Towing Travel Trailer

[Bob2C]

ill add my 2 cents as someone who has towed a travel trailer for years when working pipeline. Sway hitch will help a ton. The vehicle can do it fine and trans temps will exceed 200 but if it starts to get overly hot it will warn you.

Use your display to watch the temps if it helps you feel comfortable. In the mountains when downhill be gentle on any brakes used since the trailer will be pushing at that point you can create a sway condition. I usually coast down hill and if it gets a bit pushy or quick I lightly apply the trailer brakes manually.

properly set tongue weight. It makes a huge difference in how things will handle. Also do not over inflate the tires. Once loaded you can chalk the tires and drive a few feet and see your tread pattern. You want full contact but not eating the sidewall edges.

For the earlier question on the TSC and stabilitrack, basically the vehicle will individually brake each will as needed to counter the sway while also applying trailer brakes if it feels need to do so to help. Its a huge help but it has limitations a wildly swaying trailer can still get away from it. The big thing is besides how you brake with sway is keeping your steering pointed to where you want to be. Keep the wheel straight do not try to counter steer it you will just exaggerate the sway.

Last travel trailer I pulled was with my 2016 LS tahoe. It was a 28 footer and old. I was near capacity and pulled it about 250 miles. It pulled fantastic. Ive pulled a much lighter trailer thought that would not distribute well and it pulled like crap. And currently I often pull a mini excavator home from work as im doing some clearing and it pulls great. Every trailer is different and you may have to stop and adjust a time or 2 to feel comfortable and that is OK.

Also use tow mode for sure. Tow mode uses a different set of tables and makes a difference in keeping within the power band when getting going down the road. A longer wheelbase would be more stable and ideal for sure but with proper setup and learning the rig the smaller wheelbase can do it.

Thank you. Much appreciated.


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[bde269]

id rent a diesel truck and pull the trailer and family with that . be safe and make it back home to tell us how she pulled

 

[RobH]

So am I reading this correctly? 1k tongue weight, 10k max trailer weight

The devil is in the details.

See the small print on the sticker that says "Tow vehicle maximum trailer rating may be less." The hitch is built to go on more than one vehicle, like on a 2500 Suburban. The manufacturer doesn't know on what vehicle it will be installed. So they put in the statement quoted.

More details. In my Tahoe owner's manual, it says that weight of cargo and passengers in the tow vehicle have to be subtracted from the trailer weight rating in the manual. Presumably you're going to have some family and gear in your tow vehicle.

Depending on how far you are going and how much mountains, an increased capacity transmission cooler like the Tru-Cool 40k 007matman mentioned will help keep both the engine and transmission fluid temps down. Consider a transmission fluid thermostat to keep the transmission fluid temps from being too cool the rest of the year. Or pull the extra capacity cooler after Labor Day, assuming you are home by then.

 

[Tiredmechanic23]

The devil is in the details.

See the small print on the sticker that says "Tow vehicle maximum trailer rating may be less." The hitch is built to go on more than one vehicle, like on a 2500 Suburban. The manufacturer doesn't know on what vehicle it will be installed. So they put in the statement quoted.

More details. In my Tahoe owner's manual, it says that weight of cargo and passengers in the tow vehicle have to be subtracted from the trailer weight rating in the manual. Presumably you're going to have some family and gear in your tow vehicle.

Depending on how far you are going and how much mountains, an increased capacity transmission cooler like the Tru-Cool 40k 007matman mentioned will help keep both the engine and transmission fluid temps down. Consider a transmission fluid thermostat to keep the transmission fluid temps from being too cool the rest of the year. Or pull the extra capacity cooler after Labor Day, assuming you are home by then.

He will already have a factory trans thermostat in the cooler line block on the side of the trans. Its very common to delete it all year long. Trans temps are drastically cooler when towing even with the factory trans cooler once the thermostat is out.

 

[dubyagee01]

I have a Denali with an 8500 lbs towing capacity and towed a car trailer through north Georgia. Straight hitch. No trailer brakes. Pulled great but braking was at its limit. Engine braking and a cautious speed is what kept my brakes from burning on those hills. I was at 4-5000 pounds. These half ton yukes suburbans and hoes can pull 8500 but dont like it at all. Bent shocks, blown engine (in a friends suburban towing a 30 foot camper) engine mounts and brake wear makes it not worth it to me.

With a 19 foot enclosed trailer I have to keep my Denali below 70 to keep it out of lower gears at speed and keep the fuel usage at a decent rate.

 

[RobH]

He will already have a factory trans thermostat in the cooler line block on the side of the trans. Its very common to delete it all year long. Trans temps are drastically cooler when towing even with the factory trans cooler once the thermostat is out.

Didn't know we had a factory trans thermostat. I'll be watching my transmission temps to see how they behave.

 

[Danny3737]

Keep a close eye on your trans temp

 

[Bob2C]

This is what I’m looking to tow. Still on the fence







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[007matman]

This is what I’m looking to tow. Still on the fence







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IMO, that's too much trailer.

You're going to have issues. Best off finding a newer 1500 with Max tow (rated 11k plus) or a 3/4 ton + truck.

I had camper dealers tell me all the time I could pull the size of trailer I bought and even more. I also had folks on this forum tell me the same.

Money was an issue for me and I needed the ability to haul 6 people. The crew cab works because I can do a bench in both the front and rear with my year truck because a center jump seat was optional. I just pulled out the center console and replaced it with a used center jump seat.

You want something with a gross (max loaded) of under 6000lbs for that vehicle. For me, I couldn't find anything that would sleep 6 that was within that spec.

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[Tiredmechanic23]

Didn't know we had a factory trans thermostat. I'll be watching my transmission temps to see how they behave.

cant remember if its open point is 180 or 190 but its one of the 2. Even the 1500s have them but the 2500s do not. Its a efficiency thing for the EPA ratings if not mistaken. I plan to pull mine soon just got to have time. I rarely see over 190 though since my trans build.