Towing question
Thread Starter
Safety Car
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From: AUSTIN Tx
Towing question
Thursday on the way to work my trusty old GMC stretch cab P/U was mercilessly destroyed by a carelessly driven garbage truck. I am thinking about maybe replacing it with a Yukon or Tahoe, but would like some comments from anyone who tows a car trailer with one. My concern is the shorter wheelbase on the Tahoe Vs. the full sized Surburban. The shorter length of the Tahoe or Yukon would be a real plus in parking garages and in city traffic, but If I am uncomfortable towing my car with it, then I will pop for a longer wheelbased platform like the Sub or another fullsized stretch cab. I sure am gong to miss that truck, it was only ten years old and I was planning on driving it for another ten! I may have to ask for pain and suffering compensation for being deprived of an old friend.
:seeya
:seeya
Melting Slicks
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Re: Towing question (John McGraw)
I suspect you'll be satisfied with the Tahoe or Yukon as a tow vehicle. There is a different 'feel' for every tow vehicle but the Baby Suburbans have ample power and braking capacity.
I know what you mean about losing your truck. I hope no-one was hurt!
I know what you mean about losing your truck. I hope no-one was hurt!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: AUSTIN Tx
Re: Towing question (Mac)
Thanks Mac, No lasting injuries, but sure rang my chimes when my head bounced off the side window!
:crazy:
[Modified by John McGraw, 11:19 PM 7/21/2002]
:crazy:
[Modified by John McGraw, 11:19 PM 7/21/2002]
Melting Slicks
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Re: Towing question (John McGraw)
You might want to get yourself checked out by an MD, just in case. Soft tissue injuries to the neck comes to mind. I don't mean call a lawyer, I mean avoid complications like headaches and pain later on. A few 'range of motion' checks never hurt anyone.
Safety Car
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From: Spicewood, Texas, USA TX-Texas
Re: Towing question (DavidB)
David, it wasn't an S-10 Jimmy was it? :eek: If it was, the 1/4 ton S-10 definitely was not up to that task.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Tahoe/Yukon isn't built on the same chassis as the extended cab pickup with additional body weight and better weight distribution. If the power is there, and I expect it is since GM expects these vehicles to be likely tow vehicles, the Tahoe would probably make a better tow vehicle than the pickup.
John, check with your Chevy dealer for tow capacity on the Tahoe and compare it with that of the stretched cab PU; no need to guess whether it will work or not. Better yet, check out "Features/Specs" ("Trailering") here, and see if it works for you: http://www.chevrolet.com/tahoe/index.htm
I wouldn't be surprised if the Tahoe/Yukon isn't built on the same chassis as the extended cab pickup with additional body weight and better weight distribution. If the power is there, and I expect it is since GM expects these vehicles to be likely tow vehicles, the Tahoe would probably make a better tow vehicle than the pickup.
John, check with your Chevy dealer for tow capacity on the Tahoe and compare it with that of the stretched cab PU; no need to guess whether it will work or not. Better yet, check out "Features/Specs" ("Trailering") here, and see if it works for you: http://www.chevrolet.com/tahoe/index.htm
Race Director
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From: Beverly Hills/Pine Ridge Florida
Re: Towing question (DavidB)
I'm no towing expert, but for what it's worth I'll toss in my experiences. I towed for 10 years with 2 Jeep Cherokee's. Both were equipped with the 4 Liter 6 cylinder, automatic, and factory tow package. I was towing a Corvette on a 16 foot open trailer. The Cherokee was rated to tow 5000 lbs. I bought a Dodge Durango last year. Has the big 5.9 liter (360CI) V8. That truck is rated to tow 7500 lbs as it sits. I've towed a few times with it, most recently with a full size 55 Chevy. Tows like a dream. LOVE my Durango. Chuck
Thread Starter
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From: AUSTIN Tx
Re: Towing question (Chuck Gongloff)
Thanks to all who responded. I know that the towing load is within the General's specs, but was looking for the handling/sway problems. When I was much younger and more stupid, I hauled a 28' cabin cruiser with a Jeep CJ5, what a handfull, talk about the tail wagging the dog! Chuck, I am glad to hear that your Durango pulls the trailer with ease, and the weight and wheelbase are very similar to the Yukon. Now All I need to do is talk myself into paying the premium for the Yukon over the GMC or Chev truck.
:seeya
:seeya
Melting Slicks
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Re: Towing question (John McGraw)
When I was much younger and more stupid, I hauled a 28' cabin cruiser with a Jeep CJ5, what a handfull, talk about the tail wagging the dog!
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Drifting
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Douglasville GA
Re: Towing question (John McGraw)
I have a 2002 Tahoe, 5.3L, 3.73 gears, 4x4. I tow my 86 Vette on an 18 foot H&H tilt-bed trailer. Ok, so I have towed it twice so far, to the track and back.
