How big of a travel trailer

[Darky]

can a 2003 Tahoe safely pull? My friend has one and is looking for a travel trailer to pull on weekends, maybe a couple weekends a month. It has to have a full bathroom. I've looked up the tow rating and it should be 8700lbs, but I'm having hard time finding weights on trailers and also not sure if length is a factor as well in towing ability. He's looking for around a 28 footer.

 

[ChiXJeff]

Buddy of mine used to tow a trailer with a 99 Tahoe, right around 20' IIRC. He did put aux airbags on the rear end and said it helped tremendously.

 

[KSXJ]

I tow my jeep with a 2001 tahoe. Does good. I have head the equalization hitches help a ton and have been saving up for one.

 

[RedHeep]

The weight distribution hitches are a necessity. We towed a 34' 2 car tag a long with both jeeps on it to Moab and the hitch really helped. You get your steering response back and it puts the weight of the trailer on the chassis instead of the tongue.

Find the vehicle's GCWR. The manufacturer might say 8700 lbs is the tow capacity, but the combined weight rating takes into account the vehicle weight, passengers and the cargo plus the trailer, so you might have less trailer weight to play with when you take into account the extras. One of the internet sites put the GCWR of an '03 Tahoe at 13K.

This says an '03 Tahoe is rated to 7400 lbs trailer weight.
http://www.campinglife.com/towrating/

Most of the 24-28 foot ones I googled show up at 4-6000 pounds, so you'd be pushing it with it loaded with food, dishes, etc. but more than doable if you have something for sway control and brakes.

 

[Darky]

I found a site (http://www.trailerlife.com/images/downloads/03towingguide.pdf) that had two ratings for the Tahoe. They put it at 6700 lbs with 3.42s and 7700lbs with 3.73s. I let my friend know he needs to get a build sheet so we can figure the gears out, but now I wonder where I read 8700lbs...IIRC the GVWR on his placard said 6500lbs. I'll let him know about the likelihood of needing the weight distributing hitch and sway control.

 

[RedHeep]

I found a site (http://www.trailerlife.com/images/downloads/03towingguide.pdf) that had two ratings for the Tahoe. They put it at 6700 lbs with 3.42s and 7700lbs with 3.73s. I let my friend know he needs to get a build sheet so we can figure the gears out, but now I wonder where I read 8700lbs...IIRC the GVWR on his placard said 6500lbs. I'll let him know about the likelihood of needing the weight distributing hitch and sway control.

If he's got the "towing package" he's got 3.73's and the external tranny cooler.

The package isn't just the hitch, but if he's got it, he's got the bigger tow rating.

 

[SuzysJ]

Tell him to post question on rv.net ("towing" or "tow vehicle" after search). Look for online calculators.

First step is weigh the vehicle, EMPTY, except driver and full fuel. Keep scale ticket. Add 150-lbs for each passenger, and go weigh the other items you'll carry.

All vehicles are limited by factory for GCWR and GVWR. He needs all the facts from Owners Manual.

The smart folks spec the trailer first, the tow vehicle second.

Do NOT believe the trailer published numbers. Trailer must be weighed, empty, with full water tank and propane tanks. Also need Tongue Weight. Others report that trailers were as much as 1,000-lbs or more off based on options alone, so NO substitute for scale.

Then, and only then can one determine if that trailer will work.

An aero trailer (Airstream-type) can be heavier and longer than a box. Frontal area matters greatly (you might be limited to 50 s/f; check). Height is worse than weight.

Minimum hitch should be REESE Dual Cam (Strait Line). Avoid Equalizer or other, lesser hitches (friction bars worthless).

You MUST use scale to set up properly. Tow rigs are TWICE as likely, minimum, to have loss-of-control accidents.

I would re-wire trailer brakes and TV with heavier brake electrical wiring even new. See JBarca post on RV.net in towing on same. Also, have trailer aligned at big truck shop, and have tires/wheels balanced plus add shock absorbers if not equipped. Same with LED running/signal lamps.

3.73, ATF & PSF coolers and max cooling package from factory is best.

 

[Motornoggin]

I may be late to the party, but I thought I would throw in my two cents worth. I would absolutely not go any longer than 28ft, shorter would be better. They can get everything they need in an 18ft trailer too. With the shorter wheelbase of the Tahoe, it will be hard to get a swaying trailer back in control. The longer the trailer, the more prone they are to sway, especially if they are tail heavy. Rear kitchen models tend to have more weight toward the back, but this is not always the case. If they are purchasing new, the dealer must have a mathematical dry weight calculation for every trailer. This includes all accessories on the trailer, as it sits on the lot.
Like SuzysJ said, get a good weight dist/ sway control and avoid the friction bar, they are only adequate at best. The Reese Dual Cam is a great hitch, as is the Equal-I-Zer. It is not a lesser hitch, they are the reason Reese made the Dual Cam. Check out the Reese SC too, it is their newest setup and I like it better than the Equal-I-Zer. Reese (as do most w/d hitches) uses a spring bar, where the Equal-I-Zer is a rigid bar. It has less bouncing, but potholes/ expansion joints transfer to the tow vehicle.
A good brake controller is a must too. Tekonsha P3, Prodigy and Primus IQ are the ones to look at. They are full digital units and are much smoother than their mechanical or time based counterparts.
I have never heard of problems with factory brake controller wiring. We sell 200+ RVs a year and I can't think of one instance where there was an OEM wiring issue. SuzysJ, can you post a link or site some reasoning for changing the wiring?

 

[Motornoggin]

Edit: Double Post.