Tow Question - 2008 Avalanche

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Lucy012

Lucy012

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Hi everyone,
I'm new to this forum and would like to ask a towing question. I currently pull a small 16 ft trailer, weighing about 3400 lbs. with a 2008 Avalanche that was leveled from a previous owner.  I'm considering modifying it back to stock height, with the thought that it would be more efficient towing and safer for a larger, light weight trailer about 24 -26 ft and no more than 6500 lbs. 

Additional Notes on the Avalanche:  2WD -  5.3L  V8 / C1500 - Axle Ration 3.73 / Maximum trailer weight 7200.  (GCWR 13,000)
Do you think this is necessary? Good or bad idea? 

Thank you in advance for your help and feedback.
 
When you say "leveled", do you mean "lifted"??  I own an 02 Avalanche 4X4,, same engine and love it,,all standard and UNDER 100K on the clock!!>>>Dan
 
Your problem is with total payload.I believe that is around 1500 pounds. A 6500 pound trailer will take up about 1000 pounds of that payload and that is with the trailer empty realistically  you will be more like 1100 pounds tongue weight once the trailer is loaded properly.
That will leave you 400-500 pounds capacity for you, the significant  other (kids if any) dog etc so weigh everything up you plan to put into the truck. You are at or over the max payload on a ten year old truck.
 
Leveled?  Or lowered?  Either way, it's surely a suspension modification, so all bets are off on the original cargo and towing capacity.

As a reminder, that future trailer of no more than 6500 lbs. would mean a trailer GVWR of 6500, not dry or unloaded weight.
 
Welcome to the Forum!

I assume you misspelled lowered, and spell check made it leveled. 

For the current camper, you are probably fine the way it is.  However, as Gary said, with the suspension mods, the factory max tow numbers are meaningless.  If you converted back to stock suspension, then they will have some meaning.

Note that max tow refers to the weight of the trailer you are towing as currently loaded.  In 2008, it included nothing in the truck except a 150# driver. 

Dry weight is meaningless unless you go camping with an empty camper.  Use the GVWR as a good estimate of the actual weight when camping, and keep that weight under 6500# and you should be fine.  DO NOT LET THE SALESMAN tell you different!  They want to sell campers and will say to use the dry wt, because nobody loads it up to GVWR.  They are wrong.  ALL campers will weigh more than dry wt when in use.  Most will be closer to GVWR than dry wt, and some will be above GVWR.  If you pack light and are below GVWR, that is called a safety margin.  If you start with a 6500# dry wt camper, you are assured of being overweight when you load it up.
 
A leveling kit raises the front end only so that you eliminate that racked look ( rear is now no longer sitting higher than the front ) only issue is now when you load up a trailer the back now is lower than the front.  Now you need air bags to raise the back level with the front.

A leveling kit will not affect tow rating at all or specs- its just a polyurathane spacer between the front strut and  the mounting plate. Or on some vehicles its torsion keys

http://www.daystarsuspensionparts.com/kg09109

Either way an avalanche is a car with a truck body its not really designed for towing. 20-21ft max and 6500lbs will bog it down but not kill it. On the plus side the avalanche has a great ride and is a super comfy suv but not a truck.
 
Ernie n Tara said:
One correction; the hitch weight will be about 10% of gross weight, not 1, 000 as noted above.

Ernie
Click to expand...

10-15%

Here is what chevy states;
What Is Proper Tongue Weight?

For conventional trailers with ball-mounted hitches, proper tongue weight is roughly 10 to 15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight.

For instance, if a 2,000-pound conventional trailer is loaded with 1,000 pounds of cargo, the proper tongue weight of the loaded trailer should be between 300 and 450 pounds, or 10-15 percent of the loaded 3,000 pound total.
found here;
https://www.gmc.com/gmc-life/trucks/why-tongue-weight-is-important-for-safe-towing


So I always estimate high end because if you are under the presumed weight there is no harm but over could be problematic
 
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