Cranman5
Regina, Saskatchewan
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Joined: 05/16/2008
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I have a 2003 Suburban Z71. I'm looking at a trailer that weighs 6100LBs(Keystone Cougar X-Lite 29BHS - Quad Bunks). I'm getting conflicting weights. 1000lbs could make or break me. I really love the trailer and hope I can make I work. Does anyone know where I can look to see what exactly my capacity is? Also, this hitch weight is throwing me for a curve. I'd definately use stabalizer bars. I'm looking for any advice. Please help. Thanks - Jason
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Pete D
Washington
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Joined: 11/19/2005
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It should be right there in your Owner's Manual.
You may have to get some help from GM to interpret your VIN and Door Label (driver's door or jamb) to determine exactly what equipment your buggy has. Toughest part is figuring out whether you have tow package -- May have to call GM.
Likely, instead of stabilizer bars you will need a weight distributing hitch to handle the tongue load (10-15% of 6000lbs is 600-900lbs). I'd advise getting one with integral sway dampening like Reese Dual-Cam or Equalizer.
1998 Ranger 4.0 4x4
1991 Scamp 13'
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TandA-n-Mac
new jersey
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from goggle type in trailer life tow guide and your year/type truck.they have them all.
06 F250 6.0 TD,SC,SB,4x4,Towboss,3.73 rear.Firestone air bags,285/70 R17 3795lb tires,18000 slider; 04 38' Jayo Designer "Legacy" 5er; all I need now is satilite TV and hit the lottery; NAVY,"WE'LL NEVER FORGET,land of the free because of the brave"
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Cranman5
Regina, Saskatchewan
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I do have the Tow Package, from the factory. I have to find out my gear ratio. That will make the difference. Thanks for the replies, anymore suggestions are welcome. Thanks again - J
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LIKE2BUILD
Mt. Zion, IL
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Cranman5 wrote:I do have the Tow Package, from the factory. I have to find out my gear ratio. That will make the difference. Thanks for the replies, anymore suggestions are welcome. Thanks again - J
Look on the drivers side door post of the Suburban. There will be a tag that lists the GVWR of your vehicle. You will find the axle gear ratio code buried in your glove box. There is a sticker on your glove box door that shows all the RPO codes that indicate options and other features related to this vehicle. About in the middle of the sticker you'll see a 3 character code starting with G. The codes and axle ratios are:
- GU6 = 3.42
- GT4 = 3.73
- GT5 = 4.10
In 4X4 1500 series vehicles your GCWR will be:
- 3.42 -- 12,000#
- 3.73 -- 13,000#
- 4.10 -- 14,000#
If you want to stay within specs, the only way to know for sure you can tow this trailer is to put a "normal" load of people and fuel in the Suburban and go to the nearest scale. Subtract that weight from the GVWR and that will tell you how much tongue weight you can handle from the trailer. Also, subtract that from the GCWR and that will tell you if you will be okay on the combined truck and trailer.
KJ
2002 Jayco Qwest 324G
2004 Chevy 2500HD CrewCab |6.0L|2X4|4.10:1
Curt MagnumV receiver
Eaz-Lift Hitch with Reese Dual Cam
1981 Seastar 18' Runabout
1996 Polaris SLT780 Waverunner
3 Wonderful Sons (9, 3, & 1 year)
1 forgiving wife!!!
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BenK
SF BayArea
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Joined: 04/18/2002
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Here is the link to GM's specifications for a 2003 Suburban:
http://media.gm.com/division/2003_prodin........evrolet/03_surburban/specifications.html
You need to actually weigh your Suburban, both empty and full loaded,
axle by axle. That is the only way to know where you are in reference
to these ratings.
The 'curb' weight is the base model....aka....stripper model with no
options, one 150lb driver and usually full fluids. No: power windows,
power seats, power doors, power seats, 2nd/3rd row seats, etc, etc.
The MTWR is based on the 'curb' weight vehicle and if yours is not,
then the MTWR (max tow weight rating) is less pound for pound.
Also less pound for pound on what you load into/onto the Suburban.
That includes the tongue weight and hitch weight.
You will also need to have the diff ratio and engine size. Assume it
is a 1500, as most who go out and buy a 2500 already know that they
need a bigger truck (same body between the 1500/2500, but the frame,
brakes, engine, tranny, diff, etc, etc are all bigger).
Suggest you replace the stock receiver with a traditional designed
receiver. About $150 bucks for a good one and another approx 2 hours
labor to remove/replace. Do a search on 'GM hitch receiver' on this
forum and you will find a few posts on GM's piece of junk receiver.
