rpegram
Eastern NC
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Joined: 09/07/2009
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I've towed many thousands of miles with a '96 Burb, 350 with 4.10 gears. I upgraded trans cooler and installed a tow circuit on trans to help it out. When it had heavy duty tires that carried 50 psi, it towed ok, but when you put the tires that were meant to be on it, sway was a problem, not a big problem, but noticeable. Since the Burbs are built on the same chassis as it's 1500 pickup sister, the additional weight of the Burb takes away from it's towing capacity.
2011 Jayco 26RLS
'92 26' Starcraft TT
'96 Dodge 3500 CC, 12 valve Cummins
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aclay
WA
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I have a 2011 Yukon XL (same mechanicals as the suburban) that is rated at 8k towing. My Jayco 26BH pushes that limit when we're all loaded. We're in the Pacific Northwest, I get slowed down in the mountains, otherwise the truck does fine. I have the tow package and use an equalizer wt distribution system. I get 9-12 mpg, but sometimes I run premium.
When I'm going up the pass I sure wish I had a 6.0l or the duramax, but otherwise it's just fine.
2012 Chevrolet 3500, 2011 Jayco 26BH, DW, 3 boys, & a dog...
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MO_Trout_Bum
Missouri
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Speaking from experience with the same vehicle and comparable TT, your 5.3L/4.10 combination should pull either configuration acceptably from a pulling perspective. You should expect to always tow in 3rd gear,however, and you will probably always wish you had more power. :-)
Sway and other side-to-side movement will be present with this long rig, however. So, be sure to install a Reese dual-cam sway control and the correct trunnion bars in the EQ for your tongue weight + 10-15% of contents. This should be 800lbs or so for the lighter TT and 1000-1200lbs for the heavier one.
Airbags will also help to stabilise it if you still need a bit of help.
E.g. I ended my TT days with an '07 1/2 ton Suburban LTZ 6.0L/4.10 configuration, towing a Hornet 30BHSS with 750lb tongue weight and 7200lb dry weight, and found the Reese Dual Cam/1200lb trunion to be a great config. The Suburban also had airbags, which helped.
Hope you enjoy your new TT!
2004 Silverado 2500HD Ext, Duramax LLY, 4WD, 3.73
2012 Keystone Cougar 327RES
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LAdams
Northern Illinois
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jerem0621 wrote:The entire 3/4 ton brakes vs 1/2 brakes is laughable in my opinion. If your truck stops different when towing your trailer then you have trailer brake issues or you need to turn up the gain on our brake controller.
OK - and that's on a "good day" and assumes your brake controller is adjusted 100% properly and that it never will fail...
What do you do on a "bad day" when your brake controller fails and/or the umbilical cord pops out of the connector and you have no trailer brakes coming down one of those hills you mentioned, and now your truck has to control and stop that #7000 behind you???
Can't happen you say??? Don't bet on it - it's happened to me and many others on this forum... And if it happens to you, you had better hope that those 1/2 ton brakes and chassis are large enough to handle the load without trailer brakes...
You design your rig so that the unforeseen can be handled, and not if everything works perfectly all the time with no margin for error...
Telling someone it's OK to overload and/or tow over ratings, or even inferring that is just plain bad advice, and is a large disservice to everyone reading this forum and especially the newbies that do not know any better!!!
Les
2000 Ford F-250SD, XLT, 4X4 Off Road, SuperCab
w/ 6.8L (415 C.I.) V-10/3:73LS/4R100
Banks Power Pack w/Trans Command & OttoMind
2006 Nomad 3150 Double Slide (Bunkhouse)
Hensley Arrow
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Lowsuv
Oregon
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I disagree with Jeremiah from Tennessee.
His presumption that half ton brakes are just fine and that you don't need the extra braking of the 3 /4 ton brakes is a reflection of where he lives.
Drum brakes on a travell trailer will not hold up on a long downhill grade.
In the west we have mountains. In Tennessee they have hills.
You never know that 3 years from now you want to vacation in the mountains. There are plenty of steep grades in the 11 western states that will totally "fade " your drum style trailer brakes. When that happens you are really happy to have diesel compression and serious disc brakes on a 3 /4 ton.
As an example, I will speak to 3 well known spots that will make you plead for Heavy Duty Disc brakes that are on HD 2500 pickups.
1. "Dead Indian Memorial Highway # 533 " dropping into Ashland Oregon from Lake Of The Woods. There is too much grade, period.
