Newbie Yukon XL owner!

[NateDavis49686]

Hi guys, stoked to be here! I have been an avid jeeper for some time, and have recently decided to get a tow vehicle!
Super excited about my new-to-me 2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500 SLT 4wd.
Just like my Jeep, I don't think this is going to stay stock for too long! My goal is to run Fox 2.0 Coil-overs, cognito uca's, and sumo springs to help support towing loads in the rear. My biggest concern is finding an HD coil for the rear to add somewhere between .5-1" of lift to maintain a factory-raked look! I have seen Moog HD (chevy z71) coils for the earlier models (pre '11). Is there a HD spring for the rear of my year/model, as i'd like to avoid spacers of any sort.
Any help, and advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[swathdiver]

Hi guys, stoked to be here! I have been an avid jeeper for some time, and have recently decided to get a tow vehicle!
Super excited about my new-to-me 2011 GMC Yukon XL 1500 SLT 4wd.
Just like my Jeep, I don't think this is going to stay stock for too long! My goal is to run Fox 2.0 Coil-overs, cognito uca's, and sumo springs to help support towing loads in the rear. My biggest concern is finding an HD coil for the rear to add somewhere between .5-1" of lift to maintain a factory-raked look! I have seen Moog HD (chevy z71) coils for the earlier models (pre '11). Is there a HD spring for the rear of my year/model, as i'd like to avoid spacers of any sort.
Any help, and advice would be greatly appreciated!

Howdy Nate! It would help if we knew exactly which suspension your truck is equipped with. Post a pic of the RPO sheet in your glovebox.

Mine has the ZW7 dumb suspension and tows 5-6k with about a 500-600 tongue weight without sagging and I have yet to install the air lift springs (bags) in my coils. What color is it?

 

[NateDavis49686]

Howdy Nate! It would help if we knew exactly which suspension your truck is equipped with. Post a pic of the RPO sheet in your glovebox.

Mine has the ZW7 dumb suspension and tows 5-6k with about a 500-600 tongue weight without sagging and I have yet to install the air lift springs (bags) in my coils. What color is it?

 

[NateDavis49686]

Pretty sure my suspension is pretty plane jane.

 

[swathdiver]

View attachment 212192 View attachment 212193

Pretty sure my suspension is pretty plane jane.

Yes, same as mine, nice and simple!

However, you said that you bought this to tow with and she has 3.08 gears according to the RPO Sheet (GU4). How much weight do you plan to pull? These gears and the lack of the Enhanced Cooling Package limit your Yukon to a 5000 pound towing limit.

Back to the rear suspension. I think the bags in the springs are all you're going to need, if that. Roof rack looks good and mud flaps are on my "to do" list, they'll help save the paint with these AT tires.

 

[NateDavis49686]

Jeep is about 4000lbs, and I assume a tandem axle trailer is going to be about 2000lbs.
What will it take to get a trans cooler on this thing? Is OEM the way to go? Should I look at a numerically higher gear set? If I do that, should I addan ARB in the rear too! Or, is the G80 sufficient?
The Jeep has 4.56 gears, lockers, and 37’s... so I don’t want/need an aggressive off-road machine. Just something to reliably tow one!

 

[swathdiver]

Jeep is about 4000lbs, and I assume a tandem axle trailer is going to be about 2000lbs.
What will it take to get a trans cooler on this thing? Is OEM the way to go? Should I look at a numerically higher gear set? If I do that, should I addan ARB in the rear too! Or, is the G80 sufficient?
The Jeep has 4.56 gears, lockers, and 37’s... so I don’t want/need an aggressive off-road machine. Just something to reliably tow one!

I think the factory external cooler is fine but lots of fellas like that TruCool 4000 or something, it's massive. If you want to go the factory way, I can provide the part numbers for mine.

Towing 6,000 pounds with 3.08s, I don't think you're going to be a happy camper doing that. Couple weeks ago I was in 4th at 70 mph turning 3,000 rpms and she didn't want to go into 5th with only 3,000 pounds being towed. I think we were in a stiff headwind though.

Yes, the rear is the weak link for towing near the limits and folks upgrade the unit or swap out the whole axle for an AXN, 9.5" semi-floater used in the 2WD 6.2 SUVs.

If I were in your shoes, I'd upgrade the cooling system as the factory did with the larger radiator and fans, external transmission cooler and engine oil cooler plumbed into the radiator. Then I would add 3.42 gears to the front differential and if funds allowed, acquire a 9.5 axle which nearly all came with 3.42 gears. Then for towing, would add a weight distribution hitch and put airbags in my springs and call it a day.


Look for posts by @intheburbs on towing. Bill has forgotten more than I'll ever know about towing with these trucks.

 

[intheburbs]

To be blunt, you bought a truck with features/options LEAST suited to towing. With no cooling package and the 3.08 rear, it's basically a soccer-mom SUV. And as James mentioned, it has a very low tow rating.

What kind of towing are you going to do? Just a short tow to Sleeping Bear, or someplace else in state, or are you planning to tow the Jeep to Moab and other far-away places? For shorter tows of a few hundred miles, you should be fine. It won't be too much fun, but you probably won't break anything.

To have a solid, reliable long-distance tow rig to handle the Jeep and trailer, I'd add an aftermarket trans cooler, engine oil cooler, re-gear to 3.73 or even 4.10, and beef up or completely replace the rear axle. As I'm sure you know, any kind of lift or larger tires on it will negatively impact towing performance and add extra stress on various components.

If you'd have come on here before you bought, I would've recommended a 2500. They're absolute towing beasts. I drag an 8600-lb trailer all around the country with no issues.

 

[mikeyss]

Yes, the rear is the weak link for towing near the limits and folks upgrade the unit or swap out the whole axle for an AXN, 9.5" semi-floater used in the 2WD 6.2 SUVs.

Except mine (and a few others), I have 4X4 with 6.2 and the AXN 9.5" axle from the factory
Its one of around 600 Tahoe's that had the 6.2 option, and those were part time 2 speed T-Case so they had to put a beefier rear in it since 100% of the power goes to the rear. If the 5.3 granades the 8.6", imagine what a 6.2 would do to one, haha.

 

[swathdiver]

That's right Mike, the Escalades (SWB) also have them as they are configured similarly. I think also any of the 2007-2009s that had the L76, 6.0 motor got them too.