I am still working on car placement on the trailer, as I did get some minor sway that was easily corrected by speeding up, or gently applying the trailer brakes.
The Tahoe pulled the load fine.
-Tom
I am still working on car placement on the trailer, as I did get some minor sway that was easily corrected by speeding up, or gently applying the trailer brakes.
The Tahoe pulled the load fine.
-Tom
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From: Beverly Hills/Pine Ridge Florida
Re: Towing question (tommelton)
Tom. Here's a little tip. If you have too little tongue weight, the trailer will fishtail behind the tow vehicle. Ideally, try for about 200 lbs. on the tongue. If you have too much tongue weight, you'll tend to "pull" the front wheels of the tow vehicle, making the steering VERY light. If your tow vehicle "squats" too much with about 200 lbs., you can use air shocks to compensate, or you can buy an "equalizer" hitch, which "jacks" the weight to the trailer too the frame of the tow vehicle. Confused ?? :) The position of the car on the trailer is critical. Think of the trailer as a "see-saw". Just because you have an 18 ft. trailer doesn't mean you can pull the vehicle all the way to the front of the trailer. Think of positioning the car on the trailer as a "balancing" act. Chuck
Melting Slicks
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Re: Towing question (Chuck Gongloff)
Beat me to the punch, Chuck.
I agree completely, It's funny how vehicle dynamics are affected by weight. With my old Ford x-cab pickup, 200 lbs on the tongue was max. With my Dodge x-cab diesel, a heavier tongue weight (300+) works better, less sway than 200 lbs. I put it down to the weight of the diesel on the front wheels. Same trailer, roughly same wheelbase trucks, completely different 'feel' on each.
I agree completely, It's funny how vehicle dynamics are affected by weight. With my old Ford x-cab pickup, 200 lbs on the tongue was max. With my Dodge x-cab diesel, a heavier tongue weight (300+) works better, less sway than 200 lbs. I put it down to the weight of the diesel on the front wheels. Same trailer, roughly same wheelbase trucks, completely different 'feel' on each.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Douglasville GA
Re: Towing question (Mac)
Chuck,
I probably had a little over 300 on the tongue. I had the Vette pretty much centered over the wheels, and my extra tires at the front of the trailer. The Tahoe has self leveling shocks (adjust within a couple miles). I did not have light steering.
Sway only seemed to happen around 70. Below - no sway, above - no sway. And again, it was minor sway.
Still gonna experiment with placement.
-Tom
I probably had a little over 300 on the tongue. I had the Vette pretty much centered over the wheels, and my extra tires at the front of the trailer. The Tahoe has self leveling shocks (adjust within a couple miles). I did not have light steering.
Sway only seemed to happen around 70. Below - no sway, above - no sway. And again, it was minor sway.
Still gonna experiment with placement.
-Tom
Safety Car
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From: Spicewood, Texas, USA TX-Texas
Re: Towing question (Chuck Gongloff)
If your tow vehicle "squats" too much with about 200 lbs., you can use air shocks to compensate, or you can buy an "equalizer" hitch, which "jacks" the weight to the trailer too the frame of the tow vehicle.
Equalizer hitches work well, but I didn't think anyone used them anymore. Like John, when I was 'younger' and 'more stupid', I used an equalizer hitch to tow a 19' travel trailer behind my then relatively young 86 4Runner. The 4Runner squated a little without the equalizer bars, but when they were cinched up, the 4Runner was perfectly level.
When I moved to West Texas, I pulled that travel trailer from Houston with the 4Runner. As far as handling, everything was just fine at highway speeds on level road surface. Never had any problem with instability. The rub began when I started to hit those mountains out toward Fort Davis; that little 2.4 liter four just couldn't handle the load in the mountains. Climbing a mountain on the shoulder of I-10 at 25 mph in second gear is NO FUN!
:jester
Thread Starter
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From: AUSTIN Tx
Re: Towing question (Chuck Sangerhausen)
Chuck, I rember back in the 70's, one of the equalizing hitch companies had an ad campaign where they took the rear wheels off a Toranado and pulled a travel trailer across country with only the equalizing hitch supporting the car! These type hitches are still widely used by anyone who pulls a large load without a 5th wheel or gooseneck.
Just a couple of years ago one of the major companies making lift bars, had a large failure rate of the bars at highway speeds, the results were very bad! They traced the problems to improper heat treating of the ends of the bars. Unfortunately once one bar failed, load from it went to the remaining bar causing it to fail!
I can only imagine what it was like to be going down the road at 70 miles an hour and have 1000lbs transfer to rear of your truck all at once!
:U
Just a couple of years ago one of the major companies making lift bars, had a large failure rate of the bars at highway speeds, the results were very bad! They traced the problems to improper heat treating of the ends of the bars. Unfortunately once one bar failed, load from it went to the remaining bar causing it to fail!
I can only imagine what it was like to be going down the road at 70 miles an hour and have 1000lbs transfer to rear of your truck all at once!
:U