2. Interstate 70 dropping from the Eisenhower Tunnel ( 11,100 feet ASL ) to Grand Junction Colorado ( 4,500 feet ASL ). I don't remember where it was steepest , but I do know my trailer brakes were totally faded out.
3. Interstate 5 "Grapevine " of course. Not as bad as the first two.
4. I challenge others to add to this list of most severe drops. They are common enough in the west.
I do not wish to degrade our gentleman from Tennessee but if he travelled out west he would change his opinion.
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cathcartww
Stone Harbor, NJ
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Lowsuv wrote:I disagree with Jeremiah from Tennessee.
......... 4. I challenge others to add to this list of most severe drops. They are common enough in the west.
I do not wish to degrade our gentleman from Tennessee but if he travelled out west he would change his opinion.
There are several steep grades on the local roads in the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania. When we were towing with our older G20 Van, we had the trailer brakes completely fade a couple of times. Luckily the grades aren't that long, and we were able to get into low gear before starting the descent. The E350 is much more forgiving, but I wish we had a jake-brake!
* This post was
edited 01/30/12 09:11pm by cathcartww *
Bill & Kate - Stone Harbor, NJ
w/ Sunny (parti poodle) & Molson (goldendoodle)
2005 Ford/Quigley 4x4 E-350 Chateau Super Duty Van with 6.0L PSD ("Moby")
2012 Outback Super Light 277RL - 10th Anniversary Edition ("Salty Dog House II")
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anaro
Cary, NC
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Joined: 01/16/2011
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Having been pushed down a 7% grade in VA by a TT, I can tell you that half ton brakes are not enough for these trailers and I was using a P3 prodigy brake controller that was properly adjusted. I learned this the hard way and will never do that again. I deliberately stayed away from anything grade related while towing with the armada after that experience.
2009 Ford F250 Lariat Crew Cab 6.4L diesel 4WD
2011 Crossroads Zinger ZT26BL
Reese Dual Cam
6 nights camped in 2012!
27 nights camped in 2011!
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hmknightnc
Wilmington, NC
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My family pulled a 30' lite wieght TT weighing in at 6k# scaled with 2005 Tahoe 5.3L with 3.73 rear end for 6 years. 40k miles towing with the wife primarily driving (she was following me pulling 18k# horse trailer). Never had a problem. But don't expect to win any races and expect your rpms to be running in the 3k range or above all the time. I however completely agree with all of the comments on braking, be careful. In our case she was following me and I was always (and still am) at 30mph or slower starting down any grade over 5% because the 06 cummins doesn't have a jake brake with that horse trailer load.
That Tahoe isn't doing towing duty any more but is still on the road with the DD at 130k miles and runs like new. The 1500 Burb especially with the 4.10 rear end is certainly capable of that laod safely but you will be on the limit of capacity on steep hills up and down. Adjust your driving habits accordingly and get a WD hitch properly setup (It makes a huge difference!)
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jerem0621
SE Tennessee
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Joined: 05/17/2009
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LAdams wrote:OK - and that's on a "good day" and assumes your brake controller is adjusted 100% properly and that it never will fail...
What do you do on a "bad day" when your brake controller fails and/or the umbilical cord pops out of the connector and you have no trailer brakes coming down one of those hills you mentioned, and now your truck has to control and stop that #7000 behind you???
Can't happen you say??? Don't bet on it - it's happened to me and many others on this forum... And if it happens to you, you had better hope that those 1/2 ton brakes and chassis are large enough to handle the load without trailer brakes...
You design your rig so that the unforeseen can be handled, and not if everything works perfectly all the time no margiwithn for error...
Telling someone it's OK to overload and/or tow over ratings, or even inferring that is just plain bad advice, and is a large disservice to everyone reading this forum and especially the newbies that do not know any better!!!
Les
Les, I seriously appreciate your moderation and the work you do on this board. I honestly respect you, your position, experience, and opinions.
I never once indicated that it was OK to tow outside your ratings, I was pointing out the fact that IT DOES HAPPEN every single day with half tons, 3/4 tons, 1 tons alike. I will not ever recommend towing unsafe. I personally pray to God that none of us every have catastrophic failure of any kind, especially brakes. However, we know that it happens.
(I do feel safer being on the road with a TT and a TV pulling fully loaded. slower and more carefully than someone in a small car TEXTING while driving)
What happens when a 3/4 ton towing a 14k fiver loses trailer brakes going down a steep grade? I am not exactly sure, but I have a feeling the opportunity to end badly is similar to anyone losing trailer brakes on an heavy trailer.
