Towing with Tahoe / Tailgate Clearance

[Meallen]

I currently have a 23' AS (6000 lbs full/ 680 tongue) and am considering purchasing a late model Tahoe (likely with Max towing) to tow the trailer. First question: Will I be able to open / close the tailgate with the trailer connected? I know there may be the option of just opening the glass but full tailgate is better. (Wife's Q7 I'm using now will fully open with trailer connected with a couple inches clearance from propane)
Any general comments on how "good" the Tahoe will be for towing? I'm sure most people would prefer F-150 for towing but will there be a huge difference? Is the bigger V8 a must have?

[dandiego]

I had a ‘17 Tahoe and the tail gate didn’t clear on my 25’ FC with a Blue Ox hitch. An extra 1/4” would have been the difference between it scraping the cowling on the jack and clearing safely.

As far as towing goes, it’s hit or miss. Driving in/out of Yellowstone on US-191/20 was totally fine but I-90 into Bozeman was not. Power wasn’t a problem, we just took it easy; keeping everything slow on long downhill sections was the problem. Your trailer weighs significantly (20%) less than mine so the Tahoe may be perfect. I don’t regret towing with it but life with a 3/4 ton truck now is less stressful.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Just my 'opinion'...

A fully optioned Towhow may be marginal depending on how you camp and the amount of stuff that camps with you.
I believe they don't even come with LT tires any longer.
Like the newer Suburbans they have morphed into 'luxery sockermom grocery getters.'☹️

Tailgate opening will depend on the hitch being used and how long the stinger
is.

Bob
🇺🇸

[Dennis C]

I can’t speak to the towing ability of the Tahoe, but I can tell you that the smaller V8 has plenty of power for a 23-footer. My Denali 1500 truck with the. 5.3L engine handles our 23 foot International easily.

[DCPAS]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Tailgate opening will depend on the hitch being used and how long the stinger is.

The non-Hensley version of this is that you can get a longer shank. The shank that came with my hitch would not allow my Navigator tailgate to open. I needed a shank with more drop and the new shank just happened to be a bit longer and allowed my tailgate to open.

A longer shank is not good for towing. Shorter is better. My longer one isn't much longer and I haven't noticed any ill effect, but you shouldn't plan on any long extensions.

[Mollysdad]

You can turn the jack sideways if you just need a little.

[drbrick]

THis can be a problem with lots of TV - I had to turn the Jack Head to open the tailgate on our F-150

[Sol]

I have ‘15 Tahoe with max tow of 8,400 lb. I just bought FC 23FB a few weeks ago. Opening tailgate was fine with Blue Ox. I cannot tell anything about towing since I haven’t had much experience on this particular set up.

When I had ‘17 FC 25FBT, it was fine with Reese hitch and Tahoe.
Sol

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by DCPAS

A longer shank is not good for towing. Shorter is better. My longer one isn't much longer and I haven't noticed any ill effect, but you shouldn't plan on any long extensions.

If you need a 2" longer stingershank get it and adjust the rig properly to compensate.
A foot longer without PPP would be difficult a couple inches not so much.

My preference w/o PPP...would be long enough so I can turn without AS damage, short enough to enable proper lash-up.

Bob
🇺🇸

[CA_CAJUN]

IMHO
I’ve towed with Yukon XLs for decades. Tailgate issue popped up when I changed the jack. Turned jack head 90 degrees and sometimes had to open tailgate when coupler was lifted up.
On current Yukon I replaced shank and hitch. No problems with tailgate. Get your TV based on your lifestyle and camping needs. If you buy a Tahoe, get the best tow package GM offers. The clearance can be solved. Happy camping!

