info on GMC web site. I did not find their 2021 Trailering Brochure, but the online chat box on their web site sent me a link to the GMC Fleet ordering guide that shows trailer weight limits and GCWR, but not tongue weight. I asked for that and they answered as follows:


"The Maximum Trailer Tongue Weight Rating for a conventional trailer hitch is shown on the Trailering Information Label.
Do not exceed a maximum trailer tongue weight of 1,250 lb for a conventional trailer hitch."


1250 is an amazingly high number for Yukon or Tahoe. I hope it is right because I might want to tow with one of these some day, and my tongue weight is about 1000 pounds.

[LNBright]

The sticker in the door of my GMC lists the conventional trailer tow weight as 9800, and the tongue weight listed is 10% of that at 980.

What was the Tahoe’s max towing limit? 8400lbs?

[LNBright]

I have to 2020 GMC guide handy, so I grabbed the Yukon’s towing chart... Tahoe may vary, and 2021 could differ from 2020, but it might be close... doesn’t list tongue weights, but, max trailer weights would lead me to believe the 840lb number...

[BayouBiker]

Again, in the towing guide for both Yukons and Tahoes, 8400 is listed as towing limit and 840 (10% actually) is listed as max for towing on the ball. It says "higher numbers require a weight distribution device". but then does not directly state those number but refers you to the manual and the hitch rating.

[LNBright]

Okay, that makes sense.
But.... how do you calculate the what the adjusted max tongue weight is when a weight distribution hitch is used?

[BayouBiker]

If they don't provide a number, it would be 15% of the max trailer limit, unless the receiver has a lower specific limit listed.

If they list a limit different from above then the vehicle has some other performance or safety related issue, generally suspension travel, rear axle load that can't be satisfied with WD, or oversteer issues.

[Profxd]

Originally Posted by BayouBiker

Again, in the towing guide for both Yukons and Tahoes, 8400 is listed as towing limit and 840 (10% actually) is listed as max for towing on the ball. It says "higher numbers require a weight distribution device". but then does not directly state those number but refers you to the manual and the hitch rating.

GM is now using VIN specific tow rating labels so this vehicle has a maximum allowable TW of 840 lbs with a WDH. 2020 GM owners manual says a maximum weight carrying rating of 600lbs TW and 1000lbs maximum with a WDH. That 1000lb maximum gets reduced based on how the vehicle is optioned which is shown on the tow rating door label. A trailer with 13% TW will limit this vehicle to a trailer weight below 6500lbs. This is how every vehicle should’ve been labeled since the introduction of the SAE standard.

[Jim J]

Under what conditions did you measure the 904 lb Tongue weight? Or did you not measure it?

If you measured it, was it hitched to something? was it with a WD hitch?

If it was unhitched did you measure it at the hitch ball socket or at the tongue jack?

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by BayouBiker

Not sure what I'm going to do with a picture of a hitch rating label, but thanks just the same .

I thought labels were important?

WITH & WO WD.

I can toe this when I have that and can't when I don't, it's right there in B & W.😂

Bob
🇺🇸

[LNBright]

So, the hitch in Bob’s photo has its own limits for weight-bearing, and weight-distributed, each with its own tongue weight limits. But that’s just for the hitch itself, not the entire vehicle: chassis, axles, etc, also factor into the calculations, and thus the final limits for that specific vehicle may be lower.

Right?

[BayouBiker]

Originally Posted by SSquared

This got me wondering, so I went looking for info on GMC web site. I did not find their 2021 Trailering Brochure, but the online chat box on their web site sent me a link to the GMC Fleet ordering guide that shows trailer weight limits and GCWR, but not tongue weight. I asked for that and they answered as follows:


"The Maximum Trailer Tongue Weight Rating for a conventional trailer hitch is shown on the Trailering Information Label.
Do not exceed a maximum trailer tongue weight of 1,250 lb for a conventional trailer hitch."


1250 is an amazingly high number for Yukon or Tahoe. I hope it is right because I might want to tow with one of these some day, and my tongue weight is about 1000 pounds.

Profxd did find the towing guides for the Tahoe. In them GM caps tongue weight at 1000 as his post indicates.

[BayouBiker]

Originally Posted by LNBright

So, the hitch in Bob’s photo has its own limits for weight-bearing, and weight-distributed, each with its own tongue weight limits. But that’s just for the hitch itself, not the entire vehicle: chassis, axles, etc, also factor into the calculations, and thus the final limits for that specific vehicle may be lower.

Right?

Exactly, it's a bit of a red herring as it is not particularly relevant to the Tahoe vehicle limits.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by BayouBiker

Exactly, it's a bit of a red herring as it is not particularly relevant to the Tahoe vehicle limits.

Red?.....
Herring are a small fish that is silvery in color with a bluish or greenish blue back. They have a slender body with a round belly and a forked tail.

Bob
🇺🇸