Also, if you have a suspension lift and over sized tires (larger dia),
the tow rating is reduced. As the drive line angles increase to reduce
the power delivered to the pavement. The over sized tires affectively
change the diff ratio by the same dia ratio difference.
* This post was
edited 05/17/08 10:56pm by an administrator/moderator *
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Blaster Man
USA
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Your "true" tow capacity is the GCWR minus the actual weight of the tow vehicle.
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NHguy
NH
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From TT spec page
Shipping Weight 6185
Carrying Capacity 1650
So TT GVWR is 7835. And we we told the GCWR is 13,000. If your Sub weighs under 5165 you can make GCWR. So there's no way. Subs curb over 6000 if I am correct. Sorry to burst your bubble, but don't spend the money unless you get a higher capacity tow vehicle.
05 F150 FX4 Supercrew, 5.4, 3.73 LS, Jordan Ultima 2020 Brake Controller,
04 TrailCruiser 30QBSS, Battery Disconnect,
Dual Cam HP, Ultra Fab Power Tongue Jack, Bal Lockarm Stabilizers
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Cranman5
Regina, Saskatchewan
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I called Chevy and gave them my serial #. The fella I talked to told me my truck weight is 5400lbs with the options I have. He also told me my truck has the 4:10 ratio which should increase my towing capacity by 1000lbs to 14000. I also checked my glovebox sticker (as per KJ(Like2Build)) and my sticker has the GT5 spec which also = 4:10.
The guy at Chevy told me when the Suburban was new the warranty it covered a max trailer weight of 8100 lbs. I still want to get my suburban weighed at a scale, but when everything is said and done, if the following specs are right:
the trailer dry -6100lbs, Truck - 5400lbs. Combined=11500 lbs.
In your expert opinions, would I be safe to buy this trailer. PLMK what you would do. Any advice is welcome. Also, thanks so much for all the help and replies I have gotten so far. - Jason
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BenK
SF BayArea
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Cranman5 wrote:snip....
the trailer dry -6100lbs, Truck - 5400lbs. Combined=11500 lbs.
In your expert opinions, would I be safe to buy this trailer. PLMK what you would do. Any advice is welcome.
There is only one person responsible for the setup and that is the
driver. Even if it's your sweetie, they are going to get the ticket,
not you, who set it up based on advice from an Internet forum.
You still need to weigh your Suburban axle by axle, both empty and
fully loaded as if going to tow. Meaning people, pets, food, cargo, etc
I'll bet if you have more than two people and their cargo, your sub
will weigh more than that 5,400 lbs they told you.
My Suburban has a factory curb weight of 5,500 lbs, but it has just
about every option orderable check off when I ordered it. The big
block adds around 500lbs. The 4x4 adds another few hundred pounds.
The power everything adds just under a hundred pounds. The 2nd/3rd
row seats add several hundred pounds.
It weighs in just over 7,400lbs at the local garden scales with me
(about 180lbs), toolbox (a bit over 200lbs) and misc stuff (about 50lbs).
Many over at the Suburban forum and this forum have reported that
their 1500 Suburbans weigh in around 6,000 lbs without people in it.
All of that weight over the 'curb' subtracts from the listed MTWR,
so the listed 10,000 lb MTWR is less by approx 1,900 lbs for the
condition my sub is in when weighed.
If I load up all 8 seating postions with 150lb people, their cargo
and stuff, I might be at or over the 8,600lb GVWR. That means I
will no longer have *ANY* rating left for the hitch and tongue, so
really have no MTWR left in 'that' condition.
I also don't recommend towing too close to the max (even the 'real'
MTWR after accounting for the stuff loaded) because the 4L60E and
12 bolt are on the small side for a vehicle this big. They were fine
components when they were released, but things have gotten heavier
and heavier over the decades. So their 'improvements' just have not
been able to keep up.
-Ben Picture of my rig
1996 GMC SLT Suburban 3/4 ton K3500/7.4L/4:1/+150Kmiles orig owner...
1980 Chevy Silverado C10/long bed/"BUILT" 5.7L/3:73/1 ton helper springs/+329Kmiles, bought it from dad...
1998 Mazda B2500 (1/2 ton) pickup, 2nd owner...
Praise Dyno Brake equiped and all have "nose bleed" braking!
Previous trucks/offroaders: 40's Jeep restored in mid 60's / 69 DuneBuggy (approx +1K lb: VW pan/200hpCorvair: eng, cam, dual carb'w velocity stacks'n 18" runners, 4spd transaxle) made myself from ground up / 1970 Toyota FJ40 / 1973 K5 Blazer (2dr Tahoe, 1 ton axles front/rear, +255K miles when sold it)...
Sold the boat (looking for another): Trophy with twin 150's...
51 cylinders in household, what's yours?...
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