Newbie here..1500 Suburban as a TV

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mobjack22

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Jun 15, 2018
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I tried a search but no real luck. Looking for input on any mods made to tv etc or if any needed. I will be towing my TT just under my gvwr capacity.  I routinely tow a 5000lb boat, my my TT gvwr is pushing 7000. I have WDH for TT and of course electronic brakes. Plan to add friction sway bar.

Any help is great.y appreciated.
 
It all depends on the numbers. You need to review the Burb's Max tow Rating, Cargo Capacity, and hitch rating.  Cargo Capacity needs to cover passengers and gear in the Burb as well as the trailer tongue weight, which is going to be 700-850 lbs all by itself (10-12% of loaded trailer weight).

You didn't mention the year of the Suburban or the configuration. Recent years typically have max tow ratings of either 6300 or 8300 lbs, but tat gets decreased as trim options are installed. Check your tow ratings in the Chevrolet or Trailer Life towing Guides.
I would suggest a Weight-Distributing hitch with built-in anti-sway rather than a friction sway bar. Something like Fastway E2.
 
Burb is a 2007 with a tongue weight rating with wdh of 1000#, trailer weight 7000. So with a light load I am maxed on my arctic fox.
 
If you are hoping for some magical way to increase your 1/2 ton Suburban's towing capacity... there isn't one. When you compare to 3/4 ton truck or SUV options, they have a bigger and heavier duty engine, transmission, suspension, brakes, and tires. Don't forget about the weight of passengers and other gear in the Suburban, as those items are being "towed" and take away from the cargo capacity also.

If you are towing short trips on flat ground and in nice weather, you may never notice the towing limit. But add in any hills/mountains, traffic, long driving day, or windy conditions, and that trailer size has a good chance of constantly reminding you that it's back there ("tail wagging the dog" we say here sometimes). You didn't mention the trailer length, but with that weight I'm guessing it's around 30' which can be dicey for a 1/2 ton vehicle. Can that towing be done? Probably. Will you enjoy it? Doubtful.
 
That's a little better scenario at least, 24 feet in length... another 5-6 feet of linear space to pick up wind or drafts from passing traffic would make a big difference (negatively speaking) in trailer handling.
 
It?s darn heavy for a 22 ft trailer.
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Northwood (Arctic Fox) builds well, and that always translates into more weight. Their chassis is particularly sturdy. The smallest models have a GVWR of 7000-7500 lbs

I think the 22M has one slide on the street side.
 
So I have done the math and used the trailer life table and I will have 1,200# for people, gear in car and TT, tongue weight and WDH. At best I will be at max.

While I see folks tow more with less, I guess I?m in the market for a new truck.  :(
 
If you don't mind a Suburban (or Yukon XL) one year older and the previous body style, I believe 2006 was the last year that the 3/4 ton option was offered. The top engine/tranny combo is rated for 12,000 lbs towing! They are pretty rare but you might be able to find one with decent miles.
 
the 2500 suburban is still available saw one just the other day the bought it back due to demand there are a few used ones as its deemed a "fleet" vehicle

https://www.gmfleet.com/chevrolet/suburban-hd-heavy-duty-suv.html
 
I looked on Auto Trader and there are quite a few 2500 Suburbans listed with less than 50,000 miles.  They are listed from all over the US.
 
While it might seem so, very very few have the proper engine and gear ratio. Almost all are 6L and tow only slightY more that the 1500. So far the few I have found are high mileage.

Frankly, I?m not sure that price wise, a used diesel 250 or 2500 is not an easier route.
 
Engine size probably isn't the critical factor. A 2500 is a more robust chassis, with a heftier suspension and stronger components throughout. Rear axle ratio is another key factor for towing capacity.
 
On a side note, do any of you tow with a manual tranny?  How is it?  Years ago I towed my boats with a manual and coming up the ramp was always hairy.
 
steveblonde said:
the 2500 suburban is still available saw one just the other day the bought it back due to demand
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Right, brought it back... it was gone from 2007 until 2017 (I think) when it returned as a special-order model. Did you notice the MSRP of $80k!?!?!?!  :eek:  And I'm not sure that's a true 3/4 ton, since that is never mentioned and it only has a 3k trailer towing rating.  :-\

mobjack22 said:
While it might seem so, very very few have the proper engine and gear ratio. Almost all are 6L and tow only slightY more that the 1500. So far the few I have found are high mileage.
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You are right about all of that, I did extensive research on GM's options when shopping for my Suburban. For maximum towing capability you need the biggest engine (7.4L before year 2000, or 8.1L starting in 2001) and biggest rear-end gearing (4:10) options. You'll find a lot of 5.3L / 6.0L engines and 3:73 gears, which as you said do not have much enhanced towing capabilities over the 1/2 ton. RPO codes to look for are GT4 and GT5. A lot of sellers don't know what they have, and as a buyer I usually did not specify what I was looking for... I'd just ask for a photo of the RPO sticker (usually inside the glovebox). If you see GT4 and GT5 then you're golden.

You won't find a Suburban 2500 with that combo, in decent rust-free condition, with decent mileage (around or under 100k) by searching online for a day or two, unless you get really lucky. It took me 2-3 months of daily searching, a LOT of email and phone inquires on models I found, and finally I drove a few hours to a neighboring state to check out and buy mine. Just depends on how much work you want to put into the hunt.
 
scottydl said:
If you see GT4 and GT5 then you're golden.
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You'll be looking a long time for a truck to have both of those codes.  In fact, all trucks will only have ONE of those codes.  GT4 = 3.73  and GT5 = 4.10.
 
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