Towing capacity of Hummer H3

[Skip Mac]

Anyone knowledgeable about towing a Safari 20" with a Hummer H3, any thoughts on comparing the Bambi 19' with the Safari 20'?

[SafeHarbor]

Hi, Skip Mac,

From the Hummer website:

NOTE 6: 4,500 lb. trailering capability with automatic transmission; manual transmission has a 3,000 lb. maximum trailering capability. Trailer tongue weight should be 10%–15% of total loaded trailer weight, up to 500 lbs. Do not exceed the maximum allowable tongue weight for your vehicle Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR), which is the total allowable weight of the completely loaded vehicle and trailer including any passengers, cargo, equipment and conversions, is 14,000 lbs. If you’ll be pulling a trailer that, when loaded, will weigh more than 5,000 lbs., be sure to use a properly mounted, weight-distributing hitch and sway control of the proper size. If your trailer weighs more than 2,000 lbs. loaded, then it needs its own brakes, and they must be adequate. Maximum trailer weight ratings are calculated assuming a base vehicle, except for any option(s) necessary to achieve the rating, plus driver. The weight of other optional equipment, passengers and cargo will reduce the maximum trailer weight your vehicle can tow. See your HUMMER dealer for additional details.

Other goodies from the same source:

GVWR (lb.) NOTE 4 . . . 5,850
CURB WEIGHT (lb.) . . . 4,700
PAYLOAD, MAXIMUM (lb.) NOTE 5 . . . 1.150
TRAILERING, MAXIMUM (lb.) NOTE 6 . . . 4,500
GROSS COMBINED WEIGHT RATING . . . 14,000
FUEL TANK CAPACITY (gal.) . . . 23
WHEEL BASE . . . 111.9

And just to make sure we don't miss anything, here's note 5:

NOTE 5: Payload includes passengers, equipment and cargo.

And then, from Airstream:

YEAR, NAME, LENGTH, Dry Wt., Hitch Wt., GVWR, Hitch Ball Ht.

2002, BAMBI, 16, 2855, 325, 3500, 18.00"

This should help you figure out if it works on paper.

I'll leave it to other forum members tell you if they tow Airstreams with a vehicle with crawl specs.

I don't disagree with 2air's conclusions. I think a 16' Bambi is about ALL this vehicle can tow.

Good luck!

Lamar

[2airishuman]

hi safeharbor

did you read any of the numbers,

you just posted or is that cut/paste?

i ask because the gcwr is more in the 9500lbs range

and having read the light-gray-hard-to-see-fine-print-text

myself on the h'mm'r site,

9500lbs is the figure i find.

the 'print' version has 14000lbs but this is surely a mistake...

go back and read the specs & dimensions again...not the 'print' version...

but the macromedia/pop up flash screen...#6 in light gray....

if the gvwr is a little over 5k and the max towing 4.5k then how could the gvwr be anywhere close to 14k?

also given the towing spec and gvwr it's pretty easy to guesstimate the combined rating at less than 10k?

and the gvwr note just reminds folks that people and gear are incuded in the limit.

and the note about using w/d gear for tongue loads over 500lbs is a generic statement...

as all towing guides advise. it doesn't mean THIS vehicle can handle a 500lbs tongue load.

towing capacity IS reduced as gear, people and stuff is loaded into the h'mm'r

this is a i5 cylinder chevy colorado....shortened

fine for rock scrambllin' or city driving....

but hiway towing? i think not...

cheers
2air'

[SafeHarbor]

Hi, 2air,

I was trying to help finish this, but it looked somewhat reasonable to me, even if though was a cut 'n paste.

Looking again, I think that the combined weight seems to be excessive.

Truck can weigh . . . 5850.
Truck can tow . . . 4500.

So, do you think this bumps off the 16' Bambi, too?

Lamar