What size toy hauler can I pull with a new 07 1500 Suburban? It has the 5.3. Says it can haul up to 7200lbs, but should I really stick to that or can I go a bit higher?
Thanks,

 

Don't go over... your tranny and rear end are not designed to pull more than the GVWR. Your brand new Suburby will not last very long. Also your brakes will not be strong enough to haul that thing safely. JMO

 

If anything, you need to go under - try for a trailer load that is no more than 80% of your total rating. That 7,200 pound figure includes not only your trailer and gear but also the weight of any passengers riding in the 'burb with you.

There is also a serious liability issue to consider. If you are in a wreck and are over your towing weight limit, you may be considered the at fault driver - even in a clear cut situation where the accident was someone else's fault.

Jaybee

 

BINGO!

 

What jaybeecon55 said is exactly right. I love the new stylings on the Suburban, good choice..

So if you are towing 4 ATVs, A trailer, gear, and 4 adult passengers, the math will look like this..

3000 LBS 4 quads (est 750 a peice) (mid EST)
2000 LBS 1 trailer (high EST)
900 LBS 4 Adults (est 225 a peice) (High EST)
600 LBS 4 sets of gear (gas, helmets/gear, beer (if needed), extra cloths and towels, first aid kit, some food/drinks/ice/cooler/energy bars, ETC) (mid EST)

So you are already at 6500 LBS, as you can see, crap adds up quick. Just something to consider.

 

It's not a bad idea to run it by a truck scale when you're fully loaded too. Just so you know for a fact what you're pulling. You'd be suprised how much difference there is in what they tell you a trailer weighs, and what it tips the scales at.

 

Weekend warrior, Extreme, Ragen and Tahoe to name a few all make lite trailers designed for the half ton vehicle with a V8. Check them out keep in mind fuel station and water = extra weight. Equalizer hitch is a must and they do help out alot. I have a Super light 19 FK by Weekend Warrior. My Half ton Silverado handles it with no problems.

 

There is a lot of numbers flying around here, and they are all heading down the correct path.

However; A buddy of mine has an '03 Yukon that he hauls a boat with - he just put some $4,000 into the transmission and drive train.

The bottom line - was that he was pulling too much - and the dealer refused to honour any warranty claims because he was pulling too heavy a load ...

Once he started to read the FINE PRINT - the 7000 lb load capacity INCLUDED the WEIGHT of the car so the actual towing ability was a lot less than he had expected, so the weight of the boat was over the limit and the bills came rolling in.

READ the FINE PRINT!!

 

What a load of crap, fine print. That sounds about right for GM to do something like that.

 

vmutt,

The whole "how much can I tow" question according to mfg specs is kind of hard to figure out. The 7200 lbs figure you have is the GVRW, which is how much you're allowed to have in the vehicle. This includes the curb weight of your vehicle, (5607 lbs) plus people cargo etc in the vehicle. The tow rating for your suburban is 7100 lbs. This isn't included in the 7200 lbs of your GVRW. Now, tongue weight of the trailer goes into your GVRW. So, if you have a 5600lb vehicle, 6 people at 200lbs each, 200 lbs of gear in the vehicle, and a trailer with a tongue weight of 200 lbs you have hit your 7200 lbs of GVRW. If you had a 4000lb load on your trailer, you should still be within the limits of the mfg. Clear as mud? Anyway, that's my take on the explanation of weights and capacities on the GM website. My suggestion, trade in the suburban, go buy a diesel 1-ton pickup and tow whatever you can hook up to it. Dont' know how your suburban is equipped, but if you're going to be towing a big load, make sure you have a load distributing hitch, a transmission cooler, and suspension on your back that will keep the load level.

toe