Towing with a Tahoe PPV?

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UPDATE: PPV hauls stuff just fine. I towed our 2 ton antique Chief's car on a heavy dual axle 18 foot trailer without an issue. Transmission temp never exceeded 190 degrees, even on a 95 degree day.

Rear end sagged a bit, helper bags would have been nice, but not necessary. As with anything, you'll need a brake controller for heavy loads, but the PPV is pre-wired and it only takes a few minutes to install.


c8119b706a7f344d4901705a765349f7.jpg



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iLikeEggs

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UPDATE: PPV hauls stuff just fine. I towed our 2 ton antique Chief's car on a heavy dual axle 18 foot trailer without an issue. Transmission temp never exceeded 190 degrees, even on a 95 degree day.

Rear end sagged a bit, helper bags would have been nice, but not necessary. As with anything, you'll need a brake controller for heavy loads, but the PPV is pre-wired and it only takes a few minutes to install.


c8119b706a7f344d4901705a765349f7.jpg



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Tahoe PPV awesomeness!!
 

Erik G

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992dr, I believe you're right. All of the City of Houston PPVs look to have them, and the 10 we got came from a department in the Tampa, FL area, and all of the ones I saw from there had receivers. It looks like it would provide a convenient tow hook hookup spot on the back of the truck should the truck get stuck in the mud, which is a common issue around here.

It seems some folks see PPVs local to them that don't have them, so yeah, it's probably a line on the order sheet and the department has their standard selections. IIRC, single or dual spotlights are also optional. Our truck has a single.

Odd - I live in the Heights and work downtown. All the HPD Tahoes I have seen (and I really started looking this weekend, I see at least 5 a day) had no hitch.

The only one I ever saw with a hitch, was under the bumper, sitting really low. It was not HPD, it was precinct 1 constable - and it struck me as odd. My guess was to tow a light float trailer for parades, maybe a small bike trailer or even a dingy for bayou search and rescue. It did actually have a ball on it
 
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Odd - I live in the Heights and work downtown. All the HPD Tahoes I have seen (and I really started looking this weekend, I see at least 5 a day) had no hitch.

The only one I ever saw with a hitch, was under the bumper, sitting really low. It was not HPD, it was precinct 1 constable - and it struck me as odd. My guess was to tow a light float trailer for parades, maybe a small bike trailer or even a dingy for bayou search and rescue. It did actually have a ball on it

Likely for police bicycles or a S&R boat. Our Department Tahoes have the built in hitches, but they're typically only used to tow our light duty search and rescue boat. We use Booster trucks (F250 Diesel) to haul bigger trailers like our trench rescue trailer or Dozer.


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jz57

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To answer members' pray, CURT now makes aftermarket Class III towing hitch for Tahoe PPV, part # 13161. Check Curt web site.

See the video link:

 
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To answer members' pray, CURT now makes aftermarket Class III towing hitch for Tahoe PPV, part # 13161. Check Curt web site.

See the video link:


We talked about this earlier in this thread I believe. If not here, than in another.

The Curt hangs below the rear bumper. The PPV is 2 inches lower than standard already. If you put any tongue weight on that trailer, you're going to be dragging chains or have a very limited approach angle range.


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jz57

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Update for aftermarket Curt hitch installation result:

Curt hitch for Tahoe PPV, part # 13161, same as the above video described, the installation time is short or long depending on how the original Tahoe hitch bolt removal.

My situation is that the one of 6 welding lock nuts was dislodged, so the nut became free spin. The nut/bolt position is on driver-side, close to rear bumper. There is no way to hold the nut with any kind tool without removing rear bumper. So finally, I cut off the bolt hex-head, and left the lock nut and the rest of bolt inside rail. And also, left one bolt is not being installed.

The hitch is low, around 13-5/8 from ground. So, to tow some thing, there should be a raised hitch ball and a raised ball receiver to be needed. I checked U-Haul, their smallest trailer's coupler height is 25-in.

So, I will order 2-in raised hitch ball and a 8-in raised hitch receiver from Curt.

Bolt_Head_zps7ig5ayhg.jpg

Miss_Bolt_zpshekdyc9m.jpg
 

992dr

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Like agg said, we talked about this hitch earlier in this thread.

That sucks about the nut breaking free.

Looks like you'll need something like this to raise that receiver.
PPV%20Hitch_zpsngkaoruw.jpg

Random question. Is that gusset only tacked on the top and bottom? Or, is it welded on the other side?

What are you planning on towing?
 

jz57

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I am about to order following raised Curt parts:

CURT Trailer Ball #40034; Shank Rise 2 IN

CURT Class 3 Ball Mount #45110; Rise 8 IN

The towed items are an U-Haul 5 X 8 cargo trailer, with Empty weight 900 lbs, plus a Vortec 8.1L engine as cargo, weight around 700 Lbs. So the total weight is below 2000 lbs.

The newly installed hitch should hold that weight even missing one bolt.

The aftermarket hitch is bolt to chassis from bottom, please see the attached pix.


Hitch_zpsn7gojg8e.jpg




......

Looks like you'll need something like this to raise that receiver.


PPV%20Hitch_zpsngkaoruw.jpg

Random question. Is that gusset only tacked on the top and bottom? Or, is it welded on the other side?

What are you planning on towing?
 

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