I stand by my position, it IS laughable to expect a 3/4 ton to stop a run a way trailer just like it IS laughable to expect a half ton to stop a run a way trailer. In the flats, OK... On a steep grade, I bet its a wash... IF both vehicles are towing within their ratings. Truck stops the truck, trailer stops the trailer.
For the record I Have lost trailer brakes with my half ton towing. I used the MOTOR to slow down till I could safely stop. It's called ME, the driver being in control of the vehicle and NOT panicking (trailer end pigtail failure)
So, I tow up and down a 7% grades and rarely, I.E. almost never use my brakes. I let the engine do the work and I gear down (just like I mentioned in my previous post)
I will take my half ton breaks that are FRESH when I need them over someone who is riding their 3/4 ton brakes down the hill (or mountain for our west coast friends).
If the umbilical pops out while towing down a 7% or greater grade, I guess I will do what most people would do. Pray and react to the best of my ability.
Lowsuv wrote:I disagree with Jeremiah from Tennessee.
His presumption that half ton brakes are just fine and that you don't need the extra braking of the 3 /4 ton brakes is a reflection of where he lives.
Lowsuv,
So You disagree with me because of where I live? Interesting.... 3/4 ton brakes are designed to stop fully loaded 3/4 ton trucks. Are they bigger breaks? yes they are... but they have to stop a MUCH larger vehicle.
Lowsuv wrote: Drum brakes on a travell trailer will not hold up on a long downhill grade.
Agreed.. that's why I use the brakes VERY little going down hill.. It is called engine breaking... Something gas motors do very well.. simply gear down and let the motor do the work. You do not have to be towing to burn out your brakes riding them down a grade.
Lowsuv wrote:In the west we have mountains. In Tennessee they have hills.
You never know that 3 years from now you want to vacation in the mountains. There are plenty of steep grades in the 11 western states that will totally "fade " your drum style trailer brakes.
Please see my previous response. Same logic applies, I WILL gear down, that includes whatever TV I am in, not just a half ton. I will NOT ride my brakes on any grade. It is simply not necessary, Start slow and be in a lower gear. Use the brakes when you need to in order to burn off any excess speed, then get off the brakes.
Lowsuv wrote: When that happens you are really happy to have diesel compression and serious disc brakes on a 3 /4 ton.
As an example, I will speak to 3 well known spots that will make you plead for Heavy Duty Disc brakes that are on HD 2500 pickups.
1. "Dead Indian Memorial Highway # 533 " dropping into Ashland Oregon from Lake Of The Woods. There is too much grade, period.
2. Interstate 70 dropping from the Eisenhower Tunnel ( 11,100 feet ASL ) to Grand Junction Colorado ( 4,500 feet ASL ). I don't remember where it was steepest , but I do know my trailer brakes were totally faded out.
3. Interstate 5 "Grapevine " of course. Not as bad as the first two.
4. I challenge others to add to this list of most severe drops. They are common enough in the west.
I do not wish to degrade our gentleman from Tennessee but if he travelled out west he would change his opinion.
I appreciate you speaking for me. I will not change my opinion on this matter. I am not a Half ton fan boy and I expect to own a 3/4 ton when I can afford it, I simply understand that If I ride my brakes IN ANY VEHICLE long enough, there will be brake fade. So I refuse to ride them. I let the engine brake for me.
I will admit that I have never been "out west" but I did live in Europe and I am familiar with the Alps so I understand what kind of mountains you are talking about.
I guess if I went to one of these extreme passes (not doubting that they are extreme), and I hung out on the side of the road, that I would not see a single half ton towing a TT. Would that be accurate? If there are any, are they all out of state and inexperienced?
These replies were targeted at me and I felt I must respectfully respond.
Cheers and safe towing, no matter where you live.
Thanks!
* This post was
edited 01/30/12 11:30pm by jerem0621 *
TT: 1995 Layton 2910
Tow Vehicle: 1999 F-350, v10, , 2wd, Crew Cab, Dually
Hitch: Draw-Tite Trunnion WD Hitch with Reese Dual-Cam sway control
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APT
SE Michigan
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700 pounds of people, unknown cargo behind the 3rd row, and only 1200 pounds of payload means 500 pounds at most. The powertrian and brakes are plenty for a 4000 pounds loaded (500+) pound TW) TT. I doubt a family weighing 700 pounds will be happy in a TT that weights closer to 3k pounds dry.
Get a more capable TV.
A & A parents of DD 2005, DS1 2007, DS2 2009
2011 Suburban 2500 6.0L 3.73 pulling 2011 Heartland North Trail 28BRS
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