[mochadu]

Originally Posted by Meallen

I currently have a 23' AS (6000 lbs full/ 680 tongue) and am considering purchasing a late model Tahoe (likely with Max towing) to tow the trailer. First question: Will I be able to open / close the tailgate with the trailer connected? I know there may be the option of just opening the glass but full tailgate is better. (Wife's Q7 I'm using now will fully open with trailer connected with a couple inches clearance from propane)
Any general comments on how "good" the Tahoe will be for towing? I'm sure most people would prefer F-150 for towing but will there be a huge difference? Is the bigger V8 a must have?

So glad you asked this question, and sorry to be so long here but to your benefit if you read all the way through I think. I have an 25' AS International Serenity. Had it more than a year now and have travelled about 8K miles to date, all miles towed with a new Tahoe. I purchased a 2021 Tahoe High Country with the 6.3L and Max Trailering Package to do the job. That includes an extra cooled transmission. Power is great, trailering options are fantastic also, ie. brake gain output and the whole 9 yards. I have had no issues with acceleration, braking. Actually accelerates very well even up steep inclines.
The back tailgate clears the trailer, actually the propane tank housing is the only real obstacle to clear. However, you will notice that the tailgate does not extend all the way up with the trailer hooked. Maybe a few inches short of the normal extension without the trailer hooked up. Have had the dealership look at that and they said it may be due to the weight on the hitch which influences the sensor for height extension. Really no big deal for the average height person but since I am 6'4" tall I do have to slightly duck down so as to not hit my head. As as far as your question goes, you should have no real issues with the tailgate.
But here is a real life concern for you with the Tahoe. At about 22K I noticed a slight, high frequency whiny noise in the rear, even without the trailer attached. I took it into the dealership for this and they noticed it right away. Well, three weeks later (yes, three weeks in the shop) they replaced the entire transmission due to faulty and therefore misbehaving operation. Five parts needed replacing but two of those were on back order with no expected ETA. This due to the CoVid pandemic which is making parts hard to get. You may have trouble even finding a 2021 Tahoe High Country on a lot anywhere. I never noticed any shift jerking or lungeing with the transmission. Just that ever so slight whining noise. I know there have been other reports of 2021 10 speed transmission issues with the new 2021 Tahoe, Check that out. Tahoes have also been notorious for transmission issues with past year models also. I thot they had it fixed with the new 10 speed 2021 transmissions, but apparently not. Driving my "new" transmission Tahoe now. will see what happens from here on out. Reconsider your choices. . . happy to answer any other questions also.

[WhereStream]

I had a Suburban, an older model, 2004.

The lift gate was not an issue.

It did catch on the propane cover or jack one time, when it had it parked at an angle.

If parked reasonably straight, the gate cleared fine.

Mine had the 5.3-liter (or, as I called it, “the 327”), with a four-speed automatic, and it towed well.

It had a good payload rating, too.

Most reliable vehicle I’ve ever own.

[mkcurtiss]

I have a vintage 26’ overlander……we tow with an 18’ tahoe and with a ford e350 van. Both have tow package…..the tahoe does fine, and no clearance issue if parked straight…..but nothing tows as beautifully with as much dry secure storage as my e350 extended w/ v 10……nothing else even gets close.

[SYC2Vette]

Originally Posted by Meallen

.................................
Any general comments on how "good" the Tahoe will be for towing? I'm sure most people would prefer F-150 for towing but will there be a huge difference? Is the bigger V8 a must have?

Several years ago I towed a 6,000 lb trailer with a Tahoe and it was not a great experience and felt very unstable compared to my K2500 which I used later with that trailer however the Tahoe did not have any trailering package as far as I know, and I was not using a WD hitch. I have always felt it was in part due to the relatively short wheelbase. The new 2021+ in addition to IRS are 4-5" longer wheelbase. Important thing to consider including the F-150 is the PAYLOAD. Many otherwise adequate tow vehicles end up being severely limited on Payload.

[Merlintiaga]

As an alternative to the Tahoe, look at the Yukon Denali. It comes standard with the 6.2L V8 (which I believe is an option on the Tahoe). Mine is a 2012 and has auto level, which is nice as well.